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Relying on AI chatbots for answers is a growing danger, mortgage executive says


“I kind of compare it to Wikipedia,” Saunders said. “When you go to search something, Wikipedia usually comes up first, especially if you’re searching a person. But I don’t know if people are aware that anybody can go in and modify and edit Wikipedia. All that stuff may not even be true. A lot of it may be true, but it may not be 100% factual. So why not go straight to the resource? It’s better to be informed correctly the first time than to find out your mistake later.”

Saunders said making sure brokers are getting the right answers is a critical mission for trade organizations like NAMB.

“Our information is validated,” she said. “You’re hearing it directly from the GSEs, or you’re getting information directly from people who may have worked at VA or worked at FHA or have been part of the reverse mortgage industry for a long time. You’re getting the vast experience and knowledge that all of these organizations have cultivated.”

A PhD in mortgage

The mortgage industry is unique because each brokerage is its own business, while brokers are also their own small businesses, even if they work for a larger company. Saunders said that’s why trade organizations are so important to find a way to tie all of these smaller businesses together into a larger entity.

“When you’re getting involved in a business like ours, it’s really made up of a bunch of little small businesses,” Saunders said. “Even if you’re a mortgage broker that works for a large mortgage company, you’re probably working from home. The only people that you’re connecting with are either people through Zoom, or maybe you’re going to local association events or networking events.

Police arrest bid for BTS label Chairmain rejected by Korean prosecutors (report)


South Korean prosecutors have rejected a police request for an arrest warrant against HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, just days after officers applied for his detention in connection with an investigation into alleged unfair trading tied to the company’s 2020 IPO.

That’s according to Yonhap News Agency, which reports today (April 24) that the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office declined the warrant request. Police had applied for the warrant on charges of unfair trading under the Capital Markets Act, the outlet reported.

“At this stage, there is insufficient evidence to justify the necessity of detention, and we have therefore requested a supplementary investigation,” the prosecution said, according to Yonhap.

The decision came after the financial crimes unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency applied for an arrest warrant for Bang on Monday (April 21).

That warrant application itself followed an announcement from Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Park Jung-bo, who had told reporters the day before the warrant application that that the investigation into Bang was “essentially complete” and nearing conclusion, as reported by The Korea Herald.

Bang is accused of misleading investors in 2019 by telling them that HYBE (then known as Big Hit Entertainment) had no plans to pursue an initial public offering, while the company was allegedly already undergoing pre-IPO procedures.

Investors reportedly sold their holdings to a private equity fund based on those assurances. According to Yonhap, Bang is suspected of generating approximately 260 billion won (approx. $175 million) through the scheme.

Bang has denied the allegations.  According to Yonhap, he has said the IPO followed the law and regulations.

When police applied for the warrant on April 21, Bang’s legal team, in a statement to the Associated Press, expressed regret that officers were seeking his arrest “despite our full and consistent cooperation with the investigation over an extended period.”

Bang has reportedly been under a travel ban since August 2025 and was summoned by police twice for questioning in September of that year. He returned to Seoul from the United States in August 2025 to face questioning, telling staff at the time that he felt “a deep sense of regret” that the situation might be affecting HYBE’s artists and employees.

As previously reported, Bang and three other executives were referred to prosecutors in July 2025 by regulators for a probe into alleged unfair trading connected to the IPO.

The case remains under investigation. Prosecutors have requested that police conduct further evidence-gathering.

Korean media reported recently that the US Embassy in Seoul had sent a letter to the police agency requesting that Bang and other HYBE executives be permitted to travel to the US, citing BTS’s ARIRANG world tour – the US leg of which opens in Tampa later this month – and July 4th celebrations.

HYBE denied involvement in the embassy letter, saying it had “not requested the US Embassy to seek the lifting of Chairman Bang’s travel ban”.Music Business Worldwide

Senate Democrats Push To Extend SAVE Plan Transition Deadline For 7M Borrowers


Ten Senate Democrats led by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) sent a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon on April 21 demanding the Department extend the 90-day window for more than 7 million borrowers being forced off the Savings on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan.

The Department of Education has started contacting student loan borrowers with a “friendly” reminder that the SAVE plan forbearance is ending and borrowers need to choose a new repayment plan. However, starting July 1, borrowers will receive a strict 90-day warning to choose a new repayment plan or default into the standard plan.

Borrowers who don’t make a choice will still see payments resume this fall. And if they miss payments, they’ll become delinquent and potentially end up in default.

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Why it matters: After the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit directed the lower court to vacate SAVE, the Department of Education set a hard transition deadline. Borrowers who fail to pick a new plan within 90 days of receiving a notice from their loan servicer will be auto-enrolled in either the Standard Repayment Plan or the new Tiered Standard Plan.

By the numbers: The standard repayment plan is typically the most expensive repayment plan. A student loan borrower with no kids, $30,000 in loans, and making $60,000 per year would see the following payments:

  • RAP Plan: $250/month
  • IBR Plan: $312/month
  • Tiered Standard Plan: $266/month
  • Standard Repayment Plan: $345/month

That’s a potential jump of $95 per month for borrowers who miss the window.

What they’re saying:We are extremely concerned that the Department’s decision to force SAVE borrowers who do not take action in time into the Standard Plan or the new Tiered Standard Plan will result in substantially higher, and consequently unaffordable, payments,” the senators wrote.

The timeline also conflicts with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which gave borrowers in other IDR plans until June 30, 2028 (three years) to transition.

Between the lines: The letter argues the Department is steering borrowers toward the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) and Tiered Standard Plan rather than older income-driven options such as PAYE, ICR, and IBR, which may be cheaper for some borrowers. The senators also flagged a backlog of 553,966 unprocessed IDR applications as of March 31, 2026.

What’s next: The senators set an April 28 deadline for the Department to respond to 11 questions, including how borrowers with 10+ years of repayment history will be handled and what authority allows existing borrowers to be placed in the Tiered Standard Plan.

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How The Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) Works: Payments, Eligibility, And Forgiveness

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SAVE Plan Forbearance Ending: What To Know

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SAVE Student Loan Plan Officially Ended By Court Order

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Editor: Colin Graves

The post Senate Democrats Push To Extend SAVE Plan Transition Deadline For 7M Borrowers appeared first on The College Investor.

Amex Charging Annual Fee for Delta Gold Card No-Fee Offers


Amex Charging Annual Fee for Delta Gold Card No-Fee Offers

The Amex Delta SkyMiles Gold and Delta SkyMiles Gold Business cards often have welcome offers that waive the annual fee for the first year. If you’re looking to apply, there are still NLL links available for Delta business cards.

But if you have applied, or plan to apply for one of the Delta SkyMiles Gold cards, you should keep an eye on your charges. American Express is apparently charging the annual fee during the first statement period. Joe flagged this in our Facebook Group, but there’s also a reddit thread about the same issue.

If you were charged the annual fee right away on the Delta SkyMiles Gold and Delta SkyMiles Gold Business cards, then start a chat with Amex online so they can look into it and open a case to have it refunded.

Let me know in the comments if you have been charged.

Why Navitas Semiconductor Stock Skyrocketed This Week


Navitas Semiconductor (NVTS 6.64%) stock posted massive gains this week. The chip company’s share price rose 40.3% compared to its closing price at the end of the previous week.

Navitas stock got a substantial lift from the bullish backdrop for the broader market, with the S&P 500 up 0.5% in the week and the Nasdaq Composite up 1.5%. While positive momentum for the market helps explain some of Navitas’s gains this week, the stock’s rally over the week still looks anomalous.

Image source: Getty Images.

It wasn’t a big news week for Navitas

Despite the explosive rally for the stock, there was little in the way of business-specific news for Navitas. Tech stocks rallied on news that the U.S. and Iran had extended their ceasefire agreement to continue working on a potential agreement to end the war, and the improved geopolitical outlook helped lift the semiconductor stock. In addition to bullish trading for the broader market, Navitas may have been a beneficiary of meme stock momentum and investors betting on a short squeeze.

Navitas Semiconductor Stock Quote

Today’s Change

(-6.64%) $-1.23

Current Price

$17.28

Semiconductor stocks are red right now

Semiconductor stocks were some of the market’s biggest winners over the last week, with big names including Intel, Nvidia, and Marvell posting significant gains over the stretch. Some more speculative names including Poet Technologies and Astera Labs also recorded strong rallies.

Navitas is benefiting from a voracious appetite among investors for high-growth semiconductor companies, and power-chip companies in particular have become a hot trade. On the other hand, the recent rally has seemingly transpired despite little in the way of major news. Navitas has a promising expansion outlook, but investors may want to be cautious with the company’s recent rally pushing its forward price-to-sales multiple up to roughly 100.

Keith Noonan has positions in Intel. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Intel and Marvell Technology. The Motley Fool recommends Astera Labs. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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[CO Only] Metrum Community Credit Union $200 Checking Bonus, Direct Deposit Not Required


Offer at a glance

  • Maximum bonus amount: $200
  • Availability: CO only, OOS might work
  • Direct deposit required: No
  • Additional requirements: See below
  • Hard/soft pull: Hard pull?
  • ChexSystems: Unknown
  • Credit card funding: Unknown 
  • Monthly fees: None 
  • Early account termination fee: Unknown
  • Household limit: None listed
  • Expiration date: None listed

The Offer

Direct link to offer

  • Metrum Community Credit Union is offering a $200 bonus when you open a new checking account and complete following requirements:
    • $50 bonus when you open a new High Yield or Cash Back Spending Account with eStatements and debit card
    • $150 bonus when within 1st 90-days after opening when account meets all qualifications and receives a high yield interest or cash back paid to the account:
      • Cash Back Spending Account qualifications: (a) post and clear seventeen or more debit card purchase transactions during the statement period and (b) enroll to receive periodic statements electronically.
      • High Yield Spending Account qualifications: (a) complete a total of $500 or more in direct deposits (ACH) during the statement period (b) post and clear seventeen or more debit and/or credit card purchase transactions during the month and (c) enroll to receive periodic statement electronically.

The Fine Print 

  • 1st $50 paid with new High Yield or Cash Back Spending Account opened and account enrolled with eStatements and debit card activated. Offer not available to existing primary accounts with checking/spending account opened in the last 12-months;
  • 2nd $150 bonus will be paid within 1st 90-days after opening when account meets all qualifications and receives a high yield interest or cash back paid to the account.
  • Qualifications for Cash Back and High Yield Spending Accounts apply.
    • Cash Back Spending Account qualifications: (a) post and clear seventeen or more debit card purchase transactions during the statement period and (b) enroll to receive periodic statements electronically.
    • High Yield Spending Account qualifications: (a) complete a total of $500 or more in direct deposits (ACH) during the statement period (b) post and clear seventeen or more debit and/or credit card purchase transactions during the month and (c) enroll to receive periodic statement electronically.
  • High Yield APY subject to change anytime, see rate sheet for current rates.
  • All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

Neither of these accounts has a monthly fee.

Early Account Termination Fee

I wasn’t able to find a fee schedule so unsure if there is any EATF. 

Our Verdict

Hard pull worth it for some people, but not others. No direct deposit required at least on the cash back spending account. Will add to our best bank account bonuses.

Hat tip to reader Bockrr

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:

  • A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
  • Bank Account Quick Reference Table (Spreadsheet) (very useful for sorting bonuses by different parameters)
  • PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
  • Introduction To ChexSystems
  • Banks & Credit Unions That Are ChexSystems Inquiry Sensitive
  • What Banks & Credit Unions Do/Don’t Pull ChexSystems?
  • How To Use Our Direct Deposit Page For Bank Bonuses Page
  • Common Bank Bonus Misconceptions + Why You Should Give Them A Go
  • How Many Bank Accounts Can I Safely Open Within A Year For Bank Bonus Purposes?
  • Affiliate Links & Bank Bonuses – We Won’t Be Using Them
  • Complete List Of Ways To Close Bank Accounts At Each Bank
  • Banks That Allow/Don’t Allow Out Of State Checking Applications
  • Bank Bonus Posting Times

Aligning Allocation to the Global Business Cycle


Asset classes do not move independently; their behavior reflects the prevailing phase of the global cycle. Across phases, both return potential and the way each exposure transmits risk within a portfolio change.

As growth and inflation momentum evolve, so do volatility patterns, correlations, and drawdown characteristics. Early in the cycle, risk assets may act as recovery engines. As the cycle matures, those same exposures can become sources of instability. Duration can shift from a performance drag during reflation to a stabilizer as growth slows. Credit may transition from carry engine to spread risk. Commodities and high-beta assets often lose diversification benefits once the cyclical momentum peaks.

The key insight is that exposures cannot be assumed to behave consistently over time. Their portfolio role changes as macro conditions change. Historical cycle patterns do not provide certainty, but they offer a probabilistic framework for assessing whether current risks are aligned with the prevailing environment.

Practitioner Tip: Rather than focusing solely on expected returns, professionals should regularly reassess how each exposure contributes to portfolio volatility, correlation, and drawdown risk as the cycle evolves and adjust when those relationships begin to shift.

Where Would Mortgage Rates Be Without War in Iran?


Mortgage rates have had a pretty good April, all things considered.

They’ve come down about 30 basis points (0.30%) over the past month, despite the conflict in Iran still raging on.

So I was curious where mortgage rates would be without a war in Iran, had it never gotten started at the end of February.

Back then, we were just below 6% for a 30-year fixed and apparently we’d still be there had history been different.

And while the difference in monthly payment might be negligible, the psychological factor could have been huge for home buyers this spring.

Mortgage Rates Have a 0.25% ‘Geopolitical Premium’

I asked xAI’s Grok where mortgage rates would be sans the conflict in Iran and it told me about a quarter-point lower.

If we use Freddie Mac’s latest 30-year fixed reading of 6.23%, that would put the popular loan type right below 6%.

Instead, borrowers are still facing rates well into the 6s, which even if not a big payment difference, must not feel as nice as a 5-handle rate.

There’s a reason most prices end in .99. It’s no different with mortgage rates.

Home buyers would much rather have a 5%-something versus a 6%-something. It just looks better. And I’m sure it feels better too.

Instead, those who’ve been buying homes this spring have had to settle for the higher rates, assuming they didn’t buy down the mortgage rate.

As for why, it’s what Grok coined as a “geopolitical premium” of about 25 bps.

Here’s how it breaks down:

  • Pre-conflict 30-year fixed mortgage rate: 5.98%
  • Minus embedded geopolitical premium today (~25 bps)
  • Plus/minus modest natural drift (0–10 bps lower)
  • Mortgage rate range: 5.85% to 6.05%
  • Midpoint guess: 5.95%.

Mortgage Rates Usually Fall During Uncertain Times

Typically, mortgage rates fall when there’s a war because there’s a flight to safety in bonds.

Investors seek a safe haven in uncertain times. This time is different.

We have a stock market at/near all-time highs as investors continue to chase higher returns in the face of $105+ per barrel oil.

So really it’s not so much a geopolitical premium as it is an energy price premium, given oil was closer to $70 per barrel pre-conflict.

If we consider the 10-year bond yield, it was just below 4% prior to the war with Iran, and now sits around 4.30%.

This means it’s mostly the difference in yields pushing 30-year fixed mortgage rates higher, and a little bit of the spread widening.

The next question is when can mortgage rates return to pre-war levels? That’s a tougher one to answer because the path remains very unclear.

Colin Robertson
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