Whitney Blair Wyckoff

1 week ago | money.usnews.com | Kim Porter |Whitney Blair Wyckoff |Gina Freeman

Key Takeaways Home construction loans are generally tougher to qualify for than traditional mortgages. These loans typically require a 20% down payment and a strong credit score. They also have higher interest rates than mortgages. With a home construction loan, the lender must vet the builder as well. If you've been house hunting and can't find the perfect home, you may decide to have one built for you. However, financing a home that doesn't yet exist is different and a bit more complicated.

1 week ago | money.usnews.com | Adriana Ocanas |Whitney Blair Wyckoff

U.S. News ran a nationwide survey of 1,206 Americans between May 21 and May 23, 2025. We asked what about people's travel plans for the summer and how they plan to use their credit cards while traveling. Question 1:Question 2:Question 3:Question 4:Question 5:Question 6:Question 7:Question 8:Question 9:Question 10:Question 11:Question 12:Question 13:Question 14:Question 15:Question 16:Question 17:Question 18:Question 19:Question 20:

2 weeks ago | money.usnews.com | Erika Giovanetti |Whitney Blair Wyckoff

Getty ImagesA mortgage rate lock can protect you from rising costs during the closing process. Key Takeaways Locking in your mortgage rate offers peace of mind that your loan terms won't change while you close on a home, since rates might rise over the course of several days or weeks. You should lock in a mortgage rate once you've gone under contract on your home, as long as you're comfortable with the rate – and monthly payment – offered by your lender.

2 weeks ago | money.usnews.com | Ray Frager |Gina Freeman |Whitney Blair Wyckoff

Is Debt Settlement Right For You? Debt settlement may be the right choice if you’ve exhausted nearly all other options and still struggle with debt. For-profit companies offering these services may charge high fees, and you might have to pay taxes on forgiven debt. If your credit is still in good standing, debt settlement will also hurt your credit score.

2 weeks ago | money.usnews.com | Gina Freeman |Ray Frager |Whitney Blair Wyckoff

Key Takeaways Debt settlement and bankruptcy are drastic solutions for serious financial problems. Most consumers who qualify for Chapter 7 are better off choosing bankruptcy. Debt settlement can be a better option than Chapter 13. If you're researching bankruptcy or debt settlement (also called debt relief), you probably have overwhelming debt problems.