What is a joint bank account?
A joint bank account can make financial life easier for couples and business owners.
7 min read
Jul 01, 2024
Karen Bennett
Senior consumer banking reporter
EXPERTISE
- Banking
- Personal finance
- Credit cards
EDUCATION
- Bachelor’s degree in English, University of Illinois
- Master’s degree in journalism, Columbia College Chicago
Karen Bennett is a senior consumer banking reporter at Bankrate. She uses her finance writing background to help readers learn more about savings and checking accounts, CDs, and other financial matters.
Karen brings decades of writing and reporting experience to the table, including the roles of credit cards writer for travel website Million Mile Secrets and money and career writer for The Cheat Sheet. Her work has also appeared in USA Today, Illinois Legal Times, and several Chicago, Milwaukee, and Washington, D.C. newspapers. In addition, she’s worked in the areas of marketing and business development, and she was product manager for a consumer money-saving website.
When she’s not writing Bankrate articles, she can often be found cheering her kids on at soccer games, cooking and reading up on saving for retirement and other personal finance topics.
Karen's latest articles
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Top 18 tips for CD savers
These tips can help maximize your savings using certificates of deposit.
9 min read Jun 28, 2024 -
Meet ALICE: 29% of American households who earn above poverty level but don’t have enough to make ends meet
Barely above the poverty line, ALICE households struggle to make ends meet.
5 min read Jun 28, 2024 -
Available balance vs. current balance: What’s the difference?
Your bank accounts have two separate balances: the current balance and the available balance. Here’s the distinction.
4 min read Jun 27, 2024 -
What is spaving? (And did I really need 7 boxes of Goldfish crackers?)
Today was a good day to stock up on Goldfish crackers at my local grocery store. A large sign announced that buying seven or more snack-sized cartons allows you to get them at a discounted price of $1 [...]
3 min read Jun 25, 2024 -
5 big financial mistakes new college graduates should avoid
Don’t let these financial mistakes prevent you from reaching your financial goals.
4 min read Jun 24, 2024 -
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Cashless cash stuffing provides the best of both budgeting worlds
This crafty form of budgeting helps you manage your cash without hoarding it.
3 min read Jun 03, 2024
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What is the average interest rate for savings accounts?
Comparing savings rates can ensure you get the best return on your savings.
3 min read Nov 21, 2024 -
What to do if a bank rejects you for a checking account
Your banking past has come back to haunt you. Here’s how to ask for a second chance.
3 min read May 02, 2024 -
APY vs. interest rate: What’s the difference and why it matters
Here’s the difference between APY and interest rate.
4 min read Aug 31, 2023 -
What is a SWIFT code?
You’ll need a SWIFT code for international wire transfers. Here’s how to find one.
2 min read Aug 14, 2023 -
How to join a credit union: Here’s what to do to become a member
Here’s what you need to do to become a credit union member.
3 min read Jul 18, 2023 -
6 ways to manage finances with multiple income streams
These strategies will help you manage multiple income streams.
4 min read Jul 18, 2023 -
Saving money from your summer job: Top tips for students
These tips can help students maximize savings from their summer job earnings.
3 min read Jul 17, 2023 -
5 tips to make sure revenge spending doesn’t wreck your wallet
As you look ahead to opening your wallet again, consider these key tips for avoiding revenge spending.
4 min read Jul 12, 2023