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Financial News from Bankrate.com

  • Video: First-time homebuying regrets Bankrate.com - Fri, May 18, 2012 6:00 PM SGT

    Intro: Becoming a first time home buyer is a dream come true. But a home buyer's inexperience can cause them to make some pretty big mistakes.Take VO: The number one, most common mistake first time homebuyer's ...

  • National mortgage rates for May 17, 2012 Bankrate.com - Thu, May 17, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Interest Rate Roundup Mortgages CDs Auto Loans Home Equity Credit Cards Find the best mortgage rates in your area. Mortgages 3.97% (30-year fixed) 0.44 (average points)Mortgage rates reached record lows, ...

  • Home equity loan rates for May 17, 2012 Bankrate.com - Thu, May 17, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Interest Rate Roundup Mortgages CDs Auto Loans Home Equity Credit Cards Find the best home equity rates in your area. Home Equity 5.26% (line of credit) 6.45% (loan)Rates on loans backed by home equity ...

  • Credit card interest rates for May 17, 2012 Bankrate.com - Thu, May 17, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Interest Rate Roundup Mortgages CDs Auto Loans Home Equity Credit Cards Find the best credit card offers available. Credit Cards 13.81% (all fixed) 14.45% (all variable)Credit card rates remained unchanged ...

  • CD rates for May 17, 2012 Bankrate.com - Thu, May 17, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Interest Rate Roundup Mortgages CDs Auto Loans Home Equity Credit Cards Compare CD rates nationally and in your area. CDs 0.33% (1-year CD yields) 1.13% (5-year CD yields)CD rates are unchanged from last ...

  • Auto loan rates for May 17, 2012 Bankrate.com - Thu, May 17, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Interest Rate Roundup Mortgages CDs Auto Loans Home Equity Credit Cards Find the best auto rates in your area. Auto Loans 4.47% (60-month, new car) 5.13% (36-month, used car)Auto loan rates were mixed ...

  • How can I avoid these scary closing costs? Bankrate.com - Thu, May 17, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Dear Dr. Don,I am halfway to paying off my mortgage. It is a 15-year 5.5 percent fixed-rate mortgage obtained in 2004 for the amount of $90,000. It has an outstanding balance of $47,000, and the monthly ...

  • 5 electric cars that will stretch your mileage Bankrate.com - Thu, May 17, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Auto » 5 Electric Cars That Stretch Your Mileage Cars with superior gas mileage 1 2 3 4 5 6 >Car technology has come a long way. In the fight to decrease dependency on oil and avoid high gas prices, ...

  • 3 reasons prepaid cards may be right for you Bankrate.com - Thu, May 17, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Debit Cards » Best Prepaid Debit Cards » 3 Reasons To Use A Prepaid Debit Card The plus side of prepaid cardsDon't believe everything you hear when it comes to prepaid cards. Taking advantage of customer ...

  • Use tax refund to cut my mortgage payment? Bankrate.com - Thu, May 17, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Dear Debt Adviser,I am a first-time homeowner and just received a $5,000 tax refund. Is there a way to use it to lower my mortgage payment (not the length of time I pay)?-- Marci Dear Marci,As a first-time ...

  • Video: Is a hybrid worth the cost? Bankrate.com - Thu, May 17, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Intro: With gas prices inching past $4 per gallon, you might be wondering if a hybrid vehicle is the answer to rising fuel costs. Depending on the age of your current car, how far you drive, and where ...

  • The top 10 American IPOs that rival Facebook Bankrate.com - Thu, May 17, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Investing » Top 10 Biggest US IPOs Previous 1 of 11 Next Photo by Roland zhFacebook's IPO, or initial public offering, has been reported to raise about $16 billion for the social networking site, but the ...

  • Can I avoid paying taxes on a Roth conversion? Bankrate.com - Thu, May 17, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Dear Tax Talk,I rolled over my traditional individual retirement account into a Roth IRA in 2010. It was $19,000. Do I have to pay taxes on that, or can I get around not paying taxes? Can I change it back? ...

  • Are you being tricked into saving for retirement? Bankrate.com - Mon, May 14, 2012 6:00 PM SGT

    Retirement » Maximizing Workplace Retirement PlansPeople are not entirely rational. If they were, everyone would have fully funded retirement accounts and no debt.To get around the inherently irrational ...

  • 7 things you must know about the 'new retirement' Bankrate.com - Mon, May 14, 2012 6:00 PM SGT

    Retirement » 7 Things To Know About The ‘New Retirement’ The new rules for retirementThis isn't your daddy's retirement. And it's not for the faint of heart.Do-it-yourself 401(k)s, IRAs and multiple-choice ...

  • Video: Working longer in retirement Bankrate.com - Mon, May 14, 2012 6:00 PM SGT

    Intro: For the past 25 years, the number of people ages 65-69 in the workforce has gone up a whopping 74 percent. If that trend keeps climbing you might be asking yourself if you'll ever get to retire. ...

  • Infographic: Etymology of the word 'tax' Bankrate.com - Mon, May 14, 2012 6:00 PM SGT

    Hot for words » Etymology Of The Word Tax Download PDF More From Bankrate.com Refi home to buy rental The tax joys of parenthood Inheritance from India

  • Hot For Words video explains: What is 'tax'? Bankrate.com - Mon, May 14, 2012 6:00 PM SGT

    Marina Orlova for Hot for Words: Today, we're going to take a look at one of the scariest and most dreaded words in the English language ... Can you guess what it is? If you're anything like me, you probably ...

  • Is it worth it to refinance an underwater ARM? Bankrate.com - Mon, May 14, 2012 6:00 PM SGT

    Dear Dr. Don,I have an existing 5/1 adjustable-rate mortgage, and my house is underwater. My loan adjusted three years ago. Although my rate is low now, I want to refinance to a fixed rate, but I don't ...

  • 3 sneaky ploys financial advisers use Bankrate.com - Mon, May 14, 2012 6:00 PM SGT

    Retirement » 3 Ploys Of Unscrupulous Financial AdvisersAre you saving enough for retirement? If not, you need a financial adviser -- if you believe the mantra repeated day in and day out in the financial ...

  • Investment opportunities abound beyond US Bankrate.com - Mon, May 14, 2012 6:00 PM SGT

    Investing » Expand Horizons With International InvestingLook around you. The computer on which you are reading this was made in China. The wooden chair you're sitting on was crafted in Brazil. The foreign ...

  • What women want men to know about retirement Bankrate.com - Mon, May 14, 2012 6:00 PM SGT

    Retirement » Planning Retirement For Married CouplesWhen planning retirement, the way men and women differ in their approach can be as far apart as the proverbial planets Mars and Venus. Traditionally, ...

  • Find the 401(k) investing strategy for you Bankrate.com - Mon, May 14, 2012 6:00 PM SGT

    Investing » Investing For Success In Your 401(k) PlanIf you work at a company providing a 401(k) plan, it behooves you to understand your fund options. Most plans offer three types of investment alternatives: ...

  • Will my student debt pinch the kids' 529s? Bankrate.com - Mon, May 14, 2012 6:00 PM SGT

    Dear Debt Adviser,I am behind, and verging on default, on my student loans. I have made arrangements with the federal loan servicer, but there's simply no way I can pay my private loans, and they say that ...

  • How to choose mutual funds like a professional Bankrate.com - Mon, May 14, 2012 6:00 PM SGT

    Investing » How To Choose Mutual Funds Like A Pro How to choose mutual fundsNearly 8,000 mutual funds of every stripe can be purchased directly from a mutual fund firm, through an adviser or at any brokerage ...

  • Credit card interest rates for May 10, 2012 Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:01 PM SGT

    Interest Rate Roundup Mortgages CDs Auto Loans Home Equity Credit Cards Find the best credit card offers available. Credit Cards 13.81% (all fixed) 14.45% (all variable)The average annual percentage rate, ...

  • CD rates for May 10, 2012 Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:01 PM SGT

    Interest Rate Roundup Mortgages CDs Auto Loans Home Equity Credit Cards Compare CD rates nationally and in your area. CDs 0.33% (1-year CD yields) 1.13% (5-year CD yields)Rates on certificates of deposit, ...

  • Auto loan rates for May 10, 2012 Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:01 PM SGT

    Interest Rate Roundup Mortgages CDs Auto Loans Home Equity Credit Cards Find the best auto rates in your area. Auto Loans 4.47% (60-month, new car) 5.13% (36-month, used car)Auto loan rates set new record ...

  • House prices rise and fall just about equally Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    If you're shopping for an inexpensive house, explore the western shore of Lake Erie. View median home values Home values: 5 best markets Home values: 5 worst markets Home values state map Mortgage rates ...

  • With mortgage rates so low, how to swing a refi? Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    As mortgage rates hit another record low, some homeowners ponder whether it's worth reaching into their savings to buy their way into the refinance craze. Others have the privilege of cashing out and reinvesting ...

  • Home values: Check out the 5 worst markets Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Home Values » 5 Worst Markets Find the best mortgage rates in your area. Previous 1 of 6 Next Source: NAR, comparing Q1 2012 to Q1 2011. Home values: 5 best markets Median home values by state See how ...

  • Prepaid card pays 6 percent. What's the catch? Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Dear Dr. Don,I am inquiring about an advertised savings account paying a 6 percent average percentage yield. It is insured through the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., but I am questioning it because the ...

  • 4 ways to stretch your budget for a new baby Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Prepping your finances for a baby 1 2 3 4 5 >Preparing for your baby's arrival can be one of the most exciting experiences in life. Yet the addition of a child can also take a toll on your finances. ...

  • 5 steps to counter $4 per gallon at the pump Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Auto » 5 Savvy Steps To Save On Gas How consumers can reduce gas costsWith gas prices hovering around the $4 per gallon mark, many consumers are finding their budgets stretched thin."Some people have ...

  • How and where can you score fast cash -- legally? Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Looking to get fast cash for your car, jewelry or even your home? Chances are you won't get top dollar, but there are legitimate ways to sell your belongings fast. There's one catch. There are as many ...

  • 5 dumb ways to spend money on your kids Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Financial mistakes we make for our kidsEvery parent is probably guilty of giving in to their kids when it comes to spending money.Whether it's buying a candy bar at the checkout counter or sending a well-timed ...

  • How do I shake debt resulting from ID theft? Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Dear Debt Adviser,I am a victim of identity theft. The person who stole my ID took out a payday loan and used a fake bank account number. I am now being harassed by the collection agency. I keep asking ...

  • Video: Raising a child with financial smarts Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Most everyone has a money lesson or two they've learned throughout their life. Whether you did chores as a child, had to make good grades or start a savings account ... your parents probably tried to steer ...

  • Deducting interest when you refi to buy a rental Bankrate.com - Thu, May 10, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Dear Tax Talk,I plan to borrow against my primary residence to buy a rental property. I owe $70,000 on my property and will refinance for $250,000 (I will not live in the rental). I will pay cash for the ...

  • Video: How much house can you afford? Bankrate.com - Wed, May 9, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Intro: Potential homebuyers need to understand that the cost of a home is about more than just the monthly mortgage payments. So, whether you're a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned pro looking to upgrade ...

  • The many blessings (and tax breaks) of children Bankrate.com - Wed, May 9, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Taxes » Tax Credits » The Tax Joys Of Parenthood Tax joys of parenthood Slide 1 of 7Is there a new baby in the house? That's good news in many ways, especially at tax time when the chip off the old block ...

  • Can I escape bad broker -- and transfer fees? Bankrate.com - Wed, May 9, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Dear Dr. Don,The broker with whom my husband and I have worked for several years was referred to us by my now deceased father. We're seeing signs that our broker (with a very large firm) is becoming forgetful ...

  • 5 sayings from Mom that are as good as gold Bankrate.com - Wed, May 9, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Mom's favorite phrases still hold truthWisdom, thy name is "Mother."Your mom's favorite phrases kept you safe ("Look both ways before you cross the street") and out of trouble ("If ...

  • 4 stock indexes and what they track Bankrate.com - Wed, May 9, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Which stock index should you follow? 1 2 3 4 5 >Whether it's the Dow Jones industrial average, the Nasdaq stock market, Standard & Poor's 500 index or the Russell 2000, investors use these popular indexes ...

  • Homeowners insurance: Reassess coverage Bankrate.com - Wed, May 9, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    At least once a year, it's a good idea to review the insurance coverage on your biggest asset: your home.Your homeowners insurance coverage should start with a replacement cost policy that covers the entire ...

  • Infographic: Reassessing homeowners insurance: A c … Bankrate.com - Wed, May 9, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Follow these tips to help determine if you have enough home insurance to cover your house and valuables. Download PDFMore From Bankrate.com Hurricane prep for homes Keeping your money safe Engagement ring ...

  • Does wife owe ex-hubby's credit card debt? Bankrate.com - Wed, May 9, 2012 3:00 PM SGT

    Dear Credit Card Adviser,I got divorced recently. My husband left me with two kids and a lot of credit card debt. About 90 percent of charges for the last year he did for his traveling and business purposes. ...

  • Calculate the money you need to buy a home Bankrate.com - Tue, May 8, 2012 3:01 PM SGT

    You spend a lot of cash when you buy a home. The down payment for your mortgage is only one expense. There are other outlays: appraisal, inspection, deposit, cash reserves and more. The costs add up."How ...

  • Tax treatment of inherited property in India Bankrate.com - Tue, May 8, 2012 3:01 PM SGT

    Dear Tax Talk,I am a naturalized citizen of the U.S. My parents left some property for us in India. I sold my share in 2011. My questions are:Would that be considered an inheritance? If it is an inheritance, ...

  • How should I put away money for grad school? Bankrate.com - Tue, May 8, 2012 3:01 PM SGT

    Dear Dr. Don,I'm 22 years old and am working full time in governmental affairs. My goal is to be able to afford a decent graduate or law school in the next two to three years. I have about $1,000 from ...

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