No matter where you live in the Windy City, finding cheap auto insurance in Chicago may not be a breeze. You’re likely to pay $150 to $230 a year more for car insurance in Chicago than if you lived elsewhere in your state, NerdWallet’s 2020 rates analysis shows. And since the Chicago metropolitan area technically...
The article Best Cheap Car Insurance in Chicago for 2020 originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Coronavirus. It’s all over the news. It’s trending on Twitter. It’s on your TV. And it’s dominating the push alerts on your phone. Coronavirus disease 2019 (abbreviated COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus that was first identified in Wuhan, China. Cases have now been detected in at least 50 locations internationally,...
The article Concerned About Coronavirus? How to Prepare Your House, Mind and Bank Account originally appeared on NerdWallet.
You probably won’t find an overflowing pot of gold at the end of a rainbow this month, but a lot of the sales you’ll find in March are the real deal. We put together a guide to which categories to buy (and a few to skip) to help you make the most of upcoming shopping...
The article What to Buy (and Skip) in March originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Maybe you already earned Hilton Honors elite status through a credit card or by staying at Hilton hotels. Or maybe you’re considering switching hotel loyalty from another program. In either case, you’re probably wondering how Hilton’s elite system works and what benefits it carries. Here we lay out everything you need to know about the...
The article Hilton Honors Elite Status: Your Complete Guide originally appeared on NerdWallet.
The Alaska Airlines Visa® Business credit card flies under the radar compared to most other business cards. The only flashy perk it has is the Famous Companion Fare, and it doesn’t have a massive welcome bonus. However, the card has many practical benefits that make it worth applying for. Here’s a rundown of who benefits the...
The article Who Can Benefit Most from the Alaska Airlines Visa Business Credit Card? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Interested in earning $840 worth of Southwest Airlines airfare? Based on NerdWallet’s estimate, that’s the value of the current Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card welcome bonus. Here’s the card’s current offer: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, unlike certain airline...
The article Is the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card Right for Me? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
NerdWallet is a free tool to find you the best credit cards, cd rates, savings, checking accounts, scholarships, healthcare and airlines. Start here to maximize your rewards or minimize your interest rates. Kayda Norman Encompass insurance reviews and ratings Available in 39 states.Had fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators relative to...
The article Encompass Insurance Review 2020 originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Read almost any article about millennials and you’ll come away with the distinct impression that this generation is royally screwing up. That they’re suffocated by student debt. That they spend frivolously. And that they’re behind on everything from owning a home to starting a family. Don’t buy into all the gloom and doom. Millennials are...
The article 3 Ways Millennials Are Getting Money Right originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Discounts that appear only every four years must be hard to beat, right? Maybe. Or, maybe not. Here’s what you need to know about the sales and deals you’ll inevitably see on leap day, Feb. 29. Hop into discounts Leap day adds an extra day to the shopping calendar, and marketers will use every holiday...
The article Leap Day 2020 Sales and Deals: Look Before You Shop originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Governments, airlines, cruise ships and travelers themselves are grappling with strategies to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has already infected more than 81,000 people in at least 47 countries (as of the time of this writing). The U.S. State Department has issued a travel advisory against visiting China. Airlines have reduced flights...
The article Flight Change and Cancellation Fees Waived Amid Coronavirus Outbreak originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Short answer: Yes, you can contribute to both a 401(k) and an IRA, but if your income exceeds the IRS limits, you might lose out on one of the tax benefits of the traditional IRA. How it works: One of the benefits of a traditional IRA is that you can get a tax deduction for...
The article Can I Have a 401(k) and an IRA? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Yes, you can contribute to a Roth IRA and a 401(k) at the same time. You can contribute up to $19,500 in 2020 to a 401(k) plan. If you’re 50 or older, the annual contribution maximum jumps to $26,000. You can also contribute up to $6,000 to a Roth IRA in 2020. That jumps to...
The article Can You Have a Roth IRA and a 401(k)? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Fear is infecting the stock market on concerns that the spread of the coronavirus will interfere with global trade. Over only six days, U.S. stocks have slid nail-bitingly close to a correction, defined as a 10% drop from the market top. It’s safe to say that only day traders like thinking about stock market corrections....
The article When the Market Drops, Play the Long Game With Retirement Savings originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Gird your liver: Spring break approacheth. A recent NerdWallet survey found that fully one-third of Americans plan to travel during spring break, which lasts from late February to early April, roughly. This means three things: Travel to popular destinations will be expensive. People will want to use their miles and points to offset these costs....
The article Booking Last-Minute Spring Break Travel? Here’s How to Get the Most From Your Miles. originally appeared on NerdWallet.
In Tulsa, cheap auto insurance can be tough to find. Car insurance prices in Tulsa run about $129 a year higher than the average for Oklahoma, according to NerdWallet’s 2020 rates analysis. But you may be able to avoid that extra expense if you take the time to shop around for the cheapest auto insurance....
The article Best Cheap Auto Insurance in Tulsa for 2020 originally appeared on NerdWallet.
If you want to get rid of debt, two of the fastest options include making extra payments toward your multiple debts, or — if you want the convenience of a single payment — getting a debt consolidation loan. Here’s what each method does and how you can figure out which will work best for you....
The article Two Fast Ways to Get Rid of Debt originally appeared on NerdWallet.
High-yield cash management accounts are popping up at brokerages nationwide, promising customers much better returns and higher insurance limits than they can get from traditional banks. The accounts are a twist on the sweep accounts brokerages have long offered their customers, where idle cash is swept into a money market account or affiliated bank account...
The article Should You Shift to a Cash Management Account? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
It happened quietly, but it’s a big deal: In early February, a credit union launched a no-annual-fee credit card that earns an unlimited three points per dollar spent on all purchases — effectively 3% back, since points can be redeemed for 1 cent each. In the world of credit card rewards, that offer is head-and-shoulders...
The article Credit Union’s New Card Goes All-In With 3 Points Per $1 Spent originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Often banks will entice us with limited time sign-up offers for cards, and Chase is no different. From now until March 4, 2020, you’ve got a chance to earn up to 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points with these welcome offers. The offers Here are the special offers currently in place on these cards, along with their...
The article Last Chance: Earn up to 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points With These Welcome Offers originally appeared on NerdWallet.
A couple of days ago, United Airlines announced that in March 2020, it will increase checked bag fees for passengers who do not prepay for their bags online. A direct statement from United to NerdWallet reads: “We are making changes to our checked bag fee on certain flights, effective for travel on and after March...
The article What Do United’s Increased Baggage Fees Mean for You? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
NerdWallet is a free tool to find you the best credit cards, cd rates, savings, checking accounts, scholarships, healthcare and airlines. Start here to maximize your rewards or minimize your interest rates. Kayda Norman Ameriprise reviews and ratings Sold primarily through Costco Wholesale.Had more than the expected number of complaints to state regulators relative to...
The article Ameriprise Insurance Review 2020 originally appeared on NerdWallet.
When you apply for a home loan, a lender will usually require an appraisal of the property, whether you’re buying a house or refinancing a mortgage. What is a home appraisal? A home appraisal is a licensed or certified appraiser’s opinion of a home’s value. The appraisal is based on research of recent sales of...
The article How a Home Appraisal Works originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Knowing how to open a savings account means knowing how to make your money work for you. Cash in a savings account typically earns interest — potentially near 2.00%. Ready to get started? Here are the steps to take, along with tips on finding the best option. » Looking to compare accounts with high rates?...
The article How to Open a Savings Account: Step by Step originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Registered nurses earn an average salary of $80,000 per year, according to a 2019 study by the online medical resource Medscape. Nurses who earn hourly wages instead of a salary make slightly less overall, averaging $78,000 annually. But for all nurses, salaries vary greatly depending on their specific job. Here are the current median salaries...
The article What Is the Average Nurse Salary? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
If you regularly fly on American Airlines or find it’s the most convenient airline for your favorite destinations, you should know how American Airlines elite status works. If you meet elite requirements, American Airlines elite status gives you opportunities for upgrades, free checked bags, more miles earned when traveling with American Airlines and other perks....
The article Guide to American Airlines Elite Status originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Mobile payment apps allow people to send money quickly to other people, usually for free. These apps have become increasingly ubiquitous as online banking grows: Roughly 4 in 5 Americans (79%) use mobile payment apps, according to a new NerdWallet survey. There are apps for making payments to merchants online or at a register, such...
The article Most Americans Go Mobile With Payment Apps — Here’s How They Roll originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Leap Day comes once every four years, but what makes this year particularly special is that it falls on a Saturday, which happens only once every 28 years. Travel companies are offering Leap Day deals to entice you to spend your one extra day this year (Feb. 29) going somewhere special. Even if you missed...
The article Leap Day Travel Deals originally appeared on NerdWallet.
While 403(b) plans and IRAs are both retirement accounts that offer tax benefits, a 403(b) is not an IRA. Both types of plans do allow for pretax contributions — that can mean a lower tax bill in the year you contribute — and in both plans your money grows tax-deferred. (Traditional IRAs restrict who can...
The article Is a 403(b) an IRA? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Your credit score makes a big difference in your life: It can help you qualify for credit cards or car loans, let you skip deposits on utilities, and even make car insurance more affordable. But that three-digit number is not who you are. While it’s easy to feel discouraged about a low score, it’s important...
The article Keeping (Credit) Score: Don’t Let a 3-Digit Number Define You originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Zero-percent balance transfer offers are fairly common on consumer credit cards, but not so much on cards designed for small-business operators and other entrepreneurs. With most business credit cards, if you can transfer a balance at all, you’ll be paying the card’s ongoing interest rate, in addition to a transfer fee that typically ranges from...
The article Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards for Business originally appeared on NerdWallet.
It’s never too early to start planning holiday travel. This November, if you want to duck out on the responsibilities of turkey basting and potato mashing, we say it’s time to plan a vacation to be thankful for the rest of the year. Here are six ideas for a Thanksgiving getaway to get you started....
The article Ditch the Turkey: 6 Ideas for a Thanksgiving Getaway originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Southwest Airlines is known for offering low-cost fares as well as money-saving perks not offered by most airlines. For example, Southwest offers up to two free checked bags per passenger. The airline also does not charge a change fee if you need to adjust your flight. And using the Southwest app provides free movies and...
The article How Do I Know If the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card Is Right for Me? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Many Americans may be unnecessarily talking themselves out of homeownership. Thirty-seven percent of nonhomeowners say not having enough saved for a down payment is holding them back from homeownership, but 62% of Americans incorrectly believe you have to have at least 20% of a home’s purchase price to buy, according to NerdWallet’s 2020 Home Buyer...
The article Stop Stressing: You Don’t Need a 20% Down Payment to Buy a Home originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Paying an annual fee on a credit card can make a lot of sense when it unlocks rich rewards and valuable perks, and the annual fee on a business credit card can even be a tax-deductible expense. Even so, many entrepreneurs have, well, zero desire to pay more than zero dollars to carry a credit...
The article Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards for Business originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Americans took out nearly $150 billion in loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration to buy homes in 2018. Nearly 83% of those FHA borrowers were first-time home buyers, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It’s unsurprising that FHA loans are especially popular with first-time home buyers, due to more lenient credit...
The article Can’t Find an Affordable FHA-Approved Home? You Have Options originally appeared on NerdWallet.
It may be cold outside now, but spring is just around the corner. A recent NerdWallet survey found that 33% of Americans plan to travel for spring break vacation this year — if you’re in this camp, now’s the time to make travel plans for spring break (if you haven’t already). The same survey, conducted online...
The article 3 Reasons to Pay for Spring Break with a Travel Credit Card originally appeared on NerdWallet.
With no award chart and no set value, it can be hard to figure out (without a tarot deck) how much Delta SkyMiles are actually worth. Based on our research, the short answer is this: NerdWallet values Delta miles at 1.1 cents each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of...
The article How Much Are My Delta SkyMiles Worth? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Yes, IRA contributions are tax-deductible — if you qualify. To be clear, we’re talking here about contributions to a traditional IRA. Contributions to a Roth IRA are not tax-deductible. Here’s how to figure out if you qualify to deduct your traditional IRA contributions: If you don’t have a work retirement plan If you, and your...
The article Are IRA Contributions Tax-Deductible? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Mailboxes are flooded with tax forms every year around this time, and many of them can be confusing, feel unnecessary or involve seemingly trivial amounts of money. But before succumbing to the urge to shove those pieces of paper into a drawer and pretend they don’t exist, beware — the IRS probably already knows what’s...
The article How the IRS Knows If You Cheat on Your Taxes originally appeared on NerdWallet.
You might have applied for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card last year when Chase was offering a Companion Pass for the rest of 2019, along with a welcome bonus. That was a great deal if you got in on it, and hopefully you were able to maximize both the points and Companion Pass....
The article Is Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card Worth the Annual Fee? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Welcome to NerdWallet’s SmartMoney podcast, where we answer your real-world money questions — in 15 minutes or less. Check out this episode on any of these platforms: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud This week’s question is from Mike, who says: “I’m wondering about Roth conversions. My wife and I have about half of our retirement money...
The article SmartMoney Podcast: ‘Should I Convert My IRA to a Roth?’ originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Certificates of deposit set aside your money for a specific period of time and typically offer higher interest rates than regular savings accounts do. But under that umbrella, there are different types of CDs, offering special features. Think of it like this: If every CD were a locked storage box for your money, here’s how...
The article 9 Types of CDs: Which Should You Choose? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
If you’re a frequent West Coast flyer, or just someone with a bunch of Alaska Airlines miles for some reason, you’re probably curious how much those miles are actually worth. The short answer is this: NerdWallet values Alaska miles at 0.9 cent each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of...
The article How Much Are My Alaska Airlines Miles Worth? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
It’s easy to assume that extra fees apply only to those pesky low-cost carriers that need to gouge customers with miscellaneous charges to recoup the revenue from selling deeply discounted tickets, but that isn’t really the case. Regular airlines also impose a series of fees or charges for ancillary services they offer to us passengers....
The article Guide to Alaska Airlines Baggage and Other Fees originally appeared on NerdWallet.
IRA stands for individual retirement arrangement. That’s the old-school, official IRS parlance, but most people think of IRAs as individual retirement accounts, and that’s exactly what they are. While there are different types of IRAs, all of them are retirement accounts that offer tax benefits to encourage people to save for retirement. Almost all IRAs...
The article What Does IRA Stand For? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
We talk about how underrated the Choice Privileges program is so often, it might be time to acknowledge that it’s finally getting its due. In other words, the secret’s out. But you knew that already if you’re reading this article, because you’re sitting on a pile of Choice points, looking for advice on how to...
The article The Complete Guide to Redeeming Choice Privileges Points originally appeared on NerdWallet.
How many years you’ll spend in nursing school depends on what type of education you need to get the job you want: Nursing assistant: less than a few months in a diploma or certificate program. Licensed practical nurse: one year in a diploma or certificate program. Registered nurse: two years in an associate program to earn an...
The article How Many Years Is Nursing School? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Blogger Dani Austin of Dallas, Texas, logged into her Southwest Airlines account a few days before the end of 2019. Shortly after, she and her husband, Jordan Joseph Ramirez, flew to Las Vegas (and back home) in less than 72 hours. The spontaneous trip was part of a last-ditch attempt to try to earn the...
The article Make Your Brand Loyalty Pay Off originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Hockey fans at the upcoming San Jose Sharks-New Jersey Devils game have a lucky ticket. Alaska Airlines is giving 2-for-1 flight vouchers to attendees at the Feb. 27, 2020, game. Guests will have three days to redeem their voucher for flights to almost anywhere Alaska flies. Here’s what you need to know to get the...
The article Alaska Airlines Giving Out 2-for-1 Flight Vouchers at San Jose Hockey Game originally appeared on NerdWallet.
When it’s time to buy car insurance, Las Vegas drivers may have a difficult time finding good rates. Auto insurance rates in Las Vegas are about 25% above the average for Nevada — and around 50% higher than in Reno, NerdWallet’s 2020 rates analysis found. But if you make the time to compare car insurance...
The article Best Cheap Car Insurance in Las Vegas for 2020 originally appeared on NerdWallet.
