Mortgage rates dropped this week to the lowest level since September 2022, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey, released Thursday, showed the average rate on the benchmark 30-year…

White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett on Wednesday called for the New York Federal Reserve to punish economists who published a research paper that found that the bulk of the burden of the Trump administration’s tariffs are falling on U.S. businesses and consumers. “The paper is an embarrassment. It’s, I think,…

Image: Getty Images; Illustration: Bankrate Home equity rates fell this week, reaching their lowest levels in about three years. The $30,000 home equity line of credit fell one basis point to 7.31%, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. Meanwhile, the five-year $30,000 home equity loan fell three basis points…

Federal Reserve policymakers were mostly in agreement on the decision to leave interest rates unchanged despite two calling for cuts, though several signaled that rate hikes could be on deck if inflation remains elevated. The minutes for the January meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the Fed’s monetary…

Traditionally, all tip income was taxable, and workers had to report any cash tips exceeding $20 per month to their employer. But in 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill introduced temporary exemptions: individuals can deduct up to $25,000 in tips from their income if they meet all the qualifications (though…