Credit cards
"For borrowers, a hike makes debt more expensive and anything variable feels it first," says Doug Boneparth, president of Bone Fide Wealth, a New York financial advisory firm. "Credit cards reprice fast, so if you're carrying a balance, this is your cue to attack it."
A consumer carrying the average credit card balance of $6,610 at a 22% annual percentage rate (APR) could see an increase of $1.38 on minimum monthly payments, according to data from TransUnion. "While the near-term impact on minimum monthly credit card payments may be relatively small, higher borrowing costs can add up over time, particularly for consumers carrying larger balances or making only minimum payments," says Michele Raneri, vice president and head of U.S. research and consulting at TransUnion.
Even though the impact of the Fed's move may only add a dollar or two to many borrowers’ monthly bills, "every dollar matters when you’re already struggling with debt," LendingTree's Schulz adds.
WalletHub, an online financial marketplace, estimates that the current rate hike will cost consumers roughly $2 billion in additional interest over the next 12 months.
Smart moves to make now include consolidating your debt with a personal loan, or a 0% balance transfer credit card to cut the interest you pay on your current debts. It is also a good idea to call your credit card lender and ask for a lower rate. A recent LendingTree survey found that 84% of cardholders who did so in the last year got their way.
"Anyone carrying credit card debt should prioritize paying it down, transferring high-interest balances when appropriate and improving their credit score, since people with higher scores generally qualify for significantly lower rates," says WalletHub's Chip Lupo.
Mortgages
The good news is that a rate hike is already priced into mortgage rates. Mortgage rates track 10-year U.S. Treasury yields, which have risen in recent weeks on concerns about rising federal debt that topped $40 trillion in August along with worries about artificial intelligence and the inflationary impact of the U.S.-Iran conflict.
If you have a fixed-rate mortgage, existing mortgages will be unaffected by the Fed's move. Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) are more tricky.
"ARMs currently offer 25-50 basis points in rate savings versus 30-year fixed mortgages, which can translate to meaningful payment savings in high-priced markets like New York," says Jeff DerGurahian, chief investment officer and head economist at loanDepot, a mortgage lender. But ARMs only make sense for specific situations. They work well if you "have a shorter time horizon, maybe you know you're going to move in the next three or four years, or you have a belief that rates will come down and you'll be able to (refinance)," he explains.
If you hold an ARM, now is the time to review your loan documents. "Look at your note on your mortgage and see the first date it can change and how much it can change by. And make sure you're budgeting correctly for that," DerGurahian advises.
The reason? If you're going to have a step up in your mortgage payment in the coming months, you have to factor that into your monthly budget.
For those considering a new home purchase that will be financed with a mortgage, your best bet is to stay calm: "You date the rate and marry the home," DerGurahian says. "Don't get too hung up on the rate, since you can refinance if rates drop later."
Finally, if you're looking to refinance a mortgage, keep an eye out for windows of opportunity, and be ready to pounce. Here are some refinancing tips.
Bonds
Bond yields move in the opposite direction of prices, so when interest rates increase, the value of existing bonds decreases and vice versa. "This is why bond investing is so very difficult to do well," says Greg Welborn, president and financial adviser at First Financial Consulting in Pasadena, California. "Most individual savers and investors get easily burned in the bond market by using a 'set and forget' or simplistic 'buy and hold' approach to their bond component."
For some investors, the new yields are attractive, though. "Existing bonds lose value as rates rise, but new ones pay more, so building a ladder can be helpful," advises Bone Fide's Boneparth. A bond ladder is a portfolio strategy in which you buy bonds maturing at different intervals, allowing you to reinvest proceeds at potentially higher rates. Bond laddering also adds an element of predictability to a portfolio, since each bond produces a set amount of income and returns principal at a specific date.
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