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What You Should Know About Your Minimum Credit Card Payment 08/21/2018 08:00pm • Whether you receive a credit card statement online or in the mail, you may be surprised by the way the minimum payment due fluctuates each month. The minimum payment is the least amount you can pay without incurring a late fee and perhaps an increase in your interest rate. Credit card issuers can d 7 Key Questions to Ask Your Student Loan Refinance Lender 08/21/2018 08:00pm • American students and their family members carry more than $1.5 trillion in student loan debt, according to June 2018 data from the Federal Reserve. And the amount is showing no signs of reversing. If you're feeling overwhelmed with your student loans, refinancing them can help you score a lower in What Parents Should Know About Borrowing, Repaying Student Loans 08/21/2018 08:00pm • The Student Loan Ranger receives many questions from readers. On occasion, we like to share some queries that other borrowers are likely to relate to. Here's a sample of some questions from parents we've addressed recently. Letters have been edited for clarity and to protect readers' privacy. Q: As 7 Things That Could Trigger a Stock Market Crash 08/21/2018 08:00pm • What could cause a stock market crash?A stock market crash is a sudden collapse in stock market prices. It might be caused by a catastrophic economic or political event, such as the 2008-2009 subprime mortgage crisis or the 2000 dot-com bust. In the past 30 years, there have been seven market crashe Should I Co-Sign on My Kid's Credit Card? 08/20/2018 08:00pm • It's that time of year when parents wonder if their college-age kids need a credit card. After all, they'll be away from home and, surely, emergencies will happen. And if your child doesn't have any credit yet, then maybe it's your responsibility to co-sign on a credit card. Let me put your mind at 10 Medical Schools Where Students Leave With the Most Debt 08/20/2018 08:00pm • The U.S. News Short List, separate from our overall rankings, is a regular series that magnifies individual data points in hopes of providing students and parents a way to find which undergraduate or graduate programs excel or have room to grow in specific areas. Be sure to explore The Short List: C How to Maximize Increases in Your Home Value 08/20/2018 08:00pm • U.S. homeowners with mortgages have seen their home equity increase nearly 12 percent year over year, according to CoreLogic's recent home equity analysis. That represents a gain of almost $871 billion since the third quarter of 2016. Most homeowners recognize that having more equity in their homes 6 Ways to Fix a Retirement Savings Shortfall 08/19/2018 08:00pm • Most investors who have planned for retirement have a mental picture: not answering to the Man, some travel, spoiling grandkids and maybe a second home. But unexpected expenses, failing health, or investment losses can derail plan A. What's plan B? How to you make up for a shortfall? "Overspending h 2019 Best Colleges Rankings Coming Sept. 10 08/19/2018 08:00pm • In three weeks, on Monday, Sept. 10, prospective students and parents can explore the 2019 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings on usnews.com. These rankings -- which include National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities and Regional Colleges -- focus on academic excellenc Folk Wisdom for Your Financial Life 08/16/2018 08:00pm • Using folk wisdom to inform your investment strategy sounds frankly silly. Far better to use time- and research-tested factors like low cost, proper allocation and tax-efficiency, right? There's no doubt about that. But there is wisdom in using plain old common sense too. After all, many of Warren Wayne Rooney scores 2 goals, DC United beats Timbers 4-1 08/15/2018 10:11pm • WASHINGTON (AP) — Wayne Rooney scored two goals and D.C. United beat the Portland Timbers 4-1 on Wednesday night to move out of last place in the Eastern Conference. D.C. (6-9-6) won its third consecutive home game. Portland (10-5-7) has lost two straight after going unbeaten in its previous 15 Can You Pay Student Loans With a Credit Card? 08/15/2018 08:00pm • Credit card rewards and zero percent introductory APR offers can make it tempting to pay off your student loans using plastic, but it's not always a smart move. When you move student loan debt to a credit card, you give up certain protections. For example, you no longer have consolidation, defermen How to Find How Much You Owe in Student Loans 08/14/2018 08:00pm • Most college graduates leave school with some level of student debt. In fact, around 68 percent of college seniors who graduated from public and private nonprofit colleges in 2015 borrowed student loans, according to data from The Institute for College Access and Success, a nonprofit that advocates 4 Financially Savvy Things to Do During Your First Week of College 08/14/2018 08:00pm • The first week of college can be an incredible experience for new students. There are countless people to meet, unfamiliar places to see and new things to do. It's an exciting and unforgettable experience. That first week is also a time of money-saving opportunities. Even though most students have Everything You Need to Know About Parent PLUS Loans 08/14/2018 08:00pm • Parent PLUS Loans can be a good alternative to private student loans because they offer more flexible repayment options. But the loans can be costlier than other options, and consequences are harsh for default, including the potential for wage and Social Security garnishment. What Is a Parent PLUS L