Want to Refinance Your Student Loans? The CFPB Wants to Help
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wants to help people struggling with heavy student loan debt get the same kind of ability to refinance that mortgage-holders have.
refinancing
3 Spring-Cleaning Tips for Your Finances Worth $8,000 to You
With tax season over, now's a great time to spring-clean your finances. These three simple moves could put more than $8,000 in your pocket over the course of the next year.
Her Financial Goal: Win at the Refinancing Game
Everyone has things they want to improve about their financial lives -- and we at DailyFinance are no exceptions. So we asked money expert Jean Chatzky for advice on how to reach our goals. Today: An editor who wants to get the best deal on refinancing.
Year-End Review: Simple Ways to Cut Your Budget Now
If a fiscal cliff deal isn't reached soon, we'll all wake up on Jan. 1 with higher taxes and lower government spending. One way or another, you'll likely have a bit less cash to spend, so the next few weeks would be a good time to figure out where you can cut your spending to compensate.
9 Questions to Ask to See If Your Bank Is Right for You
The end of the year is a good time to give your financial life a once-over and see what changes need to be made. One item not to forget in that review: your bank. Answering these questions will help you determine whether your money is in the right place, or if it's time for a strategic withdrawal.
Disabled Couple Used Paper Route to Save Home From Foreclosure
Together, Mike and Lora Zook have faced cancer, a disabling accident, a crippling genetic disease, and even a fire that almost destroyed their home. What they couldn't face was the idea of losing their home to foreclosure.
How You Can Take Advantage of the Fed's Low Interest Rate Plans
To keep interest rates at rock-bottom lows and boost the economy, the Federal Reserve is buying $40 billion a month in mortgage-backed securities, and it'll keep buying them for as long as it takes to get the economy back on track. Here's how that plan should affect your personal economy.
Fewer Americans Late on Mortgages in Third Quarter
U.S. homeowners are doing better at keeping up with their mortgage payments, aided by an improving housing market and more refinancing opportunities. The percentage of mortgage holders at least two months behind on their payments fell in the third quarter to 5.41%, the lowest point in more than three years.
Think Your Mortgage Refi Rate is Great? IBM Pays Less Than 1%
Thanks to record-low interest rates, consumers with good credit can get 30-year fixed-rate mortgages for about 3.75%. But that's sky high compared to the 0.75% interest IBM is going to pay $900 million worth of corporate bonds.
Even God Can't Get a Loan: Church Foreclosures Soar
During the heady days of the real estate bubble, many congregations took out 5-year loans to refurbish and enlarge their churches. Now, with balloon payments due, real estate values down, and refinancing not an option, church foreclosures have hit record highs.
The Money-Saving Refi Move You've Never Considered
Millions of homeowners have garnered huge savings in recent years from one simple move: refinancing their mortgages. Now, the refinancing craze has spread to an unexpected industry: car loans. Could an auto refi be a smart move for you?
Bank Errors Make Lowest Interest Rates Harder to Land
Borrowers looking to capitalize on historically low interest rates to refinance or buy homes are discovering those rates are often out of reach -- and not necessarily because of their credit scores. Understaffed banks, rigid rules, and low-ball appraisals are costing customers the best deals.
Obama's Refinance Plan Explained
The Obama administration is revamping a program that's designed to let more homeowners refinance their mortgages even if they don't have any equity. This isn't a new program, but instead attempts to turbo-charge an existing federal initiative called the Home Affordable Refinance Program. Here's a look at some frequently asked questions.
No Low-Rate Refis for Underwater Homeowners
Today's record-low mortgage rates are out of reach for millions of U.S. homeowners who would benefit from them most. These "underwater" borrowers have virtually no shot at refinancing. Their plight is a drag on the housing market and the broader economy.