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I’m a cardiologist. Here are the most important new guidelines that younger people need to know about when it comes to their heart health.

You saved for years, built equity in your home, and finally qualified for a home equity line of credit. You expected to tap that credit line only when you needed it and pay interest on just what you borrowed. That’s how HELOCs have worked for decades, and it’s probably what your lender’s website still promises.But something has shifted in the home equity market that most borrowers don’t see until closing day arrives. A growing number of HELOC lenders now demand that you withdraw the bulk of your credit line immediately at closing. We’re talking 80% or more of your approved amount, whether you actually need it right now or not.For a $150,000 HELOC, that means you could be forced to take $120,000 before you walk out the door. The financial consequences of borrowing money you never planned to use are real and immediate for you. Here’s what’s driving this change and what you can do to protect yourself before you sign any paperwork.Nonbank lenders changed how HELOCs actually workTraditional banks and credit unions built HELOCs around a simple promise of flexibility for everyday homeowners. You opened the line, drew funds when you needed them, and only paid variable interest on that outstanding balance. Some borrowers kept their HELOCs open for years without withdrawing a single dollar as an emergency backstop.Then, nonbank lenders entered the HELOC market, and they operate under a fundamentally different business model entirely. These lenders don’t hold customer deposits, so they fund loans through institutional investors seeking fast returns. Related: The shadow lenders behind First Brands’ collapseThose investors want borrowers to draw large sums immediately so the lender’s capital starts earning interest right away.The result is a HELOC that barely resembles the flexible product most homeowners expect when they apply for one. According to Yahoo Personal Finance, many nonbank lenders now require initial draws of 80% or higher before you can even begin using your credit line. On a $150,000 HELOC, that translates to a mandatory $120,000 withdrawal at closing.$34 trillion in home equity is fueling a lending gold rushThe Federal Reserve estimates that American homeowners held over $34 trillion in home equity as of late 2025. That figure, reported through the Fed’s Z.1 Financial Accounts, represents a record level of household real estate wealth across the country. The average homeowner with a mortgage now sits on roughly $295,000 in equity, according to data from Cotality.More than 80% of borrowers with outstanding mortgages locked in rates below 6% during the pandemic era, per Fed data. Cash-out refinancing would force these homeowners to give up those favorable rates for today’s roughly 6.5% to 7% range. Second mortgages like HELOCs let you keep that low primary rate while still accessing your home’s built-up value.The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that total HELOC and home equity loan originations rose 7.2% in 2024 year over year. The MBA’s 2025 Home Equity Lending Study found that Total HELOC and home equity loan debt outstanding grew 10.3% compared to the prior year.Lenders told the MBA they expect year-over-year growth of nearly 10% for HELOC debt heading into 2026 as well.Forced draws can push borrowers toward delinquencyBorrowing more than you actually need sounds like a minor inconvenience until you realize the compounding interest cost. If you only needed $30,000 for a kitchen renovation but your lender forced you to draw $120,000, you’re now paying 7.20% interest on that full amount. At the current national average HELOC rate, that extra $90,000 generates roughly $540 per month in interest charges alone.Research backs up the real danger of these mandatory high draws for borrowers who never planned on that exposure. A 2025 report from HEL News analyzing 2023 HELOC data found that nearly every nonbank HELOC lender requires at least a 50% initial draw. Some of those lenders push minimum draw requirements as high as 75% to 100% of the approved credit line amount.The delinquency connection is alarmingThat same HEL News study concluded that borrowers who used more than 95% of their available credit line were affected deeply. Those high-utilization borrowers were nearly four times more likely to become severely delinquent compared to lower-utilization borrowers.When lenders mandate that you borrow more than you budgeted for, the risk of falling behind on payments rises sharply.More Personal Finance:Why selling a home to your child for a dollar can backfireElon Musk says ‘universal high income’ is comingFTC, 21 states sue Uber over ‘shady’ subscription billingSome lenders also charge inactivity fees if you don’t maintain a minimum outstanding balance on your HELOC at all times. Others require periodic withdrawals during the draw period, effectively penalizing you for being a responsible, cautious borrower. These requirements strip away the core advantage that made HELOCs appealing to homeowners in the first place over other options.When a fixed-rate home equity loan makes more sense for youIf your lender is going to force you to take the full amount anyway, a lump-sum home equity loan deserves serious consideration. Home equity loans give you the entire approved amount at closing with a fixed interest rate that remains constant for the life of the loan. The current national average for a fixed-rate home equity loan is approximately 7.47%, according to analytics firm Curinos.Key differences between the two productsA HELOC charges variable interest that fluctuates with the prime rate, currently around 6.75% as of March 2026.A home equity loan locks in a fixed rate at closing, so your monthly payment stays the same for the full repayment term.HELOCs typically allow interest-only payments during the draw period, but your payment jumps when repayment begins in earnest.Home equity loans require principal-and-interest payments from day one, giving you a clearer and more predictable payoff timeline.If you know exactly how much money you need and you plan to use the full amount, a home equity loan simplifies everything. You avoid the surprise of mandatory draws, variable rate risk, and inactivity penalties that come with many modern HELOCs. The tradeoff is that you lose the revolving flexibility to reborrow funds after you repay some of your initial balance.How to find a HELOC that still works like a true credit lineThe HELOC market is not uniformly restrictive, and you still have options if you know exactly where to look for them. Depository institutions like traditional banks and credit unions remain the most likely to offer low or no initial draw requirements. These lenders fund loans from customer deposits, so they face less pressure from investors demanding immediate returns on capital.Your HELOC shopping checklist:Ask every lender about their minimum initial draw requirement before you submit a formal application for their product.Compare the initial draw percentage across at least three to four lenders, including at least one local credit union in your area.Check for inactivity fees, minimum balance requirements, and periodic withdrawal mandates buried deep in the loan’s fine print.Verify whether the advertised rate is an introductory teaser that converts to a much higher adjustable rate after six to twelve months.Request a complete fee schedule that includes closing costs, annual fees, and any early termination penalties the lender might charge.​According to real estate analytics firm Curinos, the average adjustable HELOC rate sits at 7.20% as of mid-March 2026. However, rates vary dramatically from roughly 6% to as high as 18%, depending on your credit score and the lender.Shopping aggressively can save you thousands of dollars over the 10-year draw period on your home equity credit line.What you need to qualify for a competitive HELOC in 2026Qualifying for the best HELOC terms requires meeting several financial benchmarks that lenders evaluate very carefully today. Your credit score, home equity position, debt-to-income ratio, and income stability all factor into the rate you receive. Falling short on even one of these criteria could push your rate significantly higher or limit your approved credit line amount.

Improving a credit score by 40 points before applying could save a full percentage point on a HELOC interest rate.Hispanolistic/Getty Images

Standard HELOC qualification thresholdsMost lenders require a minimum credit score of 680, though scores above 720 typically qualify for the best available rates overall.You generally need at least 15% to 20% equity in your home, with most lenders capping combined loan-to-value ratios around 85%.Debt-to-income ratios should stay below 43%, although some lenders extend that ceiling to 50% for strong overall borrower profiles.Stable, verifiable income through W-2s, tax returns, or bank statements is required for all HELOC applications at every lender.These requirements come from lender guidelines reported by Experian and confirmed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. If your credit score is in the low 600s, you may still find lenders willing to approve you at higher rates with stricter terms. Improving your credit score by even 40 points before applying could save you a full percentage point on your HELOC’s interest rate.Rate cuts could make 2026 a strong year for home equity borrowingThe Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates at least twice more in 2026, which would directly lower HELOC variable rates. HELOC rates are tied to the prime rate, which moves in lockstep with the Fed’s benchmark federal funds rate adjustment decisions. If the Fed delivers two quarter-point cuts, the average HELOC rate could fall below 6.75% by the end of this calendar year.The MBA’s vice president of industry analysis, Marina Walsh, noted that homeowners have been relatively cautious about tapping equity so far. Walsh said lenders in the MBA study expect year-over-year growth of almost 10% for HELOC debt outstanding heading into 2026.Related: Federal Reserve official blasts latest interest-rate pauseDeclining rates could be the catalyst that convinces more homeowners to finally access the equity sitting inside their properties today.Vitality chief economist Selma Hepp reinforced this outlook, stating that declining borrowing rates improve HELOC affordability for homeowners. Existing mortgage borrowers still control nearly $17 trillion in tappable equity, and that figure has held remarkably steady throughout 2025. For homeowners who have been on the fence, falling rates and strong equity positions create a favorable borrowing environment right now.Protect yourself before you sign any HELOC agreement this yearThe single most important step you can take right now is to read every line of your HELOC agreement before closing day. Pay close attention to the initial draw requirement, the variable rate adjustment schedule, and any fees tied to account inactivity. If a lender requires 80% or more upfront and you only need $30,000, that HELOC is going to cost you far more than necessary.Steps to take before you applyCalculate exactly how much money you actually need, then add a 10% to 15% buffer for unexpected cost overruns on your project.Get pre-qualification quotes from at least three lenders, including one traditional bank and one credit union in your local market.Ask each lender directly about their minimum draw requirements and whether you can open the line without withdrawing funds immediately.Compare the total cost of a HELOC versus a home equity loan for your specific borrowing amount before making a final decision today.The IRS allows you to deduct HELOC interest if you use the funds for substantial home improvements on the property securing the loan. This deduction applies to combined mortgage and HELOC debt up to $750,000, so keep detailed records of how you spend the proceeds.Consult a tax professional to confirm whether your specific situation qualifies for the home equity interest deduction before filing.Related: Tax changes investors should know about​

“The attorney found two doctors — one who briefly spoke to her and signed off, and another who never saw her and simply stamped the form.”

Over the last couple of years, airlines and hotels have made profits by adding more luxury offerings, such as first-class seats and upscale rooms and services. The hotel giant Marriott is one of the chains whose luxury offering once again turned out to be the key profit driver in 2025. The chain’s 2025 full-year net income reached $2.6 billion, which compares to $2.38 billion in 2024, according to Marriott’s earnings report. Additionally, the company reported that its loyalty program played an important role in occupancy, with member stays accounting for 75% of room nights in the US and Canada. “Globally, our luxury hotels continued to outperform during the quarter, with RevPAR rising over 6%, and performance moderating down the chain scales. Our global RevPAR index, which remains at a significant premium to peers, rose in the fourth quarter and for the full year,” stated CEO Anthony Capuano. Only some travelers are willing to spend on luxuryRecent industry data, however, suggests that in 2026, finding enough travelers willing to pay for these expensive offerings might become challenging. In 2026, it is expected to see bifurcation of premium and luxury, leading to intense competition for the high-spending traveler, according to Deloitte’s 2026 Travel Industry Outlook. Per the report, the biggest change is among people making $200,000 or more, as the group is splitting into two. One group of wealthy people feels fine and plans their usual travel, while the other group is pulling back significantly, turning into “cautious class.” Marriott doesn’t seem worried about these trends, as it makes another huge bet on luxury offerings with the recent expansion in the key market. Marriott taps Hawaii for its prestigious St. Regis brand Marriott International announced on March 14 that it will bring a luxury oceanfront resort on Maui’s northwest coast under the company’s luxury umbrella. Per the official press release, Marriott inked a deal with Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partners (KWHP) to take over The Resort at Kapalua Bay. The property is now part of Marriott Bonvoy and is slated to join the St. Regis Hotels & Resorts portfolio in 2027, following a renovation. During the renovations and rebranding, the property will remain open for guests. Key highlights of Marriott’s agreement include:The location: A prime 25-acre oceanfront site at Kapalua Bay.The offering: The resort will feature approximately 125 guestrooms and suites, along with branded residences.The experience: It will include the signature St. Regis Butler Service, a world-class spa, and multiple high-end restaurants.The timeline: Marriott assumed management of the property on March 14, 2026. The resort is currently open and part of Marriott Bonvoy, with a full conversion to the St. Regis Hotels & Resorts portfolio slated for 2027 following a renovation.

Marriott taps Hawaii for its prestigious St. Regis brand. Photo by JHVEPhoto on Getty Images

What can Marriott guests expect at Maui’s resort Kapalua Bay, whose name translates to “arms embracing the sea” is a very popular destination on Maui’s northwest coast. It is widely known for its natural beauty, calm waters, and rich history as a former pineapple plantation. “Kapalua Bay gained worldwide attention by being ranked “America’s Best Beach.” With gentle breaking waves above and vibrant marine life below, Kapalua Bay offers a sheltered sanctuary for exploring the wonders of the ocean,” according to Kapalua.com. Moreover, the place has a rich marine life, offering snorkeling adventures. Outdoor enthusiasts will also appreciate the famous Kapalua Coastal trail that provides a “beautiful hike through lava fields and wilderness, alongside the ocean, and beside luxury hotels and condos,” reports MauiHawaii.org. Marriott’s resort at Kapalua Bay offers: Expansive residential-style accommodations overlooking tropical gardens and the Pacific Ocean, ranging from 1,774 sq. ft. to over 4,050 sq. ft.Access to championship level golf courses and tennis courts.A 40,000 sq. ft. spa featuring 19 treatment rooms and ocean-view wellness facilities.3,415 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space and 30,210 sq. ft. of outdoor event space.Direct access to Kapalua Bay Beach.Several extraordinary outdoor pools, including a multi‐tiered, cascading lagoon pool. “This is one of the truly great resorts in the world, with an iconic setting, extraordinary grounds, and some of the most spacious accommodations in luxury hospitality. We look forward to this exciting new chapter and to delivering an exceptional luxury resort experience for locals and travelers alike,” said Jonathon Vopinek, CEO and President, White Label Asset Management, which will help lead the transition. The importance of luxury offerings “The move would give Marriott a second marquee luxury address in Kapalua, complementing The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, which sits just a short distance away. The concentration of two of Marriott’s top luxury brands in the same master-planned resort area underscores the company’s confidence in continued demand for high-end leisure travel to Maui, especially among affluent North American and international visitors,” points out Jolyon Hyne for The Traveler. Despite Deloitte’s report suggesting a division among luxury travelers in 2026, luxury travel isn’t going anywhere. In fact, industry data also suggests that the wellness luxury segment has become one of the most resilient and profitable segments of the global tourism industry, reports Hotelagio.  The report details that average luxury travelers typically spend between $5,000 and $15,000 per trip, with ultra-luxury itineraries frequently exceeding $30,000. There’s also a noticeable shift in demographics with the rise of affluent Millennials and Gen Z, who push the shift toward more experiential, wellness-oriented and sustainable practices. Moreover, around 54% of luxury travelers increase spending on wellness, spa and health-related activities. This data suggests that despite the bifurcation of luxury travelers, the offering that includes experiential and wellness activities is still expected to dominate. Marriott’s latest move seems to be oriented toward these trends. More Travel:Marriott drops special promotions for loyal membersA very, very British restaurant is coming to NYC as a hotelAll foreign airlines are now banned from flying into DubaiMarriott’s recent moves and milestones Global growth 2025: Added nearly 100,000 rooms and 700+ properties in 2025, ending the year with a 610,000-room development pipeline, according to the company’s official reportExpansion in CALA: Marriott announced on March 4, 2026, it has signed 94 deals in the Caribbean and Latin America in 2025; planning six City Express openings and new market entries in 2026.EMEA Momentum (Feb 2026): Secured 230+ organic signings in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for 2025, driven by the citizenM brand integration and Four Points Flex scaling. Marriott also added 170 properties and nearly 24,000 rooms across EMEA last year, contributing to a 7.8% net rooms growth in the region, according to the Marriott’s report. New brand launches: In May 2025, Marriott confirmed the debut of the Series by Marriott, a midscale collection that opened 37 hotels in India and signed 13 deals in North America.Global Partnerships: In January 2026, Marriott announced it has formed a new partnership with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and secured fan access for the FIFA World Cup 2026.Related: Marriott Bonvoy rolls out a major new offer for loyal members

Bitcoin’s price discovery is increasingly driven by derivatives positioning and institutional synthetics rather than spot demand, signaling a structural shift in how crypto markets move.

If you’ve been looking at travel lately, you’ve probably noticed a painful trend: Airfares are on a tear. We’re seeing record-high booking levels across the airline landscape, and while the major carriers are staying busy, the deep-discount airlines are feeling the squeeze. But there’s a new factor driving prices even higher right now, and it’s something we have to watch closely: the cost of jet fuel.

With the recent instability and hostilities in Iran and the Middle East, oil prices have become a major concern for the industry. Fuel accounts for roughly 25% of an airline’s costs, and jet fuel has seen some of the sharpest increases of all.

Airlines are currently caught between a rock and a hard place. If they raise fares too much, they kill off demand; if they don’t, they can’t cover their costs. Their first move is almost always to pass those wholesale costs onto you. In fact, some estimates show airfares are already up 16% since the start of the conflict.

Since we are right in the heart of the summer booking season, here is my strategy for navigating these high prices without breaking the bank.

Stop Hoarding Your Points

If you have a pile of points sitting in an airline or general-purpose travel credit card, now is the time to use them.

I recently did this myself. I was booking a trip to New York and found a coach ticket on American Airlines for just 9,000 points. The cash price for that same ticket was several hundred dollars!

The strategy:

Hedge your bets: Most loyalty programs now allow you to book with points and redeposit them later for free if your plans change. This allows you to “lock in” a trip at no real risk.

Don’t be loyal: Points requirements are all over the board. If you have transferable points, look at multiple airlines to see which offers the best redemption value.

Avoid “Basic” Fares

When you’re doing a search on a tool like Google Flights, use the filters to exclude “Basic Economy.”

I know it’s tempting to grab the lowest price, but in this volatile market, you want flexibility. If fuel prices drop and fares normalize later, a standard economy ticket acts like a gift certificate. If the price of your flight drops, you can often rebook and get a credit for the difference. If you buy Basic Economy, you are stuck with what you’ve got.

Use the Calendar as Your Friend

The day of the week you fly makes a massive difference in price. The “softest” demand days are:

Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Saturdays after 2 p.m.

To give you an example: that 9,000-point flight I found was for a Tuesday. For a Monday, it was priced at 27,000 points. By shifting my travel by just 24 hours, I saved 66%.

Look for the “Unknown” Airports

One of my favorite ways to save is to look for secondary airports served by deep discounters like Breeze, Allegiant, or Avelo.

For example, most people fly into Charlotte (CLT). But did you know about Concord, North Carolina? It’s a fast-growing airport in the same metro area where fares are often one-third or one-fourth of the cost of flying into the main hub. This pattern repeats all over the country. If you’re willing to drive an extra 30 or 40 minutes, you could save hundreds of dollars.

Final Thoughts

High airfares aren’t just a seasonal spike — they’re being driven by real cost pressures that airlines can’t easily absorb. That means waiting around for prices to drop isn’t much of a strategy this summer.

Instead, stay flexible. Use your points while they’re delivering strong value, avoid restrictive fares that lock you in, and be willing to shift your travel days or even your airport to find better pricing. Small adjustments can translate into big savings in a market like this.

And don’t forget to let the deals come to you. Keep an eye on the travel deals page at ClarkDeals, where our team regularly highlights limited-time airfare bargains that can help you beat the market.

The bottom line: You may not be able to control airfare trends, but you can control how you book. Travelers who stay flexible, proactive and deal-focused are the ones who come out ahead.
The post 4 Ways To Fight Sky-High Airfares This Summer appeared first on Clark Howard.

The European Central Bank is preparing the ground should legislators enable the issuance of a digital currency and the bank’s governing council approve issuing it.

Nearly $600M in deep out-of-the-money puts highlights tail-risk positioning, though flows point more to volatility strategies than to outright bearish bets.

Meta has officially set a date for the end of its virtual reality metaverse experiment. Horizon Worlds, the social VR platform that sat at the center of Mark Zuckerberg’s 2021 bet on the metaverse, will be removed from Quest headsets on June 15, 2026. The app will disappear from the Quest store by March 31, and a mobile-only version will be all that remains.The announcement, posted to Meta’s community forums, confirmed that popular destinations including Horizon Central, Events Arena, Kaiju, and Bobber Bay will no longer be available in VR starting March 31. After June 15, creators will no longer be able to build, publish, or update VR worlds. The platform continues as a smartphone app, but the original vision is gone.The timeline of Facebook’s VR retreatWhen Meta changed its name from Facebook in October 2021, Zuckerberg described the metaverse as the next frontier of computing and predicted it would reach a billion users within a decade. Horizon Worlds launched later that year as the flagship social experience for Quest headsets. The reality fell well short of the ambition. The platform never drew more than a few hundred thousand monthly active users, a fraction of what would have been needed to justify the investment, per CNBC.The retreat has been building for months. In January 2026, Meta cut roughly 1,500 employees from its Reality Labs division, about 10% of the unit. Three internal game studios were shut down entirely: Sanzaru Games, Twisted Pixel, and Armature Studio. Ouro Interactive, formed in 2023 specifically to build first-party content for Horizon Worlds, saw significant staff reductions. Supernatural, the VR fitness app Meta acquired for $400 million in 2023, was moved to maintenance mode with no new content planned.The June shutdown is the final chapter in a series of cutbacks that had already stripped most of the ecosystem around Horizon Worlds.Facebook/Meta made a costly betReality Labs, Meta’s division responsible for VR hardware, software, and the metaverse, has accumulated roughly $70 billion in cumulative operating losses since 2021, per CNBC. The losses have grown each year. In the fourth quarter of 2025 alone, the division posted an operating loss of $6.02 billion on $955 million in revenue.Reality Labs annual operating losses2021: $10.2 billion2022: $13.7 billion2023: $16.1 billion2024: $17.7 billion2025: $24.1 billionThe mobile pivot effectively concedes that VR hardware was never going to be the gateway to mass adoption that Meta had envisioned. The company is now targeting the 3.5 billion users on its Family of Apps rather than the roughly 25 million Quest headsets it has sold. Roblox, the platform Meta positioned Horizon Worlds to compete with, now has more than 150 million daily users without requiring any hardware at all.

Meta has pulled back its virtual reality investments.Economou/GettyImages

Where Meta is going insteadThe resources being pulled from VR are flowing almost entirely toward artificial intelligence. Meta guided for $115 billion to $135 billion in capital expenditures for 2026, nearly double the $72 billion it spent in 2025, with the vast majority directed at AI infrastructure, data centers, and chips. Zuckerberg described 2026 as the year of “advancing personal superintelligence” in his post-earnings statement in January.How Meta is redeploying the capitalAI infrastructure: $115 to $135 billion in 2026 capex, nearly double 2025 spending, focused on data centers and chipsLlama models: Meta’s open-source AI model family, with the next frontier model expected later in 2026Ray-Ban smartglasses: Over two million units sold, with production capacity being doubled by ethe nd of 2026Agentic AI: Enterprise-focused AI workflows through Meta’s Superintelligence LabsThe company’s Ray-Ban smartglasses have emerged as the hardware story Meta is now telling investors. Where Quest headsets required users to fully immerse themselves in a virtual world, the glasses enhance the physical world without disrupting it. That distinction has proven commercially meaningful in a way that Horizon Worlds never did.META shares closed at $615.68 on March 18, down more than 22% from their 52-week high of $796.25. Wall Street has been broadly supportive of the AI pivot, with a consensus analyst price target around $860, but the stock has traded under pressure as investors weigh the scale of the company’s 2026 spending commitments.What it means for Quest usersFor the relatively small but dedicated community that had built a presence inside Horizon Worlds, the shutdown is a concrete loss. Community-made experiences, including social spaces and support groups that had developed a regular following, will not carry over to mobile. Meta framed the separation as a way to let each platform grow with greater focus, but the VR community that invested in building there gets nothing in return.The mobile version of Horizon Worlds will continue, but it functions as a different product aimed at a different audience. Whether it can compete in a crowded mobile gaming space against Roblox, which has spent years building its creator economy, is a separate question entirely. The VR experiment is over. The mobile one is just beginning.Related: Meta weighs drastic workforce decision after $135 billion guide

Micron Technology is crushing expectations to a degree that’s reminiscent of Nvidia’s breakout performances at the beginning of the artificial-intelligence boom three years ago, a Deutsche Bank analyst noted.