Learn with Citizens

Student loan refinancing

Home ownership

Saving and budgeting

Personal finance

Should I Refinance My Private or Federal Student Loans? If so, how?

The lessons you learned in college will last you a lifetime. What shouldn’t last forever are those high monthly payments on your student loans.

How Do Student Loans Affect Your Credit Score?

If you’ve borrowed money to pay for your college education, you may wonder how student loans affect your credit score. After all, credit is an important part of your life as a consumer.

Refinancing vs. Consolidating Student Loans: Which Will Make a Difference — for You?

The chance to create a bright financial future. That was the whole point of going to college, right? But if you’re saddled with a bunch of student loans and high monthly payments, your financial life today may not be quite where you imagined it would be.

Student Loan Debt Statistics: How Do You Stack Up to Your Peers?

You know full well how student loans are impacting your life. What you probably don’t know is how it’s impacting your friends, coworkers, and other peers.

The 15-Year Fixed Mortgage

For decades, a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was the standard term for most homebuyers. Now, in a period of new thriftiness, demographic changes and an aversion to taking on more debt than is necessary, the 15-year fixed mortgage is gaining popularity.

How much home can you really afford?

Buying your first home is one of the most important and exciting financial milestones in your life. But before you hit the streets with a realtor, you need to have a good sense of a realistic budget.

Homeownership is Within Reach

Saving enough for a mortgage, including a down payment and closing costs can be challenging. That's why Citizens offers several affordable mortgage programs to put homeownership within reach.

5 Mortgage Myths Debunked

For many, buying a home can be just as exciting as it is scary. We’ve all heard the rumors and stories about what you should or shouldn’t do when it comes to buying a home.ird mortgage.

The Mortgage Refinancing Process

Deciding to refinance a home loan is a big decision influenced by your financial situation, available interest rates and your long-term plans for staying in the home.

Refinancing an Investment Property

When you own an investment property, the goal is to earn a solid rate of return. If after several years of ownership you find your return is not what you expected, an investment property refinance may be the answer.

21 Unexpected Costs of Buying a Home

You’ve done your research and know how much you have to have for a down payment. But once you start to dig in deeper, you may realize there’s a lot more to buying a home than the mortgage.

Mortgage Payment Breakdown

When you start house hunting, you probably have broad thoughts about applying for a mortgage, such as the sale price, down payment, and interest rate. But in the end, it's going to come down to finding a monthly mortgage payment that fits your budget.

Do You Need a Trust? The Answer May Surprise You

There is a common perception that creating a trust is reserved for the uber-wealthy. But is this true? How do you know if a trust is right for you? As you build capital and grow your wealth, creating a trust may become a critical step toward protecting yourself, your family and your money.

Inheriting Money: Dos and Don'ts When Receiving a Lump Sum

Receiving inheritance money can be an incredibly positive and life-changing experience. But it can also bring about new issues and obstacles if not approached properly.

Myth: "Brick-and-mortar banks are more secure than digital banks"

As more and more elements of our lives move online, security is a consistent concern. Are our identities safe? How susceptible is our financial data? Which institutions are worthy of our trust?

Using Liquidity to Optimize Your Long-Term Savings Plan

You've proved you can build wealth. It's time to preserve that wealth and optimize your liquid savings.

3 Guiding Principles for Managing Lifestyle Creep

After years of perseverance and dedication, you're ready to savor the fruits of success. While you should absolutely reward yourself for working toward your goals, it's important to keep making smart decisions about saving and investing.

Keeping Up With Your Money: Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly Best Practices

Sure, keeping your finances in shape requires some proactivity. How much? Brian Tracy, a motivational speaker, business consultant and personal development author, once wrote that the average self-made millionaire spends up to 30 hours per month "thinking, studying and planning" their finances.

Financial Moves to Make by Age 35

When you turn 30, you're likely becoming established in your career and thinking about your next big (financial) move: buying your first home, starting a family, or maybe uprooting to a different city for a new opportunity.

Separate vs. Joint Bank Accounts: Which Is Best for Couples?

Relationships and finances are not as simple as they used to be and more couples may be benefiting from dual incomes. There is not always one clear "breadwinner" in the relationship anymore.

Guidelines for Having Successful Financial Conversations With Your Partner

As an individual, it takes hard work to get your finances right — when there are two of you, it can be even more challenging. Financial issues are a major source of stress in many relationships.