If you’ve been hacked or your identity stolen, you know how vulnerable it can feel and how scary. Trying to make sense of it all and get your account straightened out can months or longer depending on how bad it is.

Even if you haven’t had the misfortune of experiencing identity theft, it can still be scary knowing your information could be out there on the dark web or in the hands of a hacker and you might not even know it.

Primary residences make up a quarter of all assets held by households in America and continue to be the biggest asset for homeowners. 

Whether you intend to build equity or get top dollar when you sell, repairs and smart improvements can protect your asset and even increase home value. 

Becoming a first-time homebuyer can be exciting and overwhelming. While the first step in purchasing your new home is obtaining a mortgage, you will also need to decide on the mortgage type you want. You may have heard that an FHA mortgage loan is a great option.

But you may be wondering, “What is an FHA loan, and is it the right loan for a first-time homebuyer?” For most, an FHA loan is appealing because it can be easier to qualify for than a conventional loan. It has many advantages that are worth learning about before deciding to make such a large financial commitment. 

Before buying an investment property, you want to make sure you’ll make money off it. One way real estate investors evaluate investment profitability is by calculating return on investment, or ROI, which measures cash return expressed as a percentage of total investment cost on an annual basis.

You can calculate ROI yourself using a simple formula, or you can use a real estate investment return calculator.

Smart investors know that investing in real estate is what the cool kids do. If you’re careful about the properties you buy, it can be a venture with a tremendous upside and a comparatively low downside.

First, you should know that real estate is an investment that diversifies portfolios, pays off its own debt, and produces predictable and stable cash returns, even when you’re sound asleep.

And once you generate enough profit, you can use your returns to buy more properties. In other words, your houses can buy you more houses. It’s the snowball effect of snowball effects.

However, to find success as a real estate investor, you’ll need to know how to pick the good apples from the bushel.

Everyone needs an emergency fund to use should they experience the unexpected. Job loss, falling ill, or having other major financial catastrophes can wreak havoc on your finances. When you have an emergency fund set aside, though, you can focus on overcoming the emergency and not stress about how you’ll pay your bills. 

But is there such a thing as having too much money saved for an emergency? 

There could be. Saving too much for the wrong reason can cause you to feel it in other areas. Here’s what you should know.

Mortgage interest rates play a large role in how much mortgages cost, and they can also affect your cash flow.

Understanding real estate investment mortgage rates can help you find properties you can afford and profit from, as well as organize your finances before you head into a deal.

Recessions are never easy. Whether you're becoming aware now or already following the news of a possible economic crisis, it's good to have a mitigation plan for when it happens. Learn how to prepare your finances so they can carry you through a recession and in the aftermath with these tips. 

Everyone, regardless of their income, gets antsy when there's a recession, depression, or even a slight downturn in the market. The uncertainty can cause a lot of anxiety about what's to come. It can make people put life plans on hold, start to look for other employment, or reassess how they're managing their money. Even though no one can predict how long or impactful a recession will be, there are some things you can do to cope and manage during a stressful time.

Recessions affect every part of life. The cost of goods and services goes up, borrowing money gets more expensive, and businesses suffer. During a recession, you may need to adjust your spending habits to stay financially secure. Read on for tips to mindfully manage your finances during periods of economic uncertainty.