Starting and growing your own business can be exciting, but it is also extremely challenging. Your business’s finances are a crucial aspect of entrepreneurship, and you need to know how to manage them well. We spoke with business leaders and industry experts to get the best financial tips for entrepreneurs to elevate their business. Below…
All Personal Finance Articles - Page 2
Credit Utilization Ratio & How It Affects Your Credit Score
Your level of credit utilization is measured by comparing your credit card balances to your total credit card limits. This calculation is known as the credit utilization ratio, and lenders use it to evaluate how well you manage your finances. A credit utilization of less than 30% and greater than 0% is generally considered good….
UltraFICO Credit Score: What It Is & What You Need to Know
The UltraFICO score evaluates personal bank account information in addition to the data on an individual’s credit history. This opt-in credit model helps individuals with low personal credit scores of 680 or lower boost their existing FICO score by 20 or more points. It evaluates your savings’ amount, age of your bank accounts, and your…
Top 25 Financial Habits for 2019 From the Pros
Paving the way to financial stability is not an easy task. You need to be disciplined and consistent yet flexible and open-minded. You need to build good financial habits and ditch the bad ones to help you achieve your financial goals. To help you get started, these experts shared their best financial habits for 2019….
How Capital One is Bringing 401(k) Plans to the Masses
Capital One Advisors 401k Services began in 2011. Since then, Capital One has been focused on providing 401(k) plans through its two main offerings: ShareBuilder and Spark 401k. Through ShareBuilder 401k, which was started in 2005, Capital One provides custom 401(k) plans to smaller mid-market firms. Capital One Spark 401k was launched in 2016 to…
How Hard Inquiries Impact Your Credit Score & Report
A hard inquiry, also known as a hard credit check, gives people your full credit report and typically occur when you apply for a loan or credit card. Hard inquiries stay on your credit report for up to two years, are visible creditors, and can decrease your personal credit score by one to five points….
26 Best Financial Tips for the New Year From the Pros
As the new year begins, it’s time to make resolutions, start saving more, and spend less. However, working towards your goals can be difficult, especially if you don’t know what to do or where to start. To help, we spoke with the experts who shared the best financial tips for the new year. Below are…
The 5 C’s of Credit: What Banks & Lenders Actually Look For
The 5 C’s of credit are character, capacity, capital, conditions, and collateral. Together, these serve as a way for lenders to evaluate the creditworthiness of potential borrowers. Banks and lenders generally look at your ability to repay, level of debt, how you plan to use the funds, and the collateral you have to offer. The…
Hard vs. Soft Credit Checks & Their Affect on Credit Scores
A hard credit check negatively impacts your credit score compared to a soft credit check, which has no impact. Hard credit checks typically occur when you apply for a loan or credit card. A soft credit check occurs when your credit report is pulled for a background check, like when you check your credit score….
ETFs: What They Are, How to Invest, & Who They’re Right For
An exchange traded fund (ETF) is a type of fund that pools together individual stocks, bonds, and other securities. ETFs allow investors to diversify their investments much more cost-effectively than trading individual stocks and bonds. Investors can also trade ETFs anytime during the day, so they’re ideal for investors who want short-term gains. What an…
Top 18 Tips on How to Lower Credit Card Utilization From the Pros
Credit utilization is one of the most important components that make up your credit report. To have a good credit score, it’s essential to maintain a healthy credit utilization ratio. Ideally, your credit utilization ratio should remain at 30 percent or less. These industry experts shared their tips on how to lower credit card utilization….
Best Real Estate Investment Software 2019
Real estate investment software is used by residential and commercial real estate investors to help analyze an investment property. We reviewed more than 20 real estate software providers based on their cost, features, and reviews. Then, we chose 10 real estate investment analysis software to include in our list of the best options. How We…
