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Alberta’s deficit to more than double, hit by oil price drop
Alberta, Canada’s main oil-producing province, is projecting its budget deficit will more than double in the coming fiscal year after softer crude prices coincided with a surge in population to strain public finances.
American Express Pauses Transfers To ANA Until 3/2
Update: Spokesperson for American Express has stated that it’s just a tech update and there are no other changes coming for ANA.
American Express has paused transfers to ANA Mileage Club until 3/2. The message listed states:
Due to planned maintenance, Membership Rewards® point transfer to ANA will be temporarily unavailable online and by phone from February 25 at 1 PM MST to March 2 at 7 PM MST. We apologize for any inconvenience.
FM speculates that it could be reenabled with a reduced transfer rate. When that happened with Emirates advanced notice was given (and with Cathay Pacific). You can’t make any transfers currently so I guess you just need to wait to see what happens. It would be a shame if more and more transfer partners had reduced none 1:1 rates.
We’ve reached out to American Express and will update the post if they respond.
என்னாச்சு #pmcares #finance #budget #social #awareness #covaiexpress
என்னாச்சு #pmcares #finance #budget #social #awareness #covaiexpress
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Best Student Loan Refinance Rates for February 26, 2026: Credible Leads At 3.69%
Student loan refinance rates have held steady over the last week. As of February 26, 2026, student loan refinance lenders are offering fixed rates as low as 3.69% APR and variable rates starting as low as 3.99% APR, depending on credit profile, loan type, income, and repayment term.
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% |
3.69% – 11.11% |
|
ELFI |
4.29% – 8.44% |
4.74% – 8.24% |
|
LendKey |
4.39% – 9.24% |
4.19% – 9.24% |
|
Splash |
4.20% – 10.24% |
4.74% – 10.24% |
|
Student Choice |
4.24% – 13.25% |
5.25% – 12.74% |
1. Credible – Credible is 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. 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.
3. 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.
4. Splash – Splash Financial is a marketplace filled with banks and credit unions looking to help people refinance their student loans. They are offering up to $500 if you refinance a student loan. You can get rates as low as 4.20% APR. Read our full Splash 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.
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 February 26, 2026: Credible Leads At 3.69% appeared first on The College Investor.
More Employers Are Now Giving ‘Peanut Butter’ Raises — What It Means for Your Paychecks in 2026
If you’re hoping for a big pay raise this year, recent data suggests you might want to check those expectations. Pay raises in 2026 are holding steady rather than surging, according to research from Payscale.
The findings come from Payscale’s 2026 Compensation Best Practices Report, which surveys organizations about the salary increases they distributed in 2025 and what they plan for this year. The data provides a picture of where employer pay budgets stand amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
The numbers aren’t moving much
The median base pay increase for 2026 sits at 3.5%, identical to what employers gave in 2025. For workers who were expecting raises to outpace inflation more aggressively, that’s likely a bit of a letdown.
There are some differences between Canadian and American salary increases, according to the report. While U.S. employers are planning median increases of 3.5%, Canadian organizations are projecting slightly lower raises at 3.2%.
However, Canadian increases are actually higher relative to that country’s inflation rate, which held steady at 2.2% in November 2025. By comparison, U.S. inflation was running at approximately 2.7% annually as of late 2025.
As for what drives raises, merit and performance remain the dominant factors, with 76% of organizations citing them as the most influential drivers of pay increases.
Market adjustments to stay competitive with the cost of labor came in second at 46%. About 45% of organizations also factor cost of living into their decisions.
The rise of ‘peanut butter’ raises
One growing trend in pay is across-the-board salary increases. They’re sometimes called “peanut butter raises” because they spread pay increases evenly rather than tying them to individual performance ratings.
According to Payscale’s data, 48% of organizations plan to continue performance-based pay increases, but a significant portion are reconsidering that approach.
About 18% are considering peanut butter increases, 16% are planning to implement them and 9% already use this method. In total, more than 40% of organizations are either using or actively considering standardized raises.
This could reflect a shift away from performance-based systems, which have faced criticism for being subjective and potentially prone to bias. Organizations with large frontline or lower-wage workforces may find uniform increases simpler to administer and explain to employees.
Employers feel confident regarding flat budgets
Despite the lack of movement in salary budgets, most employers seem comfortable with their compensation strategies. About 60% believe their 2026 salary increases are competitive enough to retain and engage talent.
That confidence appears to stem from having better data to back up pay decisions. Organizations that can explain their compensation choices using market information seem more secure in their approach, even when budgets aren’t growing.
For workers, the message is that significant pay jumps probably aren’t coming through annual raises alone. Those looking to boost their income may need to consider other strategies, such as pursuing promotions, developing new skills or exploring opportunities elsewhere.
Is Salesforce Stock a Buy After a Strong Earnings Report?
Salesforce posted a strong quarter and unveiled a huge buyback, but the growth outlook still looks steady.
Enterprise-software leader Salesforce (CRM +3.93%) reported strong fiscal fourth-quarter results this week, with revenue and adjusted earnings per share both coming in ahead of analysts’ consensus forecasts for the two metrics. Additionally, it announced a new $50 billion share repurchase authorization.
But the company’s guidance didn’t show evidence that AI was creating a clear inflection in the software specialist’s consolidated top-line growth trends.
Still, overall, the company continues to grow at a robust rate, and its repurchase program adds to the bull case. So, is the stock a buy? After all, shares remain beaten down from their levels last year. The stock is down about 24% year to date as of this writing.
Image source: Getty Images.
Strong cash flow and a growing backlog
With the help of a strong fiscal Q4, the software company’s total fiscal 2026 revenue rose 10% year over year to $41.5 billion. Notably, Salesforce’s revenue growth ticked up a bit in Q4. On a constant-currency basis, Salesforce said revenue grew 10% year over year in the fourth quarter, accelerating from 8% constant-currency growth in the prior quarter.
Of course, a strong suit for Salesforce for a long time has been cash flow. And that strength persisted throughout the year and in fiscal Q4. For fiscal 2026, Salesforce’s operating cash flow increased 15% to $15.0 billion, and free cash flow rose 16% to $14.4 billion — a formidable figure for a company with a $190 billion market capitalization.
Showing how demand is faring, Salesforce’s remaining performance obligations (RPO), which the company defines as contracted revenue that has not yet been recognized, totaled $72.4 billion at quarter-end — up 14% year over year. The current portion (the portion expected to be recognized over the next 12 months) of that figure was $35.1 billion, up 16%.
Highlighting one way AI is a tailwind for the company, Salesforce said Agentforce — a suite of autonomous AI agents designed to help companies automate tasks with minimal human oversight — reached $800 million in annual recurring revenue, up 169% year over year.
Additionally, the company is aggressively buying back its stock. In fiscal 2026, the tech company returned $14.3 billion total to shareholders, including $12.7 billion in share repurchases and $1.6 billion in dividends.
Underwhelming guidance
Despite the company’s fast-growing remaining performance obligations and its incredible momentum with Agentforce, these catalysts aren’t showing up very much in Salesforce’s guidance.
Management initiated fiscal 2027 revenue guidance of $45.8 billion to $46.2 billion, which implies about 11% growth at the midpoint from fiscal 2026’s $41.5 billion. But that headline growth rate includes about three points of contribution from its recent acquisition of Informatica, meaning the underlying pace is still closer to the high single digits.
The same dynamic shows up in the near-term guide. Salesforce expects first-quarter fiscal 2027 revenue of $11.03 billion to $11.08 billion, up 12% to 13% year over year. But the company said that range includes slightly above four points of Informatica contribution.
To be fair, management is calling for better organic trends later on. Salesforce said it expects organic revenue reacceleration in the second half of fiscal 2027. Still, the company’s full-year guidance, which bakes in management’s expectations for the second half, is arguably disappointing.
Today’s Change
(3.93%) $7.53
Current Price
$199.28
Key Data Points
Market Cap
$180B
Day’s Range
$191.33 – $201.03
52wk Range
$174.57 – $304.92
Volume
1.5M
Avg Vol
11M
Gross Margin
75.43%
Dividend Yield
0.87%
And there’s also a question about whether the fundamentals even justify the price investors are paying.
As of this writing, the stock is trading at about 26 times earnings — a valuation that bakes in high-single-digit to low-double-digit earnings-per-share growth for years to come. While this is probably a fair valuation for a software company like Salesforce that has a long history of strong execution, it doesn’t leave much wiggle room if growth rates slow from here.
So, is Salesforce stock a buy after this strong earnings report?
I don’t think so. The business is producing significant cash, and the buyback is aggressive. But the growth outlook is unimpressive, making the stock look more fairly valued than undervalued.
Upskilling Your Team for What’s Next
Catch the Full Episode:
Overview
In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, John Jantsch interviews Rob Levin, serial
entrepreneur, chairman and co-founder of Work Better Now, and author of
The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide for Building Your Dream Team.
With over 30 years of experience helping small and mid-sized businesses solve persistent
talent challenges, Rob shares why the traditional hiring “playbook” no longer works. He
explains how the pandemic, generational shifts, remote work, and artificial intelligence
have fundamentally changed the talent landscape.
The conversation explores the hidden talent crisis facing SMBs, why culture is more critical
than ever, how to rethink KPIs in a remote-first world, and what it really means to become
an AI-first organization. If you’re still managing talent like it’s 2016, this episode offers
a roadmap for building a future-ready team.
Guest Bio: Rob Levin
Rob Levin is a serial entrepreneur and business growth expert with more than three decades
of experience helping small and mid-sized businesses thrive. He is the chairman and co-founder
of Work Better Now, a company that empowers U.S.-based SMBs to access highly skilled remote
professionals, particularly from Latin America, to overcome hiring bottlenecks and build
high-performing teams.
Rob is the author of The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide for Building Your Dream Team,
where he outlines a modern approach to talent strategy in an era defined by remote work,
rapid technological change, and AI disruption.
Key Takeaways
1. The Talent Crisis Is Really a Talent Shift
Despite headlines about layoffs, many small and mid-sized businesses still struggle to fill
critical roles. The skills needed to succeed in large enterprises often do not translate to
the owner-minded, adaptable talent required in SMBs.
2. The Old Hiring Playbook Is Obsolete
Many business owners are still operating as if it’s 2016. Power dynamics have shifted, top
performers have more leverage, and younger generations prioritize culture and meaning at work
more than previous generations.
3. Culture Is a Strategic Advantage
A clearly defined set of core values is the foundation of a strong culture—especially in remote
and hybrid environments. Companies should hire and fire based on core values and intentionally
build a culture that embraces change.
4. Remote Teams Require Structure and Over-Communication
In a remote environment, clarity and communication must be intentional. Weekly meetings,
consistent updates, and well-defined KPIs are essential to maintaining alignment and accountability.
5. KPIs Benefit Employees as Much as Employers
Well-designed KPIs are not just management tools—they give employees clarity on expectations and
what it means to “win” in their role. A lack of KPIs often signals unclear leadership rather than
poor employee performance.
6. Upskilling Is a Competitive Imperative
As technology and AI reshape roles, companies must identify the new capabilities they need and
aggressively invest in training. Affordable and high-quality education is widely available, and
businesses should leverage it.
7. Business Owners Must Lead the AI Shift
Before expecting teams to use AI effectively, business owners must gain hands-on experience
themselves. Understanding AI’s capabilities firsthand enables leaders to redesign workflows,
not just automate existing tasks.
8. Move from Doing the Work to Managing AI
The future of many roles will involve managing, refining, and validating AI output rather than
executing routine tasks. Organizations must help employees transition from task execution to AI
supervision and optimization.
9. Become AI-First, Not AI-Improved
Rather than using AI to enhance existing workflows, companies should rethink processes from the
ground up with AI doing much of the heavy lifting. This mindset shift can dramatically improve
productivity and scalability.
10. Global Talent Expands Your Competitive Edge
Expanding your hiring reach beyond local markets—across the U.S., Latin America, and beyond—opens
access to skilled professionals and helps solve persistent hiring bottlenecks.
Great Moments from the Episode
- 00:03 – Introduction to Rob Levin and The New Talent Playbook
- 01:14 – Why the talent market has fundamentally changed since the pandemic
- 02:15 – From “They’re lucky to have a job” to employee leverage
- 04:11 – Why layoffs don’t solve the SMB talent shortage
- 06:02 – Understanding the hidden talent crisis
- 08:27 – Identifying new capabilities and upskilling your team
- 10:53 – Why business owners must take hands-on AI training
- 11:56 – Becoming an AI-first organization
- 13:20 – Why culture matters more than ever
- 14:23 – Managing culture in remote and fractional teams
- 16:41 – Why KPIs are more for employees than employers
- 18:26 – Using AI as a thought partner for performance measurement
- 19:45 – What Rob would update in the AI chapter today
- 21:28 – Addressing employee fears about AI replacing jobs
- 22:42 – Where to find The New Talent Playbook and connect with Rob
Quotes
“There’s such a long list of changes, but the biggest one is that the old talent playbook just doesn’t work anymore.”
“KPIs are actually more for the employee than the employer. They give clarity on what winning looks like.”
“Don’t just use AI to improve a workflow. Redesign the workflow so AI is doing the heavy lifting.”
“You’re only scratching the surface of what AI can do for your company if you’re not using it as a thought partner.”
Resources Mentioned
- The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide for Building Your Dream Team by Rob Levin
- Work Better Now – Nearshore talent solutions for SMBs
- National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) hiring trend surveys
Connect with Rob Levin
Moderate Credit Growth Expected In 2026 As Lending Normalizes : Analysis
TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) released its 2026 credit originations outlook, projecting steady but tempered expansion across major lending categories. The forecast, issued alongside the Q4 2025 Credit Industry Insights Report (CIIR), highlights mortgages and unsecured personal loans as the main engines of growth amid a broader market that continues to stabilize after years of volatility.
Mortgage originations—both for home purchases and refinances—are expected to extend recent gains from historically low levels.
Purchase volume is projected to rise 4.0 percent, while refinance activity edges up 4.2 percent.
Unsecured personal loans are on track for an 11.2 percent increase, marking a third consecutive year of expansion.
Credit card originations should advance a modest 2.0 percent following robust 2025 gains, whereas auto loan originations may dip 1.5 percent after tariff- and incentive-driven strength last year.
“Lenders are maintaining a measured approach to profitable growth, relying on richer data and analytics to control risk and fraud,” said Jason Laky, executive vice president and head of financial services at TransUnion.
“Consumer demand for credit remains healthy across risk tiers and could accelerate further if interest rates ease more than currently anticipated.”
Early signals of this outlook appeared in late 2025.
The Q4 CIIR shows year-over-year originations gains in credit cards, personal loans and auto financing.
At the same time, more consumers migrated toward the highest and lowest risk tiers, reshaping lender portfolios.
After holding steady for years, the median VantageScore fell two points to 711 in Q4 2025, reflecting subtle shifts in overall credit health.
Bankcard originations jumped 11.7 percent year-over-year in Q3 2025—the fastest pace in three years—driven by both subprime and super-prime segments.
Total balances grew 4.2 percent to $1.15 trillion, while new credit lines expanded 9.2 percent as issuers focused on lower-limit accounts below prime to manage exposure.
Consumer-level 90+ days past due delinquencies rose modestly to 2.58 percent, still consistent with 2023 levels.
Unsecured personal loan originations reached a new high of 7.2 million in Q3 2025.
Balances climbed to a record $276 billion held by 26.4 million consumers.
Subprime borrowers led growth, and Fintech lenders increased their share to 42 percent.
The 60+ days past due delinquency rate rose to 3.99 percent, yet newer originations are performing better than prior cohorts, particularly in subprime.
Mortgage originations increased 6.5 percent year-over-year to 1.34 million in Q3 2025, supported by solid purchase demand and a 25.7 percent surge in rate-and-term refinances.
Home-equity originations rose 14.3 percent to 714,000, with HELOCs and HELOANs both posting healthy gains across generations.
Consumer-level 60+ days past due delinquencies moved to 1.58 percent.
Auto originations advanced 6.2 percent to 6.7 million despite higher prices.
Average new-vehicle payments climbed to $782 monthly and used-vehicle payments to $538.
The 60+ days past due rate reached 1.50 percent, with used vehicles showing slightly faster deterioration.
Michele Raneri, vice president and head of U.S. research and consulting at TransUnion, noted:
“After years shaped by high inflation and elevated rates, credit patterns are returning to more familiar territory. Lenders that harness advanced analytics and trended data will be best positioned to navigate evolving risk profiles.”
TransUnion’s analysis suggests 2026 will bring continued access to credit for consumers alongside disciplined underwriting, supporting economic activity in a gradually normalizing environment.
Expanded Access for Medical Professionals
Doctors, dentists, podiatrists, veterinarians, pharmacists, and CRNAs have some of the highest student loan balances and may have a difficult time qualifying for a mortgage when compared to other professionals. Lenders underwrite loan transactions using a calculation for student loan payments that can keep these highly trained professionals out of the housing market.
A “Doctor Loan” was designed to assist medical professionals in getting into a home with a low down payment while avoiding costly private mortgage insurance (PMI). They’ve been around for many years, but with the renewed focus on student loan debt, they’re making a bit of a comeback.