Capital One are offering tickets to MLB games for 5,000 points per ticket. You need to look for tickets that say ‘Pay With Rewards only’ and ‘Cardholder exclusive tickets by Capital One’ if it says by vivid seats these are bad value.
Our Verdict
There are only four of these tickets per game and they generally sell out quickly. They are also in a very desirable location making them particularly good buys. April & May tickets have just been added, I’ll try to remember to repost when new dates become available.
It was another bad day for mortgage rates as the reality of the war sets in.
While our fears were assuaged yesterday that oil and gas tankers would receive safe passage via the Strait of Hormuz, experts quickly debunked the idea.
In short, while President Trump provided assurances and said the Navy would provide cover if needed, ships may still choose to stay put for larger safety concerns.
That led to a bump in bond yields, with the 10-year reaching its highest point since early February (~4.14%). It was sub-4% last week…
The 30-year fixed also rose to its highest point in about a month as oil prices climbed above $80 for the first time in over a year.
The takeaway here is this war or whatever you want to call it might not be resolved as quickly as they’re saying. And that could be a drag on the economy.
Mortgage Rates Suffer a Setback Thanks to Inflation Fears Fueled by Rising Oil Prices
It appears the move back toward recent lows may have been short-lived as the 30-year fixed climbed back to its recent highs today.
This according to Mortgage News Daily, which pegged the 30-year fixed at 6.13%, up from 6.07% yesterday.
That actually matches the same rate seen Monday, but is still well above the 5.99% average we saw Friday before the Iranian situation emerged.
Typically, you get a flight to safety when geopolitical events take place. This means investors flee risk assets like stocks and buy bonds, which are known as a safe haven.
We’ve yet to see that happen, which is seemingly peculiar but might speak to the unprecedented nature of this conflict.
Iran is a worthy adversary and one that likely will not back down, evidenced by its many attacks stretching as far as “Europe” since it was attacked.
That reality, along with the fact that the nearby Persian Gulf is a key thoroughfare for energy shipping tells you why.
Inflation erodes the value of bonds and if it’s expected to rise due to higher oil prices, there will be upward pressure on interest rates.
That’s what we’ve seen thus far and while that could change over time, the initial reaction is higher bond yields and higher mortgage rates. Oh, and a tanking stock market…
Expect Volatile Mortgage Rates Until This Is Resolved
The big question to ask is how long this fight will go on. Will this be a prolonged conflict or shorter than expected?
Will it be resolved in the 4-5 weeks that President Trump has claimed, or will it go on for months or even longer?
I think either way it’s safe to say it’s going to extend for much of the spring home buying season, which means mortgage rates will be more volatile than usual, all else equal.
Expect bigger swings up and down than usual at a critical time for the housing market, which has struggled mightily these past few years.
This could be the unexpected event that dampens home sales for yet another year, with existing sales still moving at a snail’s pace not seen in 30 years.
Consumer Confidence Is at Stake Even If Costs Are Similar
There’s also the intangible effects of this conflict, which might give some home buyers pause to make the leap from renting.
If affordability is already strained and uncertainty heightened, more prospective buyers may decide just to wait it out.
The same goes for someone looking at their stock portfolio and thinking they’re not as rich as they thought. And perhaps aren’t in a position to buy a home.
The silver lining is despite this all happening, mortgage rates remain near the lowest levels since 2022.
They’re only up an .125% or so relative to recent lows, which is negligible monthly-payment wise.
It would arguably have been a lot worse if the 30-year fixed was still hovering around 7% or higher.
As such, some might brush off the news and the unknowns and be grateful they can still snag a rate in the low 6s or even high 5s.
Read on: Do mortgage rates go up or down during recessions?
Before creating this site, I worked as an account executive for a wholesale mortgage lender in Los Angeles. My hands-on experience in the early 2000s inspired me to begin writing about mortgages 19 years ago to help prospective (and existing) home buyers better navigate the home loan process. Follow me on X for hot takes.
Palantir(PLTR 0.39%) has been on fire over the past years, but volatility has been prevalent. The data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) specialist has generated stock price gains of 1,730% over the past three years, but has fallen by at least 20% at least 10 times. There’s more. During the two years between early 2021 and early 2023, Palantir stock plummeted more than 80% — so it isn’t for the squeamish.
The stock currently trades for an eye-popping 241 times earnings and 115 times forward earnings (as of this writing), yet one Wall Street analyst calls Palantir “extraordinary.”
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Citi says Palantir stock is a buy
Citi analyst Tyler Radke recently made a splash, maintaining a buy rating and raising his price target on Palantir stock to a Street-high $260. For those keeping score at home, this represents potential gains for investors of 70% compared to Thursday’s closing price. The analyst cites Palantir’s strong results and relentless growth as the basis for his bullish stance.
Radke points out that “These revisions mark some of the strongest at scale we’ve seen in enterprise software.” He goes on to say that “Palantir’s momentum increasingly stands out in a software market where accelerating growth stories are rare.”
I think the analyst hit the nail on the head. In the fourth quarter, Palantir’s revenue grew 70% year over year, but this belies the underlying strength of the business. The U.S. commercial segment — which includes the company’s Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) — surged 137% year over year and 28% sequentially, representing 36% of Palantir’s total revenue. AIP is attracting not only enterprise customers but also government agencies.
Equally as impressive is the company’s remaining performance obligation (RPO) — contractually obligated sales not yet included in revenue — which surged 143% to $4.2 billion, adding $1.6 billion in the fourth quarter alone. This gives the company a solid foundation for future growth.
Today’s Change
(-0.39%) $-0.60
Current Price
$152.59
Key Data Points
Market Cap
$365B
Day’s Range
$149.63 – $156.38
52wk Range
$66.12 – $207.52
Volume
2M
Avg Vol
48M
Gross Margin
82.37%
There’s more. Management provided a bullish forecast for 2026 and is now guiding for full-year revenue growth of 60% to roughly $7.19 billion, while calling for U.S. commercial revenue to grow at least 115% to $3.14 billion.
As I pointed out earlier, this stock is volatile and not for the faint of heart. For investors with a cast-iron constitution seeking a high-risk, high-reward stock, Palantir might be worth a look. The ongoing adoption of AI and the trend toward defense modernization could be big growth drivers in 2026.
For investors captivated by Palantir’s potential but troubled by its lofty valuation, a small position can be one way to ease into a stake without betting the farm. Additionally, dollar-cost averaging is another option for building a stake over time, as it adds fewer shares when the price is high and more when the price is low.
Given its accelerating growth and scaling profits, I believe that Palantir is a buy.
Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Danny Vena, CPA has positions in Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The rare acquisition brings InterPositive’s AI filmmaking tools to Netflix, giving directors new ways to manipulate footage in postproduction while keeping creative control in human hands.
👤 Meet Felix Prehn:
I’m your host, Felix Prehn. My journey took me from being a novice investor to an investment banker, a corporate lawyer, and an entrepreneur. Investing was my key to early retirement at 40. My goal? To empower YOU to navigate the financial market with ease and transparency, free from the conventional financial system’s noise. Let’s embark on this journey to financial freedom together!
⚖️This is from my lovely lawyers:
The content in this video is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute and should not be construed as financial or investment advice or an offer to purchase or sell securities. The content is not personalized or tailored to a specific person or group of persons, nor to their personal investment or financial needs. You should consult a financial adviser or other investment professional authorized to provide investment advice. Investing comes with risks, including the risk of loss. Presentations of trades made by Felix Prehn or Goat Academy Ltd or its personnel are not a guarantee that any investment decision made by a student will be successful. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.
Chatbots can talk. Agents can work. That difference is about to matter a TON to physicians.
Most doctors no longer need convincing that AI is real. They’ve seen it write emails, summarize notes, and generate decent text. The better question now is this: what happens when AI stops acting like a chatbot and starts acting more like a worker?
That’s the shift behind AI agents.
An AI agent isn’t just a tool waiting for a prompt. It’s built to pursue a goal. It can gather information, make decisions within clear boundaries, use software and tools, and keep a task moving with less hand-holding from a human. OpenAI describes agents as systems that can accomplish tasks on your behalf using models, tools, and guardrails. For physicians, that distinction matters.
A chatbot helps you think. An agent helps you do.
That doesn’t mean AI agents are ready to run a medical practice or replace doctors. Not even close. But they are becoming more relevant to the work around medicine… documentation, inbox management, chart prep, scheduling, follow-up workflows, coding support, prior auths, and the endless admin coordination that eats up time and energy.
That broader shift also fits with what many doctors are already seeing in AI in medicine today. Why should physicians care?
Because the next real productivity gains in medicine may not come from AI that simply gives better answers. They may come from AI that reduces friction across the broken workflows we deal with every day.
Disclaimer: While these are general suggestions, it’s important to conduct thorough research and due diligence when selecting AI tools. We do not endorse or promote any specific AI tools mentioned here. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, financial, or clinical advice. Always comply with HIPAA and institutional policies. For any decisions that impact patient care or finances, consult a qualified professional.
With so much noise out there, it’s hard to know who’s actually done what you’re trying to do.
That’s why PIMDCON brings together physicians building real freedom through real estate, entrepreneurship, and smart investing.
Real physician peers sharing proven strategies.
LEARN MORE ABOUT PIMDCON
1. AI agents are different from chatbots, and that difference matters
Most physicians have already met AI in its chatbot phase. Ask a question. Get an answer. Copy, paste, tweak, and then figure out what to do with it. Useful? Absolutely. But let’s be honest… the human is still doing most of the heavy lifting.
Agents are different.
They’re built around action, not just output. Instead of simply generating text, an agent can pull the right information, apply logic, use connected tools, and move part of a workflow forward. That’s one of the clearest shifts happening in AI right now.
And OpenAI isn’t being subtle about it. Its current language centers on task completion, tool use, and bounded autonomy. The bigger idea? AI coworkers. Systems that can work within permissions, shared context, and organizational guardrails. That matters.
Because the real opportunity for physicians may not be better answers on a screen. It may be AI that quietly takes friction out of the work around medicine.
If you want a physician-focused example of where this is heading, look at how doctors are already experimenting with ChatGPT agent mode.
Think of it like this, so it is easier to imagine:
A chatbot helps draft a follow-up message after a patient visit.
An agent could potentially pull the visit summary, generate a patient-friendly instruction set, flag missing labs, prepare a message draft inside the workflow, and route it to the physician or staff member for review.
A chatbot can explain prior authorization requirements.
An agent could eventually check plan rules, gather required chart elements, draft the justification, and prepare a submission packet for human approval.
A chatbot can summarize a long thread in the inbox.
An agent could sort messages by urgency, draft responses, identify which items need physician review, and suggest what can be delegated.
This is why the distinction matters.
Physicians are not drowning in a lack of information. They’re drowning in fragmentation… clicks, context-switching, and low-value work that keeps piling up. The appeal of AI agents is not that they’re magically smarter. It’s that they may reduce the number of manual steps between intention and execution.
But physicians should be careful here.
Not every tool labeled an “agent” actually deserves the name. In plenty of cases, it’s still just a chatbot with better packaging. Same engine, nicer box. The real test is pretty simple: can it reliably move a task forward across systems or decisions, within clear limits, without creating more review work than it removes?
That question matters even more in healthcare, where complexity is high, and mistakes have real consequences. Which btw, if you haven’t read it already, here is some great info to know how physicians can spot bad AI tools before adopting them.
AI Chatbot
AI Agent
Responds one prompt at a time
Can take multiple steps in sequence with less hand-holding
Mostly gives information, suggestions, or drafts
Can retrieve data, use tools, trigger actions, and move workflows forward
Usually needs the user to direct every next step
Can operate with more autonomy within defined guardrails
Brainstorming, writing, summarizing, explaining
Automating repetitive workflows, coordinating tasks, and executing processes
2. The biggest opportunity is not replacing physicians. It is reducing workflow drag
When people hear “AI agent,” they usually swing to one extreme or the other. Some picture AI diagnosing patients, running clinics, and replacing physician judgment. Others roll their eyes and assume it’s just another shiny buzzword slapped onto old software.
The more realistic view sits somewhere in the middle. The strongest near-term use case for AI agents in medicine is not physician replacement. It’s workflow relief.
Healthcare is already getting a preview of that with ambient AI documentation. Physicians are adopting it because it solves a real problem. Not because it’s flashy. Not because it sounds futuristic. Because it helps with documentation and administrative drag… and that matters.
AMA reporting has also highlighted health systems using ambient tools at a large scale, with one example citing 2.5 million uses in one year and roughly 15,000 hours saved. And that lesson is bigger than scribes.
The real value of healthcare AI often shows up when the technology reduces repetitive friction around the clinical encounter rather than trying to replace the encounter itself. An AI agent that helps prep charts, surface care gaps, summarize relevant history, draft patient education, organize follow-up, or handle simple admin steps may be far more useful than one making grand promises about autonomous medicine.
In a lot of cases, the real win is pretty boring. It’s just working smarter with AI instead of adding one more disconnected tool to an already messy system. (Healthcare has enough of those already.)
Simply put, the opportunity is not “AI doctor.” It’s less wasted physician energy.
That matters because physicians are expensive, highly trained decision-makers. Every hour spent on fragmented administrative work is an hour not spent on diagnosis, patient communication, leadership, strategy, procedural skill, or rest. And even modest efficiency gains can create real leverage when they happen over and over across the week.
For independent physicians, practice owners, and entrepreneurial doctors, this matters even more. Agent-style tools may eventually help lean teams operate with more precision. A smaller practice could manage communication, intake, documentation support, patient reminders, and internal coordination more effectively without having to expand headcount at the same pace. That becomes even more interesting when you stop thinking about a single AI app and start thinking about an AI-enabled team.
That does not mean staffing disappears. It means some workflows become more scalable.
For employed physicians, the value may look a little different. Better tools could mean less after-hours charting, less inbox overload, and less task sprawl. Maybe even a workday with less cognitive clutter… which, honestly, sounds pretty great. For some, that may even pair well with using AI and virtual assistants to take lower-value tasks off their plate.
Either way, the real question is not whether AI agents sound impressive. It’s whether they meaningfully reduce drag.
That is how physicians should evaluate them:
Does this save time?
Does it reduce task switching?
Does it improve quality?
Does it lower burnout pressure?
Does it help the right human stay focused on the right level of work?
If the answer is no, then the tool may be interesting, but it is not leverage.
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3. Physicians should care, but they should care carefully
The case for paying attention to AI agents is strong. The case for trusting them blindly? Not so much.
Do not ask, “Is AI good or bad?” Ask, “Where is this safe, useful, and worth the tradeoff?”
Healthcare is a high-stakes environment. Even when AI sounds polished, physicians are still responsible for what they sign, what they approve, and what touches patient care. That is exactly why physicians also need to understand the compliance side of using AI without getting sued.
Well, how do we use it then? Your mindset around AI agents should be practical, not ideological.
Some tasks are obviously better fits than others. Low-risk, repetitive, rules-based, reviewable work is the natural starting point. Think scheduling logic, information gathering, message drafting, documentation support, chart summaries, and process coordination. These are the kinds of tasks where speed and consistency matter, and where a human can stay in the loop without having to rebuild the whole thing from scratch.
Higher-risk clinical judgment is different. Nuanced decisions, patient-specific reasoning, and anything with meaningful downstream consequences should clear a much higher bar. In those settings, AI may be useful as support… but not as a substitute for judgment.
This is also where governance matters.
The real question is not just what an agent can do. It’s what it should be allowed to do, what data it can access, how its output gets reviewed, and what happens when it fails. That’s not boring compliance talk. That’s the whole ballgame in healthcare.
So what should physicians watch for?
First, be skeptical of vague claims. If a vendor says a tool is “agentic” but can’t clearly explain the workflow, oversight, failure points, or review process, that’s a red flag.
Second, look for narrow wins before big promises. A tool that reliably fixes one annoying workflow is usually more valuable than one that claims it will reinvent the entire practice. (We’ve all seen that movie before.)
Third, measure the supervision burden. If an agent saves five minutes but creates ten minutes of verification work, it’s not helping.
Fourth, don’t confuse a polished interface with real capability. A slick demo is nice. Operational reliability is nicer.
And fifth, remember that strategy matters more than novelty. The physicians who benefit most from these tools will probably be the ones who understand their workflow problems clearly before they go shopping for solutions.
Long term, that is part of becoming one of the AI-literate doctors who will win. That may be the most important mindset shift of all.
AI agents are not a reason to abandon professional judgment. They’re a reason to become more intentional about where your judgment is most valuable.
Final Thoughts
So, should physicians care about AI agents? Yes… But not because they’re trendy.
Physicians should care because AI is moving from conversation to execution. The next phase of useful healthcare AI will probably be less about asking smarter questions in a chat window and more about reducing friction in the messy, repetitive workflows around patient care. That’s where things start to get interesting.
And frankly, that’s where things start to get useful.
This does not mean medicine is about to be handed over to autonomous systems. Let’s not get carried away. It means the tools around medicine are becoming more capable, more operational, and potentially more helpful.
For physicians, the smartest response is neither fear nor blind enthusiasm. It’s discernment.
Understand what an agent is. Look for practical use cases. Focus on workflow leverage. Demand guardrails. Keep humans accountable. And learn to tell the difference between an impressive demo and something that actually creates value in the real world.
The physicians who do that well won’t just “use AI.” They’ll use it in a way that protects judgment, preserves trust, and creates more room for the work that matters most. And honestly, that’s the goal.
But what do you think? Let us hear your thoughts down in the comments!
Download The Physician’s Starter Guide to AI – a free, easy-to-digest resource that walks you through smart ways to integrate tools like ChatGPT into your professional and personal life. Whether you’re AI-curious or already experimenting, this guide will save you time, stress, and maybe even a little sanity.
Want more tips to sharpen your AI skills? Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive insights and practical advice. You’ll also get access to our free AI resource page, packed with AI tools and tutorials to help you have more in life outside of medicine. Let’s make life easier, one prompt at a time. Make it happen!
Disclaimer: The information provided here is based on available public data and may not be entirely accurate or up-to-date. It’s recommended to contact the respective companies/individuals for detailed information on features, pricing, and availability.All screenshots are used under the principles of fair use for editorial, educational, or commentary purposes. All trademarks and copyrights belong to their respective owners.
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Student loan refinance rates have dropped a bit over the last week. As of March 5, 2026, student loan refinance lenders are offering fixed rates as low as 3.67% APR and variable rates starting as low as 3.71% APR, depending on credit profile, loan type, income, and repayment term.
Credible is offering the lowest variable rate loans starting at 3.67% APR, while Earnest is offering the lowest fixed rate loan, starting at 3.71% APR.
For borrowers with private student loans especially, refinancing to lower your interest rate can save you thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.
💰 Today’s Best Student Loan Refinance Rates At a Glance
Here are the best student loan refinance rates today:
Lender
Fixed APR
Variable APR
Credible
3.99% – 10.15%
3.67% – 11.11%
Earnest
3.71% – 9.99%
5.88% – 9.99%
ELFI
4.29% – 8.44%
4.74% – 8.24%
LendKey
4.39% – 9.24%
4.19% – 9.24%
Student Choice
4.24% – 13.25%
5.25% – 12.74%
1. Credible – Credibleis a marketplace of student loan lenders that has some options you may not be able to find anywhere else. You can also get up to a $1,000 gift card bonus if you refinance through their platform. You can get rates as low as 3.69% APR. Read our full Credible review.
2. Earnest – Earnest is one of the best known online student loan lenders and they have been offering consistently competitive rates for years. Right now, you can get the lowest fixed rate APR at 3.71%. Read our full Earnest student loans review.
3. ELFI – ELFI is one of the oldest student loan lenders, and offers comeptitve rates, along with a bonus offer of up to $599 if you refinance a student loan with them. You can get rates as low as 4.74% APR. Read our full ELFI Student Loans Review.
4. LendKey – LendKey is a private lender that pools money from community banks and credit unions to offer lower rate student loans. They are also offering up to a $750 bonus if you refinance a student loan. You can get rates as low as 4.19% APR. Read our full LendKey review.
5. Student Choice – Student Choice is a service that works with a huge network of credit unions nationwide to match you with low cost student loans offered by credit unions. They currently have some of the lowest fixed rate student loans on the market. You can get rates as low as 4.24% APR. Read our full Student Choice Student Loans review.
You can find a full list of the best student loan refinance lenders here >>
Why Should You Refinance Your Student Loan?
Refinancing replaces one or more existing loans with a new private loan — ideally at a lower interest rate.
Borrowers typically refinance to:
Reduce their monthly payments
Lower their overall interest cost
Combine multiple loans into one
Shorten or extend repayment terms
Refinancing can make sense for private loan borrowers or federal borrowers who no longer need federal benefits such as income-driven repayment or forgiveness. Remember, refinancing a federal loan will cause you to lose federal benefits like student loan forgiveness!
For example, refinancing a $60,000 loan from 7.50% to 5.50% over 10 years saves roughly $7,000 in interest.
Fixed vs. Variable Rates: Which Should You Choose?
There’s a lot of uncertainty that borrowers don’t like with variable rates, which can make sense, but in a declining rate environment, it also opens the potential for future savings. Here’s what to know:
Fixed rates stay the same for the life of the loan, offering predictable monthly payments. They’re better for borrowers who plan to repay over many years.
Variable rates can change with market conditions, starting lower but carrying risk if the Fed raises rates again. They can make sense for borrowers who expect to pay off loans quickly.
Most private lenders allow you to check rates without affecting your credit score. Always compare both options before signing.
What To Know Before Refinancing
Before refinancing your student loans, make sure you understand exactly what you’re signing up for.
Loss of federal benefits: Once refinanced, federal loans are no longer eligible for PSLF, IBR, or other income-driven plans.
Cosigner options: A creditworthy cosigner can unlock lower rates. Check if the lender offers cosigner release after a set number of on-time payments.
Term flexibility: Many lenders allow terms from 5 to 20 years; shorter terms usually mean lower rates.
Autopay discounts: Most lenders offer a 0.25% rate reduction when you enroll in automatic payments.
Fees: The best refinance lenders charge no origination fees or prepayment penalties.
How We Track And Verify Student Loan Rates
At The College Investor, our editorial team reviews student loan rates daily from more than a dozen major lenders. We verify data using official lender disclosures, regulatory filings, and real-time rate sheets.
We only include lenders offering loans to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. All rates are updated regularly and represent the lowest available APRs with autopay discounts applied.
Our coverage is independent and not influenced by compensation. While we may earn a referral fee when you open a loan through certain links, this never affects our editorial recommendations. Our goal is simple: to help you find the most affordable path to borrow responsibly.
FAQs
Can you refinance federal student loans?
Yes, but doing so converts them into private loans, meaning you’ll lose access to forgiveness and income-driven plans.
How often can you refinance?
There’s no limit – you can refinance multiple times as long as you qualify for better terms.
Does refinancing hurt your credit?
A small, temporary drop in your credit score may occur after the hard inquiry, but steady payments improve your score over time.
Do refinance rates change daily?
Yes, lenders adjust rates frequently based on market conditions and Treasury yields.
Is there a best time to refinance?
The best time is when your credit and income qualify you for significantly better rates than your current loans.
Disclosures
Splash Financial
See disclaimers at: https://www.splashfinancial.com/disclaimers/
Splash Financial, Inc. (NMLS #1630038), licensed by the DFPI under California Financing Law, license # 60DBO-102545
Terms and Conditions apply. Splash reserves the right to modify or discontinue products and benefits at any time without notice. Products may not be available in all states. Rates and terms are subject to change at any point prior to application submission. The information you provide is an inquiry to determine whether Splash’s lending partners can make you a loan offer. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or other eligible status and meet lender underwriting requirements. Lowest rates are reserved for the highest qualified borrowers and may require an autopay discount of 0.25%. Splash does not guarantee that you will receive any loan offers or that your loan application will be approved. If approved, your actual rate will be within a range of rates and will depend on a variety of factors, including term of loan, creditworthiness, income and other factors. This information is current as of January 8, 2026. You should review the benefits of your federal student loan; it may offer specific benefits that a private refinance/consolidation loan may not offer. If you work in the public sector, are in the military or taking advantage of a federal department of relief program, such as income-based repayment or public service forgiveness, you may not want to refinance, as these benefits do not transfer to private refinance/consolidation loans.
Autopay Discount. Rates listed include a 0.25% autopay discount.
Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the cost of credit calculating the interest rate, loan amount, repayment term and the timing of payments. Fixed APR options range from 4.96% (with autopay) to 11.24% (without autopay). Variable APR options range from 4.99% (with autopay) to 11.14% (without autopay). Variable rates are derived by adding a margin to the 30-day average SOFR index, published two business days preceding such calendar month, rounded up to the nearest one hundredth of one percent (0.01% or 0.0001).
Payment Disclosure. Fixed loans feature repayment terms of 5 to 20 years. For example, the monthly payment for a sample $10,000 with an APR of 5.47% for a 12-year term would be $94.86. Variable loans feature repayment terms of 5 to 25 years. For example, the monthly payment for a sample $10,000 with an APR of 5.90% for a 15-year term would be $83.85.
Bonus Disclosure. Terms and conditions apply. Offer is subject to lender approval. To receive the offer, you must: (1) be refinancing over either $50,000, $100,000 or $200,000 in student loans depending on the channel partner that is providing the bonus offer (2) register and/or apply through the referral link you were given; (3) complete a loan application with Splash Financial; (4) have and provide a valid US address to receive bonus; (5) and meet Splash Financial’s underwriting criteria. Once conditions are met and the loan has been disbursed, you will receive your welcome bonus via a check to your submitted address within 90-120 calendar days. Bonuses that are not redeemed within 180 calendar days of the date they were made available to the recipient may be subject to forfeit. Bonus amounts of $600 or greater in a single calendar year may be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as miscellaneous income to the recipient on Form 1099-MISC in the year received as required by applicable law. Recipient is responsible for any applicable federal, state or local taxes associated with receiving the bonus offer; consult your tax advisor to determine applicable tax consequences. Splash reserves the right to change or terminate the offer at any time with or without notice. Bonus Offer is for new customers only.
Editor: Colin Graves
Reviewed by: Richelle Hawley
The post Best Student Loan Refinance Rates for March 5, 2026: Credible Leads At 3.67% appeared first on The College Investor.
If agentic commerce is to meet its potential, the industry must develop a solid trust foundation. That’s why Chandler Fang founded t54. Using his experience in quant trading at JPMorgan Chase and in cross-border payments at Ripple, Fang is building the trust layer this sector sorely needs.
From 2017-2021, Fang worked in quant trading and research at JPMorgan Chase, developing trading algorithms. He also focused on AI in payments and the JPM Coin before moving on to Ripple.
That background was perfect preparation for t54.
“There’s a strong synergy between AI, blockchain technology, and stablecoins,” Fang said.
Agentic tech began slowly before taking off
AI agents had a fairly inauspicious debut. Fang said they had limited functionality. During his JPMorgan tenure, AI was mostly machine learning, natural language processing and reinforcement.
That changed with ChatGPT3, which was more powerful than legacy technologies. Whereas new developments in Fang’s JPMorgan days came, if lucky, once a quarter, and marginal growth once a year, they now came monthly or even faster.
“And each month, you see something quite remarkable and impressive,” Fang said.
Now, creators can tell agents what they want them to do and trust the technology to determine the best path.
“That’s the reasoning power of AI agents,” Fang explained. “They are smart enough to know how to use different tools, even using other agents for other data and research… breaking a complex project into viable steps.”
Key components of t54’s trust layer
Agents that can recommend a route to Singapore and suggest an itinerary are nice; they generate useful information and save some time. Fang said the value comes in when the agent books the tickets and hotel and even negotiates the price. Recent research found that 42% of Americans would allow the agent to do all of that, as long as it can guarantee the lowest price.
That next step mandates trust. What if the agent loses the money? What if a booking site’s agent doesn’t allow your agent to book?
“Agents are getting more powerful and a lot of human beings want agents to be deeply involved in their daily lives to make that easier,” Fang said. “This inevitably means working with the financial ecosystem.”
Easier said than done, as Fang said 86% of cyberprofessionals say agents require their own identities and verifiability. In short, how can you trust their agent, and how can they trust yours?
Enter t54. Humans have FICO scores and are subjected to KYC. Should agents have a credit score? How about KYA (know your agent)?
Absolutely, Fang responds. Track agent activity, test code for robustness. Properly onboard identity agents, and perform risk assessments on its transactions. Reassure market participants by addressing disputes and chargebacks. Fang likens it to a hire, where an employer accepts a resume, hires and puts the employee on probation.
Fang illustrates the possible with an agent instructed to order a coffee. Check the underpinning AI technology and model number. Conduct a security token exchange between the humans and agent; assess the biometrics, passkeys, etc.
And ask questions:
How risky is the transaction?
Did the agent choose a convenient location?
Was the location highly rated?
Was the location actually open?
Was the transaction successfully completed?
And the big one:
What if something goes wrong?
“You can ask us and we will honour it for you so you can have pure trust,” Fang said.
t54 raises $5m round
Investors like the concept. Last week, t54 raised $5 million in seed funding led by Anagram, PL Capital, and Franklin Templeton, with strategic participation from Ripple, Virtuals Ventures, Blockchain Coinvestors, and ABCDE.
“We are building trust infrastructure for the agentic economy,” Fang said. “Financial systems were designed around human identity and human decision-making. As agents become autonomous participants, we need agent-native financial primitives—verifiable agent identity (KYA), real-time risk assessment, and programmable accountability—built for how agents operate.”
Fang’s Ripple experience pays off, as t54 previously announced a strategic collaboration with Evernorth, a Ripple-backed digital asset treasury company. Evernorth will integrate t54 to conduct verification, risk assessment, and compliance for autonomous treasury operations on the XRP Ledger.
“As institutions embrace tokenization and autonomous systems, the infrastructure layer must evolve to match. t54 is building the trust and verification framework that institutional finance will require as AI agents become participants in financial markets,” said Tony Pecore, SVP/ director of digital asset management at Franklin Templeton.
Royal Bank of Canada Chief Executive Officer Dave McKay received $23.76 million in total compensation last year, a pay package that included a bonus that was 86% above his target as the firm achieved record earnings.
After months of infighting over the Department of Homeland’s handling of ICE’s immigration crackdown, President Trump announced on Thursday that he will replace Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem with Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a junior senator hailing from the state of Oklahoma.
“The president and I are good friends,” Mullin told reporters after the announcement. “We look forward to working closer with the White House.”
“Obviously, I’m gonna be over there a lot more.”
The Senator, who previously served 10 years in the House of Representatives before starting his senate term in 2023, is best known for challenging Teamsters President Sean O’Brien to a fistfight during a heated hearing in 2023. Among their many differences, Mullin criticized O’Brein for his $200,000 annual salary—as compared to Mullin’s $174,000 congressional one.
Mullin came under fire after claiming during the same hearing that he paid himself only $50,000 when he ran a plumbing business. However, his financial disclosures from 2012—the year he was first elected to Congress—told a different story: his self-reported salary was $92,000, almost double what he said.
A deeper look at Mullin’s most recent financial disclosures from 2024 reveals that the senator is a multimillionaire.
What are Mullin’s assets?
Congressmembers don’t have to disclose the exact dollar values of their assets and liabilities, but rather, are allowed to give a range of values. They also don’t have to disclose the values of their personal residences. As a result, it’s rather difficult to get a true dollar amount to how much our representatives are worth.
Mullin’s only source of income is his congressional salary—though he owns several businesses, a home services company, and properties in his home state and in Washington, D.C.
He and his wife, Christie, have owned Mullin Plumbing in Broken Arrow, Okla for 28 years, which his Senate website says is the largest service company in the region. He also is a joint owner of Mullin Ranch LLC, a 1600-acre cattle ranch and event and wedding venue in Okla., estimated to be worth between $1 million and $5 million, according to the filing.
In 2024, his wife sold Rowan’s Restaurant, a steakhouse in Stilwell, Okla., for between $1 million and $5 million according to his disclosure. His bio says both he and his founded the steakhouse. He is also the joint owner of Mullin Family Holdco LLC,—the value unreported—and COP Hometown Parent LLC, valued at $500,000 to $1 million dollars, according to the disclosure. These holdings are distributed across himself, his spouse, and his children, with individual stakes often valued between $500,001 and $1,000,000.
He also founded Mullin Environmental, according to his website. The company received a COVID-era Paycheck Protection Program loan for $169,200, which was later forgiven according to ProPublica.
He is a full or joint owner of at least 30 commercial, residential, and land investment properties, four of which are worth more than $1 million, according to the 2024 financial disclosure. They are mostly located in Okla., but he also owns one investment property in Washington, D.C. and Englewood, Fla.
He also listed dozens of corporate securities and mutual fund holdings in the 2024 disclosure, ranging in worth from less than $1,001 to $1 million.
In 2024, Mullin also took out a line of credit valued between $5,000,001 and $25,000,000 from global financial services firm BNY, according to the disclosure.
Building business at home
He grew up on his family ranch in Westville, Okla., where he still lives today, with his wife with whom he has six children, according to his Senate bio. He enrolled in Missouri Valley College on a wrestling scholarship, but left school at 20 years old to save his family business after his father got sick, according to his website. He got a degree in Applied Science in Construction Technology from Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in 2010.
Mullin is one of several multimillionaires in the Senate. West Virginia Sen. Jim Justice, who owns several coal and mining companies and the luxury Greenbrier resort, is worth about $664 million, according to fintech firm Quiver Quantitative. (Quiver also estimated Mullin’s net worth to reach as high as $65.9 million). Quick Sen. Mark Warner is the wealthiest Democratic senator and has an estimated net worth between $76 and $303 million, mostly from investment funds, Business Insider reported.
