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As a result, premium credit cards are more likely than others to be impacted by this legislation. You might soon pay more for the privilege of paying with a premium credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or The Platinum Card from American Express. Premium credit cards: Worth paying a premium per purchase? But we've seen premium credit card annual fees steadily rise over the past few years, and this legislation may further impact loyalty rewards. But be prepared to potentially shift your payment strategy, especially if merchants begin charging variable rates based on different costs for premium credit cards.

Persons: —, Michael Spelfogel, John Ulzheimer, Ulzheimer Organizations: Visa, Mastercard, Service, Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express, cardholders, Chase, Capital, Citi Locations: FICO, Wells Fargo

☆ They moved into floating homes and houseboats — and discovered a world of adventure and hidden expenses
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Read previewMoving into their 360-square-foot floating home a year ago was a dream come true for Sarah Spiro and Brandon Jones. In 2023, there were 70 floating home sales reported on the Regional Multiple Listing Service, or RMLS, which covers the Portland area and a significant part of northwest Oregon, Portland Floating Homes real-estate broker John McPherson told BI. Lily and Dylan Rose moved onto their houseboat on Lake Union in Seattle in June 2019. AdvertisementHome insurance for a floating house tends to be about double what it is for a regular house on land, McPherson said. Additionally, the float — the part of the floating house that's equivalent to a foundation — deteriorates over time, McPherson said.

Persons: —, Sarah Spiro, Brandon Jones, Spiro, keepingafloatwiththejoneses Spiro, Jones, keepingafloatwiththejoneses, Adam Lind, @adam.floatinghome, It's, John McPherson, Lily, Dylan Rose, Elizabeth Earle, BI's Jordan Pandy, Earle, Elizabeth Earle Earle's, McPherson, Daryl Fairweather, Redfin's, Realtor.com, Hannah Jones, it's, Laura Woodley, Woodley, isn't, Kate Fincham, Fincham, Lily Rose, Dylan, Rose, she's Organizations: Service, Business, Portland Floating Homes, Realtor.com, Union, Trust, England & Wales, Lake Union Locations: Fontana Lake, North Carolina, Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Sausalito , California, Johns Island , South Carolina, England, Bluffers Park, Toronto, Lake, Boston

☆ FTX's victims may get all their money back. The judge sentencing Sam Bankman-Fried might not care.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Sam Bankman-Fried bilked FTX customers out of over $8 billion, according to prosecutors. AdvertisementAccording to federal prosecutors, Sam Bankman-Fried orchestrated one of the biggest criminal frauds in the history of the world. According to his lawyers, FTX's customers might get all their money back. According to prosecutors, Bankman-Fried was responsible for more than $11 billion in fraud overall between FTX customers and investors in FTX and Alameda Research. The recovered calculations, too, distort how much money customers are actually getting back.

Persons: Sam Bankman, —, Fried, FTX, John J, Ray III, Ray, Lewis Kaplan, Kaplan, Sarah Krissoff, Cozen O'Connor, Krissoff, it's, Sarah Silbiger, Bankman, bitcoin, Rachel Maimin, Lowenstein Sandler, Barbara Fried, Mark Cohen, Jane Rosenberg Bankman, Maiman, Maimin, Caroline Ellison Organizations: Service, FTX, Bankman, Alameda Research, US, United States, Second Circuit, U.S . House Financial, Capitol, Reuters, K5 Global, Prosecutors, Wall, REUTERS, Business, of Prisons, Alemda Research Locations: FTX, Manhattan, New Jersey, New York, Washington , U.S

Connect all your bank accounts, investments accounts, and credit cardsCheck mark icon A check mark. HoneydueHoneydue App Insider’s Rating A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 3.75 /5 Fees Free Pros Check mark icon A check mark. Budgeting app for couplesCheck mark icon A check mark. Rocket MoneyRocket Money Get started On Rocket Money's website Insider’s Rating A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 4.25 /5 Fees Free to create a budget. Pros Check mark icon A check mark.

Persons: Credit Karma, you've, It's, Couples, There's, YNAB, Zeta Zeta, Zeta, you'll Organizations: Intuit, Credit, Quicken, Apple, Google, PocketGuard, Quicken Simplifi, Zeta Locations: Zeta

Learn moreAmazon's Big Spring Sale features limited-time discounts on various products, from family apparel to popular tech items, including great headphone deals on several top models from brands we love. Highlights include the Soundcore Life Q30, our pick for the best budget noise-cancelling headphones, which are back down to an all-time low price. You can also get $100 off the high-end Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones or snag a pair of Apple's AirPods Pro for $60 off their full retail price. If you're not sure which pair is right for you, check out our guides to the best noise-cancelling headphones, best wireless earbuds, and best Apple AirPods to learn more. These wireless earbuds offer good sound with active noise cancellation, 11-hour battery life, and Fast Pair for quick, seamless switching between compatible Android devices.

Persons: it's, Anker, Bose Organizations: Business, Sony WH, Price Apple, Amazon Sony WH, WH, Sony, Soundcore Liberty, Liberty, Amazon Bose, Amazon, Wireless

For a limited time, you can get the 85- and 75-inch versions of TCL's QM8 4K TV for a rare low price. Amazon shoppers can snag 48% off the 75-inch model or grab the massive 85-inch model for a new all-time low price. The TCL QM8 holds its own against much pricier QLED TV models from brands like Samsung. For more details, check out our full TCL QM8 QLED 4K TV review. And for more TV discounts, check out our roundup of all the best TV deals.

Persons: we've, QM8 Organizations: Business, Walmart, Samsung

GAZA StripWhy Isn’t More Aid Getting to Gazans? From El Arish, the trucks carrying aid typically undergo security checks in Rafah, Egypt, shortly before reaching the border with Gaza. One arrow points from near Rafah crossing to Kerem Shalom crossing, and a second arrow points from near Rafah crossing to Nitzana crossing. One arrow points from Nitzana crossing to Rafah crossing, and another points from Nitzana to Kerem Shalom crossing. More than a hundred Gazans died near a convoy on Feb. 29, after thousands massed around aid trucks.

Persons: Israel El Arish JORDAN Trucks, Balah Netivot Khan Younis Ofakim, Balah Khan, Salah Al Din, Rashid, Kerem, Khan Younis, Al Rashid, Israel, Trucks, Scott Anderson, Shimon Freedman, COGAT, Freedman, Mr, Anderson, Gazans, ”, Naser Qadous, Balah, Khan Younis Ofakim, Carl Skau, Sarah Schiffling, Deir, Younis Ofakim, Deir al, Biden, it’s, Schiffling, Juliette Touma, ” Ms, Touma Organizations: United Nations, West Bank Ships, Bank, Israel El Arish Trucks, Jordan, El Arish Egypt Israel Nitzana, Arrows, UNRWA, Food, Food Program, Hanken School of Economics, Central Locations: GAZA, Gaza, Gaza’s, SyRIA, Port, Israel El Arish, Cairo Egypt Saudi Arabia, Bank GAZA, Jordan Egypt, Ashkelon Gaza, Rafah, Egypt, El Arish Egypt Israel, Egypt Rafah, Egypt Israel, Rafah Rafah, Kerem, Kerem Shalom, Sderot GAZA, Gaza City Sderot Al Rashid, El Arish, Port Sa’id, Jordan, From El Arish, Nitzana, Israel, United States, Anera, ”, Khan Younis Ofakim Israel Rafah, Shalom, U.S, Air, France, Finland, Gaza City, Cyprus, Sderot, Balah, Deir

Average 30-year mortgage rates are now in the upper 6% range, which is where they were at the start of the month. Where mortgage rates go next depends on the economy. Until inflation comes down further, mortgage rates will likely remain near their current levels. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Teacher Shortages in America Are Holding Gen Z Students Like Me Back
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Vaishnavi Kumbala | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementWhile teachers, students, and parents have all tried their best to make it work, many students still end up with huge learning gaps. Teacher shortages tend to be framed as a workplace problem: We just need to incentivize and support teachers better. AdvertisementWhen teacher shortages compound, some students just stop showing up. Even before COVID, students struggled to remember concepts they learned in a previous course — but the teacher shortages have exacerbated the problem. If America doesn't address its teacher shortages today, it will be left with a worse, less educated tomorrow.

Persons: STAFF04201, I've, bode, Sarah, Richard Ingersoll, Ingersoll Organizations: Kansas State University, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Progress, Organization, Economic Cooperation, Development, US, America, Harvard University Center for Education Policy Research, Stanford University, Brookings Institution, National Center for Education Statistics, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, Vogue, The New York Times, The New Orleans Times Locations: New Orleans, —, Spanish, Rome, Orleans, Louisiana

As inflation slows and the economy balances out, mortgage rates are expected to go down this year. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. Mortgage Rates for Buying a Home30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Go Up (+0.23%)The current average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 6.53%, up 23 points from where it was this time last week, according to Zillow data. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Back Above 6% (+0.23%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 6.03%, up from last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

Mortgage rates started the week relatively low, but they're back up today. Mortgage rates are expected to go down in 2024, but they've been elevated so far this year in response to still-high inflation. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's interest rates will affect your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates inched down to 6.16% this week, according to Freddie Mac data.

Persons: they've, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Zillow, Federal Reserve Locations: Chevron

Bilt, the company that awards points when you pay rent, adds Alaska Airlines as a transfer partner. However, Bilt will lose American Airlines as a points transfer partner in June 2024. Noteworthy Alaska Airlines partners include oneworld alliance partners American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qantas, and Qatar. In addition to Alaska Airlines, Bilt partners with American Airlines, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Avianca, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Air France-KLM, Hawaiian AIrlines, Iberia, IHG, Marriott, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines and Hyatt. Bilt and American Airlines will part ways in June, three years after their partnership initially began.

Persons: Bilt, — Organizations: Alaska Airlines, Alaska Airlines cardholders, American Airlines, Service, oneworld, British Airways, Cathay, Japan Airlines, Qantas, luxe, Air, Singapore Airlines, Mastercard, Aer Lingus, Air France, KLM, Hawaiian AIrlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines, Hyatt Locations: Alaska, Cathay Pacific, Qatar, Air Canada, Emirates, Air, Iberia, IHG, Marriott

According to financial coach Hillary Seiler, you still need to spend less than you earn, even if that requires adjusting your budget. To make it from paycheck to paycheck, many are finding themselves spending more money and carrying credit card debt. "People never want to hear this one piece of advice, but it's important to spend less than you earn in any economic environment, but especially now." AdvertisementHere are three ways to start spending less than you earn:1. Review and adjust your spending habitsLook at how you spend your money. "You can earn more interest on your money now, and that will help it grow much quicker."

Persons: Hillary Seiler, Hilary Seiler, Seiler, doesn't Organizations: Business

The latest forecasts expect mortgage rates to go down in 2024 and 2025, with experts predicting that 30-year rates could fall somewhere between 5.9% and 6.1% by the end of this year. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.22% last week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a four-basis-point decrease from the previous week. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit. Once the Fed starts cutting rates, which is likely to happen this year, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: Freddie Mac Organizations: Federal, Zillow, Federal Reserve, Fed Locations: Chevron

Mortgage rates ticked up a little bit in response to Tuesday's slightly hotter-than-expected Consumer Price Index data. But mortgage rates probably won't drop substantially until we get more data showing that inflation is continuing to slow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. This is good news for mortgage rates — as inflation slows and the Federal Reserve is able to start cutting the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to trend down as well.

Persons: they're, they've, Fannie Mae's, Fannie Mae Organizations: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, ARM Locations: Chevron

The title acceptance pilot waives the need for a lender's title insurance policy on some refinance mortgages. The Federal Housing Finance Agency recently rolled out a new pilot program that would lower refinance closing costs for some borrowers. Called the "title acceptance pilot," this program would waive the requirement that conforming loans have a lender's title insurance policy on certain refinance mortgages. Borrowers are required to purchase a lender's title insurance policy, which can be a significant out-of-pocket cost. Pushback from the mortgage industryLeaders from the mortgage and title insurance industries overall weren't pleased with this announcement.

Persons: —, Biden, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, homebuyers, Christopher Tyson, Tyson, doesn't Organizations: Service, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Mortgage Bankers Association, Union, Consumer Financial, National Community Stabilization Trust, homebuyers

Be on the lookout for new packaging, shop store brands, and keep track of the unit pricing to avoid losing money to shrinkflation. Buy store brandsStore brands typically have cheaper prices than the major brands that you find on store shelves. Think Kirkland brand at Costco or the store brands in Walgreens or Walmart. Because store brands are already generally the cheaper options, they will also be slower to repackage or downsize their products. For example, a 30-ounce jar of pickles that costs $8 would list a unit price of $0.27 per ounce.

Persons: Shrinkflation, Biden, shrinkflation, Kirkland Organizations: Costco, Walmart, Quicken Locations: Walgreens

Learn moreAmazon's third-generation Echo Buds are the brand's most budget-friendly headphones yet. Amazon Echo Buds (2023) Amazon's third-generation Echo Buds lack noise cancellation, but they sound solid for the money and include hands-free Alexa support on a budget. And unlike more expensive headphones, the third-gen Echo Buds don't come with active noise cancellation (ANC) to help reduce background sounds that might interfere with your music. Sarah Saril/InsiderDespite their drawbacks, the Echo Buds are still a solid budget choice for users of multiple devices. Sarah Saril/InsiderThe Echo Buds (3rd Gen) aren't for everyone, but they have their appeal.

Persons: Sarah Saril, Alexa, there's, earbuds, Lizzy McAlpine, Alison Wonderland, aren't, that's, Bose Organizations: Business, Alexa, Amazon, Sony, Bose, Samsung, Apple, ANC

Average 30-year mortgage rates have generally been hovering in the 6.30% to 6.40% range this week, according to Zillow data. Where mortgage rates go next depends on the economy. As long as inflation continues to slow and the labor market doesn't heat back up, mortgage rates should go down in 2024. This means that we could see mortgage rates inch down just ahead of the summer months. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ How Fed Chair Jerome Powell's big decision could impact the upcoming presidential election
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In today's big story, Fed Chair Jerome Powell's rate-cut decision could impact the upcoming presidential election . The decision, which has massive economic implications, is now butting up against another monumental event: a US presidential election. AdvertisementThe collision course puts an incredible amount of power in Fed chair Jerome Powell's hands , Business Insider's Emily Stewart writes. The two Wall Street titans are no longer expecting a recession , with inflation cooling and the job market holding steady. Recent graduates are adjusting their career expectations amid signs that the job market is starting to weaken, according to labor experts.

Persons: —, Jerome Powell's, Powell, Chip Somodevilla, Matt Rourke, Sarah Silbiger, Alyssa Powell, Emily Stewart, It's, He's, Biden, Robert Alexander, Getty, Joe Biden, David Rosenberg, it's, BEOWULF SHEEHAN, Tyler Le, Carrie Sun, Chase Coleman, Jamie Dimon, Ray Dalio, Chelsea Jia Feng, Elon Musk, Tesla, Musk, Lily Lyman, who's, Dealogic, Anson Chan, Lil Wayne, Dan DeFrancesco, Hallam Bullock, Jordan Parker Erb, George Glover Organizations: Business, Service, Bloomberg, Getty, Federal Reserve, Trump, Wall, titans, Chelsea, Tesla, Nvidia, BI, Medical Properties Trust Locations: Powell, New York, London

Biden unveiled a plan that includes tax credits and down payment assistance to improve housing affordability. Eligible homebuyers would get this tax credit for two years, meaning you could get a total of $10,000 in tax credits for buying a house. Down payment assistanceAnother piece of Biden's plan for more affordable homeownership is the $25,000 in down payment assistance he wants Congress to provide to first-generation homebuyers. What hopeful homebuyers should knowAs a whole, this plan could substantially improve housing affordability, enabling more Americans to become homeowners. And even for homebuyers who qualify for tax credits or other assistance, saving up for a down payment remains a big barrier to homeownership.

Persons: Biden, —, Dan Green, homebuyers Biden, hasn't, doesn't, Green, Daryl Fairweather, Fairweather, White, homebuyers Organizations: Biden, Service, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Consumer Financial, homebuilders, Loan, Program, Bank of America Mortgage, Democrats

Hillary Seiler works with NFL players to help them build solid financial habits and create wealth. AdvertisementPrioritize good credit so you can get the best interest rates and avoid obstacles to buying a home. Hillary Seiler, founder of Financial Footwork, helps clients improve their finances, including working with many NFL players to establish good financial habits and preserve their wealth. Seiler says the strategies she shares with NFL clients can be used by anyone to build wealth and financial stability. Prioritize a good credit scoreCredit has always been important, but now in a high interest rate environment, good credit is crucial.

Persons: Hillary Seiler, Seiler, Read Organizations: NFL, Business

Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card. The new Points Transfer program launches April 4, and is available to all points-earning Wells Fargo credit cards, including the current Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card. The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card will be available for in-person applications at select Wells Fargo bank locations on March 9. Be the first to read our full Wells Fargo Autograph Journey credit card review here, or check out Business Insider's guide to the best travel credit cards, the best Wells Fargo credit cards, and other Wells Fargo products.

Persons: lifemiles, —, Wells, Wells Fargo Organizations: Business, Air France, KLM, British Airways Executive Club, AerClub, Read, Service, Airlines, British Airways Executive Club Iberia, Sapphire, Capital Locations: Iberia, Wells Fargo, Wells

Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card. The new Point Transfer program launches April 4, and is available to all points-earning Wells Fargo credit cards, including the current Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card. The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card will be available for in-person applications at select Wells Fargo bank locations on March 9. Be the first to read our full Wells Fargo Autograph Journey credit card review here, or check out Business Insider's guide to the best travel credit cards, the best Wells Fargo credit cards, and other Wells Fargo products.

☆ How ‘The Zone of Interest’ conveyed the horrors of the Holocaust without ever showing violence
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —“The Zone of Interest,” Jonathan Glazer’s Oscar-nominated historical drama, is technically a film about the Holocaust. “I knew right from the off that I didn’t want to reenact these atrocities using actors and extras,” director Glazer told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour in a February interview. “In other words, it’s out of sight but never out of mind,” Glazer told Amanpour. “No matter how good an actor is, faking the pain of a severe injury, of fatality, is a very hard thing,” Burn told IndieWire. At its core, Glazer says, “The Zone of Interest” is about what we choose to pay attention to — and what we’re able to ignore.

Persons: CNN —, Jonathan Glazer’s Oscar, Rudolf Höss, Glazer, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, “, Höss, Hedwig, — they’ve, ” Glazer, Amanpour, Oscar, Johnnie Burn, ”, Sarah Shachat, Burn, IndieWire, ” Burn, James Wilson, ” Wilson, “ It’s, ’ ” Organizations: CNN, Auschwitz, Best, London Locations: The, Estonia, Gaza, Yemen, “, Mariupol, Israel

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