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Recession watch

Will the U.S. economy soon be in a recession? It's the trillion-dollar question that even experts don't know the answer to. Here's how to prepare for a potential downturn, and how one could impact you.

Insights from our expert analysts

“Economic uncertainty is a time for reducing debt and boosting savings, not the other way around.”

– Greg McBride, CFA

Do's and don'ts of saving during a recession

To help you navigate saving during a recession, we asked a number of experts what some of the most helpful things to do are, as well as some things you should try to avoid at all costs.
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Recessions & your money

Illustration of a person holding a house with a rain cloud over it
How might a recession affect the housing market?
A middle-aged couple looks out to the beach from their van
Here are some tips to help make sure your retirement savings are protected in the event of a recession.
Illustration of worker with a brief case
The once-booming labor market is starting to face some trouble.

Experts in all things finance

Our expert reporters and editors bring the news and analysis you need—backed by data and firsthand experience.

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Greg McBride

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Chief Financial Analyst

Sarah Foster

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Principal U.S. Economy Reporter

Mark Hamrick

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Senior Economic Analyst

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Latest articles

A middle-aged couple looks out to the beach from their van
Here are some tips to help make sure your retirement savings are protected in the event of a recession.
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Prices rise and fall all the time in the U.S. economy. It’s not always inflation.
Trader looks at plummeting stock chart
Is a stock you own plummeting? Here’s how to decide what to do next.
inflation and the housing market photo illustration
The housing market isn’t immune from outside economic forces, including inflation.
Tensed couple looking over bills
Owing money on a house can feel risky, but keep in mind where mortgages rank in the debt hierarchy.
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On average, Americans have kept the same bank accounts for over a decade.
A person researches on a laptop.
Learn when a CD is worth it, when it is not, and alternatives to consider in 2025.
Home equity lines of credit are growing in size and volume.
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There are a handful of numbers you should track for your financial health and well-being. A few you might already know about – your credit score and your net worth, for example. But you should also know [...]
Two happy people looking at sheets of paper
As the old saying goes: What goes up, must come down. But in the case of annual percentage yields (APYs), we might have a bit more air time. While APYs on deposit accounts may have come down from their [...]
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Some knowledge and planning can help you avoid paying fees for out-of-network ATMs.
Check remote deposit capture at coffee shop
Electronic checks (eChecks) offer a digital alternative to traditional paper checks, allowing you to make payments directly from your checking account online. Learn how eChecks work, when to use them, [...]
Woman and man standing back to back, spare coins on the side of the woman and large value bills on the side of the man
The gender pay gap impacts all women, but not in the same way.
Whimsical illustration of a hand putting a quarter into a miniature but realistic high end safe. As if it were a piggy bank
Comparing savings rates can ensure you get the best return on your savings.
Man using laptop in kitchen
Callable CDs can offer a higher yield than traditional CDs, but there’s a catch.
A man does research on his laptop.
Add-on CDs can offer more flexibility than a traditional CD.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell delivers press conference
Will it be enough to keep the economic expansion going?
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
A rate cut seems like a given, but what’s next? 
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell hosts news conference following interest-rate decision.
Here’s what the U.S. central bank decided to do with interest rates.
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell speaks to journalists at a June 19 press conference
How much of a rate cut can we expect from the Fed?
Signs in the window of a Sears store advertise its closing.
The major concern about the U.S. economy: How much longer will the expansion last?
The Federal Reserve Eccles Building in Washington, D.C.
The July rate cut is likely just the beginning, Bankrate’s latest economists’ poll finds.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks to journalists at a news conference following the Fed's June 19 interest rate decision.
The Fed’s move is a win for borrowers and a wake up call for savers.
Federal Reserve Eccles Building
Here’s everything you need to know about this unique type of easing from the Fed.
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