All Archives - Page 685 of 3076

Apache is functioning normally

July 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

I’ve invested a significant amount of my personal capital (all of it..) into my own startups. But, never someone else’s company. Until a couple of months, that is.

I’m excited to announce I’m an angel investor in Resident Ventures, a company that hosts bespoke culinary experiences in unique, residential spaces.

[embedded content]

The back story: At CREtech New York last year, I met Brian Mommsen, the founder, and was instantly drawn to the blend of community, real estate, and hospitality — the three things I’ve spent my 15-year professional career obsessed with. It just so happened that the GEM was an enterprise community that could benefit from a next-gen networking experience. So, I proceeded to become a customer of theirs to produce a founders VIP dinner in NYC at the end of January. I was so blown away with the food + experience and raving feedback by attendees that not only is there another GEM founders dinner in the books (NYC Feb 2021, here we come)…. but I went on to make my very first angel investment in the company.

Further thoughts on Resident’s concept can be found here.

If you’re interested in reviewing the deck and/or discussing further, the round is still open. Looking for strategic real estate asset owners to participate, and/or anyone with a passion for food, hospitality, community & real estate.

Source: geekestateblog.com

Apache is functioning normally

July 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

Northwestern Mutual Leads Industry on Latest Forbes’ “Top Financial Security Professionals” and Best-in-State Lists MILWAUKEE, July 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Northwestern Mutual announced today that an industry-leading 489 of its advisors earned a spot on Forbes‘ annual lists of top financial security professionals – the company’s strongest showing on this prestigious ranking since it debuted … [Read more…]

Apache is functioning normally

July 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

Have you ever wondered whether you had sufficient insurance coverage to cover the wide possibilities of loss?

An umbrella insurance policy acts to provide extra coverage on top of your existing policies.

An umbrella insurance policy acts sort of like a safety net that picks up loss not covered by existing insurance policies.

While in previous times, it was mostly the very rich who took out umbrella policies, these days many more people see the need for such protection.

One of the reasons that umbrella coverage is more important in modern times is the litigious nature of our society. In comparison to earlier days, people are much more likely to sue someone of average means for a wide variety of reasons.

For example, if someone should suffer an injury while walking up to your front door, you could be liable for damages if you have been negligent in some way.

Because people are so much more likely to sue homeowners, car owners and boat owners, umbrella insurance is no longer simply for the wealthy anymore.

How Does Umbrella Coverage Work?

In order to qualify for umbrella insurance, you must already have traditional types of insurance coverage. For example, a regular homeowner’s policy covers your home while an auto insurance policy protects you and your car.

The umbrella coverage sits “on top” of these other policies in case they do not provide sufficient protection to cover all costs for liability related damages. Umbrella coverage protects the policyholder directly from liability claims. In other words, they cover damages when you are at fault due to some neglect or wrongdoing on your part.

Umbrella insurance will pay for the medical bills, lost pay and other damages suffered by the injured person due to the negligence of the covered person. However, the insurance does not pay for any personal expenses of the policyholder. For example, the policy will not pay to repair the policyholder’s car in case of an accident nor will it pay for any medical bills incurred by the policyholder due to the accident.

The coverage always pays the “other” party that has suffered due to the policyholder’s negligence.

Do I Really Need Umbrella Insurance?

While in the past, the average person would have no need for such coverage, the situation is much different now. Even if you have only modest income and assets, there is still a chance someone might sue you to recover whatever they can in instances where you are negligent.

Some experts recommend that anyone with a total of $200,000 in assets should have umbrella insurance, while others would set the asset level even lower. Some umbrella policies provide coverage in the hundreds of thousands of dollars while the top traditional policies will cover damages of $5 million or more.

Generally speaking, the more assets an individual has, the more they need umbrella liability coverage. Additionally, those who feel more vulnerable to litigation should also consider these types of policies. For example, if you use your home for business purposes and have many visitors, you many want extra liability protection.

Note that umbrella coverage only kicks in after your traditional insurance policies have paid out all their benefits. Once you reach your regular coverage limits, the umbrella policy pays any additional costs up to its own limits.

Here are some things to consider when deciding on whether you need umbrella insurance:

Do you live in a neighborhood in which lawsuits against neighbors are common?
Do you operate a home business?
Do you often have guests over to your home or other properties?
Do you own a boat?
Do you own, charter or lease aircraft?
Do you take long commutes to work?
Do you often take long vacations with other people watching your home?
Does your home have tall trees that could fall over in a storm and damage neighboring property?
Do you have significant liquid assets?
Does anyone in your household have conditions that might impair their driving ability?
Do you use your own vehicles, equipment or other possessions for your business or work?

Some real life examples. It’s easier to illustrate how an umbrella policy would work using real life situations. An article by CBS MarketWatch gives several instances that are very common. Here are some of the examples that could easily happen to anybody.

You throw a party at your home where alcohol was involved and minors were present. The minor has a few drinks without you knowing and drives home and gets in a wreck. You could be on the hook even if you didn’t provide the alcohol.
You act as chaperone of young kids on a field trip to a park where one of the kids gets injured. The parent of the child claims that your kid doesn’t like their kid and that’s why you let him get hurt.
You’re driving home from work and collide with a company truck hauling very expensive equipment.
Your child borrows a friend’s car to run to McDonald’s to grab something to eat. While hurrying to get back they run a stop sign and hit a mini-van with a family of four.

The right umbrella policy could protect you from the incidents listed above.

What’s the cost? For $1 million in coverage, the cost should be around $150-$200 (mine was $180) a year. For each additional $1 million in coverage, you should expect to pay an additional $100.

How to Find Umbrella Insurance

Umbrella policies can differ quite markedly in what they cover and in the amount of coverage. Shopping around and comparing policies is a good idea and can often lead to significant deals.

Internet comparison websites allow consumers to compare policies offered by different providers side-by-side. Most of these sites provide tools that allow users to search according to specific criteria. Among the items to check when comparing policies are coverage amounts, exceptions, exclusions and qualifications.

For example, some policies may not provide coverage in certain circumstances, i.e., if the policyholder was under the influence of alcohol when an accident occurred. Since one of the reasons for liability insurance is to protect against policyholder negligence, it pays to check for such exceptions. Umbrella insurance is an important piece of both personal and small business insurance strategies. Considering the low cost, going without it doesn’t make sense.

Source: goodfinancialcents.com

Apache is functioning normally

July 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

Buying a Home with 1099 Income can present unique challenges for self-employed individuals. Understanding the implications of 1099 income on mortgage loans is crucial. Lenders carefully assess tax returns and stable income to determine eligibility.

Strategies such as maximizing chances of approval and exploring alternative documentation options can help self-employed borrowers qualify. Government-backed and conventional mortgage options, as well as home equity for down payment assistance, are available.

Overcoming challenges in the mortgage process requires addressing higher interest rates, documenting income, and navigating common hurdles. Assessing affordability and staying informed about the future of home buying for self-employed buyers is essential. Recent changes and technological advancements are shaping the lending landscape.

Understanding 1099 Income and Its Implications on Home Buying

When it comes to buying a home, it’s important to understand the implications of 1099 income. This type of income is earned by individuals who are considered self-employed, meaning they work as independent contractors or freelancers. It’s essential to grasp how 1099 income affects mortgage loans and what lenders look for when determining eligibility for home financing.

What is 1099 income and who is considered self-employed?

1099 income refers to the earnings received by individuals who work on a contract basis, rather than being traditional employees. These individuals are considered self-employed as they are responsible for their own taxes and don’t receive benefits like health insurance or retirement plans from an employer. Self-employed individuals include freelancers, consultants, and independent contractors across various industries.

The impact of self-employment on mortgage loans

Being self-employed can have specific implications when applying for a mortgage. Unlike traditional W-2 employees who have a consistent income and verifiable employment, self-employed individuals may face additional scrutiny. Lenders assess the stability and predictability of income to evaluate the borrower’s ability to make mortgage payments.

Qualifying for a mortgage with 1099 income: What lenders look for

Lenders typically consider several factors when qualifying self-employed borrowers with 1099 income for a mortgage. These factors include the length of self-employment, consistency of income, and documentation of tax returns. Lenders may require a minimum of two years of self-employed tax returns to establish a track record of income stability. They also evaluate the borrower’s debt-to-income ratio and liquid assets to ensure they can handle mortgage payments and other financial obligations.

The Importance of Tax Returns and Stable Income

When it comes to buying a home with 1099 income, understanding the role of tax returns and demonstrating stable income is essential. Lenders thoroughly analyze tax returns to assess your financial situation and determine your eligibility for a mortgage loan. Here are the key aspects to consider:

Analyzing your tax returns: What lenders assess

Lenders carefully scrutinize your tax returns to evaluate your income stability and ability to repay a mortgage. They review your gross income, deductions, expenses, and net income to get a comprehensive understanding of your financial standing. Additionally, lenders examine your Schedule C, which reports business profit and loss, to gauge the viability of your self-employment and the consistency of your income stream.

Demonstrating stable income as a self-employed borrower

As a self-employed borrower, proving stable income is crucial to reassure lenders of your ability to make regular mortgage payments. One way to establish this stability is by maintaining consistent income over a period of time. Providing documentation such as bank statements, profit and loss statements, and invoices can help demonstrate a steady income stream. Showing a history of consistent income is beneficial in building trust with lenders.

The role of two years of tax returns in mortgage approval

Two years of tax returns serve as a benchmark for lenders to verify the sustainability of your income. This requirement helps lenders assess the consistency and predictability of your earnings. Typically, lenders average your income across the two-year period to determine how much you can afford to borrow. Keep in mind that a significant decrease in income from one year to another may require additional explanation or documentation to strengthen your mortgage application.

Understanding the importance of tax returns and stable income is vital for self-employed individuals aiming to purchase a home. By analyzing your tax returns, demonstrating stable income, and meeting the requirements set by lenders, you can improve your chances of securing a mortgage loan.

Strategies for Self-Employed Borrowers to Qualify for Home Loans

When it comes to buying a home with 1099 income, self-employed borrowers face unique challenges. However, there are strategies to maximize your chances of qualifying for a home loan:

Maximizing your chances: Tips for self-employed borrowers

Maintain a strong credit score: Lenders consider credit history and scores to assess your financial responsibility.
Save for a down payment: A larger down payment increases your chances of loan approval and improves your loan terms.
Manage your debts: Keep your debt levels low and avoid taking on new debts before applying for a mortgage.
Keep clean financial records: Maintain organized financial records, including bank statements, tax returns, and profit/loss statements.

Alternative documentation options for income verification

Traditional income verification methods, such as W-2 forms, may not be applicable for self-employed individuals. Consider alternative options:

Bank statements: Provide several months’ worth of bank statements to demonstrate consistent income deposits.
Profit and loss statements: Prepare accurate profit and loss statements to showcase your business’s financial health.
Letter from a certified public accountant (CPA): A letter from a CPA can verify your self-employment status and income.

Understanding debt-to-income ratio and its impact on loan approval

Lenders calculate your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio to assess your ability to repay the loan. To improve your chances of loan approval:

Minimize your DTI: Reduce your monthly debt obligations and aim for a DTI ratio below the lender’s maximum threshold.
Increase your income: Boosting your income through additional revenue streams can help improve your DTI ratio.
Pay off existing debts: Lowering your outstanding debts reduces your monthly obligations and improves your DTI ratio.

Mortgage Options and Requirements for Self-Employed Buyers

Mortgage options for self-employed buyers offer various opportunities to secure financing for buying a home with 1099 income. Understanding the available options can help navigate the loan process successfully.

Government-backed loans for self-employed individuals

Government-backed loans, such as FHA loans, VA loans, and USDA loans, provide viable mortgage options for self-employed individuals. These loans often have more flexible requirements compared to conventional loans, making them accessible and attractive for those with 1099 income.

Conventional mortgage loan options for self-employed borrowers

Conventional mortgage loans are another option for self-employed borrowers. These loans typically require more extensive documentation to prove income and financial stability. Self-employed individuals may need to provide additional paperwork, such as profit and loss statements, bank statements, and business tax returns, to demonstrate their ability to repay the loan.

Exploring home equity options for down payment assistance

Self-employed buyers can explore home equity options to assist with their down payment. Utilizing the equity built in an existing property can help secure a mortgage with favorable terms and potentially avoid private mortgage insurance (PMI). Home equity loans or lines of credit can provide the necessary funds for the down payment, allowing self-employed individuals to fulfill their homeownership dreams.

Overcoming Challenges and Navigating the Mortgage Process

As a self-employed borrower, there are unique challenges to overcome when navigating the mortgage process. Addressing higher interest rates is one of the first hurdles to tackle. Lenders often consider self-employed individuals as higher risk borrowers, resulting in slightly higher interest rates compared to traditionally employed borrowers. It is important to factor in these rates when assessing affordability and determining the long-term financial implications of homeownership.

Documenting your business and personal income is another critical aspect for self-employed borrowers. Lenders require verifiable proof of income to assess your loan eligibility. This includes providing tax returns for your business and personal finances for the past two years. Accurate and complete documentation is crucial to establish a clear understanding of your income stability and ability to repay the mortgage.

Common Hurdles and How to Overcome Them in the Loan Process

Difficulty Meeting Traditional Income Requirements – Self-employed borrowers often face challenges meeting the traditional income requirements set by lenders, as their income may fluctuate or be less predictable compared to salaried employees. To overcome this hurdle, you can work with a knowledgeable mortgage broker who specializes in assisting self-employed individuals. They can help navigate through alternative documentation options and find lenders who are more flexible with income verification.
High Debt-to-Income Ratio – Another common hurdle self-employed borrowers encounter is a high debt-to-income ratio. This ratio compares your monthly debt payments to your monthly income. To improve your chances of loan approval, consider reducing your overall debt by paying off high-interest debts or consolidating them into more manageable payments. Additionally, increasing your income or finding ways to demonstrate consistent income over time can help lower your debt-to-income ratio.
Limited Work and Income History – Having a limited work and income history as a self-employed borrower can be a challenge when seeking a mortgage. Lenders typically prefer borrowers with a steady work history and established income. However, you can showcase your industry experience, expertise, and success through a well-crafted business plan and professional portfolio. Demonstrating a stable and promising future in your line of work can help offset the lack of a traditional employment history.

Important Considerations for Self-Employed Buyers

As a self-employed buyer, there are several important considerations to keep in mind when purchasing a home. These include assessing affordability, understanding the impact of self-employment on your mortgage, and exploring the benefits of FHA loans for self-employed individuals.

Assessing affordability and determining your monthly income

Before diving into the home buying process, it’s crucial to assess your affordability. As a self-employed individual, your income may vary from month to month, making it essential to calculate your average monthly income. Consider your tax returns, invoices, and any other financial documents to determine a reliable estimation of your income. This will help you determine how much you can afford to spend on a mortgage payment each month.

Understanding the impact of self-employment on your mortgage

Self-employment can have a significant impact on your mortgage application. Lenders typically scrutinize self-employed individuals more closely due to the potential volatility of their income. It’s important to provide a comprehensive picture of your business and finances to alleviate any concerns. Prepare to provide documentation such as profit and loss statements, bank statements, and contracts or agreements with clients to demonstrate the stability and consistency of your income.

Exploring the benefits of FHA loans for self-employed individuals

For self-employed buyers, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans can offer several benefits. These loans have less stringent requirements compared to conventional mortgages and may be more accommodating for self-employed individuals. FHA loans typically have lower down payment requirements, lenient credit score criteria, and flexible income verification options. Exploring FHA loan programs tailored to self-employed individuals can provide viable financing options for buying a home.

The Future of Home Buying for Self-Employed Borrowers

The landscape of home buying for self-employed individuals is constantly evolving, with recent changes reflecting the needs and challenges of this growing segment of borrowers. Technological advancements and innovations in mortgage lending are also playing a crucial role in shaping the future of home buying for self-employed borrowers. Let’s explore some key aspects that are shaping the future of home buying for self-employed individuals.

Recent changes in the lending landscape for self-employed individuals

In recent years, there have been significant changes in the lending landscape that specifically address the needs and realities of self-employed borrowers. Lenders have started offering more flexible mortgage options tailored to accommodate different types of income, including 1099 income. These changes have made it easier for self-employed individuals to qualify for mortgages, as lenders now consider a wider range of income documentation and alternative verification methods.

Potential developments and opportunities for self-employed home buyers

Expanded lending options: The lending industry is constantly exploring new ways to cater to the unique needs of self-employed individuals. This includes the development of specialized loan programs and products that are specifically designed for self-employed borrowers, offering more favorable terms and conditions.
Enhanced income verification methods: Technology-driven income verification methods, such as bank statement analysis and cash flow analysis tools, are gaining traction. These methods provide a more accurate assessment of a self-employed borrower’s income, accounting for fluctuations and seasonality, which can help strengthen their loan applications.
Increased support for gig economy workers: As the gig economy continues to grow, more and more individuals rely on income from freelance work, contract jobs, or side hustles. The lending industry is recognizing this shift and exploring options to accommodate gig economy workers, ensuring fair access to homeownership opportunities.

Overall, the future of home buying for self-employed borrowers looks promising. With ongoing changes in the lending landscape and advancements in technology, self-employed individuals can expect more accessible, efficient, and tailored mortgage solutions to fulfill their homeownership dreams.

About the author – Eric Jeanette started as a Realtor in 1993 and eventually transitioned to lending. His companies Dream Home Financing and FHA Lenders provide mortgage information and education to consumers. They also provide those same consumers with a free lender match service through a network of lenders for conventional, FHA/government, subprime, self-employed and many other niche loan programs.

Apache is functioning normally

July 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

Our rating

U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card

Sign-up bonus: Spend $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening to earn 50,000 bonus points.
5x points: Prepaid hotels and car rentals
4x points: Travel, gas stations and EV charging stations
2x points: Grocery stores, grocery delivery, dining and streaming services
1x points: All other eligible purchases
Redeem for: Cash back, travel, gift cards, merchandise and more.
Annual fee: $95, waived the first year
Credit needed: Good or better

.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-wrappadding-top:23px;padding-right:23px;padding-bottom:23px;padding-left:23px;background-color:#f9fafa;border-top:1px solid #cacaca;border-right:1px solid #cacaca;border-bottom:1px solid #cacaca;border-left:1px solid #cacaca;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-contents-title-wrappadding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-contents-titlefont-size:14px;line-height:18px;letter-spacing:0.06px;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,”Segoe UI”,Roboto,Oxygen-Sans,Ubuntu,Cantarell,”Helvetica Neue”,sans-serif, “Apple Color Emoji”, “Segoe UI Emoji”, “Segoe UI Symbol”;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;text-transform:uppercase;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-wrap .kb-table-of-content-listcolor:#001c29;font-size:14px;line-height:21px;letter-spacing:0.01px;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,”Segoe UI”,Roboto,Oxygen-Sans,Ubuntu,Cantarell,”Helvetica Neue”,sans-serif, “Apple Color Emoji”, “Segoe UI Emoji”, “Segoe UI Symbol”;font-weight:inherit;font-style:normal;margin-top:var(–global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-wrap .kb-table-of-content-list .kb-table-of-contents__entry:hovercolor:#16928d;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-list limargin-bottom:7px;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-list li .kb-table-of-contents-list-submargin-top:7px;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-toggle-icon-style-basiccircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:after, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-toggle-icon-style-basiccircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:before, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-toggle-icon-style-arrowcircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:after, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-toggle-icon-style-arrowcircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:before, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-toggle-icon-style-xclosecircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:after, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-toggle-icon-style-xclosecircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:beforebackground-color:#f9fafa;@media all and (max-width: 1024px).kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-wrapborder-top:1px solid #cacaca;border-right:1px solid #cacaca;border-bottom:1px solid #cacaca;border-left:1px solid #cacaca;@media all and (max-width: 767px).kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-wrapborder-top:1px solid #cacaca;border-right:1px solid #cacaca;border-bottom:1px solid #cacaca;border-left:1px solid #cacaca;

The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card is a fantastic travel rewards credit card for people who aren’t wedded to a particular airline or hospitality family.

Notable perks include a big new account bonus with qualifying spend, competitive rewards on eligible purchases, and potentially valuable add-ons like complimentary airport lounge access.

Is the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect card perfect? Of course not — no credit card is. But it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re in the market for a new premium spending aid.

What Is the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card?

The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card is a cash-back card that offers solid earning rates and travel-related benefits.

It starts with a great sign-up bonus: Spend $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening to earn 50,000 bonus points. That’s worth up to $500 towards cash back, travel, gift cards, merchandise and more.

This card earns up to 5x points on eligible prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center and 4x points on other eligible travel, gas station, and EV charging station purchases.

Other bonus categories (2x points) include grocery stores, grocery delivery, dining, and streaming services. In addition to 2x points on streaming subscription purchases, you also get a $30 annual credit for streaming services, like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, Disney+, Apple Music and more.

Not only does U.S. Bank Altitude Connect earn bonus points on travel-related expenses, the card also has several travel-related benefits:

Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which gives you four free visits to over 1,300 airport VIP lounges worldwide
Trip cancellation/interruption coverage
Trip delay reimbursement
SmartDelay access on eligible travel delays

Other notable benefits include a statement credit up to $100 every four years to cover Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fees, plus a cell phone protection plan that provides up to $600 in reimbursement if your cell phone is stolen or damaged when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your card.

There’s a $95 annual fee for this card after the first year. There are no foreign transaction fees.

What Sets the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card Apart?

This card has several features that help it distinguish itself from other credit cards in its category.

Excellent sign-up bonus. This card has one of the better sign-up bonuses in its class (sub-$100 annual fee). It’s worth up to $500 towards cash back, travel, gift cards, merchandise, and more.
4x points on gas and EV charging. This is one of the highest rewards rates for vehicle fuel. There are cards with quarterly rotating bonus categories of 5x on these types of purchases, but the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature card earns 4x points year-round without a cap.
Streaming credit. The card comes with a $30 annual credit for streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, Disney+, Apple Music and more. This can help offset the $95 annual fee, since this credit is easy to use.
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS. The card delivers a statement credit up to $100 every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS. Since the annual fee is waived for the first year, this credit makes the card worth holding for at least two years if you want one of these services.

Key Features of the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card

The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature card offers a solid earning rewards rate on travel and gas categories, a streaming service credit and other travel-related credits and benefits.

Sign-Up Bonus

Spend $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening to earn 50,000 bonus points. This bonus can be worth up to $500 at redemption.

Earning Rewards

This card earns rewards as follows:

5 points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center
4 points per $1 spent on other travel and on purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations
2 points per $1 spent at grocery stores and on grocery delivery, dining, and streaming services

All other eligible purchases earn 1 point per $1 spent.

Redeeming Rewards

You can redeem your points for one cent each towards cash back, travel purchases, gift cards, merchandise, and more.

Points can be redeemed in the U.S. Bank Mobile App, in the Rewards Center in online banking at usbank.com, or by calling the 24-hour Rewards Center. They’re generally worth $0.01 apiece at redemption.

Important Fees

This card charges a balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the amount of each transaction and a cash advance fee of $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction. There is a $41 late payment fee and a $41 return payment fee.

The annual fee is $95 after the first year, when it’s $0. There is no foreign transaction fee.

Additional Benefits

This card has several additional benefits:

A $30 annual credit against eligible streaming service purchases
A complimentary Priority Pass Select membership that entitles you to free or reduced-price access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide
Up to $600 in cell phone protection coverage when you pay your bill in full with your card
Trip cancellation/interruption coverage and trip delay reimbursement
SmartDelay on qualifying travel delays, entitling you to complimentary access to select airport lounges when your flight is delayed
Up to $100 in statement credits every four years against eligible Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fees.

Credit Required

This card requires good or better credit to qualify. If your FICO score is much below 700, or your personal credit history is limited, then you’ll likely have trouble being approved.

Pros & Cons

The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card has some attractive upsides along with a couple drawbacks worth noting.

Very generous sign-up bonus
Great rewards program
Lots of nonrewards benefits, like airport lounge access
Relatively low fees

Limited rewards flexibility
$95 annual fee after the first year

Pros

Overall, this is a generous travel rewards card with a surprisingly strong lineup of nonrewards benefits.

Sign-up bonus worth $500. This card has an excellent sign-up bonus: Spend $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening to earn 50,000 bonus points. This is a very competitive offer relative to other cash back cards.
Strong bonus point offers. If you spend a lot on hotels and car rentals, and you don’t mind booking through U.S. Bank’s in-house travel agent, then you could earn 5 points per $1 spent on those purchases. Even if you book another way, you’ll still earn 4x points on travel, at gas stations, and even at EV charging stations and you’ve got a very compelling rewards program.
Plenty of benefits. This card’s most valuable benefit could be a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, good for up to four visits per year — a rarity on a card with such a low annual fee. The cell phone protection and travel insurance coverages, along with SmartDelay access, are potentially valuable as well. And it’s always nice to get $100 off your Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee.
Low fees. The $95 annual fee is waived the first year, and there are no foreign transaction fees.

Cons

This card’s point system leaves something to be desired, and the annual fee could be an issue for users who can’t spend fast enough to offset it.

No flexible rewards points. Award travel enthusiasts love Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards points because they can be transferred to airline and hotel programs. When you do this skillfully, it’s possible to realize much more than $0.01 in value per point redeemed. But with this card, you can’t transfer your points to airline and hotel programs, so you can’t get more than $0.01 per point at redemption.
Annual fee after the first year. Though it’s waived the first year out, this card does have a $95 annual fee after that. This isn’t ideal for light spenders.

How the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card Stacks Up

This card’s closest competitor is probably the Bank of America Premium Rewards card. Here’s how the two cards compare.

	U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card	Bank of America® Premium Rewards®
Annual Fee	$95, waived the first year	$95
Sign-Up Bonus	Very good	Even better
Rewards Rate	Up to 5x points	Up to 2x points, but Preferred Rewards members can earn more
Foreign Transaction Fee	None	None
Credit Needed	Good or better	Good or better

The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card has a more generous rewards program than the Bank of America Premium Rewards card, and it’s nice that it waives the annual fee in the first year. But Bank of America has a slightly better sign-up bonus and better perks for existing Bank of America deposit customers.

Final Word

The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card is a great card for earning a valuable sign-up bonus and extra points on common purchases. It’s also a card that showers you with valuable perks and benefits, while keeping the fees low. If you aren’t ready to dive into a travel rewards card that lets you transfer your rewards to airline miles and hotel points, then this is one of the best travel rewards cards available.

The Verdict

Our rating

U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card

If you want a premium travel rewards card with plenty of benefits, but you don’t want to pay a very large annual fee, then the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card is a good option. It features bonus reward points, airport lounge access, cell phone protection and credits towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. And with no annual fee the first year, there’s little risk in giving this card a try.

Editorial Note:
The editorial content on this page is not provided by any bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Jason Steele is one of the nation’s leading experts in credit cards and travel rewards since 2008. Jason is also the founder and producer of CardCon, which is The Conference for Credit Card Media. Jason lives in Denver, Colorado where he enjoys bicycling, snowboarding and piloting small airplanes.

Source: moneycrashers.com

Apache is functioning normally

July 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

Here at TPG, we’re all about maximizing every dollar you spend. Often, you can accomplish that by using the best credit card to enjoy the highest return for a specific purchase. But sometimes, you can go a step further.

Enter “double dipping,” or the practice of earning two different types of points on a single transaction. Taking advantage of double-dipping opportunities will help you accelerate your points-earning — bringing you that much closer to your dream award trip.

Below, we’ve outlined some of our top double-dipping opportunities that you can (and should) work into your everyday points practices.

Use online shopping portals

One of the simplest ways to double dip is to use shopping portals for your online purchases. These third-party sites partner with various retailers to give you points, miles or cash back when you click through their links. This is in addition to the points and miles you earn from putting the transaction on your credit card. So, you earn one bonus from the portal and another from your card.

No matter what type of points you’re trying to earn, there’s likely a portal out there that will suit your needs. Several airlines and hotel chains have their own portals, as does Chase Ultimate Rewards. Meanwhile, Rakuten allows you to receive your earnings in the form of American Express Membership Rewards points as an alternative to its usual cash back. You can even earn a one-time $30 bonus by joining Rakuten and spending $30 in the first 90 days.

Not sure which portal to use? Try using a shopping portal aggregator such as Cashback Monitor to compare earning rates across numerous portals for a given retailer.

Join restaurant rewards programs

Your next meal out could put you closer to a plane ticket. ALEXI ROSENFELD/GETTY IMAGES

Dining out can be a lucrative activity by itself, with cards such as the American Express® Gold Card offering 4 points per dollar on worldwide restaurant purchases. But it’s also an opportunity to double dip using airline and hotel dining rewards programs.

Once you register, participating restaurants will automatically award you points or miles when you pay for a meal with a linked credit card. Once again, these earnings are on top of the points or miles you net just for purchasing with your credit card.

There’s just one key thing to remember: Each of your credit cards can only be registered for one dining program, so you can’t earn through two airline or hotel programs for a single purchase.

Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter

Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts.

Related: How to earn 1,000 Southwest points the next time you dine out (or order in)

Earn more with Uber and Lyft

Earn bonus points and miles when you hail a ride. RAFAEL HENRIQUE/GETTY IMAGES

Whether you use Uber or Lyft, you can make your rides more valuable by linking certain rewards accounts to earn points on every ride.

With Lyft, you have several choices when it comes to earning bonus points or miles, though you must select one of the following as your designated loyalty rewards partner:

Note that Chase also partners with Lyft. So, in addition to selecting one of the above programs, you can use an eligible card — like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — to earn up to 10 points per dollar spent on the platform. Sapphire Reserve cardholders also enjoy complimentary Lyft Pink All Access for two years.

Meanwhile with Uber, you can link your Marriott Bonvoy account and earn the following:

6 points per dollar on Uber Eats restaurant and grocery orders of $40 or more delivered to a hotel in Marriott’s portfolio
3 points per dollar on rides with UberXL, Uber Comfort, Uber SUV and Uber Black
2 points per dollar on all other Uber Eats restaurant and grocery orders above $40.

Make sure you’re also using a credit card with a great return on travel purchases; for instance, the American Express® Green Card, which offers 3 points per dollar spent on travel and transit purchases, including ride-hailing services.

Related: Frequent Uber or Lyft passenger? These credit cards are for you

Rent with Airbnb

Earn bonus points when you rent a home on Airbnb. AIRBNB

Make your Airbnb stays more valuable by booking them through Delta Air Lines’ or British Airways’ online portals. Simply choose a program and click the booking button on its dedicated Airbnb page to rack up extra miles. You’ll earn 1 mile per dollar if you go through Delta SkyMiles and 3 Avios per dollar if you book through British Airways Executive Club. So, expensive Airbnb bookings can quickly add up to award flights.

Like with Uber and Lyft, make sure to pay with a travel credit card that earns a bonus on vacation rentals to maximize your points-earning.

Related: 12 tips for choosing the perfect beach house rental

Earn bonus United miles with MileagePlus X

This app provides endless double-dipping possibilities for those looking to rack up United miles. It awards you bonus miles for buying electronic gift cards through the app, which you can later use online or in person at shops and restaurants. This is particularly great for merchants not included in popular bonus categories on credit cards.

Use the United MileagePlus X app for bonus miles on gift card purchases at many popular merchants. UNITED MILEAGEPLUS X APP

The deal is even sweeter for those with a cobranded United credit card, like the United Explorer Card. If you link your United card to the app, you’ll earn a 25% mileage bonus for every gift card you buy, whether or not you use that card to pay for the purchase.

The best part? With MileagePlus X, you can actually take things to the next level for a triple dip. Simply buy a gift card through the app — earning points from the app and points for the transaction on your credit card — and then use that gift card to make an online purchase while utilizing a shopping portal.

Related: Here’s why it matters which card you use to pay in the United MPX app

Leverage the American Airlines and Hyatt partnership

Have American or Hyatt elite status? You can earn bonus points and miles. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

American Airlines and World of Hyatt have a partnership offering reciprocal points-earning opportunities to elite loyalty program members. Hyatt elites can earn 1 bonus point per dollar spent on qualifying American flights. American elites can earn 1 bonus point per dollar spent on qualifying Hyatt stays — all on top of the points and miles they’d normally earn when flying American or staying at a Hyatt.

Luckily, it doesn’t take much to nab Hyatt elite status. Just take out the World of Hyatt Credit Card for automatic Discoverist status to participate.

Related: Everything you need to know about World of Hyatt

Give RewardsPlus a go

United and Marriott elites get reciprocal benefits too. MANUEL ROMANO/GETTY IMAGES

Long before Hyatt and American joined forces, United and Marriott partnered to offer their members elevated benefits and bonus points through the RewardsPlus program.

With this program, United Gold (or higher) elites automatically receive Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status, while Marriott Titanium and Ambassador elites automatically receive United Premier Silver status. Of course, it’s relatively easy to get Marriott Gold status with credit cards — including The Platinum Card® from American Express or the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. As a result, top-tier Marriott elites get the better end of this deal. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

In addition to reciprocal elite benefits, all members enjoy extra miles when transferring Marriott points to United, regardless of status. While most (but not all) of Marriott’s transfer partners receive a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred, United members get 10,000 bonus miles for transferring 60,000 points. That means you can effectively convert 2 Marriott points to 1 United mile.

Leverage retail loyalty programs

Enroll in retail rewards programs to earn extra rewards when you shop. THOMAS BARWICK/GETTY IMAGES

While they won’t get you first-class tickets or luxury hotel stays, many sports retailers, restaurants, office supply stores and pet supply stores offer loyalty programs that you can maximize when purchasing. Most of these programs give you rewards in the form of future discounts (e.g., spend $100 and get a $5 coupon) on top of the standard earnings you’d get from using your credit card.

If you’re not familiar with these programs, you can check out our list of the nine most underrated loyalty programs.

Related: The best credit cards for buying clothes

Credit card offers and discounts

Applying for a new credit card typically comes with a large number of points or miles as a welcome bonus (after you meet the minimum spending requirement, of course). However, once you’ve opened a card, there are a number of other ways to earn bonus rewards or unlock discounts on everyday purchases.

Most of the major issuers offer a program along these lines, including:

These are targeted to each individual cardholder, and you typically must activate them before making a purchase. You also may find several obscure merchants with whom you have no intention of doing business. However, by frequently checking your online accounts, you may be able to find some good opportunities for bonuses or savings.

Here’s just a sampling of the offers that TPG staffers currently have on their cards:

An Amex offer to earn 5 extra American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar spent, up to 1,000 points
An Amex offer to earn 50% back on purchases with Dropbox
Multiple Chase offers to earn 10% back when you spend $100 with multiple Marriott brands — including Autograph Collection, SpringHill Suites and Renaissance Hotels
A Citi offer to earn 5% back on Lyft rides

You can also stack these with many of the other “dips” on this list to create a double dip or triple dip. For example, stack an Amex Offer at a nearby restaurant with a dining rewards program or an online purchase with a shopping portal.

Bottom line

There are plenty of great ways to rack up points and miles quickly, but everyday spending often gets overlooked as one of them. There are many concrete things you can start doing today that will unlock a world of rewards for tomorrow.

With these double-dipping efforts as a part of your overall strategy, you’ll build your account balances and get that much closer to your next award trip.

For rates and fees of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.
For rewards and benefits of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.

Source: thepointsguy.com

Apache is functioning normally

July 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

Our rating

nbkc Free Business Checking

Monthly fee: $0
Minimum deposit: $0
Minimum ongoing balance: $0
Account yield: None
Deposit insurance: Yes, up to $250,000

.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-wrappadding-top:23px;padding-right:23px;padding-bottom:23px;padding-left:23px;background-color:#f9fafa;border-top:1px solid #cacaca;border-right:1px solid #cacaca;border-bottom:1px solid #cacaca;border-left:1px solid #cacaca;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-contents-title-wrappadding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-contents-titlefont-size:14px;line-height:18px;letter-spacing:0.06px;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,”Segoe UI”,Roboto,Oxygen-Sans,Ubuntu,Cantarell,”Helvetica Neue”,sans-serif, “Apple Color Emoji”, “Segoe UI Emoji”, “Segoe UI Symbol”;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;text-transform:uppercase;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-wrap .kb-table-of-content-listcolor:#001c29;font-size:14px;line-height:21px;letter-spacing:0.01px;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,”Segoe UI”,Roboto,Oxygen-Sans,Ubuntu,Cantarell,”Helvetica Neue”,sans-serif, “Apple Color Emoji”, “Segoe UI Emoji”, “Segoe UI Symbol”;font-weight:inherit;font-style:normal;margin-top:var(–global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-wrap .kb-table-of-content-list .kb-table-of-contents__entry:hovercolor:#16928d;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-list limargin-bottom:7px;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-list li .kb-table-of-contents-list-submargin-top:7px;.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-toggle-icon-style-basiccircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:after, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-toggle-icon-style-basiccircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:before, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-toggle-icon-style-arrowcircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:after, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-toggle-icon-style-arrowcircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:before, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-toggle-icon-style-xclosecircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:after, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-toggle-icon-style-xclosecircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:beforebackground-color:#f9fafa;@media all and (max-width: 1024px).kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-wrapborder-top:1px solid #cacaca;border-right:1px solid #cacaca;border-bottom:1px solid #cacaca;border-left:1px solid #cacaca;@media all and (max-width: 767px).kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id_88a319-9a .kb-table-of-content-wrapborder-top:1px solid #cacaca;border-right:1px solid #cacaca;border-bottom:1px solid #cacaca;border-left:1px solid #cacaca;

Many freelancers and independent professionals get by without a separate business bank account. They commingle their personal and business funds on the reasoning that it all ends up in the same place eventually.

To the extent that this happens because self-employed folks without serious business chops feel overwhelmed by the idea of separating business and personal finances, it shouldn’t. Not with small-business and freelancer-friendly business banking options like nbkc Free Business Checking.

With no minimum balance requirements or monthly fees, nbkc Free Business Checking is designed for value-conscious entrepreneurs. While it’s nowhere near perfect, it’s worth considering if the alternative is a messy status quo.

What Is nbkc Free Business Checking?

nbkc Free Business Checking is a small-business checking account with no monthly fee, no minimum balance requirement, and FDIC insurance up to statutory limits.

nbkc Free Business Checking has some other features worth noting, including free overdraft coverage, free domestic wire transfers, a Mastercard debit card, a generous ATM surcharge allowance, and robust mobile capabilities. However, it has no debit card rewards program and doesn’t pay interest on balances. It lacks some nonbanking features that many similar accounts offer, such as custom expense tracking and built-in invoicing.

What Sets nbkc Free Business Checking Apart?

nbkc Free Business Checking stands out from other small-business bank accounts for several reasons:

Very few fees. This account has no monthly fee, no overdraft fees, no wire transfer fees, and very few of the less-common fees other bank accounts typically charge.
No minimums or transaction limits. nbkc Free Business Checking has no minimum balance requirements and no limits on transaction count or value. Many other business checking accounts impose such limits, which can be costly and inconvenient.
Generous ATM surcharge reimbursement. nbkc reimburses up to $12 in out-of-network ATM surcharges each month. That should be plenty for most users.
No rewards. One notable downside of this account is its total lack of a debit card rewards program. As more business accounts offer returns on debit card spending, this omission looms ever larger.

Key Features of nbkc Free Business Checking

nbkc Free Business Checking has all the features you’d expect from a basic business checking account, and few extras beyond that.

Account Fees & Minimums

There’s no minimum balance to open or maintain your account. There’s also no monthly maintenance fee and very few fees for other account activities.

Account Yield

This account pays no interest on any balances. Nbkc has no business savings account either, leaving no way to earn interest on business balances.

Debit Card & ATM Access

This account comes with a Mastercard debit card that works at millions of in-person and online points of sale worldwide.

As part of the MoneyPass network, nbkc offers fee-free withdrawals at tens of thousands of ATMs across the United States. Out-of-network ATM withdrawals may incur fees that nbkc can’t control, but nbkc reimburses them up to $12 per monthly statement cycle.

Overdraft Coverage

nbkc Free Business Checking offers complimentary overdraft coverage at its discretion. If the bank allows an overdraft transaction to go through, it charges no fee for the privilege. However, nbkc reserves the right to deny overdraft transactions at its discretion, also with no fee.

Mobile Features

nbkc’s mobile app has solid ratings from verified users in the Apple App Store and Google Play marketplace. It shares its core functions and capabilities with the desktop banking interface:

Remote check deposit
Person-to-person payments
Scheduled and one-time bill payments
Expense tracking
Viewing and managing statements

Deposit Insurance

This account comes with federal deposit insurance up to the current limit of $250,000. If nbkc goes out of business, the FDIC steps in to ensure you lose nothing below this amount.

Pros & Cons

nbkc Free Business Checking is a straightforward small-business bank account with some clear advantages and some equally notable downsides.

No monthly fee
No minimum balance requirements
Generous ATM fee reimbursements
Free overdraft coverage

No interest on balances
No rewards
Few nonbanking features

Pros

nbkc Free Business Checking is affordable, easy to understand, and easy to use.

No monthly fee. This account charges no monthly fee, no matter how little (or how much) you keep in your account. This is excellent news for budget-conscious freelancers and small-business owners.
No minimums. There’s no minimum deposit or ongoing balance required to keep this account in good standing. Again, that’s good news for users without lots of cash to spare.
No transaction limits. Unlike some business bank accounts, nbkc Free Business Checking has no upper limit on transaction volumes. This is good if your business makes or receives lots of small-dollar transactions each month.
Generous ATM fee reimbursement. nbkc reimburses up to $12 in out-of-network ATM fees each statement period. That’s in addition to free withdrawals at tens of thousands of MoneyPass ATMs around the country.
Free overdraft coverage. nbkc charges nothing to process overdraft transactions. Though it may decline these transactions on a case-by-case basis, there’s no nonsufficient funds fee associated with a denial either.
Comprehensive mobile app. nbkc has a straightforward, easy-to-use mobile app that replicates the traditional online banking interface in a smaller format. Some competing business bank accounts are unacceptably clunky or feature-poor on mobile.

Cons

Nbkc Free Business Checking isn’t particularly rewarding and lacks some of the potentially valuable business capabilities available from some similar accounts.

No interest on balances. This account pays no interest on balances. If you want to earn a return on your company’s emergency savings fund or any other funds you don’t need right away, you’ll need to open a savings account with another bank.
No debit card rewards. nbkc has no debit card rewards program. In other words, there’s no return on spending here, unlike at many competing business banks.
Few nonbanking features. nbkc Free Business Checking is a very basic bank account. It has few useful nonbanking features, such as built-in invoicing, tax management, or accounting (beyond basic expense categorization).

How nbkc Free Business Checking Stacks Up

nbkc Free Business Checking competes against dozens of other small-business checking accounts, each with its own unique mix of features and capabilities. One of its top competitors is the NorthOne Deposit Account, a more expensive and more capable option for growing businesses.

	nbkc Free Business Checking	NorthOne Deposit Account
Monthly Fee	$0	$10
Minimum Balance	$0	$0
Subaccounts	No	No, but has a built-in envelope budgeting feature
Yield	None	None
ATM Access	About 40,000 free ATMs and $12 in monthly reimbursements	Unlimited (no ATM withdrawal fees anywhere)

With no monthly fee and a generous ATM reimbursement allowance, nbkc Free Business Checking is ideal for small, budget-conscious freelancers and business owners who don’t ask much more of their business accounts. NorthOne is a better fit for entrepreneurs who need more features and services.

Final Word

nbkc Free Business Checking is an easy-to-use business bank account that’s even easier to understand. If you’re a freelancer or self-employed individual with straightforward business finances and no need for bells and whistles, it’s a reasonable choice — though not quite the best in the category.

If your financial needs are more complicated or you’re planning to grow your business in the coming years, nbkc Free Business Checking probably isn’t powerful enough for you. Fortunately, other business bank accounts are.

The Verdict

Our rating

nbkc Free Business Checking

nbkc Free Business Checking is a basic business checking account designed for freelancers and owners of small businesses with simple finances. With no monthly fees or minimums, it delivers solid value for users who don’t ask much of their business banking partners. But it lacks the firepower for larger businesses and enterprises with more complicated accounting needs.

Editorial Note:
The editorial content on this page is not provided by any bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Brian Martucci writes about credit cards, banking, insurance, travel, and more. When he’s not investigating time- and money-saving strategies for Money Crashers readers, you can find him exploring his favorite trails or sampling a new cuisine. Reach him on Twitter @Brian_Martucci.

Source: moneycrashers.com

Apache is functioning normally

July 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

Figuring out how to pack boxes for moving may seem pretty straightforward. You’ve got the box, your stuff and a variety of packing supplies to, hopefully, make your job easier. Fundamentally, it’s simple, but packing tips can always help make moving easier and ensure your packed boxes keep your stuff safer.

From gathering the right packing material to buying specialty boxes, from understanding how to wrap fragile items to stacking moving boxes just right, here’s what you need to know.

Collect the right packing paper and other supplies

The packing supplies you buy when moving really do matter. You’ll need to assemble all the basics — paper, packing tape, bubble wrap and packing peanuts. You’ll also need at least one thick permanent marker to label each box. If you wanted to get really organized, you could even get a whole set of different colored markers, assigning one color to each room for easier box sorting.

Be selective when it comes to paper and tape, though, even if it means spending a little more. For packing paper, you want what’s known as a newsprint, not an actual newspaper. Newsprint crumples easily but has nothing printed on it. It’s just clean and blank. Newspaper ink can rub off onto all kinds of personal items ruining some and forcing you to do some extra cleaning as you unpack.

When it comes to tape, it’s packing tape or nothing. Avoid scotch tape, painter’s tape or anything else that’s not strong enough to hold onto cardboard boxes.

The right number of boxes

There are a few things that impact how many boxes you’ll need for a move. One is how long you’ve lived in your current place. It correlates to how much stuff you’ve acquired. Another is what kind of lifestyle you lead. Are you a hoarder, minimalist or somewhere in between? The final piece is the size of your current home. Each factor into the total number of boxes you’ll need, so there’s no overarching right number.

However, it’s possible to make some estimates. For example, if your apartment is between 700 and 1,1250 square feet, you’ll most likely need between 45 and 65 boxes of varying sizes.

You can take this estimate and buy all your boxes in advance, or start with half the amount and see how it goes. Just remember, you’ll need small boxes, large boxes, medium-sized boxes and a few special ones, like wardrobe boxes, to really get the job done right.

Where to find boxes for moving

There are contrary feelings on how to collect boxes for a move. Professional movers will say you should buy them new from the moving company, but there are plenty of ways to get boxes for free. The caveat is they’re used.

Collecting free boxes from your local grocery or liquor store is a great way to save money, but you never really know how strong that box is. As a result, some packing tips suggest you avoid putting valuables or fragile items in used boxes. You wouldn’t want the bottom falling out of a box containing items like these.

That said, when you’re collecting used boxes, it’s easy to verify their condition. If they look stained or ripped or have odd creases from being smooshed, they’re probably not the best choice. You can easily find used boxes in excellent condition and then, splurge a little on your packing materials to make sure your items stay safe while inside.

Packing boxes for moving like a pro

When it’s time to start packing, and you’ve got all your moving boxes out and ready to go, the real work begins. Organizing your stuff is just the start. You should also have a strategy of how you’re going to pack, one that accounts for all the time you’ll need to individually wrap all your fragile items. Nobody would disagree that packing is a huge process, but with the right tips, you can get the job done.

1. Start early

The moment you finish packing your first box will most likely set off a chain reaction of productivity. You’ve just simply got to get the job done. Starting early allows you to keep working after that single box without feeling rushed or stressed.

Packing is not something you can do overnight, but you want to be fully packed on moving day. Retain your sanity, and start early. Creating a schedule that begins about four weeks out is ideal.

You can make a list of everything you have to pack, organize it by how likely you’ll be to need that stuff before you move, then pack the least needed items first. Start with books you’ve already read, off-season clothing and excess plates and dishes if you’re having trouble prioritizing.

2. Clean everything first

A huge way to save time when it comes to unpacking is to clean everything before it goes into a box. You don’t want to pack dirty or dusty items and nothing should go into a box wet. Water is cardboard’s worst enemy.

Just wiping everything down with paper towels will help ensure nothing else in the box gets dirty and everything can go right into its new space as you unpack it.

3. Separate your essentials

There’s one batch of stuff that does not belong in a moving box or on a moving truck. These are your essentials. It’s all the items you’ll need immediately after moving. Before you even begin packing, it’s best to make a list of these items so you can set them aside as you go.

Since there’s no way you’ll unpack all your boxes within the first 24 hours of moving, gather together a small number of clothes, your everyday toiletries, device chargers, important documents and anything precious to you. You can even toss in a roll of toilet paper. You’ll need it.

As you pack, separate out these items and put them into a suitcase you’ll carry with you on moving day.

4. Create an ‘open me first’ box

In addition to your essentials, you’ll also want to compile materials you’ll need to “open first.” These are the items that will help with the unpacking and settling in. They all belong together in their own box.

This box should include:

Cleaning supplies
A box cutter
A few key kitchen items like a place setting and a pot or pan
A set of towels
Your bedding

Everything in here should relate to the initial setup of your new place. Since it’s the first box you want to open when you arrive, you need to label it appropriately. A huge “1″ on all sides will do it, but the real trick is to get it packed onto the moving truck last so it will come into your new home first.

Then, store it in a closet or even in the bathtub so you don’t lose it in the mass of boxes that will follow. You can then open it first, make your bed, cook a box of pasta for dinner and clean up after yourself, all without worry.

5. Pack one room at a time

One of the best strategies is to take things room-by-room. Start with the room you use the least and work your way to the room you use the most. This keeps stuff together by room and makes it easier to track.

While it’s OK, as an exception, to mix things from different rooms in a single box, don’t make it your normal practice. It makes it harder to know where the box belongs when you’re labeling it, and often requires you to run from room to room to drop stuff off.

6. Bag smaller items

Small knick-knacks can easily get lost in the folds of the packing paper within a box. Especially when you’re working with non-fragile items, it’s not always necessary to show care when packing. Even if you wrap them up like you would delicate items, they can still get misplaced as you unpack. Bagging them up, even in tiny snack-sized bags, is a great way to keep track of smaller items among all the crumpled paper.

7. Watch your weight

Heavy boxes equal heavy lifting, and the last thing you want to do is pull a muscle during a move. For that reason, your heaviest boxes should weigh no more than 40-50 pounds. This is true even if you’re using movers with all their hand trucks and specialty equipment. At some point, you’ll have to lift that box, too.

When dealing with heavy items, use the size of the box to keep things under control. Pack heavier items in smaller boxes, curbing the temptation to overstuff. Use your larger boxes to hold light items like linens and pillows.

8. Pack heavy to light

The order in which you pack each box also makes a difference, so you want to always put heavy items on the bottom of the box. Save the lighter items for the top.

The heavy-to-light strategy also works when you have to stack moving boxes. Heavier ones should always go on the bottom to make sure the lighter moving boxes don’t end up crushed.

9. Wrap fragile items by themselves

Bubble wrap and crumpled packing paper are your best friends when it comes to packing fragile items. You want to ensure there’s extra protection in these boxes, so among all the padding, you need to make certain items aren’t banging into each other. Wrap each item separately, sealing the bundle with a piece of masking tape and packing them in side-by-side.

10. Fill in the gaps

On a similar note, leaving gaps in boxes gives your stuff too much opportunity to shift inside the box, knocking into other stuff and, ultimately, breaking or getting damaged.

Crumpled packing paper and packing peanuts make short work of those empty spaces, but you can also pack clothes, towels or sheets around your items.

11. Use specialty boxes

Even though you may have to buy them new, and they’re a little more expensive, specialty boxes can also really protect your stuff. They’ll also make it easier to unpack.

For clothing, consider wardrobe boxes. Stuff all the suitcases you have with your folded items but for nicer attire, formal wear, clothing for work or anything delicate, a wardrobe box allows you to move your clothes still on the hanger.

For all those nice wine glasses and stemware, a cell box has built-in compartments to secure each individual glass in place. Some boxes even have sections of different sizes to accommodate even more of the fragile pieces in your kitchen.

For your huge flat screen, if you don’t have the original box, you can get a TV box that includes extra foam pieces to protect the corners and a flat base to keep the TV upright.

12. Liberally apply tape to all boxes

Packing tape is your friend when moving in more ways than one. Not only will it seal all your moving boxes up, but it also reinforces them. Beyond taping the line where the flaps come together on the top and bottom of each box, add extra strips to ensure everything stays closed. You can go parallel to the center sealing piece, or you can tape along the open edges of the flaps that close.

Bottom line, the more tape the better, just make sure you’re liberally applying it on both the top and bottom of the box.

13. Label each box on the sides

It may just make sense to label your box on the lid once you’ve taped it close, but nobody sees that once the box gets added to a stack. To make sure you can see the labels, and your movers can see when a box contains fragile items, write the room destination of each box on all sides. You can also buy fragile stickers to slap on boxes where appropriate.

Get a move on

The bulk of any move, packing up your stuff takes time, effort and a little finesse. With these tips to guide you on how to pack moving boxes, you’ll become expertly packed. Then, you’ll be completely ready come moving day to focus on what’s important — your new home.

Source: rent.com

Apache is functioning normally

July 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

New home sales among the “50 Top-Selling Master-Planned Communities” increased by 7% in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, according to a study by RCLCO Real Estate Consulting.

Master-planned communities have been gaining steam since their invention in the 1960s. Usually built by one developer, they are large, custom-built residential communities that include a number of recreational amenities for residents.

In the sales ranking, The Villages, a retirement community located in Central Florida, was the top-selling community in the country, with an estimated 1,960 sales in the first six months of 2023. It was the same exact number of sales as recorded at this time in 2022.

Florida’s Lakewood Ranch claimed the second spot with 1,227 sales, a 20% increase over last year at this time. Sunterra, located just outside Houston in Katy, Texas, came in third with 669 sales, 49% increase in sales since last year.

D.R. Horton, the country’s largest national homebuilder, appeared on the list four times. All of its communities were in Texas. Land Tejas, owned by Starwood Capital Group, appeared on the list three times and was the developer behind Sunterra.

Houston was the top-performing metropolitan area with 14 communities in the Top 50, representing over 5,000 sales, or almost 26% of all sales among ranked MPCs. The state of Florida represented about 42% of sales among ranked communities, followed by Texas at nearly 38%.

This uptick in MPC sales represents a turnaround, pointing to the strength of the new home sales market. Recently, homebuilders have been feeling very confident and permit demand for future construction rose to a 12-month high in June on the weakness of the existing home sales market and low inventory.

Most MPC developers remain optimistic about the second half of 2023, according to RCLCO. In spite of elevated interest rates and a looming recession, developers remain confident that MPCs will preserve their strong appeal for consumers. However, while some builders have pulled back on incentives, about 60% are still using incentives to stimulate new home sales.

RCLCO has conducted a national survey identifying the top-selling master-planned communities (MPCs) since 1994. Each year, the consulting firm reports the annual sales among the Top-50 communities at the end of the year, and publishes its mid-year update in July.

Source: housingwire.com

Apache is functioning normally

July 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

In our latest real estate tech entrepreneur interview, we’re speaking with Garret Flower from ParkOffice.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Garret Flower, I’m the co-founder and CEO of ParkOffice – the parking software for smart offices. I’ve been an entrepreneur for almost as long as I can remember. I started my first business at 15 and have progressively been getting more and more ambitious ever since.

Currently I split my time between New York City and Dublin where I’m managing the rapid growth of ParkOffice in both Europe and the US. We started out a couple of years ago with ParkOffice with a very simple concept – employee parking was broken and we wanted to fix it.

Our progress in such a short space of time has been really energising, we’ve developed an industry leading product which is trusted by 6 Fortune 500s and countless SMEs in 13 countries across the globe.

What problem does your product/service solve?

Office parking is dysfunctional on so many levels.

The end experience is often incredibly frustrating as employees arrive at offices to find parking lots unexpectedly full or worse, they pay for parking off-site and walk to the office through a half-empty car park.

The management experience isn’t much better, facilities managers often complain that managing parking is the most time intensive part of their job and that no matter how hard you try you will still be inundated with complaints from disgruntled employees.

From a community perspective, according to research from UCLA, every time someone sits into a car and doesn’t know if they have a space at work or not, they will spend an extra 800m cruising at their destination looking for somewhere to park. This causes massive traffic issues in neighbourhoods close to large offices.

ParkOffice gives a fully automated solution which allows companies to solve all these problems while also reducing costs and carbon emissions in the process.

What are you most excited about right now?

When you look at the figures there is almost as much space in the USA dedicated to office parking as there is to office buildings. However, in most cases, it is a massively under-utilized piece of real estate.

The average company who believes they don’t have enough parking space actually have up to 40% of their parking spaces empty during the working day. This is often caused by people working from home, being off-site at meetings or being on holidays. What a waste of space and money.

In a world where our cities are running out of space, I’m incredibly excited about how technology can be used to park cars more effectively, freeing up whole swathes of space for cities across the world to grow.

We’ve just adapted our product to tackle the issues surrounding COVID-19. Over recent years our key focus has been on supporting companies to reduce their employees car dependency.

With COVID-19 changing the business environment for companies all over the world, we knew we had to innovate to thrive. By altering our product slightly we can now help companies return to the office safely sooner. With public transport a no-go area for many people who are worried about the virus, employee parking is going to be under greater pressure than ever. Our automated solution can monitor parking availability in real-time and assign spaces to those in most need – think of it like hot-desking but for parking spaces. The beauty is that we can increase parking availability by up to 40% for companies.

What’s next for you?

The USA is a massive focus for us – we’ve been lucky to pick up a few big clients over there but we’re opening up a full-time office over there in the next 6 months to accelerate our growth.

What’s a cause you’re passionate about and why?

Racism really angers me. I feel strongly that all people were created equal, and this world is unfortunately structured in a way which disadvantages swathes of people because of their gender and race. As half-American, half-Irish, I’m acutely aware of the disadvantages many of my ancestors had to overcome to lay the foundations for me to thrive. I’m always looking for ways in which I can pave a path for minorities to lay the way for their communities to flourish. It is my job as a CEO and a leader of ParkOffice to encourage an environment of inclusion to learn how to implement policies that will correct this inequality.

Thanks to Garret for sharing his story. If you’d like to connect, find him on LinkedIn here.

We’re constantly looking for great real estate tech entrepreneurs to feature. If that’s you, please read this post — then drop me a line (drew @ geekestatelabs dot com).

Source: geekestateblog.com

How Does Umbrella Coverage Work?

Do I Really Need Umbrella Insurance?

How to Find Umbrella Insurance

Understanding 1099 Income and Its Implications on Home Buying

What is 1099 income and who is considered self-employed?

The impact of self-employment on mortgage loans

Qualifying for a mortgage with 1099 income: What lenders look for

The Importance of Tax Returns and Stable Income

Analyzing your tax returns: What lenders assess

Demonstrating stable income as a self-employed borrower

The role of two years of tax returns in mortgage approval

Strategies for Self-Employed Borrowers to Qualify for Home Loans

Maximizing your chances: Tips for self-employed borrowers

Alternative documentation options for income verification

Understanding debt-to-income ratio and its impact on loan approval

Mortgage Options and Requirements for Self-Employed Buyers

Government-backed loans for self-employed individuals

Conventional mortgage loan options for self-employed borrowers

Exploring home equity options for down payment assistance

Overcoming Challenges and Navigating the Mortgage Process

Common Hurdles and How to Overcome Them in the Loan Process

Important Considerations for Self-Employed Buyers

Assessing affordability and determining your monthly income

Understanding the impact of self-employment on your mortgage

Exploring the benefits of FHA loans for self-employed individuals

The Future of Home Buying for Self-Employed Borrowers

Recent changes in the lending landscape for self-employed individuals

Potential developments and opportunities for self-employed home buyers

Our rating

U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card

Get a $500 Cash Bonus.

What Is the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card?

What Sets the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card Apart?

Key Features of the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card

Sign-Up Bonus

Earning Rewards

Redeeming Rewards

Important Fees

Credit Required

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

How the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card Stacks Up

Final Word

The Verdict

Our rating

U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card

Use online shopping portals

Join restaurant rewards programs

Earn more with Uber and Lyft

Rent with Airbnb

Earn bonus United miles with MileagePlus X

Leverage the American Airlines and Hyatt partnership

Give RewardsPlus a go

Leverage retail loyalty programs

Credit card offers and discounts

Bottom line

Our rating

nbkc Free Business Checking

Get a $500 Cash Bonus.

What Is nbkc Free Business Checking?

What Sets nbkc Free Business Checking Apart?

Key Features of nbkc Free Business Checking

Account Fees & Minimums

Account Yield

Debit Card & ATM Access

Overdraft Coverage

Mobile Features

Deposit Insurance

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

How nbkc Free Business Checking Stacks Up

Final Word

The Verdict

Our rating

nbkc Free Business Checking

Collect the right packing paper and other supplies

The right number of boxes

Where to find boxes for moving