What Is Tax-Loss Harvesting?

Key Takeaways Tax-loss harvesting involves offsetting capital gains with capital losses so that little or no capital gains tax comes due. Investors might intentionally sell some securities at a loss to achieve this when they have significant gains. Losses can offset regular income by up to $3,000 when they exceed gains. Any losses over the … Read more

HELOC Pros and Cons

HELOC Home Equity Loan Secured by your home equity Secured by your home equity Low interest rates Low interest rates Usually variable rate Variable or fixed rate Draw funds multiple times One-time payout Upfront and annual fees Upfront fees, but no annual fees Secured by Home Equity Both home equity loans and HELOCs are secured … Read more

Gas Prices Break New Record After Brief Reprieve

US gas prices reached a new record high Tuesday, erasing the modest relief seen in April. Higher oil prices and increasing demand for gas pushed the average national price to $4.37 a gallon, according to data from AAA. As the chart below shows, the average has now surpassed the previous high of $4.33—fallout from Russia’s … Read more

What Is Bad Credit?

Key Takeaways A consumer with bad credit is considered a risky borrower, usually due to owing large amounts of money or having a history of unpaid bills and debts. Having bad credit can make it hard to get a credit card, mortgage, car loans, rental approval, or even a job. Bad credit is usually seen … Read more

What Is Loan/Lease Payoff Insurance?

Key Takeaways Loan/lease payoff insurance will pay up to 25% of your vehicle’s current cash value after your insurance company has paid you if the vehicle is stolen or totaled. Your insurer must declare the vehicle a total loss. You can usually add loan/lease payoff coverage to your auto insurance coverage at any time. There’s … Read more

High-Value Home Insurance: What Is It?

Definition and Examples of High-Value Home Insurance High-value home insurance is a type of homeowners insurance that is designed for homes with high market value. A high-value home is defined as property worth $750,000 or more. Homes that fall into this group might include heritage homes, or homes with special architectural or interior design elements. … Read more

What Is Title Insurance?

Key Takeaways Title insurance can protect both buyers and lenders from financial losses that may occur after a home sale. Lenders require borrowers to purchase title insurance to help protect their investment. A homebuyer must purchase separate owner’s title insurance to protect their legal rights to a property. Your title insurance company will handle future … Read more

Leveraged ETFs: What Are They?

A leveraged exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a type of financial product designed to track an underlying index at higher rates of return. It can offer returns as high as 2-3 times the returns of a traditional ETF, but that also makes it a riskier investment option. Leveraged ETFs are quickly becoming one of the most … Read more

What Are Series HH Savings Bonds?

Key Takeaways Series HH savings bonds were a type of Treasury bond that directly deposited interest payments into an investor’s account. These bonds matured after 20 years and paid interest every six months, but investors could cash in their bonds for the full face value at any time after a required holding period. This bond … Read more