Latest news with #financialproducts
National Post
13 hours ago
- Business
- National Post
Affirm to Announce Fourth Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Results on August 28, 2025
Article content SAN FRANCISCO — Affirm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFRM), the payment network that empowers consumers and helps merchants drive growth, today announced that it will publish its fourth quarter fiscal year 2025 shareholder letter, including its financial results, on its investor relations website at on Thursday, August 28, 2025, after market close. The Company will host a conference call and webcast at 5:00pm ET that same day. Hosting the call will be Max Levchin (Founder and Chief Executive Officer), Michael Linford (Chief Operating Officer), and Rob O'Hare (Chief Financial Officer). Article content A replay will be available on the investor relations website following the call. Article content Article content About Affirm Article content Affirm's mission is to deliver honest financial products that improve lives. By building a new kind of payment network—one based on trust, transparency, and putting people first—we empower millions of consumers to spend and save responsibly, and give thousands of businesses the tools to fuel growth. Unlike most credit cards and other pay-over-time options, we never charge any late or hidden fees. Follow Affirm on social media: LinkedIn Instagram | Facebook | X. Article content Article content Article content Article content
CNN
5 days ago
- Business
- CNN
I'm a travel expert, and this is why I'm not getting the Citi Strata Elite card
CNN Underscored reviews financial products based on their overall value. We may receive a commission through our affiliate partners if you apply and are approved for a product, but our reporting is always independent and objective. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit to learn more. Citi is launching the new Citi Strata Elite credit card, its contender at the high end of the market for travel rewards credit cards. The offering, which competes directly with The Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees) and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, charges an annual fee of $595. That fee is the lowest of the three, compared to an annual fee of $695 for the Amex Platinum and $795 for the Sapphire Reserve. While those are eye-popping sums, the cards offer benefits and credits that can add up to more value for card holders than the cost of the annual fees. And does that go for the Citi Strata Elite as well? It can, depending on what you value and spend money on. Credit cards should always be considered in terms of the value they bring you, which is, of course, subjective. Below, we'll describe the perks of the Citi Strata Elite card, and why they're not enough to get me to switch away from the Chase Sapphire Reserve as my premium travel rewards card. We'll also tell you why the Strata Elite, while it doesn't work for me, may be a good choice for you. The Citi Strata Elite card has an annual fee of $595, but Citigold® Private Client and Citigold® clients will pay less. The former, who maintain a minimum combined average monthly balance of at least $1,000,000 in eligible linked deposit, retirement and investment accounts, receive a $595 credit the first year — making the card effectively free — and a $145 credit toward the fee each year. Citigold clients who have at least $200,000 in those same assets with Citi get a $145 annual credit. The size of your welcome bonus will depend on where you apply for the card. New customers who apply online and are approved for the Citi Strata Elite can earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of opening the account. But it's better to apply at a Citi retail branch, because if you do that and are approved, your bonus will be a huge 100,000 points. Even at the lower end, that's enough to fly to Europe or Asia in business class. The card's points earnings are relatively high in some categories: 12 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on 6 points on air travel booked on 6 points at restaurants, including delivery services, every Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. ET; 3 points any other time. 1.5 points on all other purchases. There's one big caveat here: The best returns are reserved for bookings made on the Citi Travel portal. You won't get good returns for buying directly from travel providers, such as airlines and hotels. Booking from a third party, like a card issuer's portal, doesn't get you the same protections or flexibility in case of disruptions, though. With hotels, you won't get points with the hotel's loyalty program or have any elite status recognized either. This can be a major crippling factor for many when considering the Citi Strata Elite. The boosted weekend dining rewards are a refreshing perk in the world of rewards cards, and earning 1.5 points per dollar on everyday purchases outpaces the standard 1 point per dollar offered by competing cards. Still, the need to go through the portal for those great travel earnings is a big downside. Unlike the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Citi Strata Elite doesn't require you to keep track of as many different credits. Yet those credits can amount to $700, more than the annual fee, if you use them all in full: Up to $300 annual hotel benefit: Every calendar year, you'll get up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more booked through Citi Travel. Up to $200 Annual Splurge Credit: Every calendar year, earn up to $200 in statement credits on your choice of up to two merchants among five (1stDibs, American Airlines, Best Buy, Future Personal Training and Live Nation). Up to $200 Blacklane credit: Every calendar year, up to $200 in statement credits with Blacklane, a global chauffeur service (up to $100 January through June and up to $100 July through December). Every four years, you'll also receive a statement credit up to $120 as reimbursement for the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Another useful benefit for travelers are the four day passes per calendar year to American Airlines Admirals Club® airport lounges. A day pass for flyers who don't qualify for access otherwise costs $79, so four passes are worth $316. As a frequent flyer, I love Priority Pass lounges, found all over the world, and the Strata Elite delivers on this front too. The card comes with a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, giving card holders and authorized users (who can be added for a $75 annual fee) complimentary access to more than 1,500 lounges. This includes up to two guests. Since that level of Priority Pass membership costs $469 annually, this is another great benefit. You also get access to The Reserve by Citi Travel, a collection of 4.5- and 5-star hotels on the Citi Travel platform. When booking one of them with the card on the portal, you'll get a daily complimentary breakfast for two, free Wi-Fi, a $100 experience credit (varies by property) and early check-in, late checkout and room upgrades, subject to availability. In a major win for American Airlines loyalists, the Strata Elite becomes the only credit card that lets users transfer ThankYou points to AAdvantage miles at a 1:1 ratio — something previously only possible through hotel programs like Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt. Transferring points to an airline partner is generally the way to extract the most value, and this feature opens up myriad ways to fly on American or its partners using credit card points. It's a huge development. Even better, the ability to transfer points to American applies to card holders of the much less expensive Citi Strata Premier® Card, with an annual fee of $95. Those with the legacy Citi Prestige card, which is no longer open to applications, can transfer points to American too. Given those benefits, plus the ability to transfer points to American Airlines, why am I not rushing to get the Citi Strata Elite, even though I am a flyer who covers 100,000 miles in an average year? It's simple. I have other cards that get me similar top-tier benefits or earn more on everyday basics. My premium card will remain the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which, even with its $795 annual fee, gives me usable credits that bring the fee down to essentially zero. It earns less than the Strata Elite on travel, with 4 points per dollar on flights and hotels but doesn't require booking through a third-party portal. The Citi Double Cash, our benchmark card for everyday expenses, earns 2 points per dollar on everything, for no annual fee. That's a 33% better return than the Strata Elite on everyday spending. If you aren't concerned about booking travel on a third-party portal, the Citi Strata Elite's high earning rates on flights and hotels are hard to beat. This is a great card for people who dine out on weekends too. No other card earns 6 points per dollar on dining, and if you do most of your restaurant spending on Friday and Saturday nights, the Strata Elite will reap vastly more points on that than the competition. Take stock of the card's overall benefits to see if it makes sense for you. If you spend at one or more of the five merchants offering what Citi calls 'Splurge Credit,' for example, you've essentially got $200 more in your pocket just from using the Strata Elite to pay. Add to that the other perks of the card related to goods or services you would purchase anyway, and see if the combined value at least equals the annual fee. Besides the Sapphire Reserve, the Amex Platinum is another card worth considering for frequent flyers since it earns 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel. It also offers benefits that can offset the $695 annual fee. Another great alternative is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, with an annual fee of $395. Like the Strata Elite, it offers its highest points earnings when booking through the issuer's own travel portal, but makes for an excellent daily driver as well, with 2 points per dollar on all spending. Add to that several high-end benefits that travelers value, like top elite status with Hertz, and you have a winner. A great combo to maximize points earnings would be the Citi Strata Premier plus Citi Double Cash, with just $95 in annual fees. The Double Cash would earn 2 points per dollar on all spending, while the Premier would earn 3 points on flights, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations and EV charging stations. So, if you travel often or want to, by all means, consider the Citi Strata Elite card — just be aware that a card with such a high annual fee makes sense only for people who utilize enough of its many perks to make the cost worthwhile. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
CNN
6 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Earn up to 80,000 SkyMiles with these Delta Amex business card offers
CNN Underscored reviews financial products based on their overall value. We may receive a commission through our affiliate partners if you apply and are approved for a product, but our reporting is always independent and objective. This may impact how links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit to learn more. With Delta Air Lines's current welcome offers on their suite of business credit cards, savvy business owners or frequent Delta flyers can receive some serious travel savings. Currently, small business owners can earn up to 80,000 bonus Delta SkyMiles — enough for multiple domestic round-trip flights or even a one-way business-class ticket to Europe. Here's a closer look at the new Delta credit card offers. Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus SkyMiles after spending $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of opening the account. Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (see rates and fees). Welcome offer: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of opening the account. Annual fee: $350 (see rates and fees) Welcome offer: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of opening the account. Annual fee: $650 (see rates and fees) Based on the points valuations of frequent flyer website The Points Guy, Delta SkyMiles are worth 1.15 cents apiece, but the exact value can vary depending on your route and travel dates due to Delta's dynamic pricing system. Here's how it breaks down. 60,000 miles: $690 in flight value 70,000 miles: $805 in flight value 80,000 miles: $920 in flight value If you're not a business owner or prefer a credit card for personal use, Delta and American Express also offer four consumer cards. These range from no-annual-fee options to premium products with exclusive travel perks. Here's a quick look at the current offers on each. Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: Earn 10,000 bonus SkyMiles after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of opening the account. $0 introductory annual fee (see rates and fees). Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Earn 50,000 bonus SkyMiles after spending $2,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of opening the account. $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (see rates and fees). Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Earn 60,000 bonus SkyMiles after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of opening the account. $350 annual fee (see rates and fees). Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of opening the account. $650 annual fee (see rates and fees). Delta's boosted welcome offers on its business credit cards are some of the most rewarding we've seen and can add serious value to your travel budget if you qualify. With up to 80,000 miles on the table — and personal card offers also available — now could be a great time to add a Delta Amex to your wallet. The following FAQs have been answered by CNN Underscored travel editor and credit card expert Kyle Olsen. Am I eligible for more than one welcome bonus offer? Am I eligible for more than one welcome bonus offer? You can earn multiple Delta SkyMiles American Express welcome bonuses but only once per specific card product. That means you can't get the bonus again if you've already received it for the same card, even if you close and reapply. But you can earn bonuses across different Delta Amex cards (like Gold, Platinum, Reserve or Business versions), as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. In 2024, Amex introduced new restrictions that may prevent you from getting a bonus on one Delta card if you've had another, though rules vary by card and aren't always reciprocal. To improve your odds, it's often best to apply for lower-tier cards first. Amex will usually show a pop-up warning during the application process if you're not eligible for a bonus, allowing you to back out. Always check the latest terms before applying. Which is the right Delta Amex business card for me? Which is the right Delta Amex business card for me? The right Delta Amex business card comes down to how often you fly and what perks matter most to you. Go with the Gold if you travel occasionally and want solid benefits like a free checked bag and priority boarding with a low annual fee. Choose the Platinum if you fly more often and want extras like a companion certificate and travel credits. Opt for the Reserve if you travel frequently and value premium perks like lounge access and a first-class companion certificate. As with all CNN Underscored articles, our coverage of travel rewards and credit cards is rooted in independent, objective reporting and real-world experience. This piece was written by our travel editor Kyle Olsen, a Delta Gold Medallion member who has personally navigated the SkyMiles program since 2016. His firsthand insights are helpful for travelers looking to make the most of these business credit card offers. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
Associated Press
23-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Simplicity Expands its Strategic Offering with the Acquisition of Planscope360™ and Welcomes New Partners, Al Otto and Robert McLean
SUMMIT, N.J., July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Simplicity Group Holdings ('Simplicity'), a leading financial products distribution firm, today announced the acquisition of Planscope360™ (Planscope), a Durham, NC-based integrated administration platform dedicated to serving the K-12 market. Initially backed by Verity, a recent Simplicity acquisition, Planscope360 is led by Al Otto and Robert McLean, both of whom join as Simplicity Partners. 'We are thrilled to welcome Al, Rob and the Planscope team to Simplicity and we join their commitment to serve educators and administrators with a revolutionary platform designed to improve access to top quality accumulation and protection products,' said Bruce Donaldson, Partner and CEO of Simplicity. 'With Simplicity's resources and support, we will be able to improve the retirement planning process and increase participant engagement for K-12 educators and administrators across the country.' 'Planscope360 was built to create a new standard of best practice in Governmental 403(b) and 457(b) plan oversight. We are proud to partner with Simplicity to expand this platform with enhanced products and technology for K-12 educators and administrators,' said Al Otto. 'With Amy Simonson and Jeff Munsey providing great thought leadership, we know that joining forces with Simplicity allows us to improve our efficiencies and bring transparency and accountability to the industry.' Robert McLean added, 'Planscope has been focused on introducing a new paradigm in retirement planning to the K-12 workforce, simplifying the process to deliver more engagement and enrollments. Our strategic alignment with Simplicity is complemented by our shared values and culture and we are excited to combine forces and better serve this important community or educators.' About Planscope360TM PlanScope360™ delivers integrated savings and retirement plan solutions specifically designed for school districts. From retirement to financial wellness programs, PlanScope360™ helps districts attract and retain top talent while managing costs with full transparency. For more information, please visit About Simplicity Group Simplicity is the leading partner for advisors, financial institutions, and consumers by delivering the best combination of wealth accumulation and financial protection products that meet the needs of a consumer-oriented holistic financial plan. As one of the fastest growing partnerships in the financial services industry, Simplicity offers an unrivalled array of tools and technologies to grow and protect wealth, which can be accessed through affiliation, outsourcing, or joining the partnership. In an ever-changing environment, Simplicity's commitment to working in our clients' best interest is unwavering and has always been anchored to our commitment to Education, Value, and Partnership. For more information, please visit: and follow the Company on LinkedIn. MEDIA CONTACTS View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE SIMPLICITY FINANCIAL MARKETING
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
How we test and review investment platforms
Products featured in this article are independently selected by This is Money's specialist journalists. If you open an account using links which have an asterisk, This is Money will earn an affiliate commission. We do not allow this to affect our editorial independence. At This is Money, we're committed to improving our readers' financial lives. Part of that involves scouring the personal finance landscape for the best financial products, deals, and services. Investing is a cornerstone of building your wealth over the long-term and for many savers investment platforms are the key to that, allowing them to buy and hold funds, shares, bonds and ETFs. DIY investment platforms have surged in popularity in recent years. According to data from Boring Money, the number of non-advised customer accounts has more than doubled since the start of 2020, going from around 5.95million to more than 12million. It's important each of these account holders gets the most from their investing platform – and if they're not, our aim is to provide all the information they need to move to a more suitable provider. We're also dedicated to making sure new customers choose the right platform for their needs. This is why we regularly review the DIY investing market, testing platforms and measuring their effectiveness. We analyse each investment platform with different types of investor in mind, from the cost-conscious to those who want the best customer service. What do we mean by DIY investing platform? A DIY investing platform is a service that lets you choose your own investments and hold them in either a general investment account or a tax-efficient wrapper, such as a stocks and shares Isa or self-invested personal pension (Sipp). As part of our review, we consider what investment accounts the platform offers. For fairer and simpler comparisons, we make a distinction between traditional investment platforms and newer, often app-focused trading platforms. We categorise these providers as traditional investment platforms for comparison: AJ Bell Bestinvest Charles Stanley Direct Fidelity Hargreaves Lansdown Interactive Investor We categorise these providers as newer, more app-focused investment platforms for comparison: eToro Freetrade Prosper Trading 212 Our methodology when reviewing investment platforms The main criteria we consider are: fees investment choice how intuitive the platform is to use customer service How we review fees High fees eat into investment returns, so we're keen to make sure our readers get value for money. However, the cheapest platform won't always be the right one for you. It really depends on what you're looking for from an investment platform, and we take this into account in our reviews. We primarily compare account fees to see which investment platforms offer the best value. We work out annual account fees for a range of portfolio sizes, which helps you discover the ideal option for the value of your investments and your overall financial goals. Finally, we review other fees through the lens of different investors – for example, someone who wants to invest in funds primarily should check whether the platform offers free fund dealing. How we review investment choice We consider the number of investments that each platform says it offers, plus how you can buy each type of investment. For example, platforms don't always allow you to buy bonds and gilts directly and don't always allow fractional investing in stocks and shares. The traditional DIY investing platforms generally offer a similar range of investments, so we highlight any major differences between platforms in our review. It's different with the newer investment platforms, which have some variation in the types of investment on offer. When testing, we scrutinise the investment choice on offer and explain what you can and can't invest in as part of our review. How easy is to use - how we test intuitiveness Our reviewers test each platform on both desktop and mobile where possible. Keep in mind not all investment platforms will offer both options, and we'll state whether the platform is primarily app or browser-based in our review. We test how straightforward it is to perform key tasks when investing including: searching for investments buying and selling investments setting up regular investing adding cash to an account accessing research and other information that helps you invest Our reviewers give their thoughts on these functions. But what's intuitive for one person won't always be intuitive for another, so you should consider your needs carefully before deciding which platform to choose. For example, if you think you'll need more support when using the platform, you could choose a service that does well for customer service. How we test customer service We review the availability of customer support, for example: what options you have for contacting customer service – usually phone, live chat and email how many days of the week you can contact customer service how straightforward it is to contact the team directly from your account We also test getting in touch with customer support to see how well they respond to a particular problem. Our reviewers give their account of how this interaction went, which helps you decide whether you'd be comfortable with the level of service provided. Our final assessment Our final assessment of each investment platform explains who we think it's good for, for example a cost-conscious investor, or someone who doesn't mind paying a bit more to access the best customer support and investment research. How our reviews inform our platform round-ups Our testing and overall impression of each investment platform help us compile our regularly updated roundups, which allow you compare options and decide on the best one for you: Who are our experts? This is Money has been running since 1999 and has built a reputation as a trusted financial website that helps its readers make the best decisions for their money. Our writers and reporters have years and in some cases decades of experience in covering financial products, including investment accounts, as well as investments themselves. They use the platforms in their personal lives and regularly speak to industry experts, deepening their knowledge. Importantly, their aim is to make money engaging, giving you clarity over what is often a complicated topic. Meet our team
