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JPMorgan Chase brings minority business lending program to DC area 02/11/2019 09:49am • WASHINGTON — JPMorgan Chase, which opened its first retail banking branch in D.C. last fall with a promise of $4 billion in regional home and small business lending, has expanded its Entrepreneurs of Color Fund to the area, with loans and business training for minority entrepreneurs in the region. How to buy a lower mortgage rate (and other first-time buyer tips) 02/11/2019 09:05am • WASHINGTON — First-time homebuyers find themselves going through a steep and fast learning curve once they get serious about buying. Every lender charges differently for closing costs, but generally they include an appraisal, credit report, title policy, pest inspection, recording fees and taxe What Is an Excellent Credit Score? 02/10/2019 07:00pm • You might be surprised to hear this, but as of April 2017, the average FICO score was 700. This was the first time the average score reached 700. But that's not the only surprise. Would you believe that 20.7 percent of consumers actually have a credit score of more than 800? I think we can all agre My Take: Vacation or debt relief? What a terrible choice. 02/08/2019 12:05am • It's not just social media and avocado toasts. For one generation, there is such a thing as burnout. Do Personal Loans Help or Hurt Your Credit Score? 02/07/2019 07:00pm • As with all financial information that appears on a consumer credit report, a personal loan will be calculated into your credit scores. Whether the loan will result in higher or lower scores, however, depends on a variety of factors. Generally, opening a personal loan will help your credit score if Everything You Need to Know About a Pending Home Sale 02/07/2019 07:00pm • Few moments are as exciting for both a home seller and homebuyer than the moment that "sold" badge is added to the For Sale sign in front of your property. But when you drive through neighborhoods, especially as you're house hunting, you may see the occasional "sale pending" badge posted instead. B How Do Balance Transfers Affect Your Credit? 02/07/2019 07:00pm • A balance transfer credit card can be an excellent tool to pay off high-interest debt. But if you're not careful, you could pile up more debt instead of paying it off and drag down your credit score. A balance transfer affects several variables that influence your credit score, for better or for wo How to Build a Balance Sheet 02/07/2019 07:00pm • While you may consider a balance sheet to be an essential financial statement for a company, assessing your own personal assets, equity and wealth in a well-laid-out financial report is equally important. Typically updated at least once a year, these financial documents outline how much someone owns Fixed vs. Variable Expenses: What to Know 02/07/2019 07:00pm • Determining your fixed and variable expenses is paramount to effectively building a budget. But while accounting for necessary costs is a simple and straightforward task, including discretionary expenses in your budget can present a challenge. So, if you're looking to build and maintain an effectiv Greece, U.K. Spar Over Ownership of Classic Sculptures 02/06/2019 07:00pm • LONDON -- In 1801, Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin and the United Kingdom's ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, decided to "renovate" the Parthenon in Athens. For the next 11 years, his crews stripped the classical Greek temple of half its ornamental marble sculptures and shipped them to Britain. What Is a Medical Credit Card? 02/06/2019 07:00pm • If your health insurance doesn't cover a medical procedure you need, you might find yourself with a medical bill that you're unsure how to pay. One option your health care provider might offer is a medical credit card. Though it might seem like a good deal at first, especially if you have few payme Personal Loan vs. Home Equity Loan: Which Is Better? 02/06/2019 07:00pm • Loans, especially personal and home equity loans, can be a good way to pay for a major home project or handle a financial emergency. But before you apply for either type of loan -- or an alternative, such as a home equity line of credit -- do some research and decide which option best suits your nee 5 Ways Robo Advisors Will Change in 2019 02/05/2019 07:00pm • The robo advisor industry began in the wake of the Great Recession with a few firms launching this service to deliver a low-cost investment management solution. Early to the the market, Betterment and Wealthfront launched the first robo advisor services, with automated platforms providing assistance How to Get Student Debt From the TEACH Grant Forgiven 02/05/2019 07:00pm • In recent years, there has been an increase in demand and a decrease in supply of teachers for high-need areas and subjects such as reading specialists, mathematics and science. In an effort to attract more teachers, the U.S. Department of Education established the Teacher Education Assistance for C How to Check Your Child's Credit Report 02/04/2019 07:00pm • As a parent, you want to protect your child from all of life's perils. While you might be on the lookout for bullies and strangers, fraud and identity theft might not be on your radar. But they should be. "Risk is part of parenting," says Trevor Buxton, certified fraud examiner and assistant vice p