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What is the Credit Card Competition Act of 2023?
The Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA) is a proposed federal law that would change the way most credit card transactions are processed in the U.S.
Currently, almost all transactions can be processed on only one card network.
Visa card transactions are processed only via the Visa network; Mastercard card transactions are processed only via the Mastercard network; American Express cards are processed only via the American Express network, and Discover card transactions are processed only via the Discover network. These exclusive arrangements exist because Visa and Mastercard, the two largest....
What is a Credit Union? A Look at the Benefits of Membership
A credit union is a cooperative organization that provides banking services, including deposit accounts, credit cards, and loans to its members. Similar to many other types of cooperatives, credit unions are member-owned and not-for-profit.
Most credit unions are relatively small and locally focused. However, some are regional, national, or even global, with members in multiple states or countries. In this article, we’ll examine what differentiates credit unions from banks and how to join one.
What is the Credit CARD Act of 2009? How the Legislation Impacts Consumers
The CARD Act is a federal law that protects consumers, like you and me, from a laundry list of harmful practices that were once standard operating procedures for card companies. These practices included unfair fees, unclear disclosures, and predatory marketing that targeted young people who often didn’t have much — if any — experience with credit.
The CARD Act isn’t as complicated as it sounds, and in this article, I’ll break down its history, origins, and key provisions that matter to you. I’ll also summarize all of the protections you need to know about before applying for credit.
Planning on Buying a Home? Do These 10 Things Now
For the first time in years, home buyers are shopping with more time and bargaining power, and even price cuts in some areas — meaning you may be facing less competition on that home you’ve been eyeing. If that’s inspiring you to make your home buying goal a reality, it’s time to get prepared. Having your finances in order and a robust home buying team can go a long way towards ensuring you’re well-positioned to put in a winning offer. This checklist walks you through how to prepare to buy a ...
This Modular Hotel Sports Playful, Imaginative Design
Playful, imaginative, youthful, and organized chaos.
Those are some of the words Ernest Lee uses to describe the design vibe at citizenM's new 300-room New York Bowery hotel. Lee is the international hotel company's managing director of development and investment in North America.
The 20-story, 100,000-square-foot hotel, completed in September 2018, is not only unapologetic in its design—as one of the tallest modular hotels in the U.S., it's also unconventional in how it was built. Most of th...
Managing your work-from-home employees | New York Life
Almost overnight, the coronavirus pandemic generated a new group of work-from-home employees. Supervising these workers creates challenges not only for the employees, but also for their managers, who may themselves be new to working from home.
Meeting these challenges takes creative thinking and smart adaptations to ensure the arrangement works well.
Fortunately, managers can resolve many of these issues fairly easily and at little cost. For instance, managers may want to:
-Schedule daily check-ins and regular phone calls so workers have access to
3 businesses share their secrets to a budget-friendly holiday social media marketing strategy.
Ask any marketing expert for holiday-related social media marketing tips, and you'll likely get a ton of suggestions from giveaways to Pinterest pins and Facebook ads. But there are now so many social channels and campaign types to choose from it can make your head spin. And many of them are cost-prohibitive if you're on a tight budget.
Still, some retailers and online sellers find a way through the clutter to create free or low-cost holiday-related social media campaigns that actually work. ...
8 Ways to Lower Your Monthly Mortgage Payment
With inflation tightening household budgets and rising rates making refinancing less attractive, it’s no wonder many homeowners are seeking other ways to lower their mortgage payments.
Here are eight smart strategies — straight from mortgage professionals — that could provide significant savings in the short term, long term or both. Prospective buyers curious about the costs of homeownership may want to take notes too.
1. Cancel your mortgage insurance
Mortgage insurance is a fee that many ho...
9 Value-Adding Home Improvements Under $100/$500/$1,000
Paint. Broadband. Dog house. You might think these easy, low-cost home upgrades wouldn’t add much value, but our research shows that these and other home upgrades with estimated price tags of less than $100, $500 or $1,000 can generate big returns when you sell your home.
An analysis of more than 200 features in the listing descriptions of more than 3 million homes sold in 2020 and 2021 turned up the following home renovation ideas on a budget.
Under $100
New paint
A fresh coat of paint is a ...
The True Cost of Owning a Pet
Pets may be more popular in America today than baseball or apple pie.
In fact almost 85 million U.S. homes, about 67% percent, have a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). Dogs and cats were the most popular, with about 63.4 million and 42.7 million owners, respectively. Other pets included fish, birds, other small animals, reptiles, and horses.
Getting a pet, whether a dog or a bird, is an exciting, but life changing decision. You’re basically picking a member of yo...
How to Tell If a House Has 'Good Bones'
When someone says a house has “good bones,” what exactly does that mean? And if you’re shopping for a home, how can you determine if the one you like fits the definition? If it doesn’t, should you buy it or walk away?
While there’s no hard-and-fast definition of this realty term, a house with good bones generally has three characteristics:
Major components and systems in like-new or very good condition
Cosmetic flaws are relatively simple, easy or affordable to fix
The home’s “awesomeness pot...
What is a recession and what does it mean for me?
Rising prices. Robust job gains. Stock market uncertainty. International conflict. Does it all add up to a recession on the horizon? While no one knows for sure what to expect, understanding the normal ups and downs of economic cycles can empower you to plan ahead and take appropriate steps to ensure that you and your family will be financially ready for whatever the future holds.
What is a recession?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis defines a recession as "a marked slippage in economic a...
How to Pay Off Debt
Debt is money that you borrowed and are obligated to repay. Examples of debt include mortgages, student loans, auto loans and credit cards.
Zillow research found that 69% of renters have some type of debt, and a quarter of renters said they were denied a rental agreement or home financing due to their debt level. Debt impacts not only the type of home you can rent or buy but also your timeline for buying, your ability to afford an adequate down payment, and whether you’ll be approved for a mo...
13 Home-Buying Myths to Unlearn Right Now
Your future homeowner self will thank you for it.
Home buyers today have access to a wealth of information about the home-buying process before they even begin talking to a real estate agent. Friends and family, social media — everyone has a lot to offer. While much of this guidance can be good or well-meaning, some may be outdated or inappropriate for your situation. With that in mind, here are 13 home-buying myths you should beware of and the corresponding home-buying truths you should know...
5 home improvements that instantly add value
Even if you’ve just started thinking about selling your house, making home improvements can be beneficial for many reasons. The hard part isn’t making the list, it’s figuring out how to prioritize so you get the most out of your investment. Should you remodel your kitchen first and then build a new backyard deck? What will create more value—a new master suite or replacing the roof?
Fortunately, there are smart ways to maximize your home's resale value through strategic renovations. Below are ...