Personal Finance Education & Tips from Better Money Habits
Learn about personal finance education with Better Money Habits. Get tips on saving for the future, buying a house, or reaching your other financial goals.
Personal Finance Education & Tips from Better Money Habits Skip to main content Products & services Products & services Products & services Checking accounts Savings accounts Credit cards Home loans Auto loans Mobile & online banking BofA Rewards Schedule an appointment Online banking sign in Online banking sign in Locations Locations Contact Contact Help Help Understand finances Understand finances Understand finances Understanding saving & budgeting Simplifying credit & managing debt Making sense of banking accounts General investing & saving for retirement Need some guidance? Understanding saving & budgeting Simple ways to add to your savings Your guide to creating a budget plan How to start building an emergency fund Spending analysis tool View all saving & budgeting FINANCIAL GOALS Manage your money when living paycheck to paycheck , 9 minutes 11 resources Simplifying credit & managing debt Simplifying credit Choosing a credit card How credit cards work View all credit Managing Debt How to get out of credit card debt faster Paying back student loans View all debt Credit What is a credit score and how is it calculated? Read more, 4 minutes Making sense of banking accounts 8 common bank fees—and how to avoid them Managing bank accounts How to talk to your kids about their first debit card What is a Certificate of Deposit (CD) and how does it work? View all personal banking Personal Banking What is the difference between checking and savings accounts? Read more, 5 minutes General investing & saving for retirement GENERAL INVESTING Building wealth How to choose the right mix of investments View all investing SAVING FOR RETIREMENT Nearing retirement Living in retirement SUSTAINABLE INVESTING Money moves that can make a difference , 1 minute 9 resources Need some guidance? Tools from Bank of America Need some guidance? Answer a few questions to get resources designed to meet your priorities. Get started Plan for life’s big moments Plan for life’s big moments Plan for life’s big moments Saving for retirement Preparing for college Buying a home Handling a money emergency Travel planning Wedding finances & beyond Life stages Saving for retirement Nearing retirement Living in retirement What is an IRA? Everything you need to know View all investing INVESTING & RETIREMENT Your 401(k): 10 things to find out Read article, 3 minutes Preparing for college 5 ways to pay off your student loans faster How to start saving for your child’s college Seeking financial aid? What you need to know about the FAFSA® View all college LIFE STAGES Financial guidance for students , 1 minute 14 resources Buying a home Real estate terminology you should know when buying a home Buying a home within your comfort zone What are closing costs? View all homeownership FINANCIAL GOALS What to consider when buying your first home , 1 minute 9 resources Handling a money emergency Dealing with a financial emergency What is a credit card cash advance? 6 ways to tackle financial stress View all emergency savings Debt How to get emergency cash fast Read more, 7 minutes Travel planning Your travel checklist: 10 tips for a worry-free vacation Traveling abroad? Understanding payment methods and how to avoid transaction fees View all travel & entertainment Saving & Budgeting Do I need to add insurance when renting a car? View infographic, 5 minutes Wedding finances & beyond Marriage and Money: 10 tips for financial bliss Joint bank accounts: What you need to know Life stages Gen Z: know your money Welcome to the U.S. Get settled with these tips and tools Financial guidance for students Financial matters for families LIFE STAGES Financial matters for military members , 1 minute 8 resources Browse all topics Browse all topics Browse all topics Saving & budgeting Credit & debt Personal banking Home & auto Privacy & security General investing & saving for retirement Taxes & income College Life stages Saving & budgeting Simple ways to add to your savings Your guide to creating a budget plan Simple ways to save money for the future Dealing with a financial emergency Spending analysis tool View all saving & budgeting Saving & Budgeting Savings accounts and CDs (certificates of deposit): Which should I choose? Read more, 4 minutes Credit & debt Credit 7 tips for your first credit card How to choose the right credit card View all credit Debt Paying off debt Strategies for paying down debts View all debt Credit 5 ways to improve your credit score Read article, 4 minutes Personal banking Managing bank accounts 8 common bank fees—and how to avoid them Teaching kids about money View all personal banking Personal Banking 10 questions to ask about your checking account Read article, 4 minutes Home & auto Homeownership Buying a home within your comfort zone View all homeownership Auto Buying a car What are the real costs of an electric car? View all auto FINANCIAL GOALS What to consider when buying your first home , 1 minute 9 resources Privacy & security Identity theft Protecting privacy security 10 online and mobile security tips View all privacy & security Privacy & Security Protect yourself online: 5 new scams to watch out for now Read article, 4 minutes General investing & saving for retirement GENERAL INVESTING Building wealth How to choose the right mix of investments View all investing SAVING FOR RETIREMENT Nearing retirement Living in retirement SUSTAINABLE INVESTING Money moves that can make a difference , 1 minute 9 resources Taxes & income Preparing & filing taxes Work and your financial life New job? Make the most of your employee benefits View all taxes & income Taxes & Income 5 financial decisions that could affect your taxes Read article, 5 minutes College 5 ways to pay off your student loans faster How to start saving for your child’s college Seeking financial aid? What you need to know about the FAFSA® View all college LIFE STAGES Financial guidance for students , 1 minute 14 resources Life stages Gen Z: know your money Welcome to the U.S. Get settled with these tips and tools Financial guidance for students Financial matters for families LIFE STAGES Financial matters for military members , 1 minute 8 resources English Español Products & services Products & services Products & services Checking accounts Saving accounts Credit cards Home loans Auto loans Mobile & online banking BofA Rewards Schedule an appointment Online banking sign in Online banking sign in Locations Locations Contact Contact Help Help Enter your search words here Please make sure to enter any word or check spelling. Search tips: Check spelling Try more general terms Suggested keywords Plan with confidence for whatever’s next Whether you’re working on a short-term financial goal or saving for the future, we know that it’s not just about money. It’s about having the freedom to live the life you want. Let us help you get there. What would you like the power to do?® Search your goals Please make sure to enter any word or check spelling. Search tips: Check spelling Try more general terms Suggested keywords When there’s a goal, there’s a way Freeing yourself from debt or saving up for your favorite sporting event? Get guidance for whatever you want to achieve. Saving & budgeting Credit Personal banking Debt Homeownership Privacy & security Investing & retirement Auto Taxes & income College View all topics Expand and strengthen your financial skill set Improve your financial knowledge and decision-making with resources designed to help you move forward. Saving & Budgeting Money Confessions Embarrassed by money missteps? Talk about them. By opening up, you learn you’re not alone and gain confidence to move forward. In these videos, people like you share their blunders and get guidance from Better Money Habits® Champions. Watch video, 7 minutes Saving & Budgeting Savings accounts and CDs (certificates of deposit): Which should I choose? Read more, 4 minutes Life Stages Gen Z: Know your money , 2 minutes 30 resources Credit How to build credit from scratch Watch video, 4 minutes Personal Banking 8 common bank fees—and how to avoid them Many bank fees are avoidable with a little planning. Here’s a rundown of 8 common fees banks charge—and tips to help avoid them. Read more, 5 minutes Debt Pay off credit card debt faster To tackle credit card debt head on, it helps to first develop a plan and stick to it. Explore visual story, 2 minutes Homeownership How does a home equity line of credit work—and how can it help? Borrowing against home equity is a big decision for homeowners. Learn about five benefits and potential risks. Read more, 3 minutes INVESTING & RETIREMENT Your 401(k): 10 things to find out If your company offers you a 401(k) plan, you may have decisions to make. Check your plan documents or ask your HR representative for answers to these 10 key questions. Read more, 3 minutes 1 of Quiz: Question 1 of 5 What stage of life are you in? Answer a few simple questions, and we’ll direct you to the right resources. Just starting out Working & growing Nearing retirement Living in retirement Quiz Pick up where you left off Welcome back! You only have a few questions left to get your personalized solutions. See results Adjust answers Our story About Better Money Habits® Empowering financial independence for everyone More on what we do 12+ years of supporting individuals and communities to help reach their goals 300+ articles, videos, tools and more to empower financial education 1 of 2 About Better Money Habits® Empowering financial independence for everyone Since 2013, Better Money Habits has been a part of Bank of America’s commitment to supporting economic opportunity for individuals and communities from all walks of life. We’re proud to provide free financial education on a range of topics in different ways to support everyone’s various learning styles. Our Better Money Habits website offers articles, tools, videos and resources on saving, budgeting, retirement and more in English and Spanish. Our employee volunteers, also known as Better Money Habits Champions, deliver in-person guidance and advice in communities around the country. Our mission is to help everyone go further and reach their financial goals wherever they’re at in their journey. See the impact of Better Money Habits Better Money Habits fact sheet Clients tell me that they’ve never had anyone take the time to educate them about their finances and are amazed that we do. - Meaghan Madison | Better Money Habits Champion Advertising Practices We strive to provide you with information about products and services you might find interesting and useful. Relationship-based ads and online behavioral advertising help us do that. 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