Personal Finance

Dr Don

By Don Taylor, Ph.D., CFA, CFP • Bankrate.com

How do you find bond values?

The U.S. government offers some handy online tools for determining a savings bond's worth.

Archive

Husband has no claim on wife's gift

Article: A man who lives in a community property state may have no claim on a gift his wife received.

Know risks before tapping home equity

Article: Using home equity to finance improvement projects makes sense in some situations, but not others.

Husband won't pay fair share of mortgage

Article: A woman continues to pay her half of the mortgage while her spouse makes excuses.

Don't whine about inflation rate

Article: A Series I savings bond investor should not grouse about the effect of a negative inflation rate.

Hiding assets likely to backfire

Article: The Internal Revenue Service and other authorities have many tools to uncover money shenanigans.

Messy finances unfair to heirs

Article: Put your financial house in order now so your loved ones won't have to sleuth after you die.

There's no free lunch when refinancing

Article: Skipping a payment during the mortgage refinance process results in having to pay up later.

Mortgage prepayment may be unwise

Article: A homeowner with low tax expenses and a top return on her savings should not prepay her mortgage.

Is IRA good source of mortgage cash?

Article: A 66-year-old man can raid his retirement funds to pay down a loan. But such a move may be unwise.

Parents can cash bonds in kids' names

Article: Parents do not need a minor's consent to cash in savings bonds registered in the child's name.

Marriage doesn't wipe out credit history

Article: Past individual credit mistakes will follow a betrothed couple into their marriage.

Unwise to skip second mortgage payment

Article: Some homeowners mistakenly think they can avoid making second-mortgage payments.

2010 is great time to choose Roth IRA

Article: New tax rules will make 2010 an ideal time to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth.

IRA withdrawal endangers retirement

Article: Taking an early distribution from a tax-deferred account can endanger long-term financial goals.

Fund's share price jolts investor

Article: An investor in a money market mutual fund wonders if the net asset value is incorrect.

Low ARM rate may turn ugly later

Article: An adjustable-rate mortgage may look great today, but it could become a trap if rates rise.

Great credit scores pay off for couple

Article: Top credit scores mean a couple can close a HELOC without worrying about FICO damage.

Cashing in savings bonds to fund 529 plan

Article: You don’t need the tax benefits of a 529 plan if you qualify for the Education Savings Bond Program.

Uncle Sam wants slice of prize winnings

Article: A woman who won a trip to Bora Bora will have to share her bounty with the U.S. government.

Compare Rates

About our rates

About this index

Overnight Averages

Product	Rate	+/-	Last week
30 yr fixed	5.02%		5.06%
15 yr fixed	4.49%		4.64%
5/1 ARM	4.19%		4.20%

View rates in your area:

Product	Rate	+/-	Last week
30K HELOC	5.27%		5.29%
30K Home Equity Loan	8.33%		8.31%
50K HELOC	4.99%		5.02%

View rates in your area:

Product	Rate	+/-	Last week
48 Mo Used Car	7.09%		7.48%
48 Mo New Car	6.79%		7.07%
36 Mo Used Car	7.21%		7.42%

View rates in your area:

Product	Yield	+/-	Last week
6 Mo CD	1.30%		1.28%
1 Yr CD	1.73%		1.69%
5 Yr CD	2.90%		2.91%

Compare rates:

Product	Rate
Low Interest Cards	9.75%
Balance Transfer Cards	14.58%
All Variable	11.68%

Compare rates:

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