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Nov 15, 2024 | 
marketwatch.com | Raina He |Kelly Larson
According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, inflation has declined since 2022. But a new MarketWatch Guides survey found that 69% of Americans still say the cost of living is to blame for their difficulty building savings. And 88% of those in credit card debt say high prices for essentials have contributed to their debt. Americans’ money problems have also taken a major toll on their mental health.
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Nov 14, 2024 | 
marketwatch.com | Kelly Larson |Cheri Read
In a time where financial needs and priorities are constantly shifting, personal loans have become a common tool for covering expenses, consolidating debt and making large purchases. To get a clearer understanding of how Americans are using personal loans today, we at the MarketWatch Guides team surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults in September 2024. We analyzed borrower priorities such as their preferred lenders, loan amounts and motivations for taking out the loan.
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Nov 14, 2024 | 
marketwatch.com | Cheri Read |Kelly Larson
In a time where financial needs and priorities are constantly shifting, personal loans have become a common tool for covering expenses, consolidating debt and making large purchases. To get a clearer understanding of how Americans are using personal loans today, we at the MarketWatch Guides team surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults in September 2024. We analyzed borrower priorities such as their preferred lenders, loan amounts and motivations for taking out the loan.
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Nov 4, 2024 | 
marketwatch.com | Laurie Sepulveda |Kelly Larson
North Carolina offers tens of thousands of dollars in aid to first-time home buyers through down payment assistance programs, preferred interest rates, counseling, closing and financing assistance programs. Whether you’re a first-time, returning, low- to middle-income or veteran home buyer, the state’s programs can help make homeownership possible.
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Oct 11, 2024 | 
marketwatch.com | Dash Lewis |Kelly Larson
According to a recent MarketWatch Guides layoff anxiety survey, 70% of employees are bracing for layoffs in some way. Roughly 40% are saving money for a possible layoff, and 32% said they regularly browse job listings. Nearly three in five Gen Z workers reported anxiety about being laid off, and 88% are taking steps to prepare for layoffs.
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Oct 10, 2024 | 
marketwatch.com | Dhara Singh |Kelly Larson
As holiday deals hit TV screens and social media feeds, Americans are prepping for a spending spree. Three in five shoppers (61%) plan to spend more on holiday expenses this year than last. And 57% admit they usually exceed their holiday budget, according to a new survey of 3,000 Americans by MarketWatch Guides.
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Sep 27, 2024 | 
marketwatch.com | Lindsey Crossmier |Kelly Larson
Annuity sales are on the rise in 2024. With sales paced to top $400 billion in 2024, they’re on track for a third annual sales record, according to the Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association. In August 2024, the MarketWatch Guides team launched an annuity survey to 1,000 annuity holders to get a feel for the current annuity landscape.
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Sep 10, 2024 | 
marketwatch.com | Raina He |Kelly Larson
More than $1.6 trillion of federal student loan debt hangs over the heads of 42.2 million Americans, and the weight is heavy. According to a MarketWatch Guides survey, 97% of recent grads with student loans say that their debt has caused them to delay or abandon financial milestones such as saving for retirement, buying a home, getting married or having children. Among that group, the average grad said their student loans had set their financial progress back by 10 years.
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Sep 6, 2024 | 
marketwatch.com | Divi Sharma |Kelly Larson
Construction loans are specialized, short-term financing solutions tailored to support the unique needs of building or renovating a home. Unlike traditional mortgages designed for purchasing existing properties, construction loans disburse funds in stages, aligning with various phases of the construction process. We at the MarketWatch Guides team will walk you through what construction loans do, their pros and cons, and how they compare to conventional mortgages.
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Aug 22, 2024 | 
marketwatch.com | Cheri Read |Kelly Larson
Current Mortgage Rates Types of Mortgage Loans and Refinances FHA Loan Requirements Guide to First-Time Homebuyer Loans VA Loans Guide What Is a Conventional Loan? A conventional loan is a type of mortgage used to finance or refinance the purchase of a residential property. Unlike loans that are backed by government agencies, such as the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), conventional loans are funded by private lenders.
