Do I Qualify For A Hud Home? How To Tell
If you’re looking for a well-priced home and wouldn’t mind a fixer-upper, you might benefit from a HUD home, which is a property that was foreclosed on and is now being sold by the US […]
Unemployed for the holidays? You might be able to get this to help
Periods of unemployment can cause uncertainty of how you will pay your bills and how many months it might take to find another job. You may be looking for resources to keep you afloat. Family […]
6 actually doable things that could raise your credit score
If you don’t know what your credit score is, you may be able to find it on one of your credit card statements or through the app of one of your financial institutions. You may also […]
9 mortgage scams you need to know about
What is mortgage fraud? Mortgage fraud refers to lying or omitting information to fund or insure a mortgage loan. It results in billions of dollars in annual losses nationwide. In 2021, fraud risk increased 37% […]
18 business ideas for freelancers
Editor’s note: Lantern by SoFi seeks to provide content that is objective, independent and accurate. Writers are separate from our business operation and do not receive direct compensation from advertisers or partners. Read more about […]
Mortgage interest deductions explained
Homeownership has long been a part of the American dream, and it opens the door to benefits like the mortgage interest deduction for those who itemize deductions on their taxes. Itemizing typically makes […]
Does applying for credit cards hurt your credit score?
Applying for credit cards isn’t something you should take lightly because it absolutely can hurt your credit score. One credit card application can ding your score by just a few points, but multiple applications could […]
7 important factors that affect your property value
There are a number of factors that affect house prices, from the age, condition, location and size of your home, to broader factors like the economy and current interest rates. If you’re thinking about putting […]
9 ways to improve your financial life
Like any goal, making it in life financially is a matter of developing good everyday habits. That doesn’t mean you need to overhaul your entire lifestyle and start sticking to a draconian budget starting tomorrow. […]
What credit score do you need to rent an apartment?
While there’s no universally required credit score needed to rent an apartment, having a solid credit score can certainly help your chances of a landlord handing you a set of keys. In general, a […]
What hurts a home appraisal?
When it comes to what hurts a home appraisal, some of the main factors include updates that were needed but weren’t made, comparable properties, your home’s location and whether you hired an inspector to […]
When should you pay in cash?
It may seem old school to whip cash out of your wallet to pay for your purchases. But there are times when good-old greenbacks can actually be a better way to pay than tapping your […]
Pros and cons of refinancing a car
When it comes to thinking about refinancing, you likely think about your mortgage. What may not typically spring to mind for many people is refinancing their car loan, but it may be an idea […]
What questions should you ask when refinancing a car loan?
Refinancing your car is a big decision. You stand to gain significant advantages if you can refinance to a better loan that lowers your interest rate and/or monthly payments. But it’s important to figure out what […]
What does an extended warranty cover on a car?
It’s great to have the security of a warranty so that you know expensive repairs will be covered. But what happens when that warranty times out? That’s a particularly key question when it comes to your […]
How COVID-19 may change your taxes for 2020
Because COVID-19 disrupted life in many ways, the reverberations could result in changes in your taxes for 2020, some that might be welcome and others not so much. What if you received unemployment benefits or […]
Does buying in bulk save money?
Conventional financial wisdom says buying in bulk is smart. When you buy en masse, the price per unit tends to drop. So the thinking goes, if you buy more, the less each unit winds up […]