Resource Center
Tips, tools and insights to improve your financial life.
Latest Resources
How to improve your credit score
Higher credit scores provide access to lower interest rates and better terms when you apply for credit. However, if your credit score needs work, there may be credit hacks you can take to improve your score.
- Personal Loan
- Jan 20, 2025
- 7 min read
Personal Finance
What is a good credit score?
A 700 credit score is generally considered “good” among common scoring systems that range from 300 to 850.
- Personal Finance
- Jan 19, 2025
- 6 min read
Personal Loan
Compound interest vs. simple interest: differences & how to calculate
Simple interest is calculated only on the principal amount, while compound interest is calculated on the principal plus any accumulated interest. Due to the interest-on-interest effect, compound interest grows faster over time.
- Personal Loan
- Dec 17, 2024
- 5 min read
Personal Savings
Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement explained
What does it take to achieve financial independence early in life? The end goal for many FIRE followers is early retirement—but it’s not the only goal.
- Personal Savings
- Sep 24, 2024
- 9 min read
Personal Checking
How to open a bank account online
Opening a bank account online is a convenient way to manage your money without setting foot in a local branch. Today, many online-only banks, traditional banks, and credit unions have easy online applications, so you can shop around and open an account from the comfort of your home.
- Personal Checking
- Sep 25, 2024
- 6 min read
Auto Refinance
Pros and cons of leasing vs. buying a car
Should you lease or buy your next car? Leasing costs less on a monthly basis and puts limits on how you can use your car. Buying comes with ownership responsibility but will cost you less in the long run.
- Auto Refinance
- Jan 15, 2025
- 7 min read
Business Loan
How 5 Common Types of Amortization Can Impact You
Before taking out a loan, it’s important to understand how the loan repayment will work and how much your monthly payments will be. With amortized loans—which includes many consumer loans—each payment gets split into an interest payment and principal payment.
- Business Loan
- Aug 21, 2021
- 4 min read
Institutional Investing
About net annualized return (NAR)
NAR is first calculated when an investor begins to receive borrower payments, usually within 45 days of an investors’ first investment in Notes. Until that time, NAR will display as "New" and no calculation will be available.
- Institutional Investing
- Dec 14, 2022
- 9 min read
Business Checking
3 Reasons Why Your Small Business Should Go Cashless
When was the last time you pulled out your wallet and paid for something with cash? Thanks to developments in electronic payments, such as paying via a digital wallet and innovations to online and mobile banking, consumers are carrying cash less and less.
- Business Checking
- Dec 28, 2018
- 2 min read