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- Leadership
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- Credit score for FHA loans
- Jumbo loans: As low as 5%-10% down payment (varies)
- 2. Browse hotels and filter results
- Hollywood Studios
- 2. Child identity theft
- 4. U.S. Northeast-Canada
- 4. Caviar and Dom Perignon at 40,000 feet
- Apply natural makeup
- Cons
- Transfer your rewards
- Saves time and resources
- The pros
- Our pick for: Online purchases
- Learn more about online banking
- Add photos and videos
- Navy Federal: Best for military members
- 2. Gather the necessary information
- 5. Search online startup, co-founder, and business communities.
- Marriott Bonvoy
- What doesn't qualify:
- What coverage is included?
- IFundWomen Universal Grant Application Database
- 1. Find a dividend-paying stock
- Types of CDs
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- 5. Move the special day
- Equity REITs
- 3. Investing can trump saving over the long term
- $300 annual travel credit
- Tips for unfreezing your credit
- 2. States with flat income tax rates
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- 4. Get more options as a non-U.S. entrepreneur
- Negotiate a lower interest rate with your issuer
- Margin call
- 2. Dispute credit reporting errors
- Dun & Bradstreet business credit scores
- Prior online research led to 13% greater in-store spending among omnichannel shoppers
- Are Medicare premiums deducted from Social Security payments?
- 3. Expedia
- 3. Think about your children
- Use Universal Express Passes
- 6. Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- You can cancel or change a reservation as per the travel provider’s policy
- Copays, coinsurance and deductibles
- 5. Investigate divorced spouse benefits
- Business mileage
- Cost (and quality) of living
- Spending bonus
- Other student loan calculators
- Tax credits
- Cons
- Where MetaMask falls short
- Tax credits for people with kids
- Limited transfer partners
- Roll the dice with an upgrade hack
- Home equity lines of credit pros and cons
- Gift tax exclusion
- Chicago Hyatt hotels
- Cheapest full coverage car insurance in California for 20-year-olds
- 5. You could potentially earn $1,400 a year in statement credits — if you use them
- 6. Apply with a hard credit pull
- 4. You cannot have claimed the home sale capital gains exclusion recently
- Small-cap stocks and value stocks may outperform
- 3. Decide how you'll invest in the SPY ETF
- When and how long can you request a mail hold?
- 11. Denny’s
- Functionality
- Only pack a carry-on bag
- Commercial auto insurance
- 2. Diversify your holdings
- Trading requirements
- 3. Obtain the necessary certification and licenses
- Qualify for a second-home mortgage
- 7. Transfer points to airline and hotel partners
- 2. Stock dividends
- 3. Register your business and get insured
- 3. Get a companion pass
- You’re looking for a lower annual fee
- What does Medigap not cover?
- Renters insurance
- 6. Self-funding
- Turn to your kids
- Savings and debt repayment
- 3. Confirm availability and book
- Choose a simple hairstyle
- Average rates from the biggest auto insurers after an at-fault crash
- Do I need to update Global Entry when I get a new passport?
- 8. IT consulting
- 4. Consider flipping investment properties
- 1. Find a dividend-paying stock
- How do I access a HELOC?
- Poshmark
- Understanding your results
- 3. Learn to use market orders and limit orders
- Leave 30% of your income for wants
- 3. Tap your home equity for a loan or line of credit
- Does homeowners insurance cover tree damage to your neighbor’s property?
- Price
- 5. Newborn and post-pregnancy services
- Construction loans to build a house
- What isn't covered?
- Call and ask for better terms
- 3. Call your lender
- Where Ledger falls short
- If you don’t have credit but are looking to build it
- You don't want to be at the mercy of an appraisal
- Mortgage REITs
- Should you invest in retail stocks in 2023?
- 5. Hotels.com Rewards
- GET MORE MILES, MORE BENEFITS WITH A DELTA CARD
- Should you refinance your student loans?
- 3. States with progressive tax structures
- Apply for a credit card at a credit union
- 3. Decrease your credit utilization
- 47% of businesses spent less than $10,000 on digital marketing
- 3. Place the trade
- FICO score ranges
- TIPS funds
- 4. Name an executor
- ❌ You may not receive elite benefits
- 2. Free or cheap financial apps
- 5. Sell your stuff
- Among investment apps: Acorns
- How to get Turkish Miles&Smiles
- Expensify
- Find preapproved auto loans
- Home office deduction
- 7. Pay for a last-minute upgrade
- Friend and family loans
- 3. Synthetic identity theft
- General travel cards
- How you'll earn TrueBlue points on American Airlines flights
- Redeem miles to fly with an infant
- Bond mutual funds = lower returns (but lower risk)
- Walmart Foundation
- 4. Fiverr
- 3. Turn to qualitative stock research
- Organizational structure
- Changes and refunds
- 2. Pick which options to buy or sell
- Estate tax exclusion
- Switch to an income-driven repayment plan
- Revocable life insurance trusts
- Amber Grant for Women
- 5. You cannot have bought the house through a like-kind exchange
- 3. Land a brand deal and make sponsored content
- Ages 45 to 54
- 12. Edible Arrangements
- Book a stopover
- 4. The tax advantages are prime for kids
- Winner: Cabo for luxury, Cancun for variety
- 3. Dividend reinvestment programs (DRIPs)
- 3. Make sure they’re a good fit
- Rideshare insurance costs by company
- Is it better to get a second mortgage or refinance?
- Other Ally Bank reviews
- 7. Venture capital
- Hot wallet
- Ask to pay tuition in installments
- Travel packages can save you money
- Index funds
- MetLife: Best pet insurance for older pets
- 9. Catering
- Unpaid interest is cancelled
- What MetaMask is best for
- How much does a HELOC cost?
- Ruby Lane
- Reduces profit and can be expensive
- 5. Monitor your total credit utilization
- 4. Take surveys for money
- Micro- and mega-cap companies
- Learn more about online banking safety
- Complete your listing details
- The details
- 3. Submit your application and wait
- 4. Barclays rewards
- 1. The person can’t be anyone else’s qualifying child
- What vehicle rentals are excluded?
- Ages 25-34
- 2. Evaluate the stock
- How to get (and pay for) Clear
- If you have credit but want to strengthen your score
- 6. Compare mortgage rates and fees
- Use points to upgrade your seat
- Hedging against future downturns
- Getting your mail at the end of a mail hold
- Mortgage rates
- Cutting back on entry for international flights
- Lounge access and other top-tier benefits
- Home prices keep climbing
- 8. Worldwide acceptance
- Make multiple credit card payments per month
- You want to redeem points for travel directly
- Equifax business credit scores
- More about investment fees
- 92% of small-business reviews that consumers shared online were positive
- VantageScore ranges
- 4. Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
- Cons
- Protect your credit
- Other student loan calculators
- PayPal Cashback Mastercard®
- Explore public benefits
- Sign up for Amazon Associates
- Other Marriott Bonvoy transfer partners worth considering
- Conventional loans
- High PE ratio
- 1099-A
- Deductibles, limits and payouts
- 6. Add your minor child
- Self-employment tax
- Elite status
- Pros of gold stocks
- What else should I know about Roth 401(k) taxes?
- Magic Kingdom
- 5. Other Caribbean islands
- Check your personal credit score
- How to maximize your rewards
- Sample letter requesting a goodwill deletion
- Why it’s the best
- Cheap auto insurance after an accident
- 4. Practice with a paper trading account
- What if a tree lands on your car?
- Your money management style
- Which is better when?
- Food and on-board service
- HSAs and FSAs
- Build your score and then switch cards
- 7. Make on-time payments to build credit
- 6. You cannot be subject to expatriate tax
- 2. Promote your business
- You find it hard or impossible to get a mortgage
- Audi on Demand fair fueling promise
- Hybrid REITs
- Be wary of co-branded gas cards
- 13. Firehouse Subs
- Consider buying miles for premium cabin redemptions
- Cruising further from the U.S.
- How do you want the IRS to tax your business profits?
- 4. Special dividends
- 4. Pledge loyalty to a single airline
- Choose the amount of coverage you need
- How are Social Security and Medicare managed by the government?
- Chase Ultimate Rewards® points
- Become a social media influencer
- 3. Set a target purchase price
- 4. Taxpayer identity theft
- 5. Bulgari and Byredo amenity kits, moisturizing pajamas and headphones
- Share your rewards
- 10. Social media management
- 2. Evaluate the stock
- Money market mutual funds = lowest returns, lowest risk
- 5. Gather your paperwork
- The cons
- Opening multiple cards can harm your credit
- 6. Enrichment activities for children
- Renovation loans to buy and repair fixer-uppers
- 2. The person has to be related to you or live with you
- How long will the rental be covered?
- Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in California for 20-year-olds
- Best insurance company for affordability: NJM
- National Association for the Self-Employed Growth Grant
- 1. Figure out your gross income
- Pay bills on time
- Ages 55 to 64
- Cover your card charges
- Mint Mobile
- 2. Find the right location for your vending machine
- 5. The money can be used for more than retirement
- Commercial umbrella insurance
- Pay the security deposit upfront in cash
- 4. Review their fees
- Swing trading
- Email is the top marketing tool used by small businesses
- TreasuryDirect
- 8. Angel investors
- 4. Capital One Travel
- 5. Factor in fees
- THE PAYOFF
- Re-examine your debt
- Our pick for: Everyday spending
- 1099-B
- Debt-to-income ratio
- Rocket Money
- Alaska
- Cons of gold stocks
- Emissions and efficiency
- Collect your business documentation
- MetaMask at a glance
- How to maximize your rewards
- Etsy
- 1. How long you have to rollover a 401(k): The 60-day rule
- Our pick for: Beginner-friendly features
- Try paying in cash dollars
- Commit 20% of your income to savings and debt paydown
- Bank of America Charitable Foundation
- Bonus features
- Book one to three months in advance
- Leverage elite status
- Location
- Additional standard deduction 2023 (taxes due 2024)
- For budget-friendly options: Priceline
- Try different ways to avoid overspending
- Irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs)
- Make Money
- 3. Decide how much stock you want to buy
- Compare car insurance rates for 35-year-olds
- Schedule 1: Additional income and adjustments to income
- 4. Decide where to buy the SPY ETF
- 14. IHop
- Certain repositioning cruises
- 3. Invest in sectors that perform well in recessions
- Charity Charge Nonprofit Business Card
- 4. Find a (safe) day care facility
- 5. Preferred dividends
- What's next?
- Examine riders
- Cold wallet
- Keep your job
- ❌ It may be more expensive
- Debt management plan
- Rewards expire in a year
- Perks that are the same
- 1. Understand the difference between active and passive funds
- Average annual cost of term life insurance for nonsmokers
- Acorns is best for:
- Acorns at a glance
- Not suitable for all businesses
- California car insurance rates after a speeding ticket by company: 35-year-old drivers
- How to protect your home from tree damage
- 6. Vet potential candidates.
- What if I don’t have personal auto insurance?
- Earned Income tax credit
- If your employer doesn’t offer a 401(k) match
- Bizee’s Fresh Start Business Grant
- 2. Find your adjusted gross income
- What Ledger is best for
- 4. Sell some merch
- 2. Digital assets
- Keep credit utilization below 30%
- Shop with points via the American Express site
- Consistency is key
- 3. Learn the difference between investing in stocks and funds
- Publicly-traded REITs
- How to hold mail at the post office
- Redeem TAP Portugal miles for award flights
- Fare flexibility/ticket changes
- 9. Coverage if your trip is canceled or delayed
- 4. Choose your bookkeeping software
- Tap into savings to pay down debt
- 5. Split the family into different itineraries
- Experian business credit scores
- Email marketing’s average ROI is $36 for every $1 spent
- You can use credit card benefits to travel in basic economy
- 4. Sit back and relax
- 9. Small-business grants
- 6. Make your will official
- Opt for the single-rider line
- Save, save, save
- Pros
- 7. Suspend your benefit
- Changes that will impact students with siblings in college
- Assess available collateral
- Gift cards
- 11. Business planning service
- 5. Rent out a room
- 3. Decide how much stock you want to buy
- 2. Taxes are withheld
- It takes discipline
- 5. Measure your returns against a fitting benchmark
- Account linking
- Cash runway formula
- 5. American Express Membership Rewards
- Additional standard deduction 2024 (taxes due 2025)
- Only book if you’re sure you won’t need to change your flights
- Ages 35-44
- Travel
- You'll come out ahead by investing the money
- 7. Gather your loan paperwork
- You and your things
- Ages 65 to 74
- Loan limits
- 15. Melting Pot
- Don’t start a business with a friend just because you like each other.
- 2023 tax rates by state
- How formal do you want your management structure to be?
- Work with a real estate agent to find your ideal second home
- 6. Dividend funds
- Trend trading
- Honorable mention: Wellcare
- Ways to build credit
- Venmo Credit Card
- Bankruptcy
- 1099-C
- Purchasing a Plumeria Lounge day pass
- You must pay in advance to use a promo code
- Exchange-traded funds
- Sole proprietorship taxation: Income and self-employed taxes
- Florida
- 5. Medical identity theft
- Average annual cost of term life insurance for smokers
- How you’ll earn Mosaic elite status credits on American flights
- Full details about MetaMask's ratings
- Credit cards for earning American AAdvantage miles
- California car insurance rates after a speeding ticket by company: 20-year-old drivers
- 5. Make money from your blog with affiliate links
- 4. Borrow from your 401(k)
- 5. Upwork
- 7. Mobile apps and entertainment for children
- Example CD APYs at select institutions
- How does coverage vary for international rentals?
- Eureka
- If the car is sold, ask if you still owe money
- Keep credit accounts open
- Use points toward online purchases elsewhere
- Schedule 2: Additional taxes
- Competition remains steady
- Baggage and boarding
- Place a debit card hold
- 2. Managing money
- 5. Get insured
- Hurricanes, tropical storms and tornadoes
- 10. Baggage delay insurance
- 47% of small-business owners run marketing entirely on their own
- Look at the rate of return on cash value
- 5. Money market funds
- Index funds
- 10. Crowdfunding
- Respond quickly to lender requests
- Power save
- Deliver packages with Amazon Flex
- Government-backed loans
- 1. Think long term versus short term
- What’s covered and what’s not
- Cons
- Benefits unique to the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
- WANT TSA PRECHECK FOR FREE?
- Save up for a down payment
- Shop with rewards
- 12. Tax consulting
- How to maximize your rewards
- Earning Capital One miles
- Swappa, Gazelle
- Loss of control over payment collection
- 6. Pick your investments
- Get your finances in order
- 3. The person’s gross income is below the limit
- Obtain ConnectMiles or Star Alliance premier status prior to booking
- Filing status
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 20-year-olds with poor credit
- Make 10 years' worth of payments
- How I bonds are taxed
- Ledger at a glance
- Government bonds
- Resident status rules
- Public non-traded REITs
- Visible by Verizon
- 16. Moe’s Southwest Grill
- Commercial property insurance
- 4. Focus on the long-term
- 5. Set up your business infrastructure
- Consider a personal loan
- 6. Book hotel suites
- Which is easiest to qualify for?
- 7. Update as needed
- American Express Membership Rewards points
- For crypto: Crypto.com
- Debt settlement
- 1099-CAP
- Down payments and gift funds
- Hotel elite benefits aren’t recognized
- Money Manager
- Schedule C
- Individual gold stocks
- Payday alternative loans
- 2. Decide where you want to have an impact
- Cheapest car insurance after a DUI
- Watch the calendar
- Security
- Winner: Virgin Atlantic
- Complete your inventory and pricing
- 4. Put your stock research into context
- Consider paying with miles
- 1. Avoid filing your tax return on paper
- 3. Predict the option strike price
- Chicago Marriott hotels
- Ages 45-54
- Venmo Small Business Grant
- 5. Offer memberships
- Space out credit applications
- Redeem for gift cards
- Fleet expense management tools
- In case of medical emergencies
- Two-day ticket deals
- 11. Rental car coverage
- 5. Do a final check
- 2. Is now the right time to buy bonds?
- 11. Business credit cards
- Take on tasks with Amazon’s Mechanical Turk
- How to get ANA Mileage Club miles
- 2. Look into tax-loss harvesting
- 3. Transfer Citi points to United to book business class
- 8. Use a do-over
- Nevada
- ASPCA: Best pet insurance for younger pets
- 6. Account takeover
- Cash back
- How to maximize your rewards
- Tax credits for low-to-middle-income households
- 6. Keep your perspective
- Carnegie Corporation
- Set a price alert
- 8. Shared accessories and attire
- Shop around for lenders
- 6. Capital One Rewards
- 4. You have to provide more than half the person’s total financial support for the year
- Earned income
- What is the procedure for filing a claim?
- 6. You can add different types of authorized users
- InboxDollars Surveys
- 3. Add back certain deductions particular to MAGI
- 8. Get a preapproval letter
- Schedule 3: Additional credits and payments
- Property standards
- 17. P.F. Chang’s
- Seat selection
- Look at nonchain hotels
- Buy and hold
- Perks await when you fly economy with elite status
- 1. Automate transfers
- Verizon Visa® Card
- 1. Southwest Rapid Rewards
- Low PE ratio
- 1099-DIV
- Open a business bank account and credit card
- If you wish to cancel or change a booking, you have to go through Orbitz
- Pretax profit margin
- What this means for TrueBlue members
- Redeeming Capital One miles
- Could be responsible for debt if customers don’t pay
- Set cash aside
- Our pick for: Fixed monthly payments
- 7. Set up interviews.
- 2. Get direct deposit
- Full details about Ledger's ratings
- 3. Sell your castoffs
- Monitor your credit reports
- Donate to charity
- The insurer of last resort: Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
- 6. Get a business checking account and credit card
- Sinkholes
- 12. Travel assistance
- Dividend per share (DPS)
- THE PAYOFF
- New Hampshire
- Progressive vs. State Farm home insurance
- Charging/filling up
- 13. PR agency
- 1. Know the types of term life policies
- 6. Sell your wares on Etsy
- How quickly could the IRS implement the child tax credit expansion?
- Customer support
- Rebook if you find a cheaper price
- For booking travel experiences beyond the cruise: TripAdvisor
- Expenses
- How to have more taxes taken out of your paycheck
- Ages 55-64
- I bond tax benefits
- You'll need the cash for other things
- Other people and their things
- Private REITs
- 18. Pinkberry
- Earning rates
- Consider vacation rentals
- How much administrative complexity can you handle?
- Stocks
- Be aware of surrender charges
- ETFs
- Visit during the low season
- 2. Air New Zealand Airpoints
- 3. Hold the shares inside an IRA, a 401(k) or other tax-advantaged account
- AndroMoney
- Options
- Gold stock ETFs
- 7. Criminal identity theft
- 6. Mexico
- 3. Consider your existing investments
- How to maximize your rewards
- Our pick for: Cell phone and internet bill payments
- Set your shipping prices
- The details
- Upgrading to Main Plus
- Get prequalified
- 3. Stay on top of things
- Example money market account APYs at select institutions
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 20-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket
- Appendix: How the math works in our examples
- Credit unions
- Google Opinion Rewards
- The Amplifier Grant
- Part-year resident status rules
- Cricket Wireless
- Comprehensive and auto collision insurance
- 13. Purchase protections
- Dividend yield
- 6. High-yield savings accounts
- 5. Kiwi
- Our pick for: Flat-rate travel rewards
- 1099-G
- FHA appraisal
- Look for outside funding
- 6. Emirates chauffeur service (paid business or first class only)
- Net profit margin
- 2. Consider policy riders
- Crypto.com is best for:
- Crypto.com at a glance
- Consider using a retirement account
- Ford Foundation
- 6. OfferUp
- 7. Citi ThankYou Points
- 4. Determine the option time frame
- Resident status rules
- Apply for PSLF forgiveness
- Best insurance company for accident forgiveness: Geico
- 19. Pizza Hut
- Don’t make assumptions about each other’s goals for, and commitments to, your business.
- Prepared to put down roots?
- Upgradeability
- Three-day ticket deals
- 2. Count your coins and bills
- Examples of other Synchrony co-branded cards:
- 3. Frontier Miles
- Can you pay estimated taxes at any time?
- Schedule SE
- South Dakota
- 401(k) hardship withdrawals
- 14. Professional organizing
- 1. Lower risk by building positions slowly
- 5. Enter a debt management plan
- User experience
- Hire a builder
- Pack carry-on only or factor the price of checked baggage into the cost of your ticket
- How to have less taxes taken out of your paycheck
- 4. Earn badges through Live videos
- 9. Choose a real estate agent carefully
- 4. Set a budget for your stock market investment
- Benefits
- 7. Get financing
- What are your long-term goals for the business?
- 14. Customer service without the wait
- Bonds
- Understand the different approval processes
- How much can you borrow?
- 1099-INT
- How to get Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles
- 4. Call in a pro
- Travel packages aren’t flexible
- Progressive vs. Geico home insurance
- 4. Find your gate
- Cheapest auto insurance for poor credit
- Be flexible with destination, airport and dates
- 9. Shared home improvement equipment
- Current ratio
- 8. Conduct a trial period.
- 4. One more thing to know about your tax refund
- Chicago Hilton hotels
- Swagbucks
- FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
- Pros of a higher credit limit:
- Just the car
- 20. Red Robin
- 3. Which bonds are right for my portfolio?
- 4. InterMiles
- Travelers vs. Allstate home insurance
- 1Money
- Tennessee
- 4. Understand your ESG fund’s impact
- 15. Photography
- Where is the best place to exchange currency?
- Medicare enrollment periods
- Tax credits for investing in retirement
- 7. Self-publish an e-book
- Coca‑Cola Foundation
- Reviews
- Get preapproved
- Head of household filing status
- Allstate vs. State Farm home insurance
- Online lenders
- Corporate bonds
- Nonresident status rules
- 3. Find your vending machine
- Vanguard 500 Index Fund (VFIAX)
- Drawbacks
- Call and ask
- Past years' state tax rates
- Your credit
- Robo advisors
- 3. Prep for grocery shopping
- What happens if I forget to pay my quarterly taxes?
- Additional taxes
- Towing
- Our pick for: An upgrade path
- 2. Ignore 'hot tips'
- Create your return and exchange policy
- 8. Bank of America® rewards
- Book with ConnectMiles
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 20-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash
- How to use a W-4 to owe nothing on a tax return
- Tory Burch Foundation Fellows Program
- 1. Live in the house for at least two years
- Cons of a higher credit limit:
- 10. Narrow down your ideal type of house and neighborhood
- How do you get a perfect credit score?
- Refinancing
- 21. Starbucks
- Business income insurance
- Dividend payout ratio
- Mutual funds
- 7. CDs
- THE PAYOFF
- 5. Qatar Airways Privilege Club
- For overall similarity: Webull
- 1099-K
- 4. Book premium cabin flights through AmEx Travel
- Texas
- AKC: Best pet insurance for pets with pre-existing conditions
- 7. Emirates A380 onboard lounge
- SAVE benefits available by October 2023
- How do I find a currency exchange near me?
- Child tax credit
- To match with a vacation planner: Avoya Travel
- Allstate vs. Geico home insurance
- 3. Precious metals
- Enroll in the Always Audi program
- Amex EveryDay® Credit Card
- Don’t mix personal and business matters...
- Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund (VTSAX)
- How's your job security?
- 6. Price your services
- When do you have to pay it back?
- Mortgage insurance
- Progressive vs. Allstate home insurance
- 5. Wait at the gate
- 16. Event space
- 3. Understand the approval process
- How to maximize your rewards
- 7. Poshmark
- Wildfires
- Publish your listing
- Get final approval
- Quick ratio
- Hilton Honors
- Part-year resident status rules
- 2. See whether you qualify for an exception
- 5. Build a community
- Cost
- 22. Wingstop
- Where you live
- Travelers vs. Geico home insurance
- How can I make paying quarterly taxes easier?
- SAVE benefit starting in February 2024
- How to maximize your rewards
- Pros
- Where can you exchange currency for free?
- Small business loans
- How to enroll in Medicare
- Home Depot Foundation Veteran Housing Grants Program
- Winner: Virgin Atlantic
- 10. Vacation rentals
- 9. Draft a partnership agreement.
- Child and dependent care tax credit
- An example of buying a call
- Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund (VBTLX)
- Key person insurance
- Exchange-traded funds
- Compare whole life insurance quotes
- Property-based passive income ideas
- Active management
- Washington
- Home equity loans and lines of credit
- 1. Freeze your credit
- 17. Interior decorating
- Tax credits for education
- 8. Get advertising revenue from your blog or YouTube channel
- 3. Keep good records for the IRS
- 3. Keep the receipts for your home improvements
- Features
- 5. Focus on investing for the long-term
- 23. Red Lobster
- Your claims history
- 6. BookWithMatrix
- 1099-LTC
- 8. Emirates first class lounge in the airport
- Availability
- SAVE benefits available by July 2024
- Cons
- Equity financing
- Earned income credit
- Allstate vs. Farmers home insurance
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 20-year-old drivers after a DUI
- Payday lenders
- Consumer Cellular
- …but don’t let your business take over your friendship.
- Vanguard Balanced Index Fund (VBIAX)
- Are you financially prepared?
- 3. Building a budget
- 7. Find your customers
- Check the insurer’s financial strength
- Cryptocurrency pros
- 4. Minimize restaurant spending
- Windstorms
- Ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy points
- Our pick for: Customizable bonus categories
- 2. Safeguard your Social Security number
- 18. Woodworking or furniture building
- Other details you should know about MetaMask
- Webull is best for
- Webull at a glance
- Hurricanes
- Earthquakes
- 11. Electronics repair
- Debt to equity ratio
- An example of buying a put
- More from NerdWallet
- Nonresident status rules
- Best insurance company for having few customer complaints: American Family
- Compare car insurance rates for drivers with a DUI
- Reporting and analytics
- 4. Collectibles
- Use Audi on Demand rewards points
- Your home’s features
- 8. Buy a rental property
- 1. Decide what type of investor you are.
- Are the proceeds taxable?
- 1099-MISC
- Gifting large sums of money to family
- Self-funding
- Wyoming
- Our pick for: No security deposit, low annual fee
- Clif Family Foundation
- Adoption credit
- 11. Stick to your budget
- American Express® Green Card
- 4. Explore your financing options
- Vanguard Growth Index Fund (VIGAX)
- Wildfire
- How to get British Airways Avios
- 3. Be alert to phishing and spoofing
- Business grants
- Flooding
- The details
- High-interest installment lenders
- Ongoing support
- California earned income tax credit (CalEITC)
- 24. American Eagle
- Your deductible
- Cryptocurrency cons
- Is the interest paid tax-deductible?
- UNLOCK AIRPORT LOUNGES WITH THE RIGHT CARD
- 19. Graphic design
- 4. Compare prices
- Cheapest car insurance for young drivers
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- Sinkholes
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- Our pick for: Instant gratification
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- 21. Keep savings in a high-yield savings account
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- 2. Get organized and make it official
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- 48. Sell clothes online
- Our pick for: Best Buy purchases
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Your credit utilization is simply the portion of your available credit you use, expressed as a percentage. It is the total of balances on all your credit cards divided by the total of all your credit limits. (It's also figured on a per-card basis.) This number is a big factor in your credit score — the less available credit you use, the better it is for your score.
Here’s how to keep your utilization low.
Why is having a low credit utilization important?
Paying your balances on time and in full every month is the best way to keep your score intact or build it. On the other hand, using a larger portion of your credit limit could do damage. Credit utilization accounts for around 20% to 30% of your credit scores.
But if a financial crisis means you have to lean on credit cards, take heart: Credit scores can rebound quickly once you're able to lower your utilization.
How to lower your credit utilization
1. Keep your charges on each card to a minimum
The simplest way to avoid losing credit score points for using too much of your limits is to watch how much you charge to each card. Make a habit of patrolling your online accounts to keep tabs on spending. If you are close to using 30% of your credit limit on one card, try to make a payment or switch to using another card.
Simply getting into the habit of paying twice per month instead of once could help you decrease your credit usage. Lower balances can save you interest if you carry a balance — and are good for your credit score regardless.
You can also monitor your per-card and overall credit utilization by viewing your credit score profile from NerdWallet.
2. Ask for higher credit limits
If it’s tough for you to avoid utilizing more than 30% of your available credit, another solution might be to request a credit line increase on your card or cards. Getting a credit limit increase might require you to call your card issuer or make the request online. Sometimes increases are offered automatically if you’ve had your card for a while and have a positive payment history, so be on the lookout for those offers when you log in to your account.
Another option to get a higher overall credit limit is to ask a friend or relative to add you as an authorized user on an established account. The primary user doesn't even have to give you a card or tell you the account number for your credit score to benefit. Do choose carefully: Being on the account of someone who is having problems with credit could affect your score, too. You want to be on an account showing good payment history, preferably with a high credit limit and consistently low credit utilization.
A higher overall credit limit could help you keep your credit utilization lower than it would be otherwise. This could make a big difference in your credit score. You can check your own credit to see the effect (and it won't hurt your score).
3. Set up balance alerts to stay on top of spending
If you find yourself consistently overspending, setting up balance alerts can help keep your spending in check.
Sign up with your credit card issuer to receive alerts via text message or email. You can choose to be alerted when the balance reaches a certain amount or percentage of your credit limit. Your goal is to keep the balance below 30%.
4. Pay your bill before your issuer reports to the credit bureaus
Most credit card issuers report your balance and payment activity to the credit bureaus once every 30 days. However, this doesn’t necessarily coincide nicely with when your bill is due. If your issuer reports a few days before the end of your billing cycle, you’ll consistently look like you’re carrying a high balance — even if you pay it off in full just a few days later.
Place a call to your card issuer’s customer service line to find out when it reports to the credit bureaus. Simply pay off as much of your balance as you can in advance of that date every month, and you might see a jump in your score.
5. Monitor your total credit utilization
If you have multiple credit cards, it might be hard to view the bigger picture of your credit utilization. Using the calculator below, input your credit card balances and limits to check whether you're under the recommended 30% utilization threshold.
If you’re creeping up to that limit, do your best to pay down your balances and explore ways to stop spending money.