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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" > <channel> <title>Money.com</title> <atom:link href="https://money.com/money/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://content.money.com/money/feed/</link> <description>Money.com</description> <lastBuildDate>Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:55:47 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.4</generator><site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">180424325</site> <item> <title>Furloughed by the Shutdown? These 3 Steps Can Help You Manage Your Money</title> <link>https://money.com/financial-help-for-furloughed-workers/?xid=moneyrss</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:46:15 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://money.com/?post_type=money_article&p=5994682</guid> <description><![CDATA[Money asked financial planners to share advice for furloughed federal workers navigating the government shutdown.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As the <a href="https://money.com/government-shutdown-affect-money/">government shutdown</a> stretches into its third week, an estimated 750,000 furloughed federal workers are scrambling to make ends meet.</p><p>When the government shuts down, workers who are classified as “nonessential” are ordered to stay home without pay. When the government reopens, federal law states they are entitled to backpay, but bills are piling up now while their paychecks are in political limbo.</p><p>Shutdowns are “never fun or fair to the feds who serve,” says Wes Battle, a certified financial planner (CFP) at <a href="https://www.finadvinc.com/team/wes-battle-cfp-chfebc-aif">Financial Advantage Associates</a> who specializes in working with federal employees.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/q8addb7e8d47?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Ffinancial-help-for-furloughed-workers%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Ffinancial-help-for-furloughed-workers%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=q8addb7e8d47&type=image" /></a></p><p>Lawmakers — whose pay is not disrupted by the shutdown — remain gridlocked, and it’s not clear how long the shutdown will drag on. So Money asked financial planners for their biggest pieces of advice to furloughed federal workers <a href="https://money.com/shutdown-services-continue/">navigating</a> the third government shutdown in recent years.</p><p>Here’s what they recommend.<!-- notionvc: 4322569e-0259-4f8f-9ea6-e640aab82e25 --></p><h2>1. Prioritize your bills</h2><p>Ideally, financial planners suggest building an <a href="https://money.com/what-is-an-emergency-fund/">emergency fund</a> that can cover several months of expenses for situations exactly like this. But for federal workers who don’t have savings to lean on, the shutdown is especially difficult.</p><p>“When paychecks stop, the first rule is triage,” says Patrick Huey, a CFP and owner of <a href="http://www.victoryindependentplanning.com">Victory Independent Planning</a>. “Prioritize the essentials.”</p><p>Huey encourages federal workers to focus on bills related to home and health: “Keep your roof, utilities, insurance and basic health needs at the top of the list,” he writes in an email to Money, “but cut everything nonessential.”</p><p>If it comes down to it, he says, you may want to consider deferring payments to bills that “aren’t tied to survival,” such as credit cards, student loans and streaming services.</p><p>“Any hits to your credit or cash can be repaired, but recovering from lost shelter or insurance is much harder,” Huey adds.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/uf7374379cf5?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Ffinancial-help-for-furloughed-workers%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Ffinancial-help-for-furloughed-workers%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=uf7374379cf5&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: 4322569e-0259-4f8f-9ea6-e640aab82e25 --></p><h2>2. Avoid credit card debt (if possible)</h2><p>With backpay on the horizon, it may be tempting for federal workers to put their normal expenses on a credit card during the shutdown. But financial advisors say to be wary of that strategy.</p><p>If you have a choice, Huey says to only pay for essentials using credit.</p><p>“Avoid racking up balances for things you don’t need right now,” he adds. “Try to limit charges so you won’t be overwhelmed by repayments.”</p><p>Battle says credit cards aren’t ideal. One alternative federal workers could tap is their Thrift Savings Plans, or TSPs.</p><p>Keep in mind, hardship <a href="https://www.tsp.gov/in-service-withdrawal-basics/alternatives-to-withdrawals/">withdrawals from TSPs</a> may come with tax penalties and permanently reduce the retirement account balance. However, a TSP loan could be a smart option during a furlough, as it comes with low interest rates and no pre-pay penalty. Plus, the amount borrowed — plus the interest charged — goes back into the account once it’s repaid, Battle says.</p><p>“Nobody knows how long the shutdown will last or if the ones furloughed are even going to have a job when this is over,” adds Bill Shafransky, a senior wealth advisor at <a href="https://monecoadvisors.com/our-team/bill-shafransky/">Moneco Advisors</a>. “What you don’t want is a balance on a credit card that is compounding with interest and with no way to pay it back.”</p><p>Shafransky’s advice underscores the added uncertainty of this shutdown, as the Trump administration has attempted firing — not just furloughing — some federal workers. (A judge has <a href="https://www.afge.org/article/judge-orders-halt-to-shutdown-rifs-in-win-for-workers-public/">issued a temporary halt</a> to any reductions in force.) President Donald Trump has suggested some federal workers don’t deserve their backpay, despite law that guarantees their lost wages while the government is closed.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/o8c065d70a1a?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Ffinancial-help-for-furloughed-workers%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Ffinancial-help-for-furloughed-workers%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=o8c065d70a1a&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: 4322569e-0259-4f8f-9ea6-e640aab82e25 --></p><h2>3. Communicate early and often</h2><p>Huey recommends federal workers contact their major creditors to let them know about the furlough — especially landlords or mortgage lenders.</p><p>“Get ahead of the problem by proactively calling every biller and lender, even before you miss a payment,” he says, noting that this could open up short-term relief options like flexibility with payments.</p><p>Some lenders may even have benefits for federal workers that keep missed payments during a government shutdown from dinging your credit, he says.</p><p>PNC customers can request a freeze in credit reporting, for instance, and Lubbock National Bank says it will waive fees and not report missed payments on its mortgages. According to the American Bankers Association, about <a href="https://www.aba.com/news-research/analysis-guides/government-shutdown-bank-action-2025">two dozen banks</a> are offering similar assistance to furloughed federal workers.</p><p>Experts also recommend tapping community organizations for assistance. One option to quickly scan what’s available nearby is the <a href="https://myfedbenefitshelp.com/shutdown-assistance-map/">My Fed Benefits</a> tool, which aggregates known financial assistance programs for federal workers based on location. It shows discounts at local restaurants and entertainment options for furloughed federal workers.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/qb3481914764?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Ffinancial-help-for-furloughed-workers%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Ffinancial-help-for-furloughed-workers%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=qb3481914764&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: 4322569e-0259-4f8f-9ea6-e640aab82e25 --></p><h2>More from Money:</h2><p><a href="https://money.com/government-shutdown-affect-money/">4 Ways a Government Shutdown May Affect Your Money</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/medicare-open-enrollment-2026-plan-changes/">Medicare Open Enrollment Is Here, and a Lot Is Changing in 2026</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/irs-tax-brackets-standard-deduction-2026/">Here Are the New Federal Income Tax Brackets for 2026</a></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/u5c2defb44d4?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Ffinancial-help-for-furloughed-workers%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Ffinancial-help-for-furloughed-workers%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=u5c2defb44d4&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: 4322569e-0259-4f8f-9ea6-e640aab82e25 --></p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5994682</post-id> <media:thumbnail url="https://img.money.com/2025/10/News-Furloughed-Workers-Bills.jpg?quality=85" /> <media:content url="https://img.money.com/2025/10/News-Furloughed-Workers-Bills.jpg?quality=85" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">News-Furloughed-Workers-Bills</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>What ‘Life-Changing’ Money Means to 10 People — and How They’d Spend It</title> <link>https://money.com/life-changing-amount-of-money/?xid=moneyrss</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 21 Oct 2025 12:01:14 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://money.com/?post_type=money_article&p=5994404</guid> <description><![CDATA[We asked 10 people from across the country how they would spend a life-changing windfall. Their answers? On football tickets, debt and a room specifically for cats.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What amount of money would change your life?</p><p>It’s a question you’ve surely considered at one point or another. Everyone has: What else were 19th-century prospectors thinking about as they stood panning in streams during the Gold Rush?</p><p>You may think you have an answer ready — perhaps the cost of some bucket-list <em>thing</em>, or maybe a nice round number like $1 million — but your mindset tends to shift the more you think about it. At least, that’s what happened in the hours of interviews Money conducted with 10 people about this topic.</p><p>One man, for example, initially said $10 million would change his life, only to revise his answer downward when he realized about a third of that would deliver luxuries like premium season tickets to his alma mater’s SEC home games. Others had to raise their wished-for sums when they remembered to factor in taxes and buffers for retirement.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/q8addb7e8d47?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Flife-changing-amount-of-money%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Flife-changing-amount-of-money%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=q8addb7e8d47&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: 48ab541d-1dab-44be-aba1-13bf8c0e4f52 --></p><p>“The idea of a ‘life-changing’ amount of money is subjective and can be context-dependent,” says David Cesarini, an economics professor at New York University who’s studied windfalls, the lottery and the money-happiness relationship.</p><p>For someone living paycheck to paycheck, he says, $10,000 may be the distinction between an unreliable daily commute and having a safe car to get around. But for a person with a stable job and fewer urgent needs, $10,000 may seem like petty cash.</p><p>In other words, everyone’s answer is a little bit different, and that’s what makes it so interesting.</p><p>Below, you’ll hear from Americans across the country in various stages of their lives, all answering the same question: What’s a life-changing amount of money?</p><p>Some of our sources are readers who subscribe to <a href="https://money.com/subscribe/">Money’s free daily newsletter</a>, which we used to put out a call for responses. We also found sources on internet forums, where versions of this question are fiercely debated on a regular basis in communities like r/ifiwonthelottery. Conducted between May and September — and during a span when inflation reached 2.9% and the Powerball jackpot hit a near-record of $1.8 billion — our interviews were illuminating.</p><p>Here’s what we learned.</p><h3>Mike Miller, Illinois: 💰 <strong>$150,000</strong> 💰</h3><p>Miller, 57, of Homer Glen, Illinois, says $150,000 would eliminate all his debt and make his retirement more comfortable.</p><p>“That would wipe out the remainder of my mortgage,” says Miller. “It would clear the deck for me.”</p><p>Miller receives a <a href="https://money.com/retirement-pension-renaissance/">pension</a> after a 30-year career as a sprinkler fitter in a union job. While he could pay off his <a href="https://money.com/best-mortgage-lenders/">mortgage</a> now by cashing out investments, that would trigger capital gains tax, which he wants to avoid. A windfall that would eliminate his monthly mortgage bill would give his budget some much-needed breathing room.</p><p>“If $150,000 landed in my lap, all my income would be cash flow. And it would make life a lot easier,” he says.</p><h3>Chris Rogers, Georgia: 💰 <strong>$3.2 million</strong> 💰</h3><p>Rogers, who owns a mulch company, initially told Money that $10 million — after taxes — would be his ideal number. After thinking about it some more, though, the 52-year-old says he realized he’d be able to accomplish many of his dreams with a much lower sum: $3.2 million.</p><p>Rogers would put most of that money to work, either in investment accounts or into new business ventures. He’d also look into buying a lake house north of Atlanta that he could rent out on VRBO when his family’s not there.</p><p>In terms of luxuries, his family could upgrade their eight University of Georgia football season tickets to better seats. Rogers owns a 1969 Pontiac GTO, but he says he would buy a “second, fancier” classic car for around $100,000. He’d also invest in flying lessons.</p><h3>Josie G., California: 💰<strong> $300,000</strong> 💰</h3><p>Weighed down by graduate school debt, 31-year-old Josie G. says she and her partner often feel like they’re closer to the working class than the middle class. With so much of their monthly income devoted to loan payments, they don’t have disposable income to dine out or travel.</p><p>“When you’re earning a decent salary, people assume on paper that it’s going to be nice vacations twice a year and having savings, as well,” the Bay Area resident says. “At the moment, that’s just not the case.”</p><p>A $300,000 windfall would allow her to pay off their <a href="https://money.com/how-do-student-loans-work/">student loans</a> and make a down payment on a house, which is a priority because she’s eager to start building wealth through home equity. That amount of money would also give the couple the financial stability to potentially start a family, she says.</p><h3>John Davenport, Kansas: 💰 <strong>$500,000</strong> 💰</h3><p>Davenport, 59, works part time at a Kroger grocery store and dreams of moving out of state.</p><p>“I don’t like Kansas at all,” he says, but adds that he feels stuck and just can’t see it happening without some sort of miracle. With his disability, Davenport says he’s limited in how much he can work — and the cost of moving feels unattainable in his current financial situation.</p><p>About $500,000 would help him pay off his credit cards and decide where he wants to go. “I’m thinking I wouldn’t mind Maine or maybe even Washington state,” he says.</p><p>Relocating somewhere he’s happier would mean everything: “I just want to be able to have a decent living. Never really had one — I just struggled all my life,” Davenport says.</p><h3>Anne B., Oregon: 💰<strong> $150,000</strong> 💰</h3><p>Anne, a single parent and an independent project manager in construction, has been facing financial hardship in recent years. The 52-year-old has even had to sell her furniture to provide for her two kids.</p><p>“We don’t have a dining room table right now because I was $600 short,” she says. The sale helped “make ends meet that month.”</p><p>Thinking through the question, she says $25,000 would improve her life for a “short while,” but $50,000 would have a more permanent impact, letting her rebuild the savings she had before a pandemic-era job loss that led to unemployment while she homeschooled her children. Her final answer, $150,000, would also allow her to <a href="https://money.com/how-to-pay-off-debt/">pay off some debts</a>, replace her failing car and have a cushion.</p><p>“I’m in a really bad spot, but that would give me time to reset,” she says. “That is the key thing that’s missing. I’m always running so hard just to keep up with this month — or even three months behind this month — that I never can stop and game plan. I mean, I’ve got to keep feeding these kids.”</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/o8c065d70a1a?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Flife-changing-amount-of-money%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Flife-changing-amount-of-money%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=o8c065d70a1a&type=image" /></a></p><h3>Cory Olson, Minnesota: 💰<strong> $5 million</strong> 💰</h3><p>Olson, a 46-year-old attorney in Minneapolis, often contemplates what it would take for him and his wife to stop working. His latest estimate? A $5 million pot of money would allow at least one of them to retire early. They could replace the income by investing the money and roughly following the <a href="https://money.com/4-rule-retirement-withdrawal-rate-update/">4% rule</a> for withdrawals.</p><p>He acknowledges that a million dollars would also allow them to live larger. And sure, he could buy a more luxurious car. But $1 million is not enough to replace their income, he says, and that’s why it wouldn’t truly be a life-changing sum in his eyes.</p><p>“The fancier car is not worth that much difference to us in how we would live our life. What does matter to us is that we get to a point where we could not work and we could travel — or we could just take our days at home,” Olson says.</p><h3>Brian R., Florida: 💰 <strong>$100,000</strong> 💰</h3><p>A nearly-retired computer programmer in central Florida, Brian R. says $100,000 would be the “icing on the cake.” The 66-year-old is between gigs, and if the search doesn’t go well, he plans to retire completely. He owns his house and his two cars are in good shape, so it wouldn’t take much to help him fully retire.</p><p>The thought of a windfall is on his mind daily because he likes to play the lottery, buying $10 worth of tickets every game. And if he were to win $100,000, he would feel more comfortable retiring now.</p><p>He has a few other ideas for how he’d put the cash to work. Brian says he’d fund projects and <a href="https://money.com/home-renovations-prepare-for-retirement/">home repairs</a>, plus painting and a new garage door: “Things that I haven’t done, or I need to do, would just happen if I had $100,000,” he says.</p><p>However, the lottery games he plays — the Florida lotto, the Powerball and the Mega Millions — often have prizes far larger than $100,000. With <i>that</i> kind of money, he’d go buy an extraordinary home. And it would have one unexpected feature: a cat room.</p><p>“We have a lot of cats, and it would be really nice if we had more space for cats and a room dedicated to cats,” he adds.</p><h3>Gwendolyn Humphries, California:<br />💰 <strong>$150,000</strong> 💰</h3><p>Money reader Humphries, 74, from southern California, says $150,000 would be enough to pay off her mortgage. It would also cover several other simple but important financial checklist items: paying all of her outstanding bills, adding to her savings and setting money aside for taxes. Oh, and a vacation.</p><p>Humphries, a retired speech therapist who still works part time, says she tries to help out those in her orbit. “I have a mother who’s in her 90s, on Social Security, so I always try to send her a little bit of extra money,” she says. “Then I send money to my children and my siblings, and I help out my community.”</p><p>Once those obligations are squared away, she’d take a “nice trip.”</p><p>“I would really like to go to Botswana,” Humphries says.</p><h3>Dave Passey, Montana: 💰<strong> $5 million</strong> 💰</h3><p>The 38-year-old locomotive engineer has a higher bar than most for what sum would actually be life-changing. That’s partly because his dream retirement state, Hawaii, has the highest cost of living in the country.</p><p>Passey doesn’t dream of an idle retirement, but he would switch up what he’s doing if he won the lottery. Passey says he doesn’t play any lotto games where the take-home is under $5 million, which he says would fully replace his income (and then some).</p><p>“For me, a life-changing amount of money would be an amount where I don’t ever have to work again, where I can just go and pursue whatever I’d like,” Passey says.</p><p>In Hawaii, he estimates, he could comfortably live off savings and investment returns while trying to build wealth for his family. His rough plan would be to put 75% in safe vehicles, aiming for a 4% return. The last quarter would be for more ambitious long-term stock investments.</p><h3>Philip Palese, Texas: 💰 <strong>$1 million</strong> 💰</h3><p>Maybe it’s not what it used to be. But Palese, 78, of the Woodlands, Texas, says there’s still something special about $1 million.</p><p>Palese, who retired from IBM in 1998 after 30 years, acknowledges that there are <a href="https://money.com/new-millionaires-ai-tech-stocks/">more millionaires than ever before</a>. He’s also aware that the value of the dollar has dropped significantly since the days when <i>Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?</i> was on prime-time TV.</p><p>“It was considered a lot of money in the past. Even though today it’s not what it used to be, it’s still an objective that seems to be out of reach for most people,” he says. “It’s still a lot of money. I don’t care what you say.”</p><p>Reaching a $1 million net worth by retirement may be more attainable for today’s workers than it was for his generation, but the seven-figure marker still has a significance in American culture and how we conceptualize what it means to be rich.</p><p>“It seems to have a mystique to it,” he says.</p><p><em>Editor’s note: Several participants in this story requested partial anonymity to speak openly about their personal finances and debts.</em></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/qb3481914764?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Flife-changing-amount-of-money%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Flife-changing-amount-of-money%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=qb3481914764&type=image" /></a></p><h2>More from Money:</h2><p><a href="https://money.com/new-millionaires-ai-tech-stocks/">More Than 500,000 Americans Recently Became Millionaires. Here’s How They Did It</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/where-billionaires-went-to-college/">These 21 Universities Have the Most Billionaire Alumni</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/4-rule-retirement-withdrawal-rate-update/">The Popular 4% Rule for Retirees Just Got an Update</a></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/u5c2defb44d4?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Flife-changing-amount-of-money%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Flife-changing-amount-of-money%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=u5c2defb44d4&type=image" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5994404</post-id> <media:thumbnail url="https://img.money.com/2025/04/News-Life-Changing-Money.jpg?quality=85" /> <media:content url="https://img.money.com/2025/04/News-Life-Changing-Money.jpg?quality=85" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">News-Life-Changing-Money</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>How to Remove Hunter Warfield from Your Credit Report</title> <link>https://money.com/how-to-remove-hunter-warfield-from-your-credit-report/?xid=moneyrss</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2025 18:35:23 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[collections]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Credit]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Guiding]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://money.com/?post_type=money_article&p=5994611</guid> <description><![CDATA[Read on to learn how to deal with Hunter Warfield and remove the debt collector from your credit report.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If Hunter Warfield, Inc., has contacted you about an unpaid bill or appeared on your credit report, you probably have an old debt. It’s likely that the debt collection company bought the old debt from your original creditor. Alternatively, Hunter Warfield could have received your name and contact information by mistake when it bought a bundle of old accounts from an apartment complex you once lived in. Either way, this Florida-based debt collector now wants you to pay.</p><p>A <a href="https://money.com/how-to-remove-collections-from-credit-report/">collections account can wreak havoc on your credit</a>, remaining on your credit report and damaging your credit score for up to seven years. Dealing with debt collectors not only disrupts your financial plans, but it also adds a lot of stress to day-to-day life. Below, you’ll find our guide will walk you through how to stop collections calls, remove Hunter Warfield from your credit report and start to get your <a href="https://money.com/how-to-check-your-credit-score/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">credit score</a> back on track.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/q04447c77b84?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-remove-hunter-warfield-from-your-credit-report%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-remove-hunter-warfield-from-your-credit-report%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=q04447c77b84&type=image" /></a></p><h2>What is Hunter Warfield?</h2><p>Hunter Warfield is a debt collection company. While some companies in that industry buy a mix of accounts, including medical debt and credit card debt, Hunter Warfield is focused primarily on property management debt. That means the company recovers money owed for past-due rent and related fees on behalf of landlords and property managers. The company also helps property owners manage evictions.</p><p>If Hunter Warfield has appeared on your credit report, you’ve likely already heard from one of its agents. The agency may appear as “hwarfield” on your credit report. Like many debt collection companies, Hunter Warfield has a reputation for being aggressive in trying to reach consumers and demand repayment.</p><p>The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has received more than 3,000 complaints about Hunter Warfield in the past three years. Some of the most common complaint categories include attempting to collect debts that are not owed (33% of complaints), failing to provide adequate debt notifications (14%), and inaccurately reporting information to credit bureaus (11%). About 4% of complaints accused the company of inappropriate communications tactics, including repeated phone calls. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has received more than 1,900 complaints in the last three years. Many of these complaints also cite inaccurate debts and reporting, and failure to validate debts.</p><h2>Tips for dealing with Hunter Warfield</h2><p>Dealing with debt collectors can be intimidating, but you shouldn’t ignore the issue. A collections account can pull down your credit score by as much as 100 points. Dealing with the accounts — and ideally removing the collections note from your credit report — will help you <a href="https://money.com/how-to-build-credit/">build back your credit faster</a>.</p><p>Here’s are seven tips to handle the situation:</p><ul><li><a href="#Know">Know your rights</a></li><li><a href="#Get">Get everything in writing</a></li><li><a href="#Validate">Validate the debt</a></li><li><a href="#Dispute">Dispute the debt</a></li><li><a href="#Negotiate">Negotiate a settlement</a></li><li><a href="#Seek">Seek professional help</a></li></ul><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/ocdb833b32ff?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-remove-hunter-warfield-from-your-credit-report%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-remove-hunter-warfield-from-your-credit-report%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=ocdb833b32ff&type=image" /></a></p><h3>Know your rights</h3><p>The <a href="https://money.com/how-to-negotiate-with-debt-collectors/">Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)</a> aims to protect consumers who are dealing with debt collectors regardless of how much they may owe or how overdue their debt may be. The federal law limits how a debt collection firm can talk to you and prohibits their employees from using deceptive or abusive tactics.</p><p>Specifically, <a href="https://money.com/things-debt-collectors-legally-cannot-do/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">debt collectors aren’t legally allowed to</a>:</p><ul><li>Contact you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. or call all you more than seven times per week per debt account</li><li>Contact you at work if you ask them not to</li><li>Contact friends or family members about your debt or disclose it publicly.</li><li>Withhold details about the debt</li><li>Lie about their identity or otherwise mislead you</li><li>Continue to contact you (whether via phone, text, email, letter or social media) after you’ve sent them a written request to stop communications. (You can use a free <a class="external-link" href="https://library.nclc.org/companion-material/sample-stop-contact-or-cease-letter" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-describedby="external-disclaimer">“stop contact” letter template</a> from the National Consumer Law Center to do so.)</li><li>Harass or threaten you</li></ul><p>If a debt collector is violating the law, you can take legal action against them. At a minimum, you should report the company with details of their actions to the CFPB and your state attorney general.</p><h3>Get everything in writing</h3><p>The idea of sending letters to a debt collection agency may sound inefficient and overly complicated. Nevertheless, you should try to limit your communications with Hunter Warfield to letters only (electronic letters via email work, too). The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has five <a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/fair-debt-collection-practices-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sample letters</a> for different situations that you can use.</p><p>Unless you have your agreement in writing, the debt collection agency can forget or choose to ignore it. Essentially, it’s your word against theirs. If your agent insists on making phone calls after you’ve asked them via writing to stop, inform the agency that it is violating the FDCPA and hang up.</p><p>Demand everything in writing from this point on, and keep every piece of communication you receive from Hunter Warfield. Every correspondence serves as evidence when you enter the negotiation process. These communications also serve as a tool to prevent additional harassment, as an agent will not break the law in a letter you could forward to the CFPB.</p><h3>Validate the debt</h3><p>There is no reason to pay a debt that isn’t yours. That’s why you should make sure you actually owe the debt before paying it. You can do this through a validation process.</p><h4>Ask for documentation</h4><p>The first step in the process is to send a debt validation letter to Hunter Warfield. Debt collectors regularly obtain inaccurate debt information, and the FDCPA gives you the right to verify whether an alleged debt belongs to you. This ensures a third-party collection agency has accurate information.</p><p>Do not ignore Hunter Warfield when they first contact you. This will only make things worse. After Hunter Warfield first contacts you, you have only 30 days to send a debt validation letter. If you wait longer than that, they are not obliged to respond to you.</p><p>When you send the debt validation letter, request a return receipt so that you can verify the agency received your letter. After the company receives your request to validate the debt, it is supposed to cease all communications until it does so. You should hear back with documents and proof that the debt is yours, like a copy of the original billing statement. If Hunter Warfield can’t validate your debt — in other words, if the debt isn’t yours or they don’t have the correct information to prove it’s yours — the company will have to dismiss it. They then must contact all three major credit bureaus within 30 days to have the debt removed.</p><h4>Check if the statute of limitations on the debt has expired</h4><p>While not every state has statutes of limitations for debt collections, many do. These laws prevent debt collectors from pursuing any debt that is over a certain age. States with these laws generally limit the collection period to <a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/can-debt-collectors-collect-a-debt-thats-several-years-old-en-1423/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three to six years</a>.</p><h4>Verify if the agency is licensed to collect debt in your state</h4><p>Hunter Warfield advertises that it is licensed nationwide. This firm can almost certainly attempt to collect a debt regardless of the state you live in.</p><h3>Dispute the debt</h3><p>If the debt is not yours or the amount the company is trying to collect is inaccurate, you can dispute it. Disputing a debt means contacting each credit reporting bureau and following the steps each requires.</p><p>Provide your personal information when writing your dispute letters, including your name, address and phone number. Next, write a short summary about the debt you’re disputing and include any supporting documents. The credit reporting bureaus have a legal duty to investigate every debt a consumer disputes.</p><p>You can get Hunter Warfield removed from credit if you win the dispute.</p><h4>Credit reporting bureau contact</h4><p>You can contact each bureau by phone or mail. All three have options to either submit a dispute letter online or mail a hard copy. If you go for the second option, the best option is mail it through certified mail. Here is the contact information for the three main bureaus:</p><p><strong>Equifax </strong></p><p>You can reach them by phone at 1-888-378-4329 or mail your disputes to:</p><p>Equifax Information Services LLC</p><p>P.O. Box 740256</p><p>Atlanta, GA 30374-0256</p><p><strong>Experian</strong></p><p>You can reach them by phone at 1-888-397-3742 or mail your disputes to:</p><p>Experian</p><p>P.O. Box 4500</p><p>Allen, TX 75013</p><p><strong>Transunion</strong></p><p>You can reach them by phone at 1-800-916-8800 or mail your disputes to:</p><p>Transunion Consumer Solutions</p><p>P.O. Box 2000</p><p>Chester, PA 19016-2000</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/a9d45a47b32f?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-remove-hunter-warfield-from-your-credit-report%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-remove-hunter-warfield-from-your-credit-report%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=a9d45a47b32f&type=image" /></a></p><h3><strong>Negotiate a payment plan</strong></h3><p>If you do owe the debt and the collection agency has the documents to prove it, you still have a few options. First, establish how to pay the debt. Hunter Warfield accepts payments by check or credit card. The next step is negotiating a settlement with the agency.</p><p>You should ask first for a pay-for-delete settlement. In this case, the collection agency would agree to stop reporting your debt to the three major credit bureaus in exchange for your payment. Getting the debt removed will <a href="https://money.com/7-ways-to-improve-credit-score/">improve your credit score</a>. But it’s important to know that companies aren’t required to agree to that and even if the debt collector does, the credit reporting agencies aren’t required to delete accurate information about accounts that had a past-due period.</p><p>You should never offer to pay the full amount at first. Hunter Warfield does not volunteer this information, but it often accepts less than the full amount. Any amount you pay pads the company’s bottom line.</p><p>Start by offering to pay half the debt in exchange for deletion. You can work from there to come up with an agreement that both parties will accept. Once you have both accepted the terms, you should request that Hunter Warfield provides the official agreement in writing. Do not make a single payment until you receive this agreement in the mail.</p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Once the agreement arrives, you can make your first payment to Hunter Warfield. After 30 days, check your credit report with all three major credit bureaus. If your report is still showing the debt as unpaid, contact Hunter Warfield and remind them of your agreement.</p><h3><strong>Seek professional help</strong></h3><p>The steps above could put your financial life on the mend within a couple of months. However, you’ll have to be persistent, thorough and determined. When you have a job, a family and other everyday concerns, finding the time to write and mail letters and follow up with credit bureaus add a lot of stress.</p><p>If you’d rather not deal with Hunter Warfield directly, you could look for law firms with consumer protection and debt collection experience. You could also look into <a href="https://money.com/best-credit-repair-companies/">companies to repair credit.</a> Credit repair companies won’t do anything you couldn’t do yourself, but they deal with revenue recovery firms every day and so they may be able to get you results faster than you could on your own.</p><p>Some credit repair companies offer free consultations, but if you choose to move forward, you’ll have to pay a monthly fee plus a one-time setup fee. Monthly fees typically range from $50 to $150, depending on the company and the services offered.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/i2fd5fe4d9d4?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-remove-hunter-warfield-from-your-credit-report%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-remove-hunter-warfield-from-your-credit-report%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=i2fd5fe4d9d4&type=image" /></a></p><div><div><div><div><div><div id="embed-code-description"><pre><hr><h2>Removing Hunter Warfield Debt FAQ</h2><h3>How do I contact Hunter Warfield?</h3>Hunter Warfield's address is 4620 Woodland Corporate Blvd., Tampa, FL 33614-2415. You can find more information at its website (www.hunterwarfield.com) or reach out via phone at 833-200-9552.<h3>Is Hunter Warfield a scam?</h3>Hunter Warfield is a legitimate debt collection agency that works for apartment complexes and property management companies to recover old debts. If you're hearing from Hunter Warfield, it thinks you owe it money. <p></p>Having overdue debts can hurt your credit score, limiting your chances of being approved for loans in the future. A low credit score can also increase your car insurance rate in many states.<h3>How did Hunter Warfield get my phone number?</h3>Hunter Warfield bought your contact information when it bought your old debt. It has a right to call you once a day unless you request that it stops. The agency's site, hunterwarfield.com, has a "Stop Calling" button, but the best way is to write a letter so your request is official.<h3>Can Hunter Warfield Collections sue me?</h3>Any creditor can sue you in civil court to collect a debt. If your debt is older than your state's statute of limitations on debt, the judge will dismiss the civil lawsuit immediately. Even if the debt is too old for a lawsuit, it will still harm your credit score. Unpaid debt remains on your credit report for seven years.<h3>Where can I complain about Hunter Warfield?</h3>The BBB has not accredited Hunter Warfield, but you could still complain on the BBB's Hunter Warfield page. A better approach is to file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which helps ensure companies are adhering to the FDCPA and other consumer-focused laws.<hr></pre></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><em><b>Editor’s note: </b>This story was originally published on July 14, 2020, on BetterCreditBlog.org. It has been updated multiple times since then, including in 2025, to feature current information about Hunter Warfield.</em></p><h2>More from Money:</h2><hr><table border="1" cellpadding="5px" cellspacing="0"><colgroup><col style="width:100%" /></colgroup><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Money's Top Selection</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://money.com/best-credit-repair-companies/" target="_self">Best Credit Repair Companies</a></li></ul><p><strong>Guides for Improving Your Credit</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://money.com/get-items-removed-from-credit-report/" target="_self">How to Get Negative Items Removed from Your Credit Report</a></li><li><a href="https://money.com/how-to-remove-verizon-collections-from-your-credit-report/" target="_self">How to Remove Verizon Collections from Your Credit Report</a></li><li><a href="https://money.com/how-to-remove-jefferson-capital-systems-from-your-credit-report/" target="_self">How to Remove Jefferson Capital Systems from Your Credit Report</a></li><li><a href="https://money.com/collections/" target="_self">More on Credit and Credit Collections</a></li></ul><p><strong>Money's Credit Repair Companies Reviews</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://money.com/lexington-law-credit-repair-review/" target="_self">Lexington Law</a></li><li><a href="https://money.com/credit-saint-credit-repair-review/" target="_self">Credit Saint</a></li><li><a href="https://money.com/sky-blue-credit-repair-review/" target="_self">Sky Blue</a></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table><hr><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/za8c6eaee60a?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-remove-hunter-warfield-from-your-credit-report%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-remove-hunter-warfield-from-your-credit-report%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=za8c6eaee60a&type=image" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5994611</post-id> <media:thumbnail url="https://img.money.com/2023/06/Credit-Report-Remove-Hunter-Warfield.jpg?quality=85" /> <media:content url="https://img.money.com/2023/06/Credit-Report-Remove-Hunter-Warfield.jpg?quality=85" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">Credit-Report-Remove-Hunter-Warfield</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>Need a Seasonal Job? These Retailers Are Hiring Over 300,000 Workers for the Holidays</title> <link>https://money.com/seasonal-jobs-2025-holidays/?xid=moneyrss</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2025 12:07:43 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://money.com/?post_type=money_article&p=5994382</guid> <description><![CDATA[Some retailers are pulling back on seasonal hiring due to the rise of online shopping and fallout from tariffs.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Retailers are hiring hundreds of thousands of seasonal workers for the 2025 holidays. Even so, hiring could still fall short of previous years’ numbers.</p><p>Aside from Amazon, which announced an impressive target of 250,000 seasonal jobs Monday, hiring announcements have generally been <a href="https://money.com/seasonal-jobs-hiring-holidays-2024/">quieter than they were last year</a>.</p><p>Target is an example. In September 2024, the retailer advertised that it was hiring 100,000 seasonal employees for its stores and supply centers. But for this holiday season, Target has made no such announcement, instead <a href="https://corporate.target.com/press/fact-sheet/2023/09/seasonal-staffing">sharing</a> in a news release that it’s “heading into the holidays with a strong, experienced team” while emphasizing its ability to offer more hours to existing workers (and <em>then</em> hire as heeded).</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/u4fa93008842?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fseasonal-jobs-2025-holidays%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fseasonal-jobs-2025-holidays%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=u4fa93008842&type=image" /></a></p><p>Similarly, UPS announced a “holiday hiring spree” in late September 2024 with a goal of 125,000 seasonal hires. This year, there’s been no word from the shipping giant.</p><p>Walmart has been quiet, as well, but the lack of a holiday hiring announcement from the big-box retailer comes as less of a surprise. This is the third year in a row that Walmart has not had a publicly promoted holiday hiring initiative. (In 2021, in contrast, Walmart announced it was hiring 150,000 people.)</p><p>These developments, or lack thereof, come as the labor market is under close scrutiny. Before the government shutdown interrupted the reporting of federal jobs data, the unemployment rate had inched its way up to 4.3% in August, the highest level in nearly four years.</p><p>Seasonal hiring normally supports the job market this time of year, according to an Oct. 2 report from outplacement company Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Take some of that hiring away, and people could have a harder time making ends meet during the notoriously expensive holiday season.</p><p>“Now is when we typically see retailers bulk up for the holidays, but so far, plans have been slow to come, reflecting caution,” Andy Challenger, senior vice president and labor expert for the firm, said in the report. “With lower consumer confidence and tariff pressures ahead, we predict the hiring season will be muted.”</p><p>Nancy Vanden Houten, lead economist at Oxford Economics, tells Money that it’s too early to declare holiday hiring a bust this season. But she says weaker numbers are possible, in part because of larger consumption trends.</p><p>Business will “be driven by upper-income households and by online shopping,” she writes in an email. “That would be consistent with strong hiring by Amazon but a more cautious approach by brick and mortar retailers.”</p><p>With this in mind, here are some of the major name-brand companies currently staffing up for the holidays:</p><h2>Amazon</h2><p>On Monday, Amazon <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/workplace/amazon-seasonal-holiday-jobs-2025">announced</a> a plan to hire 250,000 people — the same number as last year. The company said seasonal employees will earn $19 per hour or more on average, which is $1 more than the starting wage of $18 per hour touted a year ago.</p><p>Some of those 250,000 roles are regular full-time or part-time positions. Workers in permanent roles at Amazon make an average wage of $23 per hour, according to the announcement. The company said it’s specifically hiring for fulfillment and transportation duties at locations nationwide.</p><h2>Bath & Body Works</h2><p>Bath & Body Works is hiring 30,000 workers for the holiday season, according to a September <a href="https://www.bbwinc.com/media/newsroom/n-bath-body-works-to-hire-more-than-30000-seasonal-associates-ahead-of-holiday-season-2025-09-08-090034">news </a><a href="https://www.bbwinc.com/media/newsroom/n-bath-body-works-to-hire-more-than-30000-seasonal-associates-ahead-of-holiday-season-2025-09-08-090034">release</a>. The positions include part-time associate roles in stores and full-time positions in distribution centers.</p><h2>Dick’s Sporting Goods</h2><p>Dick’s is holding a “signing day” hiring event on Wednesday as the company aims to bring on about 14,000 seasonal employees, according to a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dicks-sporting-goods-plans-to-hire-14-000-seasonal-teammates-for-2025-holiday-shopping-season-302585596.html">release</a>. Candidates should apply online and plan to interview at their nearest store on the day of the event.</p><p>Of those jobs, about 9,100 are with the sporting goods chain and about 4,750 are with other brands in the portfolio (like Foot Locker and Champs).</p><h2>Michaels</h2><p>The craft store, which held hiring events last month, said it is adding 10,000 seasonal employees this year. It’s also offering current workers extra hours, according to a <a href="https://www.michaelspressroom.com/news/detail/4990/michaels-to-hire-10000-seasonal-team-members-to-help-fuel">news release</a> highlighting that more than half of the company’s seasonal workers stayed on after the 2024 holiday season.</p><h2>Macy’s</h2><p>In September, Macy’s, Inc. <a href="https://www.macysinc.com/newsroom/news/news-details/2025/Macys-Inc--Recruiting-Nationwide-to-Bring-Magic-of-the--Holiday-Season-to-Life-2025-88GuqqXQAt/default.aspx">announced</a> that Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury were hiring seasonal full- and part-time workers in select markets. In-person hiring events are coming up on Thursday and Nov. 20 at specific locations.</p><p>The company did not share a hiring target in its announcement and did not return Money’s request for comment.</p><h2>Target</h2><p>Target appears to be hiring less aggressively this year. In a release, the retailer confirmed that it will bring on seasonal hires who will earn at least $15 per hour, but it didn’t specify how many. That compares to last year’s big announcement of 100,000 seasonal positions.</p><p>Target’s release mentioned that the company will use its “On-Demand” team of workers with flexible schedules during the busy season.</p><h2>Catalyst Brands</h2><p>The parent company of Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, Nautica and JCPenney is hiring for 13,000 seasonal positions. These are primarily sales and cashier jobs, according to an Oct. 7 <a href="https://corporate.jcpenney.com/2025/10/07/catalyst-brands-portfolio-to-hire-more-than-13000-associates-this-holiday-season/">news </a><a href="https://corporate.jcpenney.com/2025/10/07/catalyst-brands-portfolio-to-hire-more-than-13000-associates-this-holiday-season/">release</a>. Hiring events are scheduled for this weekend and Nov. 7 to Nov. 9.</p><h2>Kohl’s</h2><p>In a <a href="https://corporate.kohls.com/news/kohls-is-hiring-seasonal-associates-flexible-schedules-weekly-pay-and-great-teams">news release</a>, Kohl’s confirmed that it is hiring seasonal associates for its stores and distribution centers. The company did not share specifically how many jobs are available. In Milwaukee, a <a href="https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/looking-for-a-job-kohls-looking-to-fill-over-300-seasonal-positions">local media outlet</a> reported that the number is over 300 for that area.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/q8addb7e8d47?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fseasonal-jobs-2025-holidays%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fseasonal-jobs-2025-holidays%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=q8addb7e8d47&type=image" /></a></p><h2>More from Money:</h2><p><a href="https://money.com/best-job-search-sites/">5 Best Job Search Sites of October 2025</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/no-tax-on-tips-jobs-list/">From Baristas to Influencers, These 68 Jobs Could Qualify for ‘No Tax on Tips’</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/hiring-managers-avoid-gen-z-workers-survey/">Hiring Managers Say Gen Z Workers ‘Lack Work Ethic’</a></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/qca8f5a853ec?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fseasonal-jobs-2025-holidays%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fseasonal-jobs-2025-holidays%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=qca8f5a853ec&type=image" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5994382</post-id> <media:thumbnail url="https://img.money.com/2025/10/News-Seasonal-Hiring-2025-Temp-Workers.jpg?quality=85" /> <media:content url="https://img.money.com/2025/10/News-Seasonal-Hiring-2025-Temp-Workers.jpg?quality=85" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">News-Seasonal-Hiring-2025-Temp-Workers</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>How to File for Bankruptcy</title> <link>https://money.com/how-to-file-for-bankruptcy/?xid=moneyrss</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 17 Oct 2025 20:52:55 +0000</pubDate> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://money.com/?post_type=money_article&p=5993459</guid> <description><![CDATA[Our guide gives you a step-by-step overview of filing for bankruptcy, ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="p1"><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/b2ebef82bc70?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-file-for-bankruptcy%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-file-for-bankruptcy%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=b2ebef82bc70&type=image" /></a></p><p>The number of Americans filing for individual bankruptcy is soaring this year. Filings for Chapter 7 bankruptcy — the most common kind — were up 15% over the first nine months of the year, according to Epiq AACER, a firm that tracks bankruptcy cases.</p><p>The “sharp rise” in filings compared with the same period last year “highlights the mounting financial pressure on households across the country,” Michael Hunter, vice president of Epiq AACER, said in a news release.</p><p>If you’re part of the growing share of consumers who are <a href="https://money.com/debt-statistics-crisis-growing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">falling behind on their debt</a> and you’re considering bankruptcy, it’s important that you understand the move can hurt your credit and limit borrowing options for years to come. But for some borrowers, it’s a necessary fresh start.</p><p>Here’s what to know about the different types of personal bankruptcy and how the process works.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/kc21ef050576?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-file-for-bankruptcy%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-file-for-bankruptcy%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=kc21ef050576&type=image" /></a></p><h2>Step-by-step guide to filing for bankruptcy</h2><p>Bankruptcy is a federal procedure, so the basic steps hold true no matter where you live. However, local regulations do play a role in bankruptcy cases, especially in regards to property exemptions.</p><p>This guide shouldn’t be used in lieu of legal advice. Rather, treat it as an overview of what it takes to file for bankruptcy.</p><h3>1. Consult a bankruptcy attorney</h3><p>It’s true that you don’t necessarily <a href="https://money.com/do-you-need-a-bankruptcy-lawyer/">need a bankruptcy lawyer</a>; you’re allowed to represent yourself when filing for bankruptcy — aka filing pro se. However, we strongly suggest consulting an experienced <a href="https://money.com/how-to-find-bankruptcy-attorney/">bankruptcy attorney</a> in your area before proceeding.</p><p>Research shows that legal aid will drastically increase your case’s chances of a favorable outcome. Usually, this means receiving a “bankruptcy discharge,” which is a court order that wipes away your liability for some or all the debts you can’t repay.</p><p>According to the American Bankruptcy Institute, less than half of people who represent themselves in a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy case receive a discharge. With a bankruptcy lawyer? About 94% are successful in getting a discharge. Plus, Chapter 7 is the easier option of the two main forms of bankruptcy for individuals to represent themselves. The stats for the other main type, Chapter 13, are even worse for pro se filers. (We break down the differences between the two types in depth <a href="#chapter7_chapter13">below</a>.)</p><p>Suffice it to say, speak with a lawyer or two near you who’s experienced with bankruptcy law. Here are a few resources to find them:</p><ul><li>Your state or city’s <a href="https://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_services/flh-home/flh-bar-directories-and-lawyer-finders/">Bar Association</a></li><li><a href="https://nacba.org/page/find-an-attorney">National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys</a></li><li><a href="https://www.lsc.gov/">Legal Services Corporation</a>, a non-profit legal aid source for low-income Americans</li></ul><p>It’s understandable that you might be hesitant to pay for an attorney when you’re already under considerable financial pressure. The good news is that you may qualify for free legal aid, either at one of the organizations listed above or at another local organization.</p><p>Many attorneys also offer free consultations or email Q&As. Take advantage of that. (The non-profit app <a href="https://money.com/changemakers/jonathan-petts/">Upsolve can help you</a> find free consultations, resources and legal help — free of charge.)</p><p>Ask local attorneys if bankruptcy is indeed the right choice for your situation and whether they think you’ll qualify.</p><p>Before you pay to file the necessary bankruptcy forms — and put a blemish on your <a href="https://money.com/what-is-a-credit-report/">credit report</a> for up to 10 years — check to see if you have any viable alternatives like <a href="https://money.com/how-to-negotiate-with-debt-collectors/">debt negotiation</a> or <a href="https://money.com/how-credit-counseling-can-help-with-debt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">non-profit credit counseling</a>. Usually the folks who choose to file for bankruptcy exhaust these alternatives first.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/i2fd5fe4d9d4?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-file-for-bankruptcy%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-file-for-bankruptcy%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=i2fd5fe4d9d4&type=image" /></a></p><h3>2. Get your financial documents in order</h3><p>Now that you’ve decided bankruptcy is indeed the right course of action (and you hopefully cleared it with an attorney) you’ll need to get started on the paperwork.</p><p>Before you dive into all the official bankruptcy forms, you should get your own documents in order.</p><p>When you file for bankruptcy, you’re basically telling a federal court that you can’t afford your debts and you need assistance. Later down the line, you’ll actually need to prove that by disclosing all sorts of information about your financial affairs.</p><p>Here’s a basic list of what you’ll need on the road ahead:</p><ul><li>Identifying documents like your driver’s license and Social Security card</li><li>Tax returns (up to the past four years)</li><li>Proof of income (pay stubs, W-2s, self-employed earnings, income from assets as well as any income from government benefits)</li><li>Bank statements and/or retirement account statements</li><li>Proof of value of your assets, such as vehicle and real estate valuation. You may also need loan balances, proof of insurance, monthly payment amounts or related documents.</li><li>A list of your creditors and the amount you owe them</li><li>A detailed breakdown of your monthly living expenses</li></ul><p>Having these documents organized upfront is crucial. For one, it can help you determine which type of bankruptcy you should file for. Two, these documents — and possibly more — may be requested by a bankruptcy trustee, who will be appointed to your case.</p><h3>3. Understand your debt and settle on a course of action</h3><p>Having your financial paperwork organized will help you immensely at this stage.</p><p>You’ll want to understand what type of debt you’re trying to resolve. Debts like child support, alimony and certain tax debts can’t be discharged (and bankruptcy can’t halt <a href="https://money.com/what-is-wage-garnishment/">wage garnishment</a> related to those debts, either). Student loan debt, on the other hand, is not impossible to discharge, but note that it is <a href="https://money.com/student-debt-bankruptcy-how-to-get-loans-discharged/">difficult to do so</a>.</p><p>Knowing this ahead of time will help you decide whether to file <a href="https://money.com/chapter-7-vs-chapter-13-bankruptcy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13</a> — or whether you qualify at all. Here’s how they differ:</p><h4>Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13</h4><p>By a large margin, Chapter 7 bankruptcy is the most common type. The entire process is generally quicker, easier and cheaper. It’s possible to get your qualifying debts discharged within six months.</p><p>Also known as a liquidation bankruptcy, under Chapter 7, a court trustee determines whether you have assets worth selling off to your creditors. (What counts as an asset varies by state, but most Chapter 7 cases end up being “no asset,” meaning none of your property is sold.)</p><p>To qualify for Chapter 7, you must pass a “means test” that’s based on <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/20220515/bci_data/median_income_table.htm">your state’s median income</a>.</p><p>If your income relative to your debt is too high, you unfortunately can’t qualify for Chapter 7. But you do have another option: Chapter 13 bankruptcy. This option takes longer to resolve your debts because it requires a long-term repayment plan — usually three to five years — before some of your remaining debts are wiped away. The filing process is also a lot more complex than Chapter 7.</p><p>You can use this type of bankruptcy to catch up on secured debts (such as mortgages or car loans) without losing your property and without risking the liquidation of any other assets as with Chapter 7.</p><p>A Chapter 7 bankruptcy stays on your credit report for 10 years, whereas a Chapter 13 bankruptcy falls off after seven. Keep in mind that both options will have lasting impacts on your <a href="https://money.com/what-is-a-credit-score/">credit score</a>, and any new debt you take out will likely come with higher interest rates.</p><h3>4. Complete the first credit counseling course</h3><p>Before you submit your bankruptcy forms, you must first complete a mandatory course from a credit counseling agency that has been approved by the Department of Justice (with the notable exception of filers in Alabama or North Carolina). This step is required regardless of the type of individual bankruptcy you pursue.</p><p>The course can be completed online, in person or over the phone. Courses typically cost between $15 and $50. You must complete the course within 180 days of filing for bankruptcy. Use the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ust/list-credit-counseling-agencies-approved-pursuant-11-usc-111">Department of Justice’s website to find a program</a>.</p><p><strong>NOTE:</strong> If you live in Alabama or North Carolina, you must choose and complete a course from a <a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/credit-counseling-and-debtor-education-courses">list of separately approved providers in your state</a>.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/a9d45a47b32f?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-file-for-bankruptcy%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-file-for-bankruptcy%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=a9d45a47b32f&type=image" /></a></p><h3>5. Fill out bankruptcy forms</h3><p>No matter the type of bankruptcy you choose, you’ll need to fill out a lengthy list of court documents.</p><p>Both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 require you to fill out a bankruptcy petition and a statement of financial affairs, while some of the other forms are optional. The U.S. Courts website (<a href="https://www.uscourts.gov">uscourts.gov</a>) compiles all of the <a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/forms/bankruptcy-forms">bankruptcy forms</a> you’ll need.</p><p>Additional local court forms may also be required. Again, we highly recommend you use legal aid. A bankruptcy attorney will be able to help you fully understand and properly complete all these forms to ensure your case isn’t rejected.</p><h3>6. File bankruptcy forms in court</h3><p>After you complete all the required forms, you must file them with your federal district’s bankruptcy court. An attorney will typically handle this for you.</p><p>If you’re filing on your own, know that there are about <a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/federal-courts-public/court-website-links#districtbankruptcy">90 different bankruptcy districts</a>. Check that you’re filing with the correct one based on where you live. If your permanent residence has moved within 180 days of filling, you should file in the district where you lived the greater portion of that 180-day period.</p><p>When you file, you can expect to pay a combination of filing and administrative fees to the tune of $300 or more. If you can’t afford that amount, you can apply to have your filing fees waived.</p><h3>7. Mail documents to your court-appointed trustee</h3><p>Once you submit your bankruptcy forms to the court, a bankruptcy trustee is appointed to your case.</p><p>The exact role the trustee plays in your case is slightly different for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies. Broadly speaking, the trustee reviews the forms you filed with the court and may request additional information at this point to substantiate what you submitted.</p><p>Typically, your bankruptcy attorney will work with the trustee, but you may need to send the person documents such as pay stubs, tax returns, and bank account and credit card statements directly.</p><h3>8. Attend the ‘341 meeting’ of creditors</h3><p>The trustee who was just appointed to your case will soon set up a mandatory meeting with you, known as the “341 meeting.” This often dreaded meeting gets its name from Section 341 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.</p><p>Your creditors will also be invited but aren’t required to attend. In this meeting, you (and your spouse if you filed bankruptcy together) will be placed under oath and you must answer questions from the trustee and possibly from your creditors about your financial situation.</p><p>The meeting of creditors is often considered the scariest part of bankruptcy because you are asked specific questions about potentially embarrassing aspects of your financial life in a public forum. And if you don’t attend, your case could be dismissed.</p><p>The good news is that creditors often do not show up, and the meetings typically last only 10 to 15 minutes.</p><h3>9. Handle nonexempt property</h3><p>Depending on which chapter of bankruptcy you filed for, your “nonexempt” property is factored in differently.</p><p>Overall, the bankruptcy process allows you to exempt — or essentially protect — a lot of your real estate or personal property that is viewed as a necessity. The exemptions aren’t automatic, however. You will need to provide a timely list of what qualifies as an exemption. Exemptions may apply to non-luxury, primary vehicles; necessary home goods; and home equity (though these exemptions rules can vary widely by state).</p><p>Any property outside the list of exemptions is considered nonexempt, and if you don’t provide any list, then all your property is considered nonexempt, i.e. unprotected. Property that often isn’t eligible for exemptions includes luxury items like boats, additional cars, vacation homes or jewelry.</p><p>During a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, your nonexempt assets may be sold off by the trustee to pay your creditors.</p><p>For Chapter 13 bankruptcy, trustees don’t sell your nonexempt property, but they use its valuation when setting up your repayment plan. Say you owned a nonexempt sports car valued at $65,000. The trustee wouldn’t sell your sports car to immediately pay off the creditor. Instead, you would pay your creditors that amount over the course of your payment plan.</p><h3>10. Keep making payments on your secured debts</h3><p>A common misconception with bankruptcy is that once you file, you can stop paying your debts.</p><p>While bankruptcy can help you wipe out many of your unsecured debts, such as overdue credit card debt or personal loans, you’ll want to keep paying your monthly payments for <a href="https://money.com/secured-debt-vs-unsecured-debt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secured debts</a> if you want to keep the property. (A secured debt is usually a loan for a physical item, like a car loan.) If you don’t make payments, the lender has a right to repossess your property.</p><p>If you’re at risk of foreclosure and have exhausted all other financial-relief options, then filing for Chapter 13 may delay the foreclosure and help save your home. Ultimately, you will still need the income to continue making future mortgage payments, as well as repaying any late payments over the course of your payment plan.</p><h3>11. Wait for your eligibility to be determined</h3><p>Just because you’ve made it through much of the bankruptcy process doesn’t mean your debts will automatically be wiped out.</p><p>Your debts may not be discharged if there are legal exceptions for the type of debt — or if you provided incorrect, incomplete or fraudulent information while under oath or during the filing process.</p><p>There’s also a window of time during which the bankruptcy judge gives creditors and the case trustee the opportunity to object to any discharges. If they do, that kicks off a lawsuit referred to as an “adversary proceeding.”</p><p>On top of that, there’s also the possibility your case gets randomly audited by the Department of Justice. If so, you may be required to provide additional information. The audit could delay any debt relief by several weeks. Of course, if the audit turns up incorrect information, your case could be dismissed.</p><p>All that said, these are fairly rare instances. That you made it this far in the process is a decent sign at least some of your debts are eligible for discharge.</p><h3>12. Complete the debtor counseling course</h3><p>Before your debt can be officially discharged, you must complete a debtor counseling course, similar to the course you had to complete before you filed.</p><p>The providers of this course must also be <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ust/list-approved-providers-personal-financial-management-instructional-courses-debtor-education">approved by the Department of Justice</a> (with the same exceptions for <a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/credit-counseling-and-debtor-education-courses">North Carolina and Alabama filers</a>).</p><p>You typically can find the debtor education course at a cheaper price than the first course. For example, one approved provider offers the course online for $10 or cheaper. Some providers will offer to file your completion certificate directly with your local court. Whether you go that direction or file it yourself, complete this step ASAP to speed up the discharge process.</p><h3>13. Wait for your discharge</h3><p>How long it takes for your debts to be discharged officially depends on the chapter of bankruptcy you filed for.</p><p>For Chapter 7, if all went smoothly, discharges are typically determined about four months after you filed for bankruptcy.</p><p>It happens much later for Chapter 13: Debts are only discharged after you fulfill your three- to five-year repayment plan. If you miss payments during this time period, a judge can dismiss your case, and you’ll have to start the whole process over.</p><p>In 2024, for example, about half of Chapter 13 cases that were closed ended with a discharge after a consumer successfully completed the repayment plan, according to federal court <a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/reports/statistical-reports/bankruptcy-abuse-prevention-and-consumer-protection-act-report/bapcpa-report-2024#note14" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a>. And among cases that were dismissed, 51% of them cited missed payments as the reason.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/m1e2f956a305?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-file-for-bankruptcy%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-file-for-bankruptcy%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=m1e2f956a305&type=image" /></a></p><h2>Summary of Money’s guide on how to file for bankruptcy</h2><ul><li>As an everyday consumer, you have two main chapters of bankruptcy to choose from: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. We highly recommend you first collect all your financial documents and consult with an attorney to understand which one is best for your situation.</li><li>Before you start filing, you must take a credit counseling course and obtain a certificate of completion.</li><li>You will need to complete several bankruptcy forms and submit them to your local bankruptcy court district.</li><li>You will be assigned a bankruptcy trustee and must attend what’s known as the “341 meeting” to discuss your financial situation under oath.</li><li>During the bankruptcy process, you should continue making monthly payments on your secured debt payments if you’d like to keep that property.</li><li>Assuming your case is successful, you’ll have to complete a second course, on debt counseling, before your debts are discharged.</li></ul><h2><strong>More from Money</strong></h2><p><a href="https://money.com/best-credit-repair-companies/">Best Credit Repair Companies</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/repair-bad-credit/">How to Repair Bad Credit</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/get-items-removed-from-credit-report/">How to Remove Negative Items From Your Credit Report</a></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/u5c2defb44d4?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-file-for-bankruptcy%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fhow-to-file-for-bankruptcy%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=u5c2defb44d4&type=image" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5993459</post-id> <media:thumbnail url="https://img.money.com/2022/01/Explainer-How-To-File-For-Bankruptcy.jpg?quality=85" /> <media:content url="https://img.money.com/2022/01/Explainer-How-To-File-For-Bankruptcy.jpg?quality=85" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">Explainer-How-To-File-For-Bankruptcy</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>These Wall Street Titans Say Buy Gold. Should You?</title> <link>https://money.com/gold-record-price-ray-dalio-jamie-dimon-investing-advice/?xid=moneyrss</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 17 Oct 2025 20:37:49 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://money.com/?post_type=money_article&p=5994586</guid> <description><![CDATA[As gold surges past $4,300, big names on Wall Street have taken a shine to the precious metal.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As gold’s record rally continues — most recently hitting a new all-time high of $4,300 per ounce — even ordinarily skeptical mainstream financial luminaries have been taking a shine to the yellow metal.</p><p>In <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoV4riDZW_U&t=323s">remarks</a> at an economic conference earlier this month, hedge fund heavyweight Ray Dalio noted that today’s economic conditions are reminiscent of the early 1970s, with elevated inflation and high levels of government debt. He said makes the yellow metal a valuable hedge.</p><p>“If you look at it just from a strategic asset allocation perspective, you would probably have something like 15% of your portfolio in gold,” the Bridgewater Associates founder said at the Greenwich Economic Forum. “Because it is one asset that does very well when the typical parts of the portfolio go down.”</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/i29c6a119361?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fgold-record-price-ray-dalio-jamie-dimon-investing-advice%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fgold-record-price-ray-dalio-jamie-dimon-investing-advice%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=i29c6a119361&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: 0f1fee44-cf53-438a-883c-9e9966f8fa72 --></p><p>Dalio isn’t alone in his enthusiasm. “[Gold] could easily go to $5,000 or $10,000 in environments like this,” JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon <a href="https://fortune.com/2025/10/17/jamie-dimon-semi-rational-hold-gold-in-your-portfolio/">said</a> at a conference this week.</p><p>In general, Dimon said, “I’m not a gold buyer. It costs 4% to own it,” referring to the opportunity cost of not holding productive assets such as equities. But he added that this market makes a compelling case for holding gold, saying, “This is one of the few times in my life [that] it’s semi-rational to have some in your portfolio.”</p><p>Given the undeniable financial bona fides behind these bullish sentiments, does that mean gold is right for your portfolio?</p><h2>A look at the evidence</h2><p>The spot price of gold has already leaped by some 60% <a href="https://money.com/will-the-price-of-gold-keep-hitting-record-highs/">this year</a> and has blown through <a href="https://money.com/stocks-brace-for-september-slump/">all-time highs</a> with astonishing speed. By comparison, the broad-based S&P 500 is up about 14%. That’s above its typical annual increase of roughly 10%, but gold’s return far and away outpaces even this healthy return.</p><p>Here’s why: The historical demand drivers of investors seeking a hedge against elevated inflation and a safe haven from Wall Street volatility play a role. In addition, the current run of rapid appreciation is a function of central banks’ recent stockpiling of the yellow metal, combined with a growing appetite for and availability of gold in the retail marketplace — Exhibit A being warehouse club Costco’s smashing success <a href="https://money.com/costco-is-selling-out-of-gold-bars/">selling gold bars</a>.</p><p>Unfortunately, gold’s already-sizable gains mean that if you’re adding gold to your portfolio for the first time now, you’re paying a healthy premium to add it, points out Jay Hatfield, CEO and chief investment officer of Infrastructure Capital Advisors.</p><p>“It’s fine to have small amounts, but this is unlikely to be the ideal entry point [because] gold has turned into a bit of a momentum play,” he says.</p><p>“If anyone wanted to take a position, I would keep it modest, say 3% to 5%, and dollar-cost into it quite modestly,” Hatfield says. For instance, he suggests that an investor could add a quarter of a percentage point of the total value of their portfolio every month and build up to their desired allocation over six to 12 months.</p><p>Despite Dalio’s 15% comment, most retail investors are best served with less than that, says Will Rhind, CEO of GraniteShares. “For a diversified portfolio, we typically see clients with allocations of somewhere between 7-10% in gold,” he tells Money via email.</p><p>Make sure that allocation is significant enough to meet the goals you’re trying to achieve with a gold allocation, he adds. “You must hold enough for it to be mathematically relevant. In other words, holding 1% will not do much for your portfolio’s performance,” he says.</p><h2>How to hold gold</h2><p>As popular as <a href="https://money.com/costco-limits-gold-sales/">Costco’s</a> gold bars may be, experts say there are more efficient ways for everyday Americans to own gold.</p><p>In addition to the opportunity cost Dimon called out in his remarks this week, storing and insuring physical gold also carry costs, points out Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research. “Physical bars can work for those comfortable with storage and insurance, but for most investors, ETFs are the simpler route,” he tells Money via email.</p><p>“We recommend owning gold mining shares over the hard metal,” Stovall says. “We think gold mining stocks offer greater upside potential, since these stocks tend to rise at a multiple to the price change in spot gold.”</p><p>If you want to hold actual gold, Hatfield says the SPDR Gold Shares exchange-traded fund (GLD) — the first, largest and best-known gold ETF — is a good place to start. “I would recommend that investors hold gold through GLD, which is quite an efficient way to do it,” he says.</p><p>“If you want to hold gold as a diversifier of your portfolio, you should definitely hold it in GLD. It’s more liquid, it’s a security — if you want to sell it, you can do it in 10 seconds,” he says.</p><p>While GLD’s 0.4% expense ratio is nominal, “Investors who look a bit further can reduce costs with lower fee funds such as BAR at 0.17%,” Stovall says. Money’s guide to the <a href="https://money.com/best-gold-etfs/">best gold ETFs</a> has other options for investors who want to diversify their gold exposure.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/r31f432895ec?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fgold-record-price-ray-dalio-jamie-dimon-investing-advice%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fgold-record-price-ray-dalio-jamie-dimon-investing-advice%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=r31f432895ec&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: 0f1fee44-cf53-438a-883c-9e9966f8fa72 --></p><h2>More from Money:</h2><p><a href="https://money.com/gold-prices-all-time-high-tariffs/">Gold Just Hit Another All-Time High. Will It Keep Climbing?</a></p><p class="headline heading-content"><a href="https://money.com/fed-rate-cut-sp-500-7000-2025-forecast/">Will the S&P 500 Hit 7,000 This Year?</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/why-gold-keeps-breaking-records/">Gold Prices Can’t Stop Breaking Records — Even as Stocks Slump</a></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/cdf8db27d320?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fgold-record-price-ray-dalio-jamie-dimon-investing-advice%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fgold-record-price-ray-dalio-jamie-dimon-investing-advice%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=cdf8db27d320&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: 0f1fee44-cf53-438a-883c-9e9966f8fa72 --></p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5994586</post-id> <media:thumbnail url="https://img.money.com/2025/10/News-Wall-Street-Says-Buy-Gold.jpg?quality=85" /> <media:content url="https://img.money.com/2025/10/News-Wall-Street-Says-Buy-Gold.jpg?quality=85" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">News-Wall-Street-Says-Buy-Gold</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>Medicare Open Enrollment Is Here, and a Lot Is Changing in 2026</title> <link>https://money.com/medicare-open-enrollment-2026-plan-changes/?xid=moneyrss</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 17 Oct 2025 18:57:23 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://money.com/?post_type=money_article&p=5994542</guid> <description><![CDATA[Rising premiums and shrinking plan options mark a turbulent Medicare open enrollment season.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Medicare’s annual enrollment period is in full swing despite the federal government shutdown.</p><p>Nearly 70 million Americans who are enrolled in the federal health insurance program because of their age or qualifying disability can now make changes to their health insurance plans through Dec. 7.</p><p>This enrollment season in particular, experts are urging enrollees to pay careful attention to their health benefits due to several policy changes from both private insurers and the federal government.</p><p>“It’s really important for people to take a close look at the options available in their area,” says Gretchen Jacobson, vice president of Medicare policy at the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund, “Especially this year.”<!-- notionvc: e3b169e4-9f63-4eab-a9ca-90f409f9d8ce --></p><p>According to the nonprofit health research organization <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicare/nearly-7-in-10-medicare-beneficiaries-did-not-compare-plans-during-medicares-open-enrollment-period/">KFF</a>, about 70% of Medicare enrollees don’t compare their coverage options during open enrollment, although the group strongly encourages folks to do so.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/u807690225dd?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fmedicare-open-enrollment-2026-plan-changes%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fmedicare-open-enrollment-2026-plan-changes%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=u807690225dd&type=image" /></a></p><p>“Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug plans typically change from one year to the next and may vary in many ways,” KFF researchers wrote in a brief released <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicare/what-to-know-about-the-medicare-open-enrollment-period-and-medicare-coverage-options/">Thursday</a>.</p><p>On top of that, next year’s premiums for traditional Medicare and prescription coverage are jumping higher than normal, and several major private insurers are paring down their Medicare Advantage Plans, a shift that is estimated to change coverage for at least 1 million Americans.</p><p>Here’s a closer look at what’s in store this open enrollment season.</p><h2>Medicare open enrollment: changes for 2026</h2><p>During this enrollment period, Medicare enrollees in Part A (for hospital insurance) and Part B (for medical insurance) can switch to private insurance plans that meet Medicare standards — known as Part C or Medicare Advantage Plans. They can also add or change their prescription drug benefits through Part D.</p><p>Likewise, people who are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan can switch back to traditional Medicare, or choose from dozens of other private Medicare Advantage Plans. Any changes will go into effect Jan. 1.</p><p>Traditional Medicare enrollees may want to brace for sticker shock. Premiums for Part B insurance are expected to jump by nearly 12% to $206.50, according to the <a href="https://www.cms.gov/oact/tr/2025">Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services</a>, or CMS. Premiums for Part D may also rise.</p><p>The limit on out-of-pocket expenses on prescription drugs through Part D is rising to $2,100 next year, up from $2,000 currently. Jacobson notes that folks will have fewer Part D plans to choose from this year, across the board.</p><p>“We’re seeing in every state that there are fewer standalone prescription drug plans available this year than last year,” she says, “and it’s been fewer plans every year for the past several years.”</p><p>In general, folks who make no selections during open enrollment will be re-enrolled in their current plans.</p><p>However, that won’t be the case for a portion of people enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans through Aetna, Humana and UnitedHealth.</p><h2>Private insurers pull back on Medicare</h2><p>Combined, those three largest private providers are reducing Medicare Advantage coverage in hundreds of counties and several states across the U.S.</p><p>An <a href="https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/big-changes-are-coming-for-2026-medicare-plans-what-you-need-to-know-056d8565">estimated 1.2 million Americans</a> enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans may lose their current coverage as a result, according to Healthpilot, a Medicare plan marketplace. Insurance companies say that the retrenchment is due to a combination of funding cuts from the federal government, health care inflation and other financial constraints.</p><p>Those who are affected by the changes should have received an Annual Notice of Change in the mail by Sept. 30.</p><p>It’s not all bad news, though, according to Jacobson.</p><p>“There’s potentially a silver lining there,” she says, noting that people who lose their Medicare Advantage coverage have a unique opportunity to obtain Medigap coverage.</p><p>Medigap plans are available to those who are enrolled in traditional Medicare, and the plan works to supplement what isn’t covered by the government program. Usually, there are limited enrollment windows and medical underwriting restrictions that vary by state, making it confusing for enrollees to get Medigap coverage. However, federal rules relax those requirements when people get kicked off their private plans.</p><p>“It’s one of the few time periods that are guaranteed by federal law where they would have the right to purchase a [Medigap] plan without underwriting,” Jacobson says.</p><h2>Where to get help choosing Medicare coverage</h2><p>Amid a flurry of changes this year, experts say it’s important to lean on the free assistance programs to make sense of it all.</p><p>One prime example: State Health Insurance Assistance Programs, or SHIPs. They are available nationwide and offer free advice for enrollees.</p><p>“Federally funded advisors are available in every state to provide one-on-one help,” Jacobson says.</p><p>Medicare.gov also offers a user-friendly <a href="https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare/#/?year=2026&lang=en">coverage comparison tool</a>, and the 1-800-Medicare hotline is available to offer advice and troubleshooting assistance as well.</p><p>Jacobson notes that Medicare.gov was updated before the government shutdown, and the hotline and SHIPs have funding to continue operations.</p><p>“Those resources should not be affected by the shutdown,” she says.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/fb37e030d45e?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fmedicare-open-enrollment-2026-plan-changes%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fmedicare-open-enrollment-2026-plan-changes%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=fb37e030d45e&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: e3b169e4-9f63-4eab-a9ca-90f409f9d8ce --></p><h2>More from Money:</h2><p><a href="https://money.com/best-hospitals/">The Best Hospitals in America</a></p><p class="headline heading-content"><a href="https://money.com/free-covid-booster-2025-coverage-under-new-trump-administration-policy/">Can You Still Get a Free COVID Vaccine? Here’s How to Find Out</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/prescription-drug-costs-record-high/">Americans Spend $100 Billion Out-of-Pocket on Prescription Drugs. Things Could Get Worse</a></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/k0fc8ac15e86?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fmedicare-open-enrollment-2026-plan-changes%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fmedicare-open-enrollment-2026-plan-changes%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=k0fc8ac15e86&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: e3b169e4-9f63-4eab-a9ca-90f409f9d8ce --></p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5994542</post-id> <media:thumbnail url="https://img.money.com/2025/10/News-Medicare-Enrollment-2026.jpg?quality=85" /> <media:content url="https://img.money.com/2025/10/News-Medicare-Enrollment-2026.jpg?quality=85" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">News-Medicare-Enrollment-2026</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>Forget the ‘AI Bubble.’ Are We Actually in an Everything Bubble?</title> <link>https://money.com/forget-the-ai-bubble-are-we-actually-in-an-everything-bubble/?xid=moneyrss</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 17 Oct 2025 14:09:54 +0000</pubDate> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://money.com/?post_type=money_article&p=5994009</guid> <description><![CDATA[Everything from gold to ground beef is near record highs. ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you’ve tuned into financial media over the past year, there’s a good chance you’ve heard an economist or other expert proclaiming that the stock market is entering a bubble. While television’s pundits may seem like alarmists, they’re not alone.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Everyone from JPMorgan Chase CEO </span><a href="https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/jamie-dimon-jpmorgan-chase-exclusive-ai-real-bubble-billions-use-case-outlook-19684558.htm"><span style="font-weight: 400">Jamie Dimon</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> to Amazon founder </span><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/03/jeff-bezos-ai-in-an-industrial-bubble-but-society-to-benefit.html"><span style="font-weight: 400">Jeff Bezos</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> seems to agree that AI stocks are barreling towards — if not already in — a bubble. Historically high valuations have earned this corner of the market more than a few comparisons to the dot-com bubble of a generation ago. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">“There’s a lot of speculation in the stock market that looks quite a bit like the previous tech bubble in the late 1990s,” says David Rosenberg, founder of Rosenberg Research. “The stock market has been caught in this generative AI frenzy,” he says.</span></p><p>The result, according to Rosenberg, is the expectation of accelerating profits and economic growth. That<span style="font-weight: 400"> enthusiasm has grown beyond AI stocks, though. The market has been on a tear since April, with all of the <a href="https://money.com/fed-rate-cut-sp-500-7000-2025-forecast/">S&P 500’s</a> 11 sectors up on a year-to-date basis. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">But beyond stocks, prices — from housing to hamburgers — have climbed to record levels, suggesting this could be an everything bubble.</span></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/i29c6a119361?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fforget-the-ai-bubble-are-we-actually-in-an-everything-bubble%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fforget-the-ai-bubble-are-we-actually-in-an-everything-bubble%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=i29c6a119361&type=image" /></a></p><h2><strong>What’s fueling the surge?</strong></h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Economies typically don’t act like this. Prices for one type of goods or services usually rise at the expense of another. But the current marketplace seems to be defying the odds, and there isn’t an easy answer why.</span></p><p>Everything from gold and silver to car prices, rent and credit card interest rates are near historic highs. All the while, the S&P 500 continues to set new records.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">According to Rosenberg, part of the reason it’s so hard to determine why is that there isn’t a single driving force. “Each individual asset class is responding to different variables,” he says. </span>Here are a some of those factors, and how they are driving up prices across the economy.</p><h3><strong>Wall Street’s optimism lifts stocks</strong></h3><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Comparisons to the dot-com bubble are inevitable, but economists say there are key differences about today’s market buoyancy. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">For one, the companies spending prodigiously on AI aren’t start-ups burning through venture capital. Instead, they’re well-established, mega-cap companies cranking out</span><span style="font-weight: 400"> profits that routinely meet or beat analysts’ expectations. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Even if those expectations aren’t met, these are still companies with strong earnings and revenue streams, according to Rob Haworth, senior investment strategy director U.S. Bank Asset Management Group. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">“</span><span style="font-weight: 400">It’s early, I think, for ‘everything bubble’ talk,” he says. “We’re getting a push up in many assets, but it’s being followed by fundamentals</span><span style="font-weight: 400">,” Haworth says, </span><span style="font-weight: 400">including companies operating outside of AI.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Some of this reflects the ripple effect that AI spending has on other sectors of the economy: Haworth points to energy and utility stocks, which stand to benefit from data centers’ enormous electricity demand. Some market optimism is fueled by the promise of future innovations, such as the prospect of AI unlocking discoveries in biopharmaceuticals and improving medical diagnostics — an evolution Haworth says is already beginning to take place.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Despite that optimism, Haworth admits that risks remain, particularly regarding the Trump administration’s policies. “</span><span style="font-weight: 400">What we’re most worried about is if tariff implementation significantly changes consumer behavior or significantly increases corporate costs,” he says.</span></p><p>Nevertheless, the <a href="https://money.com/buffett-indicator-near-record-highs/">Buffett Indicator</a> — which measures the stock market’s total valuation relative to U.S. GDP — has also reached an all-time high. In other words, the indicator is now higher than it was preceding the dot-com crash of 2000.</p><h3><strong>Immigration and trade policies are raising prices</strong></h3><p><span style="font-weight: 400">The Trump administration’s trade and immigration policies have already sown chaos in boardrooms and balance sheets, with the government’s immigration crackdown being blamed for labor shortages in industries spanning </span><a href="https://prospect.org/politics/trump-labor-department-immigration-ICE-food-crisis/"><span style="font-weight: 400">agriculture</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400">, </span><a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/how-crucial-is-immigration-us-hotel-industry-2025-06-13/"><span style="font-weight: 400">hospitality</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> and </span><a href="https://kpmg.com/us/en/articles/2025/april-2025-construction-deep-dive.html"><span style="font-weight: 400">construction</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400">. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">Fewer workers means companies have to pay more to attract scarce labor or invest in automation. Those higher costs get passed down through the supply chain and, ultimately, to consumers. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">That’s on top of <a href="https://money.com/coffee-prices-soar-congress-tariff-repeal-bill/">tariff costs</a>. Although President Trump’s push for import duties on everything from motors to movies has only been <a href="https://money.com/trump-tariffs-supreme-court/">partially successful</a>, the abrupt reversal of a decades-long free trade agenda has thrown a wrench into the operations of American companies both large <a href="https://money.com/how-tariffs-affecting-small-businesses/">and small</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Nowhere, perhaps, is this more evident than in the housing market. A ratio of the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index to income has risen sharply, passing the high-water mark previously reached in 2006 amid the housing bubble. Homes today cost roughly <a href="https://www.longtermtrends.net/home-price-median-annual-income-ratio/">seven times</a> Americans’ median household income — and <a href="https://money.com/current-mortgage-rates/">mortgage rates</a> today are considerably higher than they were in February 2022, the first time this ratio hit a level of seven.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">That’s partly attributable to tariffs, which weigh heavily on the construction industry, imposing higher prices on everything from cement, <a href="https://money.com/trump-us-tariffs-drugs-trucks-furniture-lumber-2025/">lumber</a> and copper wiring. Combined with higher labor costs resulting from the administration’s immigration policies, home prices have soared out of reach for many Americans. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Residential real estate is a tremendous economic engine, generating demand for everything from <a href="https://money.com/best-home-insurance/">property insurance</a> to patio furniture. A frozen housing market creates a chill over a much greater swath of commercial activity. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">“Housing is still the quintessential leading indicator… and nobody talks about the fact that housing prices are starting to roll over,” Rosenberg says. “That’s the canary in the coal mine.”</span></p><h3><strong>Food, housing and credit card debt surge for everyday Americans</strong></h3><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Some of the run-up in prices across a wide spectrum of assets can be attributed to the concentration of wealth among affluent Americans, according to Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. “The wealthy are very, very wealthy, and there’s nowhere else for them to go,” he says.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Along with piling into stocks, these wealthy investors are diversifying into <a href="https://money.com/south-florida-wealth-conference-investing-advice/">alternative assets</a>. That includes private equity and private debt — asset classes that often preclude retail investors. They’re also investing in <a href="https://money.com/gold/">gold</a> and other precious metals, which are outperforming the S&P 500 this year by a wide margin. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Meanwhile, widening inequality in the face of climbing </span><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/20/business/grocery-store-prices-kroger-coupons"><span style="font-weight: 400">food</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> and housing costs could push the growing U.S. economy closer to an inflection point, as middle-class and lower-income Americans display increasing financial strain. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">The cost of meat, poultry, fish and eggs <a href="https://www.bls.gov/cpi/">rose 5.6%</a> in August from the year prior, while prices of imported goods like coffee — which jumped an eye-opening 3.6% in a month and is up almost 21% from a year ago — have seen some of the sharpest increases. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">Even domestically-produced foods, especially ones that rely heavily on immigrant labor to harvest or produce, have risen substantially. Yale University’s Budget Lab </span><a href="https://budgetlab.yale.edu/research/state-us-tariffs-september-4-2025"><span style="font-weight: 400">estimates</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> that if tariffs remain at their current levels, the cost of fresh produce will rise by more than 4% in the near term.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Ballooning levels of credit card debt and delinquencies have raised concerns about a debt bubble. Americans hold a near-record of more than </span><a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CCLACBW027SBOG"><span style="font-weight: 400">$1 trillion</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> in outstanding credit card debt, suggesting that many have turned to borrowing to fill the budget gaps. Despite the Federal Reserve’s new rate-cutting cycle, its impact has been smaller-than-expected for</span><span style="font-weight: 400"> mortgage rates, while credit card interest rates remain near record highs. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Evidence is mounting that more Americans’ financial stability is cracking under the strain of their debts, particularly since the Department of Education resumed collections activity — including wage garnishment — on loans in default. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">Data from credit reporting bureau TransUnion found that the number of seriously delinquent student debtors who fell more than 60 days behind on personal loan payments jumped by 186% between December and June, while those who fell behind by more than 90 days on credit card bills during that same time period shot up by a whopping 479%.</span></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/p8dce204c566?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fforget-the-ai-bubble-are-we-actually-in-an-everything-bubble%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fforget-the-ai-bubble-are-we-actually-in-an-everything-bubble%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=p8dce204c566&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: b9699193-bf09-4eea-8777-85127d9be336 --></p><h3><strong>As the dollar drops, gold, silver and crypto push record highs</strong></h3><p><span style="font-weight: 400">While the value of numerous assets continue pushing all-time highs, it’s quite the opposite for U.S. currency. T</span><span style="font-weight: 400">he <a href="https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/currency">value of the dollar</a> has dropped by nearly 10% since Trump took office, which economists attribute at least partially to his administration’s policies. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Although a less-expensive dollar sounds bad, it’s good for certain companies and sectors. “It’s particularly good for service exporters,” Harvard professor and former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund Kenneth Rogoff </span><a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-money-capital-risk/2025/08/01/trumps-gift-to-the-markets-a-weaker-dollar-00487632"><span style="font-weight: 400">told</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> Politico. This is one reason why big tech companies are raking in earnings; their international sales, when converted from local currency, are a higher number of dollars than they would have been if the greenback was stronger.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">The U.S. dollar’s decades-long status as the global de facto reserve currency is also being rethought, as other countries consider the implications of a more isolationist, inward-looking United States. Zandi says that other countries’ central banks buying up stocks of gold bullion is a big reason why gold prices have risen to record highs. “</span><span style="font-weight: 400">Central banks are diversifying their reserves… out of dollars and into gold,” he says.</span></p><p>The price of gold hit $4,000 for the first time last week and continues to rise. The yellow metal is a traditional hedge against economic uncertainty, serving as a store of value and a safe-haven asset in the event of a downturn, and central bank-buying has accelerated the precious metal’s record gains this year. Right behind gold, the price of <a href="https://money.com/how-to-invest-in-silver/">silver</a> also hit an all-time high in October, surpassing its previous record set in 1980.</p><p>While some investors are turning to precious metals to avoid what they perceive as a stock market bubble, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/gold-buyers-dodging-bubbles-may-be-blowing-one-2025-10-14/">others</a> believe this could be contributing to a gold bubble. Meanwhile, <span style="font-weight: 400">as other countries stockpile bullion, Trump is turning towards <a href="https://money.com/trump-vs-harris-on-crypto/">bitcoin</a>, is only 11% off of its all-time high. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">The administration’s agenda to deregulate and invest in digital assets is a major force behind the meteoric rise in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies this year. A push to integrate cryptocurrency into the financial mainstream, including a </span><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/03/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-establishes-the-strategic-bitcoin-reserve-and-u-s-digital-asset-stockpile/"><span style="font-weight: 400">plan</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400"> to establish a strategic bitcoin reserve, lends credibility to an asset class that otherwise remains largely speculative.</span></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/l56a2684df33?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fforget-the-ai-bubble-are-we-actually-in-an-everything-bubble%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fforget-the-ai-bubble-are-we-actually-in-an-everything-bubble%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=l56a2684df33&type=image" /></a></p><h2><strong>What should investors do?</strong></h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Navigating a market that seems to be going nowhere but up can be challenging. While experts broadly agree that what goes up must come down, no one knows exactly when stocks will peak — or what happens after.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">“Markets that are speculative and frothy can go on for a long time,” Zandi says. “But the higher the market grows, the more vulnerable it becomes.”</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">While companies’ robust returns make a legitimate case for high valuations, Zandi suggests that some investors could be donning rose-colored glasses. “Speculation is just creeping in,” he says. “That’s not atypical, [but] it feels like investors are getting over their skis.”</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Getting out too early can mean forfeiting gains, but trying to time the market is a tightrope walk without a net. This puts ordinary Americans who depend on market returns to grow their nest eggs in a tough spot. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">But there is one thing investors can do, according to Rosenberg. “It’s very important right now, if you haven’t already done so, to rebalance your portfolio.” While 401(k) savers have enjoyed impressive gains over the past few years, the way those gains are reinvested is likely to leave them overexposed to the high-growth tech companies at the forefront of the burgeoning AI bubble — and the most likely to correct when market <a href="https://money.com/stock-market-highs-investors-bearish/">sentiment</a> shifts. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">The end of a bull market is potentially the most lucrative and riskiest for investors. Rosenberg sounds a note of caution, using the analogy of a rising market as a slow-moving escalator, but a falling market as a stomach-dropping elevator.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">“Bubbles go further than you think, but they never correct by going sideways,” he says.</span></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/r31f432895ec?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fforget-the-ai-bubble-are-we-actually-in-an-everything-bubble%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fforget-the-ai-bubble-are-we-actually-in-an-everything-bubble%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=r31f432895ec&type=image" /></a></p><h2>More from Money:</h2><p><a href="https://money.com/are-u-s-stocks-overvalued-everyday-investors-and-experts-disagree/">Are U.S. Stocks Overvalued? Everyday Investors and Experts Disagree</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/401k-investments-too-conservative/">Are Your 401(k) Investments Too Conservative?</a></p><p class="headline heading-content"><a href="https://money.com/even-rich-investors-are-wary-of-the-stock-market-right-now/">Even Rich Investors Are Wary of the Stock Market Right Now</a></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/cdf8db27d320?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fforget-the-ai-bubble-are-we-actually-in-an-everything-bubble%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fforget-the-ai-bubble-are-we-actually-in-an-everything-bubble%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=cdf8db27d320&type=image" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5994009</post-id> <media:thumbnail url="https://img.money.com/2025/10/Forget-AI-Bubble-Everything-Bubble.jpg?quality=85" /> <media:content url="https://img.money.com/2025/10/Forget-AI-Bubble-Everything-Bubble.jpg?quality=85" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">Forget-AI-Bubble-Everything-Bubble</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>Debit Card Fraud Is on the Rise. Here’s What I Did When It Happened to Me</title> <link>https://money.com/debit-card-fraud-what-to-do/?xid=moneyrss</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:34:44 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://money.com/?post_type=money_article&p=5994146</guid> <description><![CDATA[Skimming, in which criminals install discreet devices and tiny cameras on point-of-sale terminals to steal your info, is increasingly common — as I learned the hard way.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400">A few weeks ago, I stopped at a gas station I don’t typically visit. I paid at the pump with my debit card like usual, filled up and went on my way. But a few days later, I spotted several strange transactions in my bank account. Some were for just a few dollars; others were in the hundreds. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">That’s when I realized my debit card information had been stolen.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">I suspect my card was skimmed at the gas station. Skimming is a common tactic whereby criminals install discreet devices and tiny cameras on point-of-sale terminals to steal people’s debit card numbers and PINs. This kind of theft is increasingly common — as I learned the hard way.</span></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/ic5fc45d4cf6?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fdebit-card-fraud-what-to-do%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fdebit-card-fraud-what-to-do%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=ic5fc45d4cf6&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: fbfeb653-6d12-4f95-9ddc-f12ccb685cb3 --></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Debit card fraud is growing, fueled by advancements in skimming technology and data breaches. According to the </span><a href="https://www.frbservices.org/binaries/content/assets/crsocms/news/research/2024-risk-officer-survey-results.pdf"><span style="font-weight: 400">Federal Reserve</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400">, debit card fraud was the most common method of payment fraud in the U.S. in 2024, with 73% of banks reporting incidents. The actual losses increased by 6% from 2023 to 2024.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Debit cards are particularly vulnerable because they draw directly from your checking account. Unlike <a href="https://money.com/best-credit-cards/">credit cards</a>, which offer more robust fraud protections and don’t impact your available cash immediately, debit card fraud can have an immediate and damaging effect on your finances.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">As debit card fraud continues to climb, understanding the right steps to take if it happens to you has never been more crucial for safeguarding your money and identity. Drawing from my own experience, I’ll walk you through the process and share insights from Paul Benda, executive vice president of risk, fraud and cybersecurity at the American Bankers Association.</span></p><h2>Step one: Contact your bank immediately</h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400">I caught the fraudulent charges quickly because of a habit I picked up nearly 20 years ago: Every morning, without fail, I <a href="https://money.com/how-often-should-you-check-your-bank-account-app/">check my bank balance online</a>. This routine of reviewing transactions daily was key to spotting suspicious activity as soon as it occurred. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">When I saw the fraudulent charges, I called my bank’s fraud department. The customer service rep quickly froze my debit card to prevent further activity and issued me a new one with a different number.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Acting fast is essential. Under the </span><a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/caletters/2008/0807/08-07_attachment.pdf"><span style="font-weight: 400">Electronic Fund Transfer Act</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400">, your liability for unauthorized debit card transactions depends on how quickly you report the loss. If you notify your bank within two business days of discovering the fraud, your liability — the maximum you can be on the hook for — is capped at $50. After two days, that cap increases to $500. And if you wait more than 60 days, you could be liable for the entire stolen amount.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">In my case, I contacted my bank within 24 hours, which helped limit my exposure and begin the reimbursement process promptly.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Once the charges hit my account, my bank quickly agreed that they were fraudulent and refunded my money. According to Benda, from the American Bankers Association, my history with my bank served me well. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">“They knew you as a customer, and they knew that your card had been compromised,” Benda says. “But if you’re a new customer with the bank or if the charges are similar to what you’d normally make, the bank will probably have more investigating to do.”</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">As I navigated the dispute process, I kept a detailed record of all the unauthorized transactions, writing down when I noticed them, whom I spoke with at the bank and what steps they had taken. This helped a lot.</span></p><h2>Step two: Report the fraud to the FTC</h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Even though my situation was limited to debit card misuse, I went ahead and reported the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, through its official site, IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC allows you to file a report and receive an Identity Theft Report, which serves as official documentation of the incident.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">The FTC also provides a personalized recovery plan and resources if the fraud turns out to be part of a larger <a href="https://money.com/how-to-check-for-identity-theft/">identity theft issue</a> — something that’s increasingly common when card data is stolen in conjunction with other personal information.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">While my incident involved only my debit card, reporting it to the federal government added another layer of protection and credibility to my case.</span></p><h2>Step three: File a police report</h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Filing a police report may seem like overkill for debit card fraud, but getting this documentation is a smart move. Some banks or <a href="https://money.com/best-credit-monitoring-services/">credit monitoring services</a> may request a police report as proof if you’re disputing extensive fraud or if the theft is connected to other identity crimes.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">“Having the documentation that you gathered is really helpful in case you need it,” Benda says. “It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, right?”</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">I brought printed copies of my FTC report, a recent bank statement highlighting the unauthorized charges and my ID to the local police department. The officer I spoke with explained that having a report on file helps law enforcement track local fraud trends, and it can also support any future claims I might need to make.</span></p><h2>Step four: Notify the credit bureaus</h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400">While debit card fraud doesn’t usually impact your credit report, I wanted to be cautious. If your card information is compromised, there’s always a chance your broader identity could be at risk — especially if the theft occurred as part of a larger data breach.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">I contacted Experian and placed a <a href="https://money.com/how-to-place-or-remove-a-fraud-alert-on-your-credit-report/">fraud alert</a> on my file. This free service requires lenders to take additional steps to verify your identity before opening new accounts. Fraud alerts last for one year and can be renewed. You have to contact only one of the three <a href="https://money.com/what-are-credit-reporting-agencies/">consumer credit bureaus</a> — Experian, Equifax or TransUnion — for a fraud alert to be placed across all of their services.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">I “went above and beyond” by contacting Experian, Benda says. But he explains that if I had seen any sign of more serious identity misuse, I could also have opted for a credit freeze, which prevents anyone from accessing your credit report entirely until you lift the freeze. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">“It’s not right for everyone, but it is something that I think people should consider,” he adds.</span></p><h2>Step five: Update your security and account settings</h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400">After getting my new debit card, I immediately changed the PIN. I also reviewed all accounts that used my old card for automatic payments and updated them.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">In addition to correcting my payment details, I changed several passwords and security questions for my online banking and shopping accounts. I made sure they were strong and unique to prevent further compromise.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">If you use the same PIN or password in multiple places, a data thief could try accessing other financial platforms or services. This is why it’s crucial to treat a debit card theft as a potential gateway to wider identity fraud.</span></p><h2>How to protect yourself from debit card fraud</h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400">After going through the hassle of having my debit card information stolen, I realized the importance of not just reacting to fraud but <a href="https://money.com/best-identity-theft-protection/">actively working to prevent it</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Always be cautious when using payment terminals in public places. If something looks suspicious — like the card reader is loose or bulky — use another trusted payment method. In fact, you might want to avoid inserting your card or swiping it at all, because skimming devices today can be undetectable. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400"><del></del> Swiping a debit card exposes its magnetic stripe, which is unencrypted and much easier for criminals to skim using hidden devices (like those often found at gas stations or ATMs). </span>When you swipe a card, the terminal reads the magnetic stripe on the back. This stripe contains static information, meaning it’s the same data every time you use it. Criminals can easily copy this info and then use it to create counterfeit cards or make fraudulent transactions.</p><p data-start="423" data-end="775">In contrast, when you insert a <a href="https://money.com/chip-cards-security-experts/">chip-enabled card</a> into a terminal, the chip generates a unique, encrypted code for each transaction. Even if a criminal intercepts the data from one transaction, they cannot reuse it to make additional purchases.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">However, Benda says that tapping your card (using contactless payment technology) is by far the safest way to make transactions. When you tap, skimming devices simply can’t capture the information from your magnetic stripe or chip.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Whatever payment method you use, Benda recommends covering the keypad when entering your PIN. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">You may also want to sign up for text alerts from your bank whenever a charge is made with your card. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Having your debit card information stolen is frustrating and, frankly, a little scary. But the worst thing you can do is ignore it. In my case, acting quickly meant my bank reversed the charges, issued a new card and secured my account before any more damage was done.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400">Debit card fraud isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, it’s getting worse. With the right steps — and the right mindset — you can protect yourself, recover your money and prevent further harm.</span></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/sf41af5d4c64?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fdebit-card-fraud-what-to-do%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fdebit-card-fraud-what-to-do%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=sf41af5d4c64&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: fbfeb653-6d12-4f95-9ddc-f12ccb685cb3 --></p><h2>More from Money:</h2><p><a class="c-link c-link--underline c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://money.com/buy-now-pay-later-loans-now-appear-credit-report/?xid=moneyrss" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-qa="message_attachment_title_link"><span dir="auto">Buy Now, Pay Later Loans Can Now Appear on Your Credit Report</span></a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/americans-delay-purchases-government-shutdown/">Shutdown Fears Have Americans Pausing Pricey Purchases</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/ai-job-market-impact/">Don’t Blame AI for the Crummy Job Market — Yet</a></p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/ce5c60e9ca63?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fdebit-card-fraud-what-to-do%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fdebit-card-fraud-what-to-do%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=ce5c60e9ca63&type=image" /></a><!-- notionvc: fbfeb653-6d12-4f95-9ddc-f12ccb685cb3 --></p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5994146</post-id> <media:thumbnail url="https://img.money.com/2025/09/News-Debit-Card-Fraud-Rise.jpg?quality=85" /> <media:content url="https://img.money.com/2025/09/News-Debit-Card-Fraud-Rise.jpg?quality=85" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">News-Debit-Card-Fraud-Rise</media:title> </media:content> </item> <item> <title>5 Best Mortgage Refinance Companies of 2025</title> <link>https://money.com/best-mortgage-refinance/?xid=moneyrss</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:05:14 +0000</pubDate> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://money.com/?post_type=money_article&p=5994447</guid> <description><![CDATA[Finding the right lender makes all the difference when you refinance a mortgage. We review the best mortgage refinance companies of 2025.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="p1"><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/hc804756673f?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=hc804756673f&type=image" /></a></p><p>*<em>Sample rates presented here are valid as of October 16 and can change at any time.</em></p><p>Homeowners are sitting on record amounts of home equity thanks to the significant increase in home prices during the pandemic years. This equity translates into a reliable source of cash for homeowners who may need extra money to consolidate debt, pay off medical bills or give their home a new look.</p><p>Mortgage refinancing is one way you can access that cash. However, refinancing can also be beneficial if you wish to modify the rate and term of your current mortgage to enhance your financial situation. Whatever the reason you’re considering a mortgage refinance, finding the right lender is the first step.</p><p>We’ve done the research for you, and here are our top picks.</p><h2>What to know about mortgage refinancing</h2><ul><li style="font-weight: 400">Refinancing your mortgage means taking out a new loan to replace your old one, typically with a more favorable interest rate or loan term. This process also allows you to transition to a loan type that better suits your current needs, such as from an adjustable-rate to a fixed-rate mortgage.</li><li style="font-weight: 400">Refinancing only makes sense if it results in a tangible benefit, such as a lower monthly payment or an opportunity to use your home equity to pay off higher-interest debt.</li><li style="font-weight: 400">The refinancing process is similar to applying for a purchase loan and typically involves similar costs and requirements.</li></ul><h2>How we chose our top picks</h2><p>Money reviewed over 35 of the largest mortgage refinance products and lenders. We used publicly available data and confirmed its accuracy through interviews with lender representatives. We then narrowed down our list of lenders using factors such as interest rates, fees and costs, term options, customer satisfaction rankings and credit score requirements, to score each lender on a scale of one to five. Our top picks received the highest combined score among all the lenders we considered.</p><p>Read the <a href="#Methodology">full methodology</a> to learn more.</p><h2>Our top picks for the best mortgage refinance lenders</h2><ul><li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="#CrossCountry">CrossCountry Mortgage</a>: Best Overall</li><li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="#Rate">Rate</a>: Best for Fast Closing Times</li><li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="#New American Funding">New American Funding</a>: Best for Low Rates</li><li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="#Navy Federal">Navy Federal Credit Union</a>: Best for Military Members</li><li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="#Rocket">Rocket Mortgage</a>: Best for Customer Satisfaction</li></ul><p class="p1"><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/n211d3d3d958?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=n211d3d3d958&type=image" /></a></p><h2>Best mortgage refinance companies reviews</h2><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/t34326a733f6?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=t34326a733f6&type=image" /></a></p><hr><h3>Pros</h3><ul><li>Offers a wide variety of readily available loans with competitive rates and credit score requirements.</li><li>Closes in as little as 10 days</li><li>Rate float downs available</li></ul><h3>Cons</h3><ul><li>Doesn't provide sample rates, fees or loan cost information on its website</li></ul><hr><hr><h3>HIGHLIGHTS</h3><dl><dt>Refinance Loans offered</dt><dd>Rate and term, FHA, VA, USDA, cash-out, renovation loan and HELOC. Fixed and adjustable rate loans</dd></dl><dl><dt>Minimum credit score</dt><dd>500 (some loan products have no minimum)</dd></dl><dl><dt>Sample rate</dt><dd>N/A</dd></dl><dl><dt>Maximum loan amount</dt><dd>$5 million</dd></dl><dl><dt>Loan-to-value ratio</dt><dd>Not available</dd></dl><dl><dt>Availability</dt><dd>50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico</dd></dl><hr><p><b>Why we chose it:</b> <a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/x387885c8d67?data-trk-company=crosscountry-mortgage-refinance-review&data-trk-imp=true&data-trk-pcu-type=direct_link&data-trk-pcu-uuid=x387885c8d67&encoded_id={{encoded_id}}">CrossCountry Mortgage</a> achieved the highest rating in our analysis of refinance companies. The lender’s combination of low credit score requirements, widespread availability and variety of loan products placed it above many of its competitors. Add to that a fast funding process that allows you to close on a loan in as little as ten days, and you’ve got a winning combination.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/o3f4ff2eadb7?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=o3f4ff2eadb7&type=image" /></a></p><hr><h3>Pros</h3><ul><li>Fast closing time</li><li>Competitive mortgage rates</li><li>Low credit score requirement</li></ul><h3>Cons</h3><ul><li>Limited loan options</li><li>Charges an application fee</li></ul><hr><hr><h3>HIGHLIGHTS</h3><dl><dt>Refinance Loans offered</dt><dd>Rate and term, cash-out refinance, FHA and VA loans</dd></dl><dl><dt>Maximum loan-to-value ratio</dt><dd>Up to 100%, depending on loan product</dd></dl><dl><dt>Minimum credit score</dt><dd>580 standard, 500 for some loan products</dd></dl><dl><dt>Sample rate</dt><dd>N/A</dd></dl><dl><dt>Maximum loan amount</dt><dd>$30,000 minimum, maximum amount varies</dd></dl><dl><dt>Availability</dt><dd>All 50 states</dd></dl><hr><p><b>Why we chose it:</b> If you need to refinance your mortgage quickly, <a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/u4865e096549">Rate</a> is a lender you should consider. The lender says it takes 21 days on average to close on a loan, which is one of the fastest turnaround times offered by any of the lenders we considered (and well below the industry average time of 30 to 45 days). Rate also accepts borrowers with poor credit and offers competitive interest rates.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/jce6c8b46edf?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=jce6c8b46edf&type=image" /></a></p><hr><h3>Pros</h3><ul><li>Consistently lower rates than competitors</li><li>Low credit score requirement</li><li>Fast closing time</li></ul><h3>Cons</h3><ul><li>No lender fee or closing cost information on the website</li></ul><hr><hr><h3>HIGHLIGHTS</h3><dl><dt>Refinance Loans offered</dt><dd>Rate and term, cash-out, HELOC, FHA and VA streamline refinances</dd></dl><dl><dt>Minimum credit score</dt><dd>500, some loan products with no minimum required</dd></dl><dl><dt>Sample rate</dt><dd>As low as 5.924% APR with 3.000 points paid, 30-year fixed-rate loan</dd></dl><dl><dt>Maximum loan amount</dt><dd>Varies</dd></dl><dl><dt>Maximum loan-to-value ratio</dt><dd>Up to 100%, depending on loan product</dd></dl><dl><dt>Availability</dt><dd>50 states and Puerto Rico</dd></dl><dl><dt></dt><dd></dd></dl><hr><p><b>Why we chose it:</b> <a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/la45bf58af10?data-trk-company=new-american-funding-mortgage-refinance-review&data-trk-imp=true&data-trk-pcu-type=direct_link&data-trk-pcu-uuid=la45bf58af10&encoded_id={{encoded_id}}">New American Funding</a> offered the lowest interest rates throughout our evaluation period, making it our pick for the best option to find a low rate (although you should still shop around). But the lender offers other perks, too. It provides flexible loan terms, including interest-only loans and 40-year terms.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/bf31518a3cff?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=bf31518a3cff&type=image" /></a></p><hr><h3>Pros</h3><ul><li>Developed specifically for service members</li><li>Specializing in VA loans</li><li>Low loan origination fee that you can waive</li></ul><h3>Cons</h3><ul><li>Product offerings are limited to VA and conventional loans</li><li>Requires credit union membership</li></ul><hr><hr><h3>HIGHLIGHTS</h3><dl><dt>Refinance Loans offered</dt><dd>Rate and term, cash-out, VA and VA streamline loans</dd></dl><dl><dt>Minimum credit score</dt><dd>Varies</dd></dl><dl><dt>Sample rate</dt><dd>As low as 5.789% APR (30-year VA loan with 0.500 point paid) , 5.740% APR (30-year fixed rate conventional loan with 0.250 points paid)</dd></dl><dl><dt>Maximum loan amount</dt><dd>Not specified</dd></dl><dl><dt>Maximum loan-to-value ratio</dt><dd>Up to 100% for VA loans, 95% to 97% for conventional loans</dd></dl><dl><dt>Availability</dt><dd>367 branches available worldwide</dd></dl><hr><p><b>Why we chose it: </b><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/b0d2f4a35e8c">Navy Federal</a> has the experience to navigate the complexities of VA loan requirements. Additional perks include Special Freedom Lock, a feature that allows you to lock in your rate for 60 days and benefit from up to two rate float downs of up to 0.50 percentage points, all without paying a rate lock fee. The lender charges a 1% origination fee, which you can waive in exchange for a 0.25% rate increase.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/ce2caabf6495?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=ce2caabf6495&type=image" /></a></p><hr><h3>Pros</h3><ul><li>Consistently ranks at the top of independent customer satisfaction surveys</li><li>Competitive interest rates</li><li>Low credit score requirements</li></ul><h3>Cons</h3><ul><li>Limited loan options</li><li>Higher than usual closing costs</li></ul><hr><hr><h3>HIGHLIGHTS</h3><dl><dt>Refinance Loans offered</dt><dd>Rate and term, VA, FHA and Cash-out loans</dd></dl><dl><dt>Minimum credit score</dt><dd>620 for conventional loans, 580 for FHA and VA loans</dd></dl><dl><dt>Sample rate</dt><dd>As low as 6.039% APR with 2 points paid, 30-year fixed rate conventional loan</dd></dl><dl><dt>Maximum loan amount</dt><dd>Varies</dd></dl><dl><dt>Maximum loan-to-value ratio</dt><dd>97%</dd></dl><dl><dt>Availability</dt><dd>50 states</dd></dl><hr><p><b>Why we chose it:</b> <a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/u54ee4596258">Rocket Mortgage</a> has regularly topped the list of J.D. Power’s Mortgage Servicer Satisfaction and Origination Surveys, and consistently receives five-star ratings on third-party customer ranking sites like Trustpilot. The lender offers a fully online application and funding process along with a variety of additional perks, including closing cost discounts for customers who refinance within 18 months of signing their original Rocket Mortgage loan.</p><p><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/d2f58ee0520e?type=image&xid&ca_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F&ap_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmoney.com%2Fbest-mortgage-refinance%2F" target="_blank" rel="sponsored"><img src="https://secure.money.com/embeds/v1?pcuid=d2f58ee0520e&type=image" /></a></p><h2>Other companies we considered</h2><p>There were other lenders we reviewed that didn’t make our top picks, but they still offer products worth considering. Always take the time to evaluate different lenders and find the right option for you.</p><h3><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/ra0472546c6e?data-trk-company=pennymac-review&data-trk-imp=true&data-trk-pcu-type=direct_link&data-trk-pcu-uuid=ra0472546c6e&encoded_id={{encoded_id}}">Pennymac</a></h3><p>Pennymac offers a wide variety of refinance loans, requiring a low minimum credit score of 620. The company’s only fees (lender fees) are lower than those of most competitors. You’ll pay either a flat fee of $500 or 0.95% of the loan amount, both of which are below the industry average of 1% to 2% of the borrowed amount.</p><p><b>Why we didn’t choose it: </b>Pennymac’s mortgage rates were typically higher than those of other lenders we analyzed, making it a good option but not a top pick.</p><h3><a href="https://secure.money.com/pr/q71d39574bd1?data-trk-company=movement-mortgage-refinance&data-trk-imp=true&data-trk-pcu-type=direct_link&data-trk-pcu-uuid=q71d39574bd1&encoded_id={{encoded_id}}">Movement Mortgage</a></h3><p>If you own a rental property and are considering a loan refinance to free up some cash, consider Movement Mortgage. The lender offers conventional and cash-out Debt-Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) loans, which allow investors to use alternative income documentation, such as bank statements or profit and loss statements, to refinance their loans. To qualify for Movement’s DSCR loans, you must have a minimum 640 credit score, a maximum LTV of 80% and the property’s rental income must cover 75% or more of the mortgage payment.</p><p><b>Why we didn’t choose it:</b> Movement’s website lacks information on closing costs, lender fees and sample rate information, and they did not respond to our request for additional details.</p><h2>What to know about mortgage refinancing</h2><p>Refinancing your home loan can be a valuable tool if you want to get better loan terms or take advantage of the increased value of your home, but as with any type of loan product, there are pros and cons. Here’s how to determine if refinancing is right for you or if you should consider other options.</p><h3>When does mortgage refinancing make sense?</h3><p>Just because you<i> can</i> refinance your loan doesn’t mean you <i>should.</i> As we mentioned before, the benefits need to outweigh the costs, or you’ll end up in a worse financial position.</p><p>One of the most popular forms of refinancing is a rate and term refi, which involves replacing your existing mortgage with one that has a lower rate. This typically leads to reduced monthly payments. Most experts agree that a refi is worthwhile if you can lower your rate by 0.75% to 1% (for example, lowering a 6.75% rate to 6% or 5.75%). On a $450,000 loan, that would reduce your monthly payment by at least $200.</p><p>Refinancing can be beneficial for other reasons, too. If you have an adjustable-rate loan, for example, you may want to consider converting it to a fixed-rate mortgage to lock in a more favorable rate. Or maybe you want to tap into your home equity to pay for a home renovation. We’ve outlined the loan types that make sense for these scenarios (and a few others) further down in this guide.</p><h3>When does mortgage refinancing not make sense?</h3><p>Refinancing might not be the best move if you plan to sell your home before you reach your break-even point — that is, before your savings outweigh the refinancing fees.</p><p>Refinancing also isn’t a good idea if you don’t qualify for a lower rate or better terms, and you end up paying more than you currently do. If the closing costs are more than you can afford, or if, by extending the loan term, you end up paying significantly more interest over time, a refi may not be your best choice, either.</p><p>Carefully weigh the benefits against the risks to determine if a refi makes financial sense. If you’re unsure, talk to an experienced mortgage lender who can evaluate your budget, walk you through your options and help you find the best solution.</p><h2>Types of refinance loans</h2><p>It doesn’t matter if you have a conventional loan, a government-backed loan such as an FHA or <a href="https://money.com/what-is-a-va-loan/">VA loan</a>, or a jumbo loan — under the right conditions, refinancing is a possibility</p><p>There are four main options worth knowing about, each addressing a different goal.</p><ul><li><b>Rate and term refinance</b>: Replaces your current mortgage with a new one that offers a lower interest rate and monthly payment, a different repayment schedule, or both.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Cash-out refinance</b>: Allows you to tap into your home equity to get cash. The new loan balance is higher than your existing loan, and the proceeds are used to pay the outstanding balance of your original loan. You’ll receive the difference in a lump sum payment.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Cash-in refinance</b>: This option allows you to take out a new loan for a lower amount than your current one by making a lump sum payment, similar to a down payment, thereby reducing the amount borrowed. By borrowing less, you may qualify for a lower interest rate and save on the monthly payment.</li></ul><ul><li style="font-weight: 400"><b>Streamline refinance</b>: This option provides a faster application and approval process with fewer documentation requirements for borrowers refinancing FHA, VA and USDA loans.</li></ul><ul><li style="font-weight: 400"><b>No-closing cost refinance</b>: This type of loan rolls your refi closing costs into the new mortgage if you don’t have the cash to cover these expenses. However, by including closing costs in the loan, your loan amount and monthly payments increase.</li></ul><ul><li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="https://money.com/what-is-a-reverse-mortgage/"><b>Reverse mortgage</b></a>: Specifically designed for homeowners 62 or older, this loan allows you to take equity out of your home, pay off any outstanding mortgage balance and use the excess proceeds as you see fit. There are no required monthly payments, and repayment isn’t due until you permanently move out of the home or die. (In which case, your heirs would be responsible for <a href="https://money.com/estate-planning-checklist/">repaying the rest of the balance</a>).</li></ul><ul><li style="font-weight: 400"><b>Short refinance</b>: If you default on your loan, a lender may offer to refinance your mortgage for a lower amount and forgive the difference between the new loan and the original amount owed. It can be a less expensive option than going through the foreclosure process.</li></ul><h2>The pros and cons of mortgage refinancing</h2><hr><h2><strong>The pros and cons of mortgage refinancing</strong></h2><table border="1" cellpadding="5px" cellspacing="0"><colgroup><col width="40%" /><col width="40%" /></colgroup><thead><tr><th><p><strong>PROS</strong></p></th><th><p><strong>CONS</strong></p></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span id="docs-internal-guid-cec5e3fd-7fff-4c57-0257-62836567f048" style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Lower interest rates and monthly payments</span></span></p></td><td align="center"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span id="docs-internal-guid-643d7bbc-7fff-2e5f-67ef-f559e46dc0fa" style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Can temporarily lower your credit score</span></span></p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ac6fb157-7fff-aa86-cb6e-01fc1542678b" style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Potentially less interest paid over time</span></span></p></td><td align="center"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b9ff6e81-7fff-5aec-cfad-cbb8a127680e" style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Can extend the repayment period, potentially leading to more interest paid over time</span></span></p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span id="docs-internal-guid-18f4fef9-7fff-ce3e-e00a-66c4f9b66cc5" style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Access to home equity</span></span></p></td><td align="center"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span id="docs-internal-guid-cefab64b-7fff-9c48-ccae-d1156c426877" style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Must pay for closing costs and other fees</span></span></p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><span id="docs-internal-guid-a2dc93d9-7fff-0a39-bfcd-6ec3bf6a5eb9" style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">New repayment terms</span></span></p></td><td align="center"> </td></tr></tbody></table><hr><h2>How to choose a mortgage refinance company</h2><p>Finding the best interest rate and lowest fees are the main factors to consider when shopping for a refinance company, since these directly affect the total cost of your loan. However, there are other factors to consider as well. Those include:</p><p><b>Experience</b></p><p>A lender or loan officer with years of experience can be an asset during the loan process, since they’ll be familiar with your local real estate market and lending conditions. Their expertise enables them to ask targeted questions, helping you pinpoint your goals and recommend the best options to achieve them.</p><p><b>Product knowledge</b></p><p>Look for lenders who are knowledgeable about different loan types. They’ll be better able to recommend the right product once they determine your goal and needs, compared to a lender who only offers one specific type of loan. Some lenders may be able to provide solutions for more complex financial situations, such as those posed by borrowers with alternative incomes or who are self-employed, if they are familiar with a variety of loan options.</p><p><b>Transparency</b></p><p>Paying for unnecessary fees can significantly increase your monthly payments and overall loan amount. Your lender must provide a detailed loan estimate up front. This document should include details of the interest rate you may qualify for, lender’s fees, closing costs and the total loan cost. A good lender will explain each item in detail and answer all your questions so you can avoid unpleasant surprises when it’s time to close on the loan.</p><p><b>Communication</b></p><p>The mortgage process can be nerve-wracking. Having a lender that keeps you promptly informed of the progress of your application can help ease some of that anxiety. The last thing you need is to chase after a lender for a status update.</p><h2>Alternatives to mortgage refinancing</h2><p>Depending on your reasons for refinancing, there may be other options worth considering. If, for instance, you want to tap into the equity you’ve gained or are looking for cash to make home improvements, here are a few funding alternatives you may want to explore.</p><ul><li><b>Home equity loan: </b>A <a href="https://money.com/what-is-a-home-equity-loan/">home equity loan</a> is a second mortgage on top of your existing loan. This loan might be a good option if you have a much lower interest rate on your primary mortgage and don’t want to refinance into a higher rate. However, you need to be financially able to carry two mortgage payments.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Home equity line of credit (HELOC):</b> A <a href="https://money.com/heloc-home-equity-line-of-credit/">HELOC</a> is a good alternative if you need access to money when a need arises or an emergency reserve. It works much like a credit card in that you can use the money, make interest-only payments during the draw period, and repay the amount you’ve withdrawn to replenish the line of credit.</li></ul><ul><li><a href="https://money.com/what-is-a-home-equity-agreement/"><b>Home equity sharing agreements</b></a><b> (HEAs):</b> HEAs are relatively new products that allow homeowners to access their equity without taking out a loan or making extra monthly payments. In essence, an investment company buys a share of your home’s future value in exchange for a lump sum payment. At the end of the agreement, you will repay the original “loan” amount plus an agreed-upon percentage of your home’s appreciated value.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Personal loan:</b> For smaller sums, like a few thousand dollars, consider a personal loan. The interest rates are lower than a credit card, and the loan terms tend to be relatively short. They also take less time to apply for and obtain approval and funding than a mortgage refinance.</li></ul><h2>Latest news in mortgage refinancing</h2><p>Market conditions for homeowners are currently very favorable. High levels of home equity and decreasing mortgage rates provide a window of opportunity for those considering refinancing their mortgage.</p><p>According to data analysis firm Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), homeowners held more than $11 trillion in <a href="https://mortgagetech.ice.com/resources/data-reports/august-2025-mortgage-monitor#:~:text=While%20equity%20levels%20remain%20high,seeking%20to%20retain%20homeowners'%20business.&text=Cash%2Dout%20prospects%20can%20be,likely%20to%20win%20repeat%20business.">tappable equity</a> as of June 30. That equity can be used to help pay for home repairs, unexpected bills or to weather a financial crisis. Options to access that equity include <a href="https://money.com/best-home-equity-loans/">home equity loans</a> and lines of credit, <a href="https://money.com/best-home-equity-sharing-companies/">equity sharing</a>, and <a href="https://money.com/best-cash-out-refinance-lenders/">cash-out refinancing</a>.</p><p>It could also be a good time to refinance your current home loan in order to lower your interest rate and monthly payment, especially if you purchased a home in the last two years when mortgage rates were close to or above 7%. <a href="https://money.com/current-mortgage-rates/">Mortgage rates</a> have decreased by nearly half a percentage point since mid-July and by more than three-quarters of a percentage point since the 2025 peak of 7.04% in January.</p><p>According to another <a href="https://mortgagetech.ice.com/publicdocs/mortgage/imt-october-2025-mortgage-monitor-report-7tZGfFsYkUxV.pdf">report</a> by ICE, more than 3 million homeowners could reduce their mortgage rate by at least 0.75 percentage points by refinancing at today’s lower rates. Lowering your rate could lead to significant monthly savings as well as overall savings throughout the life of the loan.</p><p>Determining whether refinancing is the right option for you will depend on your current financial circumstances and your goals. Always calculate how much you can save by doing a rate and term refinance, how long it will take you to recover the closing costs and other fees associated with the new loan, and consider whether you plan on staying in the home long enough to start benefiting from the lower rate. Speaking with a financial advisor or consulting with different lenders and talking can help you determine your best course of action.</p><hr><h2>Mortgage Refinancing FAQs</h2><h3>Which is the best company to refinance your mortgage with?</h3><p>There is no single "best" refinance company; the right lender depends on your individual needs. Look for a company that offers suitable products for your goals, is transparent about rates and costs and helps you secure the best possible terms. Shopping around and comparing multiple lenders is key to finding the best fit.</p><h3>How does refinancing work?</h3><p>When you refinance a mortgage, you replace your existing loan with a new one. The rate, repayment term, loan amount and monthly payment amounts will be different. This is called a rate and term refinance. You can also do a cash-out refinance, which replaces your current loan with one that has a larger amount, pays off the balance of your original loan and you receive the difference in the form of a lump sum payment.</p><h3>Is it cheaper to refinance with my current lender?</h3><p>Not necessarily. You may get a better deal by refinancing with your current lender, but it's not guaranteed. You could find better rates and terms by applying with several different lenders and comparing loan costs and interest rates, then choosing the best option.</p><hr><h2>Methodology</h2><p>We analyzed over 35 of the top mortgage refinance products and lenders in the country. We used publicly available data and confirmed its accuracy whenever possible through interviews with lender representatives. We looked at factors such as rates and terms, loan amounts and eligibility requirements. We then scored each lender on a one-to-five point scale based on the following: interest rates (30%), lender fees and closing costs (20%), loan variety (20%), customer satisfaction rankings (15%) and credit score requirements (15%).</p><ul><li style="font-weight: 400">We gave higher scores to lenders that offered low starting rates, since this metric influences the overall cost of the loan.</li><li style="font-weight: 400">Lenders with lower fees and closing costs were prioritized over those with standard or higher-than-average costs.</li><li style="font-weight: 400">Lenders that offered more lending options also received higher scores, as they can offer products that can meet different refinancing needs.</li><li style="font-weight: 400">Higher scores were given to lenders that received high scores on third-party customer satisfaction surveys and ranking sites such as J.D. Power and Trustpilot.</li><li style="font-weight: 400">Lenders with lower credit score requirements received higher scores since they cater to a larger number of potential borrowers.</li></ul><h2>Summary of our top picks for the 5 best mortgage refinance companies</h2><ul><li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="#CrossCountry">CrossCountry Mortgage</a>: Best Overall</li><li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="#Rate">Rate</a>: Best for Fast Closing Times</li><li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="#New American Funding">New American Funding</a>: Best for Low Rates</li><li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="#Navy Federal">Navy Federal Credit Union</a>: Best for Military Members</li><li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="#Rocket">Rocket Mortgage</a>: Best for Customer Satisfaction</li></ul><h2>More from Money:</h2><p><a href="https://money.com/best-home-equity-loans/">8 Best Home Equity Loans of 2025</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/best-no-appraisal-home-equity-loans/">Best No-Appraisal Home Equity Loans of 2025</a></p><p><a href="https://money.com/why-gen-z-prefers-renting-over-buying-home/">Apartment Complex: Why Gen Z Would Rather Rent Than Buy</a></p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5994447</post-id> <media:thumbnail url="https://img.money.com/2023/12/Best-Mortgage-Refinance-Companies-mbci_cxcy3__1ji54x.jpg?quality=85" /> <media:content url="https://img.money.com/2023/12/Best-Mortgage-Refinance-Companies-mbci_cxcy3__1ji54x.jpg?quality=85" medium="image"> <media:title type="html">Best-Mortgage-Refinance-Companies</media:title> </media:content> </item> </channel></rss> 
