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Credible’s editorial team aims to help you understand personal finance topics that are important to you, including student loans, mortgages, personal loans, home insurance, auto insurance, and general personal finance. Our goal is to provide carefully researched, easily understandable information so that you can make informed decisions about your finances.

Credible is fiercely independent and so are our writers and staff. We’re here to help you stay on top of the latest news, trends, concepts, and changes in policy and regulations.

Andrew Pentis

Editor-in-Chief

  • Decade-plus of experience as an editor, writer, strategist and spokesperson
  • Covered personal finance verticals since 2015
  • Writing and editing has appeared in 40-plus publications
  • Certified student loan counselor since 2018
  • Quoted in dozens of media outlets for student loan expertise

Bio and experience

Andrew Pentis is Credible’s Editor-in-Chief. Andrew leads a talented team of editors, writers and staff with the goal of educating users about life’s personal financial decisions.

Andrew has worn many different hats in his career. He worked as a news and sports journalist, wrote personal finance columns (and an e-book!) and served as a go-to media expert and certified student loan counselor. Most recently, he’s enjoyed leading editorial teams.

Before arriving at Credible, Andrew wrote about paying for college and repaying education debt for LendingTree sites (primarily Student Loan Hero) and served as a lead editor for Decisionary Media’s nascent Sound Dollar brand. Earlier career highlights included writing for regional newspapers and national magazines.

Andrew loves turning complicated personal financial topics into digestible and actionable guidance for consumers — but sometimes, if he’s being honest, he’d rather be playing sand volleyball.

Education

Andrew earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism (thanks, in part to $11,000 of scholarships).


Jared Hughes

Editor

  • Digital content editor for 6+ years
  • Edited and wrote tourism content for 3 years
  • Avid gamer and fairy tale enthusiast
  • Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing (minor in English Literature)

Bio and experience

Jared Hughes is Credible’s student loan editor, a role he feels well-suited to fill considering his own experience with student loan debt. Jared took out federal student loans (both subsidized and unsubsidized) after thorough research and made a plan for paying it off monthly once he graduated. He’s currently still making payments and working toward his goal.

Through his own experience, he aims to be an empathetic source of understanding for borrowers looking for the best ways to repay their student loans.

Jared got his start editing online at an internship for Fairy Tale Review, a literary journal analyzing fairy tales. From there, he worked for a destination marketing agency where he specialized in editing and writing stories meant to inspire people to visit their favorite destinations in the US.

He also briefly tried his hand at freelance writing, creating website content for local businesses in his hometown of Tucson, Arizona. Before joining Credible, Jared was a content editor for Intuit, editing learning courses created for the QuickBooks sales team.

In his free time, Jared enjoys hiking the desert vistas of southern Arizona (when it’s not 100 degrees), writing his novel, and playing video games.

Education

Jared earned a bachelor’s degree in creative writing with a minor in English from the University of Arizona.


Kelly Larsen

Senior Editor

  • Writer and editor for 9 years
  • Bachelor’s degree in English Literature
  • Financial editing experience in both the online media and app spaces

Bio and experience

Kelly Larsen has written and edited content that spans many personal finance topics, including buying a home, saving for retirement, and paying off student loans. She first started learning about the world of finance through her work at Finance101.com. In 2020, Kelly helped launch Paven, a financial well-being app.

Kelly’s diverse background includes working as a copywriter for an online driving school, writing a weekly column for an end-of-life blog, and proofreading nonfiction books on topics such as crocheting.

When she’s not helping others learn more about personal finance, she enjoys playing tennis and hanging out with her dog, Henry.

Education

Kelly holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from San Francisco State University.


Alicia Hahn

Senior Editor

  • More than a decade of editorial experience, with 7+ years in personal finance content
  • Produced content for major brands like Forbes, Mastercard, and Build-A-Bear
  • Experienced in both digital and print publishing

Bio and experience

Alicia is a personal finance editor and writer with a focus on student loans. Having successfully paid off more than $80,000 of her own school loans, she’s passionate about helping others navigate the complex student loan system and get out of debt faster.

Previous work experience includes editorial positions at Forbes, Student Loan Hero, and FinanceBuzz. Earlier in her career, Alicia developed college-level eBooks, managed a literary journal, and worked as a copyeditor at a trade magazine for the cheese industry.

When she’s not working, Alicia enjoys cooking, traveling, watching true crime documentaries, and doing crosswords.

Education

Alicia earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a master’s degree in publishing and writing from Emerson College.


Reina Marszalek

Senior Editor, Mortgages

  • 10+ years of experience editing, writing, and strategizing
  • Master’s degree in Creative Writing
  • Created content for Forbes Advisor, USA TODAY Blueprint, and Policygenius

Bio and experience

Reina is a writer and editor with over a decade of experience in SEO content, marketing copy, and editorial strategy. Before joining Credible, she was the managing editor and life insurance expert at Policygenius, overseeing life and disability insurance content. Before Reina turned her focus to helping readers make better financial decisions, she was the senior editor at DoctorOz.com, where she created health and wellness content.

In her spare time, Reina can be found on neighborhood walks with her husband, daughter, son, and black lab, Marty. She also loves baking and reading short stories.

Education

Reina earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Binghamton University (SUNY) and a master’s degree in Creative Writing from Kingston University London.


Meredith Mangan

Senior Editor

  • Finance expert with a decade of editing, writing, and publishing experience
  • Licensed investment advisor representative and insurance agent for four years
  • Avid options trader

Bio and experience

Meredith Mangan is Credible’s Senior Personal Loans Editor. Since 2011, she’s helped steer content creation in the areas of mortgages and loans, insurance, credit cards, and investing for major finance verticals, including Investopedia and The Balance.

Meredith comes to editing from an industry background as a licensed financial advisor and insurance agent, but she’s a teacher at heart. She most enjoys helping readers (as well as writers and other editors) navigate complex financial decisions by translating industry jargon into understandable and actionable steps.

Aside from editing, Meredith has been an avid options trader since 2014. Someday she hopes to have an official bird-dog-cat-horse-everything rescue to complement the pet menagerie she has at home.

Education

Meredith earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from New College of Florida.


Charlie Tarver

Copy Editor

  • 5+ years of experience copy editing for print and online
  • Constantly missing the Tetons
  • Bachelor’s in journalism, with an emphasis in copy editing

Bio and experience

Charlie is Credible’s copy editor, and his time working on various desks has seen him edit a wide range of content, from long-form policy analysis to defense briefs and celebrity Q&As.

After getting his start at Stars and Stripes as a Dow Jones News Fund intern, Charlie spent more than 5 years copy editing articles for political newspaper The Hill’s website and print edition, covering the fast-paced world of Capitol Hill. As a copy editor, he is passionate about style guides, em dashes, and advocating for readers by ensuring content is clear, concise, actionable, and accurate.

Charlie is currently based in Maryland, and spends his time sewing, singing, and hanging out with his cats, Dax and Marceline.

Education

Charlie holds a Bachelor of Science in journalism from the University of Kansas.


Sarah Maroney

Editorial Assistant

  • Bachelor’s degree in Applied Professional Communications with a minor in psychology

Education

Sarah earned her Bachelor’s degree at Rowan University through the university’s 3+1 program. Born with a love for all things reading and writing, Sarah enjoys crafting anything literary whether it be a single sentence or an entire story.


Carter Sherman

Editorial Assistant

  • Bachelor’s degree in Theater with a minor in English: Creative Writing.

Education

Carter graduated from North Central College in 2019, where she extensively studied theater and creative writing; additionally, she completed various work studies within the English department. When she is not writing, reading, or defending the Oxford comma with her life, Carter can frequently be found on stage in various Chicago theatre productions.

Alene Laneyaly j yale

  • Over ten years of experience writing media and marketing content
  • Redeemed millions of points for bucket list travel experiences to Bora Bora, France, and the Galapagos.

Bio and experience

Alene is an award-winning personal finance writer based in the Southwest. Her focus is on helping families make optimal money choices in the areas of credit, mortgages, and loans. Award travel, in particular, is a true passion of hers that helped her travel when money was tight.

Her writing has found a home across the web in places such as SoFi.com, Business Insider, The Balance, and others. In a past life, Alene wrote feature stories for regional print publications and taught high school students.

Education

Alene has a bachelor’s degree in English and history from the University of Utah.


Aly Yalealy j yale

  • Journalist focused on mortgage, real estate, and personal finance
  • Bachelor’s degree in communication
  • Published in Forbes, Fox Business, The Motley Fool, The Balance, and more

Bio and experience

Aly J. Yale has been a freelance writer and journalist for a decade, focusing largely on real estate, mortgage, and financial topics. Her work has been published in major publications such as Forbes, The Motley Fool, Bankrate, and Fox Business. Before going freelance, she worked at The Dallas Morning News as a reporter, section editor, and designer. She held positions at NBC, PBS, and Radio Disney.

Aly’s an avid Harry Potter fan (and self-proclaimed Ravenclaw) and spends most of her free time doing puzzles, playing board games, or wrangling her toddler twins.

Education

Aly received her bachelor’s degree from the Schieffer School of Communication at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. She double-majored in radio-TV-film and news-editorial journalism.


Amy FontinelleAmy Fontinelle author

  • Leading personal finance writer with more than 15 years of experience
  • Budgeting, credit cards, mortgages, real estate, insurance, taxes, and wealth planning expert
  • Finished college in three years to save money, and still graduated with honors

Bio and experience

Amy Fontinelle has been a personal finance writer since 2006. Her work has been published by Forbes Advisor, Capital One, MassMutual, Prudential, Reader’s Digest, The Motley Fool, Investopedia, International Business Times, Business Insider, Bankrate, and other outlets.

Amy cares about making challenging personal finance topics easy to understand so people feel empowered to manage their finances and don’t get taken advantage of. She wants everyone to experience the peace of mind and freedom that come from financial security.

Amy spends much of her free time in the kitchen making her own pizza dough and ricotta cheese.

Education

Amy earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Washington University in St. Louis and a certificate in journalism from the University of California, Los Angeles.


Andrew Dunn

  • Journalist for more than 10 years covering business and finance
  • Mortgage expert
  • Bachelor’s degree in journalism

Bio and experience

Andrew Dunn is an award-winning mortgage and finance writer with a decade of experience covering the industry with articles published at Fox Business, LendingTree, Credit Karma, Axios Charlotte, and more.

He thoroughly enjoys demystifying the process of applying for and closing on mortgages, especially to help people buy their first homes. Andrew’s work has been recognized numerous times by the Society of American Business Editors and Writers and the N.C. Press Association. Andrew has previously served as a managing editor for mortgage content at LendingTree. He lives in Charlotte, N.C.

Education

Andrew earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as a certificate in business journalism and a minor in Spanish.


Angela Brown

  • 9-plus years’ experience writing in the personal finance and real estate sectors
  • Professional writer for 15+ years including work as a reporter and copy editor
  • Bachelor’s degree in journalism

Bio and experience

Angela hates math (and hot dogs). But she loves money. She also loves helping people figure out how to reduce their expenses and invest wisely. Angela has an exhaustive background in personal finance topics including reverse mortgages, refinancing, personal loans, credit scores, debt, and student loans. Her work is published on Fox Business, LendingTree, 1800 Flowers, and FinanceBuzz.

When she’s not working, Angela loves planning Disney trips, reading a good book, and spending time with her family.

Education

Angela earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications from Brigham Young University—Idaho.


Angela Mae Watson

  • Nearly a decade of experience writing for online publications and multimedia companies
  • Personal finance journalist with expertise in loans, credit cards, debt management, investing, and financial literacy
  • Graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English

Bio and experience

Angela Mae is a freelance writer with a passion for all things personal finance. She has
written about consumer loans, debt management, investing, retirement planning, and
more.

She comes from a journalistic background and pulls from hands-on experience and
deep-dive research to breathe life into her stories. Her goal is to help others achieve
financial stability and independence, all while helping them make informed financial and
credit decisions. Her work has been featured on sites like Credit Karma, Lendstart, and
GoodRx (health finance vertical).

When not writing, Angela Mae can be found traveling, honing her yoga skills, hiking, or
exploring new means of healthy, sustainable living.

Education

Angela Mae earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Saint Martin’s University. She
also holds several certificates in the digital marketing/content creation space.


Anna Baluch

  • Personal finance freelance writer
  • Years of experience writing for well-known media outlets in the business and personal finance space
  • Bachelor’s degree in marketing and an MBA

Bio and experience

Anna Baluch writes about a variety of personal finance topics including mortgages, debt management, student loans, personal loans, and more. Her work can be found on media outlets like The Balance, Freedom Debt Relief, Lending Tree, Credit Karma, NAV, and RateGenius.

Prior to freelance writing, Anna worked in SEO and affiliate marketing for a large home improvement company. When she’s not typing away on her computer in sunny Hudson, OH, she can be found working out, volunteering, trying new restaurants, and hanging out with her husband and daughter. You can find her on LinkedIn.

Education

Anna received a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Northwood University and MBA from Roosevelt University.


Becca Stanek

  • Writer and editor for 9+ years
  • Published in LendingTree, Forbes, SoFi, Policygenius, SmartAsset, The Week, Time, and more
  • Bachelor’s degree in English and currently pursuing an MFA in fiction writing

Bio and experience

Becca Stanek has worked as an editor and writer in the personal finance space since 2017. She previously served as the managing editor for investing and savings content at LendingTree and an editor at SmartAsset. Prior to that, she was a staff writer at The Week. She’s currently freelancing for publications including SoFi, Forbes, and The Week while she earns her MFA in creative writing from Queens University in Charlotte. She lives in Valatie, NY.


Ben Luthi

  • Freelance writer focused on personal finance and travel
  • Bachelor’s degree in business management with a finance emphasis
  • Published in U.S. News, The New York Times, Fox Business, Forbes, FICO, and more

Bio and experience

Ben has been a freelance writer for nearly a decade, covering a wide range of personal finance topics. He’s also worked in the banking, auto finance, and life insurance industries.

Ben worked as a staff writer at NerdWallet and Student Loan Hero before becoming a full-time freelancer. He’s written about money and travel for dozens of publications and has provided money coaching services.

Education

Ben received his bachelor’s degree in business management with an emphasis on finance from Brigham Young University.


Cassandra Morrison

  • Professional writer for 10-plus years, including a full-time stint writing about drywall!
  • Bachelor’s and master’s in creative writing
  • Believer in the power of budgets and personal finance education

Bio and experience

Cassandra is an award-winning writer who is happy to report that writing is a “real job,” no matter what they say. Previous bylines and articles have been published in places like the Washington Post and Forbes, and every company’s blog in between. With experience in compliance, real estate, finance, tech, and law, she loves digging deep into a subject so that readers don’t have to.


Choncé Maddox Rhea

  • Financial writer for 7+ years
  • Paid off student loans in 3 years
  • Bachelor’s degree in journalism

Bio and experience

Choncé is a personal finance freelance writer who enjoys writing about mortgages, student loans, and helping people achieve financial wellness.

Having a background in journalism, Choncé decided to dive deep into the world of content writing in 2013 after noticing many publications transitioning to digital formats. Considering herself a long-time personal finance enthusiast, Choncé’s work has been featured on sites like Business Insider, Lending Tree, Fox Business, RateGenius, and more.

When she’s not writing, she is getting outdoors with her family, trying out new recipes in the kitchen, or obsessing over the next Medieval drama show on Netflix.

Education

Choncé received a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Communications from Northern Illinois University.


Christopher Murray

  • Bachelor’s in English Literature and Gender Studies from Smith College
  • Over 6 years writing for over a dozen personal finance blogs
  • Spent 5 years as a senior editor for Money Under 30

Bio and experience

Christopher Murray is a professional personal finance and sustainability writer who enjoys writing about everything from budgeting to unique investing options like SRI and cryptocurrency. He also focuses on how sustainability is the best savings tool around. You can find his work on sites like Bankrate, MoneyCrashers, FinanceBuzz, Investor Junkie, and Time.


Christy Rakoczy

  • Freelance writer since 2008
  • JD Degree from UCLA
  • Former College Instructor and Textbook Ghostwriter

Bio and experience

Christy Rakoczy has been working full-time as a freelance writer since 2008. Christy has written about all kinds of topics, but mostly focuses on personal finance and legal subjects. She has written blogs, news articles, SEO articles, textbooks, and online courses on the topics of law, finance, and history. She currently splits her time between Florida and Pennsylvania and lives with her husband, two children, and beagle.

Education

Christy has a law degree from UCLA as well as a bachelor’s in English, Media and Communications from the University of Rochester.


Daria Uhlig

  • Writer and editor with over 25 years of editorial experience
  • Expertise in personal finance and real estate
  • Practicing Realtor

Bio and experience 

Daria Uhlig has more than a decade of experience writing and editing for personal finance, specializing in real estate and mortgage content. Her bylines have appeared on The Motley Fool, USA Today, MSN Money, CNBC, and Yahoo! Finance.

Daria has professional experience as an advertising copywriter and editor, as well as a marketing communications editor. Previously, she worked as a senior editorial assistant and freelance contributor to The Oxford English Dictionary.

Daria is also a Realtor in Maryland where she has lived since 2011. In her free time, she can often be found camera in hand, photographing people and places on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Education

Daria studied mass communications at Centenary University in New Jersey.


Deborah Kearns

  • Nearly two decades of editorial content and communications experience, with 15+ years specializing in real estate, mortgages and personal finance
  • Work has appeared in New York Times, USA Today, Associated Press, and MarketWatch
  • Featured as a housing expert on Yahoo Finance, CBS New York, Cheddar News and dozens of other media outlets

Bio and experience 

Deborah is a personal finance editor and writer with a focus on real estate and mortgages. She is passionate about helping consumers understand how all facets of homeownership work and how to live their best financial lives.

Most recently, Deborah was director of communications at a national mortgage and financial services company where she established and scaled award-winning content and thought leadership programs. Previously, she held editorial roles at LendingTree, Bankrate, Nerdwallet and RE/MAX World Headquarters.

When she’s not editing or writing, Deborah is contemplating ideas for a novel, working out, riding horses, traveling, singing and spending time with her family.

Education

Deborah holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Florida and a master’s degree in Public Relations from Ball State University.


Devon Delfino

  • Personal finance writer
  • Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University
  • Bylines in publications such as the L.A. Times, U.S. News and World Report, Farther Finance, Business Insider, Forbes, MarketWatch, CNBC, and USA Today

Bio and experience

Devon Delfino is an independent writer specializing in personal finance. Her work has been featured in publications such as the L.A. Times, U.S. News and World Report, Mashable, The Startup, Business Insider, Forbes, MarketWatch, CNBC, and USA Today, among others.


Emilia Benton

  • Freelance writer with more than a decade of experience
  • Former copy editor and staff writer at the Houston Chronicle
  • Avid runner and 11-time marathoner

Bio and experience

Emilia is a freelance journalist whose work has been published by Runner’s World, Women’s Health, SELF, and the Houston Chronicle, among others. She is also an 11-time marathoner, frequent traveler, and avid amateur baker. She lives in her hometown of Houston with her husband, Omar, and Boston Terrier rescue, Astro. Visit her website at www.emiliabenton.com.

Education

Emily received her B.A. in journalism with minors in Spanish and women’s studies from Hofstra University in Long Island, New York.


Emily Batdorf

Bio and experience

Emily is a personal finance writer with a special interest in writing about banking, loans, and budgeting. After seeking out as much as she could about personal finance post-college, she loves making this information more accessible for the everyday consumer.

Before her writing career, Emily worked as an educator at a science and nature-focused nonprofit. She brings her communications skills and passion for education to her work as a personal finance writer.

When she’s not writing, Emily loves spending time outside—skiing, swimming, or hiking—and cooking whatever’s in season.

Education

Emily graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies.


Emily Guy-Birken

  • Retirement expert
  • Expert in behavioral finance
  • Over 10 years of experience in financial journalism
  • Author of five books on personal finance

Bio and experience

Emily started as a blogger-for-hire in 2010, during a brief pause from teaching high school English that became permanent.

She has written about every money topic under the sun, from student loans to retirement, has been featured on Forbes, Kiplinger’s, Huffington Post, MSN Money, and The Washington Post online, and authored 5 books.

Emily’s background in education allows her to make complex financial topics relatable and easily understood by the layperson.

Thanks to her lifelong fascination with the psychology of money, she focuses on helping her readers understand the why of money, and not just the what and how. Emily lives in Milwaukee with her engineer husband, two elementary-aged sons, a retired racing greyhound, and a cat that doubles as a throw pillow.

Education

Emily studied French Literature and English with an emphasis in creative writing at Kenyon College. She has a Master’s of English Education from The Ohio State University.


Erin Gobler 

  • 8+ years of online writing experience
  • Personal finance expertise in mortgages, loans, credit cards, and more
  • Bylines in Fox Business, Credit Karma, Business Insider, and more

Bio and experience

Erin Gobler is a freelance personal finance writer with more than eight years of experience writing online. She’s passionate about making the financial services industry more accessible by breaking down complicated financial topics in simple terms.

As a personal finance writer, Erin covers topics like mortgages, loans, credit cards, investing, and more. Her work has been published in Fox Business, Credit Karma, Business Insider, and more.

Before becoming a financial writer, Erin worked in public policy at the state government level, helping to research, analyze, and pass legislation in the state of Wisconsin.

Education

Erin studied Journalism and Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She also received a certificate in public affairs from the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is in the process of completing her certificate in financial planning.


Hilary Collins

  • Finance writer for 7-plus years
  • Finance editor for 5-plus years
  • MFA in creative writing

Bio and experience

Hilary Collins is a finance writer and editor. She loves taking topics that could be dry and complicated and turning them into engaging stories with actionable takeaways.

Education

Hilary has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a masters of fine arts in creative writing.


Jacqueline DeMarco

  • Personal finance writer for 7+ years
  • Graduated cum laude from the University of California Irvine (Literary Journalism and Digital Art)
  • Works with dozens of publications and brands to create financial content

Bio and experience

Jacqueline has worked with more than a dozen financial brands, including LendingTree, Credit Karma, Fundera, Chime, MagnifyMoney, Student Loan Hero, ValuePenguin, SoFi and Northwestern Mutual, providing thoughtful content to give readers insight into complex topics that they likely didn’t learn in school. When digging deep into financial research, a cup of tea or two usually helps keeps her going.

During college, Jacqueline interned at a retirement plan advisory firm and was tasked with creating a presentation on the importance of financial wellness. During her research into how money can affect our health, relationships and career, Jacqueline realized just how important financial education is.

Education

Jacqueline received a bachelor’s degree in Literary Journalism from the University of California Irvine.


Jamela Adam

  • Personal finance freelance writer
  • Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration
  • Avid solo traveler and foodie

Bio and experience

Jamela Adam is a personal finance freelance writer covering topics such as mortgages, credit cards, student loans, debt management, and more. Her work has been published in major publications such as Forbes, RateGenius, SuperMoney, Clever Girl Finance, and Chime. Before going freelance, Jamela worked as a junior content marketing specialist and helped devise SEO content strategies for major brands in the fintech space.

When she’s not working, Jamela likes to travel solo, explore new coffee shops, learn Spanish, and find beautiful experiences in unexpected places.

Education

Jamela received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California.


Jamie Johnson

  • Expert in personal finance and small business lending
  • Has written for Rocket Mortgage, Credit Karma, Business Insider, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, among many others
  • Has published more than 2,000 personal finance articles

Bio and experience

For the past five years, Jamie has dedicated more than 10,000 hours of research and writing to more than 2,000 articles about personal finance topics, including credit cards and building credit. Jamie is passionate about personal finance and believes that with just a few small changes, anyone can begin changing their financial situation for the better.

In addition to contributing to Credible, Jamie’s Past and current clients include Credit Karma, Insider, Bankrate, Rocket Mortgage, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Quicken Loans, and The Balance.

Education

Jamie attended the University of Kansas where she studied Psychology.


Janet Berry-Johnson

  • Certified Public Accountant for more than 12 years
  • Personal finance writer for 5+ years
  • Bachelors in Accounting

Bio and experience

Janet Berry-Johnson is an authority on income taxes and small business accounting. Before leaving the accounting world to focus on freelance writing, she specialized in income tax consulting and compliance for individuals and small businesses.

Janet is passionate about helping people make sense of complicated tax, accounting and personal finance topics.

Janet has written for several well-known media outlets, including The New York Times, Forbes.com, and Business Insider. In 2021, Canopy named her one of the Top 10 Influential Women in Accounting and Tax.

She lives in Omaha, Nebraska, with her husband, son, and rescue dog, Dexter. Outside of writing and talking tax, she enjoys reading, playing Mah Jongg, and being a sports mom.

You can find her on Twitter or on LinkedIn.

Education

Janet received her bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Morrison University and her CPA license from the State of Nevada in 2009.


Jennifer Sisson

  • 4 years of editorial and writing experience in personal finance and real estate content
  • Produced content for outlets such as Business Insider, Fintech Nexus News, and FinanceBuzz
  • Edited multiple personal finance ebooks

Bio and experience

Jenni is a personal finance editor and writer. Her favorite topics are investing, mortgages, real estate, budgeting, and entrepreneurship. She also hosts the Mama’s Money Map podcast, which helps stay-at-home moms earn more, spend less, and invest the rest. Jenni started her professional career as an in-house editor for KLAS Research, a healthcare IT company.
While taking a career break to stay at home with her children, she took up a number of side hustles, including piano teacher, mystery shopper, real estate investor, and maple syrup salesperson. Since she returned to editing and writing, Jenni has edited content for Forbes, as well as several ebooks. She has written articles for Business Insider, Fintech Nexus News, FinanceBuzz, The Ways to Wealth, and more.

When she’s not writing or editing, you can find Jenni taking her family for hikes along the Wasatch Front, sewing with her sisters, or beating someone at Scrabble.

Education

Jenni earned a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics from Brigham Young University.


Jerry Brown

  • Personal finance writer with more than three years of experience
  • Bachelors degrees in Business Administration and Business Management
  • Owner of the blog Peerless Money Mentor
  • Plutus award nominee for best social media for personal finance

Bio and experience

Jerry Brown is a personal finance writer and owner of the Peerless Money Mentor blog. After reaching out to J. Money, founder of Budgets Are Sexy, in 2017 to learn how to start a personal finance blog, Jerry followed his advice to write his heart out. Doing so has landed him in major publications, such as Forbes Advisor, Business Insider, and Rocket Mortgage.

Jerry is such a personal finance nerd that he often stays up late at night reading personal finance news. His mission is to help others master their finances so they can live a better life. Jerry received a bachelor’s in business administration and a bachelor’s in business management from the University of New Orleans. You can find him on Twitter or on LinkedIn.

Education

Jerry received a bachelor’s in business administration and a bachelor’s in business management from the University of New Orleans.


Jennifer Calonia

  • More than a decade of experience editing and writing on personal finance
  • Featured on national publications, like Yahoo Finance and USA Today

Bio and experience

Jennifer is a personal finance writer and editor who was born, raised, and currently resides in Los Angeles. She believes smart money management starts with making financial concepts and advice accessible to the everyday person.

In addition to covering topics, like budgeting and savings, Jennifer writes about student loans, debt, credit cards, and more. You can find her work on publications, like Forbes, Bankrate, NerdWallet, and LendingTree.

When she’s not helping readers learn about practical money habits, she’s busy voraciously reading a new fantasy series, writing her debut fiction novel, or caring for more than 100 houseplants.

Education

Jennifer earned a bachelor’s degree in English, with a specialty in creative writing, from California State University, Northridge.


Jessica Martel

  • 10-plus years of academic and professional writing experience
  • 4-plus years as a freelance writer specializing in personal finance
  • Work has appeared on Investopedia, The Balance, Time Stamped, Seeking Alpha, Chime, Discover, American Express, and more.

Bio and experience

Jessica Martel is a professional researcher, freelance writer, and mother of two rambunctious little boys. She specializes in the areas of personal finance, financial literacy, and women and money.

Education

Jessica graduated from the University of Calgary with BAs in communications and psychology and a master’s degree in cognitive research psychology.


Jessica Walrack

Bio and experience

Jessica Walrack is a freelance finance writer and journalist with over a decade of experience. During that time, she’s written hundreds of articles about loans, insurance, banking, mortgages, credit cards, budgeting, and taxes for well-known publications including CBS News MoneyWatch, USA Today, US News and World, Investopedia, and The Balance Money.

Jessica also helps startups, small businesses, and Fortune 500 companies in the industry to execute their content marketing strategies. Her love of numbers and passion for simplifying complex concepts makes covering finance a natural match.


Kathryn Pomroy

  • Financial journalist for more than 9 years
  • Bachelor’s degree in Journalism with a minor in Finance
  • Founder/owner of UpNorth Writer LLC

Bio and experience

Kathryn is a writer and editor providing results-driven copy in a variety of voices and styles to support clients’ content strategy. She makes complex concepts easy to understand in the financial space. Kathryn maintains an in-depth understanding of the financial industry, creates original content and enhances existing content while incorporating SEO best practices.

Kathryn confidently writes both internal and external communications, long- and short-form articles, marketing collateral, blog posts, and white papers. She has written for Finder.com, FundThrough, Quinstreet, Credible, Intuit/Quickbooks, HomeLight, and more — all while keeping a creative flair intact.

Education

Kathryn earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Arizona State University. Her minor was in Finance.


Kevin Payne

  • Personal finance writer for five years
  • Owner of Family Money Adventure
  • Avid family traveler

Bio and experience

Kevin Payne is a family travel and finance expert. After he and his wife added two girls to their family through adoption, Kevin got serious about taking control of their finances so their family could still enjoy their favorite pleasures, like travel. Now, he’s self-employed and spends his free time traveling with his wife and four kids.

Kevin writes about credit cards, travel, student loans, saving money, homeownership, and career and entrepreneurship. His work has been featured in Forbes Advisor, The Ascent, FInance Buzz, Slick Deals, Student Loan Planner, and more. You can find him on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Education

Kevin is in the process of becoming an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC).


Kim PorterKim Porter author

  • Credit and mortgage expert
  • Financial journalist for 10 years serving two dozen media outlets across the U.S.
  • Bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in Asian studies

Bio and experience

Kim Porter started writing about personal finance a decade ago, when she and her husband had about $150,000 in student loan debt. They are now debt-free homeowners who love to travel. Porter is an expert in credit, mortgages, student loans, and debt management.

In addition to covering mortgages for Credible, she’s a regular contributor for personal finance websites including U.S. News & World Report, Reviewed.com, Bankrate, and Credit Karma. An avid traveler and runner, she plans to complete a race on each of the seven continents.

Education

Kim received her bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in Asian studies from the University of Florida. She’s studied Mandarin in China and German in Switzerland.


Larry PhillipsLarry Phillips author

Bio and experience

Larry Phillips is a mortgage and real estate content writer with nearly 20 years of experience working in both industries. Larry’s years of real-world experience give readers a unique insight into how the home loan and real estate markets work.

Larry began his mortgage career in 2000 as a closing specialist and retail underwriter for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. He later moved on to analyzing mortgage risk for companies including Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and UBS.

In 2010, Larry decided to take up writing and use his extensive experience to help people navigate the complex processes of the mortgage industry. Larry’s work has appeared in The Mortgage Reports, LendingTree, and Military.com.

Larry is a U.S. Army veteran, and when he isn’t writing about the mortgage industry, he consults veterans about the benefits of the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program.


Laura Agadoni

  • Real estate writer
  • Real estate investor and landlord
  • REALTOR®

Bio and experience

Laura Agadoni, author of “New Home Journal: Record All the Repairs, Upgrades and Home Improvements During Your Years at…,” is a real estate writer, landlord, and REALTOR®. Her work has been featured in various publications, such as The Motley Fool, Trulia, JLL Real Views, USA Today, Yahoo Finance, Avail, Apartments.com, and loanDepot.

Laura became an accidental landlord after inheriting her parents’ California ranch home during the real estate crash of 2008. Since then, she’s bought more properties to manage and focuses her writing on real estate issues.

Laura is also a wife and mother of three grown children. When she isn’t working, she’s dog-walking, biking, or playing tennis.

Education

Laura earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from California State University and lives in Marietta, Georgia.


Laura Gariepy

  • Freelance writer specializing in personal finance, careers, and entrepreneurship
  • Work has been featured in Forbes, LendingTree, Rocket Mortgage, The Balance, and many other publications
  • Owns Every Day by the Lake, LLC, a written content creation company, and Before You Go Freelance, a resource hub for new and aspiring freelancers

Bio and experience

Laura started writing about personal finance in early 2018 when she took a sabbatical from her career in human resources and launched a blog discussing her journey. She realized she could earn a more lucrative and flexible living as a freelance writer, so she soon went all-in on being self-employed. Laura has written blog articles, web copy, social media posts, email newsletters, and more for many satisfied clients. In addition, she has coached other professionals to be better writers or launch their own freelance businesses.

Education

Laura earned an MBA and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.


Lauren Bowling

  • Financial journalist for more than 8 years serving some of the largest and best-known media outlets in the world such as The Huffington Post, Fox Business, and more.
  • Bachelor’s degree from The University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • My personal finance blog, Financial Best Life, was founded in 2012 and acquired by Soapbox, a division of The Motley Fool, in 2019
  • Licensed real estate agent and millennial home buying expert

Bio and experience

Lauren Bowling is an award-winning blogger and freelance writer whose work and financial expertise has been featured on The Huffington Post, Fox Business, CNBC, Forbes, Business Insider, Redbook, and Woman’s Day Magazine. After selling her website, Financial Best Life, to Soapbox, a division of The Motley Fool, in 2019, Bowling obtained her real estate license. Still writing about money and real estate, Bowling additionally works as an agent and investor and enjoys flipping houses in her spare time.

Education

Lauren is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she received a bachelor’s degree that isn’t in finance.


Lauren Ward

  • Seasoned writer covering personal finance for 10 years
  • Mortgage and real estate expert
  • Passionate about simplifying complex financial topics to help people make smart decisions

Bio and experience

Lauren Ward has been a personal finance writer since 2012. Her work has been featured in Time, This Old House, Money Under 30, The Balance, and more.

Education

Lauren earned a bachelor’s degree in Japanese Language from Georgetown University in Washington, DC.


Lindsay Frankel

  • 8-plus years of personal finance writing experience with hundreds of published articles
  • Loves helping readers make smart financial decisions

Bio and experience

Lindsay Frankel is a freelance financial writer based in Denver who currently focuses on loans, insurance, and real estate. She began her career writing personal finance and e-commerce blog content for an affiliate marketing company before starting a full-time freelance business in 2018. Since then, she has written hundreds of articles each year for outlets like LendingTree, Investopedia, The Balance, SFGate, BiggerPockets, FinanceBuzz, FinImpact, and more. When she’s not writing, you can find her playing music, planning her next getaway, or exploring nature with her rescue dog, Lucy.

Education

Lindsay spent two years studying screenwriting at Chapman University and graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Education from Elmhurst University.


Mary Beth Eastman

  • Personal finance writer and editor
  • More than 10 years of award-winning journalism experience
  • Bachelor’s degree in Journalism

Bio and experience

Mary Beth Eastman is a freelance writer covering personal finance topics, especially mortgages and loans. Mary Beth spent more than a decade editing breaking news stories for daily newspapers before following her passion for personal finance, helping people to make smarter decisions about their money. When she isn’t digging deep on interest rates, you can find her learning a new craft or playing cozy video games at home.


Matt Hellebusch

  • Licensed mortgage originator
  • Worked for top mortgage lenders
  • Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Rockhurst University

Bio and experience

Matt Hellebusch is Credible’s senior mortgage consultant and a licensed mortgage loan originator.

Matt has spent 20 years in the industry and has worked for some of the top lenders.

He specializes in non-qualifying mortgage (non-QM) products but has expertise in all home loans, including conventional, FHA, and VA loans.


Melanie Lockert

  • 9 years of experience writing personal finance content
  • Paid off $81,000 in student loan debt
  • Work has appeared in Business Insider, Fortune, USA Today, and more

Bio and experience

Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer and the founder of the blog and author of the book, “Dear Debt.” Through her blog, she chronicled her journey out of $81,000 in student loan debt. Her work has appeared on Allure, Business Insider, Credit Karma, Fortune, and more. She is also the co-founder of the Lola Retreat and host of the Mental Health and Wealth show podcast. She lives in Los Angeles and enjoys jazz music, traveling, coffee, and spending time with her two cats and partner.

Education

Melanie has a Bachelor’s degree in Theater from California State University of Long Beach and a Master’s degree in Performance Studies from New York University.


Micah Murray

  • 4-plus years of experience writing in the personal finance space
  • 2-plus years as an editorial assistant for Money Under 30
  • Focused on helping others improve their life by improving their financial literacy

Bio and experience

Micah Murray is a freelance writer and editor who began writing about personal finance as a side hustle in 2018. By 2019 he quit his full-time job and dove headfirst into helping others build their financial literacy. Since, he has written for sites like Money Under 30, RateGenius, Bankrate, and Sound Dollar, as well as worked as an editorial assistant for Money Under 30.

In his free time, Micah can often be found sitting around a campfire listening to a true crime podcast with his husband and their dog.


Mike Schmidt

  • Licensed mortgage loan originator
  • Worked for various financial institutions
  • Bachelor’s, master’s degrees in economics from East Carolina University

Bio and experience

Mike Schmidt is Credible’s senior manager of mortgage operations and is a licensed mortgage loan originator in 50 states.

Mike has spent 18 years in the industry, working at various financial institutions.

He has expertise in all mortgage products, including conventional, FHA, and VA loans.


Moriah Chace

Bio and experience

Moriah Joy Chace is a queer personal finance writer passionate about real estate, credit, and LGBTQ+ finances.

After graduating with an English—professional writing degree from William Jessup University, she started writing about money directly after college. Her words can be found in Insider, BuzzFeed, Investopedia, and Bankrate.
She’s known as “the money friend” in her circle of friends. And when she’s not writing about money, she’s at her day job, as PR Communication Specialist for ACH Child and Family Services, or she’s writing poetry, hiking with her service dog, Sylvia.


Nick Dauk

  • Experienced personal finance writer
  • Expertise in personal finance, business, entrepreneurship and travel

Bio and experience

Nick Dauk is a freelance writer, specializing in personal finance, business, entrepreneurship, and travel. His bylines include Business Insider, The Edge, Bisnow, The Telegraph, BBC, and Culture Trip. Nick has also created content for a number of global brands including Hilton Grand Vacations, Impala, and IBM.
When he’s not writing or traveling, he can be found exploring Orlando’s parks with his wife and toddler.

Education

Nick received his bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Central Florida.


Patrick Ward

  • More than 8 years of freelance writing
  • Created content for sites such as The Debt Myth and Rockstar Finance

Bio and experience

Patrick is a personal finance writer with a focus on real estate and real estate investing. After doing a cash-out refinance on his first house (which was bought as a foreclosure from a local bank), he was able to lower his monthly mortgage payments, pay off graduate school, and buy a new roof. Afterwards, he was hooked on real estate.

His work has appeared on Jacky Beck’s The Debt Myth and Rockstar Finance, but he also runs his own real estate website called Hipster Real Estate. Before freelancing, he worked as an EMT and AP English teacher.

When Patrick is not working, he enjoys playing board games, cooking traditional Japanese meals, and writing music and short stories.

Education

Patrick earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Virginia and a graduate degree in Education from the University of Richmond.


Rebecca Safier

  • Personal finance writer for 8+ years
  • Certified student loan counselor through the National Association of Certified Credit Counselors (NACCC)
  • Bachelor’s in English and Master of Education in School Counseling

Bio and experience

Rebecca Safier has more than eight years of experience writing about personal finance and higher education for a variety of publications. Formerly a senior writer for LendingTree and Student Loan Hero, she’s covered student loans, financial aid, personal loans, budgeting, and other topics. Rebecca loves helping people make informed financial decisions, whether they’re planning for college, paying off debt, or improving their credit. When she’s not writing about all things finance, she’s blogging on her personal website, Remote Bliss.


Sarah Li Cain

  • Financial writer for 6+ years and written for major outlets worldwide
  • Candidate for Accredited Financial Counselor Certification
  • Has lived and worked in five countries

Bio and experience

Sarah is a former elementary teacher and started freelance writing on the side for fun. Before moving to the U.S. she decided to learn more about how personal finance works and grew this newfound obsession into a successful writing career, writing for major outlets such as Bankrate, CNBC Select, and NextAdvisor (in partnership with Time).

Sarah’s passion is for writing about topics aimed towards underserved communities, such as U.S. newcomers and the unbanked. Her background helps her to break down complex topics that are both digestible and actionable.

In her spare time she can be found trying to successfully grow a garden in her Florida home, baking with her son, and hiking.

Education

Sarah received her Bachelor’s degree in Education and English literature from York University in Canada.


Seychelle Thomas

  • 7-plus years of experience in the banking industry as a financial consultant and branch manager
  • 3-plus years of writing/copywriting experience in the personal finance industry.

Bio and experience

Seychelle (she/her) is an ex-banker of seven years turned personal finance writer. She’s a Nav-certified credit and lending expert who is passionate about empowering people to make smart financial decisions. In her writing, she explores a variety of debt consolidation, budgeting, credit, and lending topics.
When she’s not behind the keyboard, Seychelle enjoys traveling, hiking, and exploring new dining destinations.


Stephanie Colestock

  • Personal finance writer for more than 11 years
  • Avid traveler and book-reader
  • Candidate for CFP®

Bio and finance experience

Stephanie is a DC-based writer who has more than 11 years of experience in writing about investing, business, and personal finances. Her contributions include outlets such as Yahoo! Finance, MSN, Investopedia, Credit Karma, Credible, and more.

When Stephanie isn’t writing about finances, you can find her either traveling, reading a good book, or exploring the outdoors with her husband and two young sons. You can find her on Twitter or on LinkedIn.

Stephanie is a former managing editor of personal finance website Dough Roller.

Education

Stephanie holds a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and is in the process of earning her CFP® certification.


Tara MastroeniTara Mastroeni

  • Real estate and personal finance expert
  • Freelance journalist with more than a decade of experience writing for some of the industry’s leading publications
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Media Production
  • Featured as a subject matter expert on “Innovators with Jane King” and the “American Trends” podcast

Bio and experience

Tara Mastroeni has a passion for promoting financial literacy. As a Freelance Real estate and Personal Finance Writer for well-known media outlets like Forbes, Business Insider, and The Motley Fool, she specializes in breaking down complex financial concepts so that they are easy for readers to understand. Outside of work, she is also very proud to have recently purchased and renovated her first home, which she hopes to someday turn into an investment property.

Even when she’s not writing, Tara is passionate about promoting financial literacy. She spends much of her free time volunteering with an organization committed to connecting people with the resources necessary to master the financial aspects of their lives. You can find her on LinkedIn and on Twitter.

Education

Tara received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Media Production from Emerson College in Boston, MA.


Taylor MedineTaylor Medine

  • Certified Financial Education Instructor
  • Personal finance writer with over seven years of experience
  • Bylines in Bankrate, Experian, The Balance, Business Insider, Credit Karma, and more

Bio and experience

Taylor Medine is a Certified Financial Education Instructor and finance writer with over seven years of experience writing books, courses, guides, and articles that demystify personal finance topics, such as how to repay debt, build credit, shop for credit cards, and more.

In 2013, Taylor started documenting her efforts to stretch a dollar as a recent college grad on a personal blog while working in the hospitality and property management industries. Eventually, her passion for finance writing grew into a full-time career.

Taylor’s work has been featured on Bankrate, Experian, The Balance, Business Insider, Credit Karma, and more. She’s also the author of The 60-Minute Money Plan, a self-published intro to budgeting guide for people who hate budgeting.

Education

Taylor Medine holds a Bachelor of Science in Tourism and Hospitality Management degree from Temple University.


Tim Maxwell

  • Credit and loan expert
  • Financial writer with over two decades of experience in the media.
  • Former broadcast news journalist

Bio and experience

Tim is passionate about making complex personal finance topics easy to understand and empowering people to take control of their finances.

Tim’s work has appeared in several publications, including USA Today, Washington Post, Bankrate, Lending Tree, and Credible. He also publishes Incomist, a personal finance site that focuses on paying off debt by earning extra income in creative ways. You can find him on Twitter or on LinkedIn.

Tim began his career as a broadcast news writer and field journalist. He later worked in digital media roles at 20th Century Fox and NBC Universal before becoming a full-time personal finance writer.

Tim is an avid movie fan and loves a good anti-hero like Tony Soprano or Jax Teller. He’s been involved in several films as well, including X-Men, Gone Girl and The Martian. When he’s not writing, Tim loves pursuing new adventures with his family in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Education

Tim received his bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Fresno State University.

Past contributors

Ashley Cox

  • Personal finance editor for digital media for 3 years
  • Corporate retail and marketing communications for 3+ years
  • News editor and reporter for 3 years

Ashley has edited a variety of digital personal finance content for the past three years, including credit cards, mortgages, personal loans, student loans, and more. She is passionate about helping people learn more about personal finance so that they can empower themselves and achieve their financial goals.

Ashley began her career as a journalist, working as a reporter and editor for print and broadcast news outlets. She also has a background in corporate retail communications, where she focused on web content and marketing communications development. Most recently before joining Credible, she was a copy editor at Credit Karma.

When she’s not editing, Ashley volunteers with a Great Dane rescue, takes trapeze classes (where she daydreams about running away and joining the circus), and hikes the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina.

Ashley earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Samford University.

Ashley Harrison

  • Writer and editor for online financial media for 3 years
  • Bachelor’s degree in English (emphasis on creative writing)
  • Serial user of the Oxford comma

As an authority on personal finance, Ashley Harrison has covered topics that include student loans, personal loans, and more. She’s been an editor and editorial assistant in the online personal finance space for three years.


Chris Jennings

  • Writer and editor in the online financial media space for 4+ years
  • Bachelor’s degree in English
  • Proponent of the em dash

As a Credible authority on mortgages and personal finance, Chris Jennings has covered topics that include mortgage loans, mortgage refinancing, and more. He’s been an editor and editorial assistant in the online personal finance space for four years, and his work has appeared in Fox Business. Before coming to Credible, he worked as a digital editor at GOBankingRates.

Chris takes pride in making challenging mortgage topics more accessible to the first-time homebuyer so that they feel empowered and confident in their journey toward owning a home.

When he’s not on the clock, he spends his time reading, writing fiction, watching sports, and browsing Zillow for homes he cannot afford.

Chris received his bachelor’s degree in English from Illinois State University. While there, he edited for and contributed a weekly sports column to the student newspaper.


Dori Zinn

  • Covering personal finance for nearly a decade
  • Bylines in Wirecutter, Quartz, Bankrate, Credit Karma, Huffington Post, and more
  • Past president of the Florida chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists

Dori Zinn has been a resident expert in personal finance for nearly a decade. Her writing has appeared in Wirecutter, Quartz, Bankrate, Credit Karma, Huffington Post, and more. She previously worked as a staff writer at Student Loan Hero.


Eric RosenbergEric Rosenberg

  • Finance writer with more than a decade of experience covering personal finance, mortgages and business topics
  • Serial entrepreneur and founder of Personal Profitability blog, podcast, and YouTube channel
  • Writer, speaker, podcaster, and YouTuber with a focus on helping you improve your finances

Eric Rosenberg is a finance, travel, and technology writer in Ventura, California. His work has been featured at Business Insider, Investopedia, The Balance, The Huffington Post, MSN Money, Yahoo Finance, Mint.com, and many other fine outlets.


Jamie Youngjamie young

  • Writer and editor for online media for 10 years
  • Financial journalist for 5+ years
  • Debt-free since 2018

Jamie Young is an authority on personal finance, covering everything from student loans to personal loans, and general finance. Her work has appeared on some of the best-known media outlets including Time, CBS News, Huffington Post, Business Insider, AOL, MSN, and more.


Josh Patoka

  • Financial writer for 5+ years
  • Paid off student loans six years early
  • Likes to earn passive income

His work has been published on Fox Business and several award-winning personal finance blogs including Well Kept Wallet, Wallet Hacks, and Frugal Rules.


Kat TretinaKat Tretina

  • Financial writer with over 7 years of experience working with major publications
  • Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Communications
  • Paid off student loans years ahead of schedule by selling thrift store finds on eBay and other side hustles

Kat Tretina is an authority on student loans. After dealing with student loans and medical debt herself, Kat Tretina is focused on helping people conquer their debt and boost their incomes. Her work has been featured in The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, MarketWatch, and more.


Keela Buford

  • Nearly a decade of experience in strategy, editing, and writing
  • Writing and editing over vast industries from e-commerce to health
  • Created taglines that were then patented and used by B2B customers

Keela utilizes content marketing experience to ensure articles provide the most comprehensive yet most understandable financial information for readers.

Over the years, Keela has helped social media strategy for gluten-free organizations, such as Gluten Intolerance Group, and created optimized landing pages, site maps, and navigation menus for B2B brands’ user experiences, such as BASCO and The Jar Store. She has also fact-checked for Dotdash Meredith across many verticals, such as Verywell Fit and Byrdie.

Keela received a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations & Advertising from Governors State University.


Lindsey VanSomerenlindsay vansomeren author

  • Personal finance writer since 2015
  • Knows what it’s like to have money problems
  • Paid off student loans 15 years ahead of schedule

Lindsay VanSomeren specializes in credit and loans. Her work has appeared on Credit Karma, Forbes Advisor, LendingTree, and more.


Maddie Lloyd

  • Writer, reader, and editorial assistant for online media for 5 years
  • Master’s degree in English with a concentration in Film and Media Studies
  • Impassioned television watcher

Prior to working at Credible, Maddie was a contributing writer for the career guide website Zippia, where she wrote and edited articles providing job-seeking advice and interviewing tips for readers in the career-hunting process. She has also worked for the literary agency Howland Literary and the magazine The Vincent Brothers Review as a manuscript reader and copy editor. Maddie entered the world of personal finance when she joined the team at Credible, and believes that being well-informed empowers people to be confident when making financial decisions.

When Maddie is not reading or writing, she can be found crafting with her cat, Sushi, by her side.

Maddie earned her Bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University and her Master’s degree from North Carolina State University, each in English with a concentration in Film and Media Studies. During her studies, Maddie discovered that television is a legitimate art form and that watching TV is an act of research. She wrote her Master’s thesis on The Sopranos, and enjoys dissecting every text she comes across.


Matt Carter

  • Journalist with 20 years of experience reporting, writing and editing for print and online publications
  • Areas of focus: How technology and new business models are changing residential real estate and financial services
  • Will not be taking out parent PLUS loans when my son goes to college

As a writer, editor and student loan authority, Matt Carter brings his experience as a journalist to bear tracking financial industry trends of importance to consumers. Matt produces news and analysis pieces intended to help consumers stay abreast of trends and make smart decisions about borrowing and managing their existing debt.


Miranda Marquitmiranda marquit

  • Financial writer with 15 years of experience
  • MBA and M.A. in Journalism
  • Plutus Award winner for freelancing, blogging, and long-time contributions to the independent financial media space

Miranda has been writing about money on the internet for 15 years and has no intention of stopping anytime soon. She’s contributed to numerous media outlets, including NPR, Marketwatch, FOX Business, The Hill, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, and more.