MyBankTracker Blog

Should You Invest in Series I Savings Bonds or CDs? Find out whether it is a better financial decision to invest your money in a Series I savings bond or a certificate of deposit (CD). Valencia Patrice Higuera Thomas (TJ) Porter Family Member Stole Your Identity to Open Credit Cards: What to Do Family members, especially parents, often have easy access to sensitive personal... Valencia Patrice Higuera 5 Ways to Save for Retirement as a Full-Time Freelancer So you’ve finally made the leap to full-time freelancer. For you, this means time... Robinhood Brokerage 2024 Review Robinhood is a mobile-focused brokerage that doesn't charge a commission fee to trade. Find out if this investing platform worth using based on the fees, trading benefits, margin rules, research tools, online/mobile experience, and more. Simon Zhen Should You Keep Your Emergency Fund in a CD? An emergency fund is supposed to be money that you've set aside for unexpected financial expenses. Find out whether it makes sense to keep your emergency fund in a certificate of deposit (CD) -- compared to an online savings account. Compare the pros and cons of this approach and how it could affects your ability to access your cash. Thomas (TJ) Porter Thomas (TJ) Porter How to Calculate and Reduce Your Debt-to-Income Ratio If you’re applying for a loan you’re probably worried about whether your credit is... Nicole Dieker How to Trade and Invest in Bitcoin & Other Cryptocurrencies Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin — cryptocurrencies are some of today’s most... Peerform Personal Loans 2024 Review - Should You Apply? Learn all the details of the personal loans offered by Peerform, a peer-to-peer lending platform. Find out what interest rates are offered to borrowers based on credit score. Take note of the fees that could increase the cost of using Peerform personal loans. Compare the features to similar options offered by other lenders. Rebecca Lake 6 Signs That You Need to Switch to a New Brokerage Learn how your brokerage could be the wrong fit for you and your investing style. Find out what factors you should look for that could be hurting your investment potential, including fees, investment choices, and the quality of advisory services. Consult our guide for switching to a new brokerage. Thomas (TJ) Porter Paul Sisolak Investing in Rental Properties: Are You Ready to Become a Landlord? If you’ve ever rented at some point or another, there’s that thought that crosses... Shirley Pulawski What to Do If You Didn't File Taxes on Time The tax deadline has come and gone, but if you didn't file your tax return, all is... What Makes a Bad 401(k) Plan? Learn about the different factors that make up a bad 401(k) plan, including fees and investment options. Valerie Ashton College Grads With Your First Jobs: How to Set Up Your Finances As a recent college graduate with your first job, learn how to set up your finances to ensure that you're building savings and working towards a retirement portfolio after you've obtained a stable stream of income. In this guide, find out how to approach each step and why each financial account plays a role in your finances. Krista Baum Ben Luthi Can You Inherit Your Parents' Debt? Losing a loved one can be a devastating experience, but it can become scary if you... Thomas (TJ) Porter The Best Mobile Apps for Investing of 2024 Investing can be very intimidating to get started with. With so many investment... Guide to Using a Backdoor Roth IRA Learn the step by step process of setting up a backdoor Roth IRA to help taxpayers who've reached the income limits to qualify for contributions. Find out what taxes you are responsible for paying when you convert a traditional IRA. Most importantly, determine for yourself when it makes sense to use a backdoor Roth IRA. Valencia Patrice Higuera Investing in a Money Market Fund vs. a High-Yield Savings Account Find out whether money market funds are better options than high yield savings accounts when their annual returns are higher than the best savings rates. Learn about the traits of money market funds that make them different from typical deposit accounts, which will affect how you use it to build savings. Thomas (TJ) Porter Rebecca Lake CommonBond Student Loan Refinancing 2024 Review: Is It Worth Applying? Repaying student loan debt can be a hassle, especially when your loans have a high... Thomas (TJ) Porter Personal Loan vs. Line of Credit: Which is the Right Option for You? If you are in a financial bind and need money, you might consider a personal loan... Should You Pay to Extend a Mortgage Rate Lock? Find out whether it makes sense to pay for a mortgage rate-lock extension during the process of buying a new home. Learn how rate locks work and see the tips that you should use to ensure the lowest interest rate on your mortgages, especially during times when interest rates are fluctuating. Valencia Patrice Higuera Bring Crisp, Clean U.S. Dollar Bills When You Travel to These Countries Find out which countries around the world will demand crisp, clean U.S. bills when converting currency. Learn why money exchanges have the rule of not accepting U.S. dollars that appear to be worn, marked, folded, and dirty. Use the travels tips that can help you avoid any issues with having the money to pay for things on your trips. Valerie Ashton Thomas (TJ) Porter Primary vs. Secondary Auto-Rental Collision Coverage on Travel Credit Cards One of the many valuable credit card benefits offered by travel credit cards is... Rebecca Lake Guide to the Chase 5/24 Credit Card Rule Opening a new credit card account can be a great way to snag an introductory... 6 Savings Account Fees You Need to Know About Be aware of the different types of fees that a bank could charge on a savings account. Find out why they are being charged, how much they cost, and what you can do to avoid them. Learn about online banks that are able to offer significantly higher savings rates without expensive fees. Thomas (TJ) Porter Deducting Student Loan Interest: Everything You Need to Know Find out whether you can deduct the interest paid on your student loan debt. Learn the rules that make you eligible for a tax deduction, and how much you can deduct to cut your tax liability. Take note of the tips for borrowers who are struggling to make their student loan debt payments. Nicole Dieker Ben Luthi The Gift Tax: Do You Have to Pay Them? The gift tax may be one of the least understood provisions of the tax code. It... Alex Feldler Key Questions to Ask Before Refinancing Your Student Loans Bearing a high interest rate on your student loans can make it difficult, if not... Why You No Longer Need to Sign for Credit Card Purchases Credit card issuers are no longer requiring card customers to provide a signature on a purchase receipt in order to verify a point-of-sale transaction. Find out what the exact rules are for each of the four major U.S. card networks - Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. Learn what this means for you in the future. Krista Baum What is a Flexible Spending Account and Should You Use One? Learn everything you need to know about flexible spending accounts (FSAs), including how to get one and what their purpose is for when it comes to covering healthcare expenses. Find out the benefits and drawbacks of this special employer-sponsored account and compare it to the popular health savings account (HSA). Thomas (TJ) Porter