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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.
Learn more

Recessions & your money

how to buy a house - suburban home photo illustration
Buying a home is complicated. This step-by-step guide will help you get to the finish line.
Illustration of worker with a brief case
The once-booming labor market is starting to face some trouble.

Calculate your savings

Use our Savings Calculator to help you quickly and accurately estimate the growth of your investment. Set a goal and figure out how much you need to save each month to hit the mark.

Latest articles

The Federal Reserve’s decisions have ripple effects, including for mortgages.
Federal Reserve Eccles Building illustration
Bankrate analyzed the Fed’s historic rate moves for clues on what might come next.
If you’re looking at HE loans or have a variable-rate line of credit, pay attention to the Fed.
Woman online banking with a tablet
How Reg. D impacts your savings account and why it pays to check with your bank.
Illustration of a US Federal Reserve ink stamp
Every financial decision you make is impacted by the Federal Reserve.
A music CD underneath a piggy bank
You can find a CD account that significantly out-earns the national average if you shop around among banks.
Rates could soon be within range of their pre-pandemic peaks. There’s a catch.
Design of credit card and graph
Credit card interest rate drops will likely provide little relief in 2026.
Coworkers discussing a project
Here’s how to find the credit union that will best fit with your financial needs.
Person writing on a piece of paper
Here’s how to determine the amount to put in savings — and what to do with the rest.
You can’t take it with you, so what happens to your bank account after you pass on?
A majority (81%) of Americans did not increase their emergency savings this year
Here’s how to boost your savings.
Person frowning at a laptop screen with illustration of money in background
Sometimes paying an early withdrawal penalty on a CD isn’t a bad idea.
Closeup of someone counting money
The National Credit Union Administration is similar to the FDIC, which covers banks.
Illustration of an old-fashioned alarm bell ringing , hovering over a cell phone.
Mobile apps make managing your money a snap and mobile alerts can help protect it.
The Federal Reserve’s decisions have ripple effects, including for mortgages.
Federal Reserve Eccles Building illustration
Bankrate analyzed the Fed’s historic rate moves for clues on what might come next.
If you’re looking at HE loans or have a variable-rate line of credit, pay attention to the Fed.
Woman online banking with a tablet
How Reg. D impacts your savings account and why it pays to check with your bank.
Illustration of a US Federal Reserve ink stamp
Every financial decision you make is impacted by the Federal Reserve.
A music CD underneath a piggy bank
You can find a CD account that significantly out-earns the national average if you shop around among banks.
Design of credit card and graph
Credit card interest rate drops will likely provide little relief in 2026.
Jerome Powell, chairman of the US Federal Reserve, during the National Association of Business Economics (NABE) annual meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Borrowers often don’t notice small rate cuts, and a weakening economy could dull the relief.
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