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Home Improvement Loans: A Powerful Option When You Have No Equity
Needing funds to improve their home… but having little or no equity, our Home Improvement Loan program is your answer.
Most home financing options, cash-out refinances, HELOCs, and second mortgages are all based on one key factor: equity. If you don’t have enough equity, you’re usually out of options. Our Home Improvement Loans are different.
- No LTV (Loan-to-Value) calculation
- Not dependent on how much equity you have
- Specifically for improvements, not refinancing
This means even if you have no equity in your primary residence, you may still qualify.
Who Would Benefit
- Recently purchased their home
- Have limited or no equity
- Want to renovate, upgrade, or improve their property
- Don’t want to refinance their existing low-rate mortgage
Instead of replacing your mortgage, this program works alongside your current loan.
Loan Guidelines
- Loan Amounts: $50,000 to $160,000
- Minimum Credit Score: 720
- Occupancy: Primary residence
- Availability: All 50 states
Income Requirements
Unlike many of our Non-QM programs, this loan requires full income verification.
- W-2s, pay stubs, or tax returns will be required
- Alternative income documentation (bank statements, etc.) cannot be used
Backed by Institutional Capital
This program is made possible through a strategic partnership with a dedicated funding source, enabling us to offer a solution most lenders don’t have access to. That’s why this product is not widely available in the market.
Use Cases
- Kitchen and bathroom renovations
- Major home upgrades
- Repairs and improvements
- Increasing property value without refinancing
A Unique Solution in the Market
At MortgageDepot, we focus on providing solutions where others can’t. This Home Improvement Loan program is one of those cases. It gives homeowners access to capital without relying on equity. If you’re looking to upgrade your home but don’t have the equity to tap into, this program may be exactly what you need.
Connect with us to learn more about how our Home Improvement Loans can work for you.
Ray Dalio: 75 Years of Investing Wisdom in 39 Minutes (MUST WATCH)
What can the average investor learn from a billionaire hedge fund manager who built one of the most successful investment firms in history? This video dives into the life, philosophy, and investing strategy of Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates — the world’s largest hedge fund.
Dalio isn’t just another Wall Street titan. He’s the mind behind Principles, a bestselling book on life, work, and decision-making that’s reshaped how entrepreneurs, investors, and CEOs think about success. From starting Bridgewater in his apartment to managing over $150 billion in assets, Dalio’s story is packed with lessons about risk, diversification, economic cycles, and long-term thinking.
This video breaks down Dalio’s investment principles, his views on debt cycles, and why he believes understanding history is key to predicting the future. Whether you’re a beginner investor or someone building a long-term portfolio, this video will help you think like a macro investor and understand the economic forces that shape markets.
If you’re interested in value investing, hedge funds, or just want to learn how Ray Dalio became a self-made billionaire, this is the video for you. Make sure to stick around until the end — we’ll share one of Dalio’s most powerful insights that could change how you view money forever.
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Disney’s Dividend Cut Wasn’t a Red Flag — It Was a Smart Bet on Long-Term Pricing Power
Discover why suspending a dividend to keep theme parks fresh can strengthen long‑term pricing power and cash flows for premium operators like Disney (DIS 0.41%), especially versus lower‑tier rivals. Watch the video below to see how this capital allocation choice plays out.
*This video was published on April 24, 2026.
Jeff Santoro has positions in Walt Disney. Lou Whiteman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Toby Bordelon has positions in Walt Disney. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Six Flags Entertainment and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Financial Analysts Journal, Q2 2026, Vol. 82 No. 2
The Fallacy of Concentration
Mark Kritzman, CFA, and David Turkington, CFA
Emotional Yields of Collectibles
Elroy Dimson, Kuntara Pukthuanthong, and Blair Vorsatz
Fundamental Growth
Rob Arnott, Chris Brightman, CFA, Campbell Harvey, Que Nguyen, and Omid Shakernia
Value versus Growth: What Drives the Value Premium?
Linda H. Chen, CFA, Wei Huang, and George J. Jiang
Rethinking Variable Importance in Machine Learning: An Economic Perspective on Empirical Asset Pricing
Yonghwan Jo and Yong Hwi Kim
The Performance of Small Business Investment Companies
Gregory W. Brown, Wendy Hu, David T. Robinson, and William M. Volckmann II
A Reassessment of Hedge Fund Returns Using Daily Return Data
Christos Antoniadis and Spyros Skouras
Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard: 90K Bonus with $5K Spend in 3 Months
Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard
🔃 Update: This Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard 90K bonus is available again.
American Airlines, Citi and Mastercard have unveiled the Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®. This is a mid-tier travel rewards credit card for travelers who fall between the occasional vacationer and the frequent flyer.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® comes with a bonus of 90,000 miles. It also offers four Admirals Club® Globe™ passes, each valid for 24 hours; more opportunities to earn AAdvantage® miles and Loyalty Points toward status, including a first-of-its-kind Flight Streak™ bonus; and promises “over $750 in valuable travel and lifestyle benefits”, all for an annual fee of $350.
Welcome Bonus
- Earn 90,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after $5,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
- OFFER LINK
This offer may not be available if you leave this page. Offers may vary and this offer may not be available in other places where the card is offered. American Airlines AAdvantage® new cardmember bonus offer not available if you have received a new account bonus for or converted another Citi credit card account to a Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ account in the past 48 months.
Travel Benefits
- Four Admirals Club® Globe™ passes, each valid for 24 hours (worth over $300 annually): Every calendar year, receive four Admirals Club® Globe™ passes, each valid for 24 hours, and enjoy access to nearly 50 Admirals Club® lounges worldwide.
- American Airlines Companion Certificate: Redeemable for $99 plus taxes and fees, the American Airlines Companion Certificate is eligible for a single round-trip qualifying domestic flight in Main Cabin each year after card renewal, helping make traveling with a friend or loved one more affordable.
- Up to $100 inflight purchases credit: Every calendar year, earn up to $100 in statement credits on inflight purchases when using this card on qualifying American Airlines flights.
- First checked bag free: The first checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for the primary cardmember and up to eight companions traveling together on the same reservation.
- Preferred boarding: Enjoy Group 5 boarding on American Airlines flights for the primary cardmember and up to eight companions traveling together on the same reservation.
- Up to $120 Global Entry® or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit: Receive a statement credit, up to $120 every four years, as reimbursement for the application fee for Global Entry® or TSA PreCheck®.
Earning Miles
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® offers a Flight Streak™ bonus, which rewards cardmembers with 5,000 Loyalty Points after every four qualifying American Airlines flights for up to 15,000 additional Loyalty Points each status qualification year, helping them reach AAdvantage® status faster.
Cardmembers can also earn AAdvantage® miles and Loyalty Points throughout the entire travel journey from transportation, hotels, dining and more. This includes the ability to earn:
- 6X AAdvantage® miles on eligible AAdvantage Hotels™ bookings.
- 3X AAdvantage® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases.
- 2X AAdvantage® miles at restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
- 2X AAdvantage® miles on eligible Rides and Rails™ purchases, including taxis, rideshares and public transit.
- 1X AAdvantage® mile on all other purchases.
- 1 Loyalty Point toward AAdvantage® status for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from qualifying purchases to help reach their desired AAdvantage® status faster.
Other Benefits and Travel Protections
Cardmembers can enjoy valuable benefits during their trips and for passions outside of travel through the Citi Entertainment® program, World Legend Mastercard® benefits and more.
- Up to $100 annual Splurge Credit: Every calendar year, earn up to $100 in statement credits with a choice of up to two of the following: eligible AAdvantage Hotels™ bookings, 1stDibs, Future Personal Training and Live Nation®.
- Up to $240 annual Turo credit: Earn up to $30 in statement credits for each eligible completed trip on Turo, the world’s largest car sharing marketplace, for a total of up to $240 in statement credits annually.
- No foreign transaction fees: No foreign transaction fees when traveling internationally1.
- Access to the Citi Entertainment® program: Get special access to purchase tickets to thousands of events, including presale tickets and exclusive experiences across concerts, sports, arts, dining and more.
- Access to Mastercard Priceless® experiences: Get access to Mastercard Priceless® experiences, offering immersive cultural, culinary and entertainment opportunities to fulfill cardmembers’ most coveted passions.
- Access to Mastercard’s World Legend and Collection benefits: Enjoy coveted access to priority reservations at top international restaurants; premium ticketing for global music, theater, and sporting events; and more with Mastercard’s new World Legend tier and Mastercard Collection benefits, available to both Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ and Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive cardmembers.
- Protections for peace of mind: Receive travel and shopping protection benefits, including enhanced trip cancellation and trip interruption, lost or damaged luggage, MasterRental® coverage for car rentals, trip delay, extended warranty and purchase assurance plus.
Kraken to let customers cash out crypto at MoneyGram locations in more than 100 countries
Crypto transfers are typically instant and seamless—unless, that is, users want to convert their digital currency into cash. In those cases, users in many countries are obliged to navigate a slow, complex conversion system. Customers of the crypto exchange Kraken have long complained about this problem, which is why the firm has partnered with the payments network MoneyGram to let users exchange crypto for fiat, the two companies announced on Tuesday.
Many of Kraken’s most profitable customers are deep-pocketed traders and investors in the U.S. and Europe, but the crypto exchange has a growing portion of users in countries with more volatile currencies. Some of these customers use Kraken just like a bank, Arjun Sethi, the exchange’s co-CEO, told Fortune.
“They want to store in USD or USD equivalent,” he said. “They want to be able to get yield. They want to be able to do payments. They want to be able to move money back and forth.”
They also want to cash out their holdings. With almost 500,000 locations worldwide, MoneyGram gives Kraken’s customers many brick-and-mortar options to choose from, where they’re charged a variable exchange fee to cash out their crypto. “That off ramp is really important,” said Sethi.
Old horse, new tricks
MoneyGram’s partnership with Kraken is part of the legacy payments firm’s broader push to revamp its business. “This is just another step in that process of digitizing,” said Anthony Soohoo, MoneyGram’s CEO.
Long a brand associated primarily with paper money orders, MoneyGram lost ground over the past two decades to upstart fintechs and online banking. In response, the company leaned into new technology. The firm built out a noncustodial crypto wallet and has incorporated stablecoins, or cryptocurrencies pegged to real-world assets like the U.S. dollar, throughout its operations. In 2023, a private equity firm took MoneyGram private.
Kraken, meanwhile, has steadily built out its ensemble of products and businesses as it eyes an IPO. Although institutional crypto traders are core to its business model, over the past year, the crypto exchange has acquired the U.S. futures exchange NinjaTrader as well as the derivatives platform Bitnomial. Kraken began the IPO process in November but hasn’t indicated when it plans to hit the public markets.
FORTUNE CRYPTO 100: Fortune’s new annual list will recognize companies driving meaningful progress in digital assets—from infrastructure and investment to applications and adoption. Is your organization is shaping the future of blockchain? Submit your nomination today.
2026 Top Producers by number of loans originated
When doing these surveys over the years a common comment we receive is that they reward those who have high unpaid principal balance totals because they get their loans from areas with
Processing Content
To recognize those who do plenty of business, but whose results are not seen in the dollar totals, National Mortgage News presents the Top 50 mortgage originators by number of loans produced.
Benn Jackson, an account executive at non-qualified mortgage wholesaler Constructive Capital was No. 1, with 1,884 units produced on $317.4 million of volume, while co-worker Kyle Concannon ranked third at 846 loans produced for a $214.2 million total.
In the No. 2 spot is
Meanwhile, the originator who did the most units but whose UPB was under $100 million was Sean Park of Rocket Mortgage, who did 548 loans for a total of $79.8 million.
Daniel Halvorsen of LoanPeople had the 18th most units produced by participants, at 362.
“Continuing to provide value to our partners, find creative products to get more customers funded, and creatively market to our agent team,” is how he plans to market to purchase customers in 2026, Halvorsen said in response to a question on the survey.
Visio Financial Services is a non-qualified mortgage lender with multiple representatives among the Top Producers. John Sperling, a senior account executive, had the highest number of loans produced by those submitters, at 318.
For his purchase business in 2026, he will maintain his focus on the non-owner occupied business. “Investors tend to never stop buying, we’ll keep a close eye on valuations and make sure they are realistic,” Sperling said.
The Top Producers survey
Submissions were made by the participants or their representatives. The information was verified to the best of our ability but National Mortgage News cannot claim the absolute veracity of the data. Some entries might have been removed due to submission errors or following the check on the data.
Where Should Your Next ₹1 Lakh Go: Stocks, FD, Gold, Or Real Estate? Ft. Ajay Tyagi| FWS 101
If you’d like professional guidance from a SEBI-registered financial advisor, please fill out this short form –
We currently advise portfolios worth ₹1,200+ crore, helping people work towards financial independence.
Ajay Tyagi is the Head of Equities at UTI and brings over 26 years of investing experience in Indian equity markets. At UTI, he oversees roughly ₹2.5 lakh crore in assets under management across multiple equity mutual fund schemes, making him responsible for allocating capital at scale across India’s public markets.
In this conversation, Ajay explains how professional investors think about managing money compared to retail investors. He breaks down the fundamentals of asset allocation, how to balance equities, fixed income, and gold in a portfolio, and why diversification across global markets can be important for long-term wealth creation.
The discussion also dives into the sectors Ajay believes could shape the next decade of investing in India. He shares why consumer-facing technology platforms could produce large winners, how electronics manufacturing is emerging as a major opportunity due to global supply chain shifts, and why consumer discretionary spending and healthcare could benefit as India’s income levels rise.
Along the way, Ajay also shares practical lessons from his 26-year career in investing, including the framework he uses to evaluate businesses, the metrics he trusts the most, and the biggest behavioral mistakes investors make during bull markets.
If you want to understand how professional fund managers think about markets, risk, and long-term investing, this episode offers a clear and practical perspective.
Ajay’s LinkedIn:
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Sharan Hegde:
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Sharan Hegde is a personal finance creator & founder of the 1% Club, simplifying money, markets, and mindset for India’s next generation of wealth builders.
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Timeline:
00:00 – Precap
01:09 – Introducing the guest: Ajay Tyagi
01:40 – Why do you need a fund manager?
02:29 – Willingness vs ability to take risk
08:09 – Should you invest in the European market?
09:34 – Ajay’s views on real estate
13:36 – Should you invest in gold?
17:24 – Where else should you allocate your money?
18:02 – UTI’s successful investment in Zomato
22:07 – What sectors look promising?
25:01 – Every investor needs to know this to be successful
27:14 – Future of quick commerce in India?
32:23 – Government’s push to the electronics manufacturing space (EMS)
35:48 – Curse of having natural resources in a country
39:35 – Are there no discretionary spending brands coming up in India?
41:22 – Ajay talks about the future of the automobile industry
43:26 – What to expect from the healthcare sector?
46:59 – Ajay’s prediction on the defence sector
53:38 – Rapid fire round
01:01:41 – Ending notes
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AI ‘godfather’ says CEOs hyping job loss are ‘extremely destructive’—and kids are paying the price
It’s become a common pattern over the past few months: A business leader makes an ominous claim about the impact of AI on the labor market, sparking weeks of discourse and sending U.S. workers reeling. Now, a “godfather” of AI is pushing back on those claims—and warning about the dangers they spur.
In an interview with Axios, Yann LeCun, former Meta AI chief who invented many of the fundamental components of AI like deep learning, said those doom narratives are wrong—and “extremely destructive.”
“Don’t listen to CEOs,” he said. “They have a vested interest in propping up the power of the products they sell.” He said to instead listen to the economists, many of whom doubt the position that AI will wipe out large swaths of the entry-level white-collar workforce.
LeCun, winner of the Turing Award (an annual prize for making lasting contributions to computer science) added that the sum of those warnings is “extremely destructive.”
“A small proportion of high school students are actually kind of depressed because they’ve read that AI is not only going to take a job, but basically cause human extinction,” he said. “They take that seriously and it has a profound effect on their psychology.”
LeCun warned, instead, that the danger doesn’t lie with AI and the claims associated with it, but with making grand, life-altering decisions as a result of those claims. He advocated for high school students to still go to college, and not let the fears of a lack of an entry-level job sway them from going into the field they enjoy.
Though some tech companies have laid off workers this year thanks to AI-related efficiencies, the massive AI job apocalypse has yet to materialize. Some are skeptical that job cuts were actually a corporate fiction where companies cut headcount due to a disparate reason though pin it on AI out of convenience: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman even gave that practice a name.
Despite this, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei still says AI will wipe out half of entry-level white-collar work. Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman said that the warning will be realized in just 18 months.
Gen Z fears an AI job apocalypse. The data tells a different story
While there’s no research available to map out how exactly AI job apocalypse warnings impact high school students, a recent Gallup poll found that Gen Zers are growing more skeptical of the technology. Thirty-one percent of the 14- to 29-year-olds surveyed said they are anxious or angry about AI’s development, up from 22% a year ago.
That’s in part because most of the heeded warnings target the critical on-ramp to a career: the entry-level role. For some, it seems the promise of white-collar work, a role with all the stable furnishings of what many of their parents had achieved—health insurance, a 401K, paid-time off—is increasingly out of reach.
Because of that perception, the majority of Gen Zers are reconsidering the climb up the corporate ladder. A recent study from ZipRecruiter found that instead of considering a full-time job, fresh college grads are considering starting their own business, looking into gig work or freelance work, and pursuing the trades.
But the vibe is detached from what the data says. Seventy-seven percent of the class of 2025 found a role within three months of graduation, up from 63.3% a year ago, according to ZipRecruiter. Moreover, unemployment for 20- to 24-year-olds is down to 6.4% in March from a high of 9.2% last September, according to Federal Reserve data, suggesting those of college, and recent post-grad age are landing roles faster than what the doomers would have you believing.
But there is some research suggesting that the labor market could soon end up where the CEOs say it could be going. Research from AI lab Anthropic found that its AI is already theoretically capable of performing the tasks associated with roles in law, business, finance, management, and other white-collar roles.
Still, LeCun doesn’t see that downturn playing out anytime soon. Rather, he sees parallels between AI and past technological revolutions, a similarity that other economists have spelled out to make the same case against the job apocalypse argument.
“There is nothing qualitatively different between the previous technological revolutions and this one,” he said. “It’s just another set of tools that makes us more efficient.”