Key takeaways Before you buy a second home, get clear on how you want to use the property. Will it be a vacation home for your family or an investment property? Buying a second home…

Image by GettyImages; Illustration by Bankrate Last week’s HELOC spike was short-lived. The average rate on a $30,000 home equity line of credit fell 80 basis points to 8.10 percent, back to the level it was two weeks prior, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. The rise and fall…

Delmaine Donson/ Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate Key takeaways Lengthy credit card balance transfer offers can mean the difference between paying hundreds in interest and paying nothing at all. Balance transfer cards with 21-month intro periods can help you pay off debt, but they carry few benefits beyond the…

Roth IRAs are known for tax-free growth and distributions in retirement. However, inherited IRAs come with their own rules and limitations that can complicate the picture. Whether you can convert an inherited IRA to a Roth IRA depends on both your status and current IRS guidelines. By understanding IRS law,…