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Currently: Regular contributor to CNN Underscored, Buy Side from The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, FORTUNE, Blueprint from USA Today, Fidelity, and Forbes Advisor. Past contributor work includes Entrepreneur Magazine, American Express, Trulia, Discover Bank, Discover Global Network, and Key Bank, plus an award-winning reporting stint at Chicago Health Magazine covering access-to-care topics

Previous editorial leadership: Editor - Personal Finance, Fortune Recommends. Managing Editor - Investing for MagnifyMoney/LendingTree. 

Winner - IWPA 2019, Best Online Feature

Health & Medical

LGBTQIA+

American Express •

Perpetual Pride: Why Brands Are Making LGBTQ+ Support A Year-Round Affair

Annual Pride celebrations worldwide are cherished moments for a community whose fight for equity has never been afforded the luxury of rest. Queer folx (a gender-inclusive expression of “folks”) and their allies have historically embraced Pride as moments to share the joy of inclusion—not to mention to remind the greater population that the fight for equity continues beyond a single month’s parade.
Forbes Advisor •

The LGBTQ+ Newlyweds’ Guide to Personal Finance: Hot Topics for Your New Union

As you start or continue your lives together, you’ll want a full accounting of a few things you now share—that is, beyond the gifts from your wedding registry. Your finances need to be a top priority as you venture into your shared lives.

More than two fifths of LGBTQ+ respondents in a 2018 survey from credit reporting agency Experian indicated that they find it troublesome to maintain adequate savings.

ESG

Impactivate •

Workforce Strategy: How ESG Can Increase Younger Employee Retention

A key element of any company’s workforce strategy is attracting and retaining talent—especially younger talent that can grow with an organization. In a competitive marketplace, companies that invest in ESG performance stand to gain an advantage with millennials and Gen Z. Members of these generations not only tend to expect more from their employers and the world but are more likely to see themselves as ESG stakeholders.

This generational paradigm shift makes ESG performance a powerful tool for
Impactivate •

Sustainable Farming: How Fertilizers Can Help Preserve Waterbodies

Protecting global waterbodies has only become more critical with time, heightening the need for sustainable farming practices. This is especially true in light of increasing global food demands, which further drive agriculture’s addiction-like dependence on commercial fertilizers. From those fields emerge streams of chemical runoff that drain into surrounding water bodies and affect the local communities that depend on them—some more than ever, thanks to increasing water scarcity.
Impactivate •

The Pandemic's Impact on Global Goals: Revelations for ESG Investors

As the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) act as a beacon for ESG investors the world over, the 2021 Goalkeepers report from the Gates Foundation titled Innovation & Inequity offers notable revelations that spotlight the full depth of the pandemic’s impact on global goals and countless ESG concerns.

Here are three key takeaways from the report that can both provide insight into the ongoing effects of COVID-19 and highlight opportunities for ESG investors to maximize their impac

Cryptocurrency

Explore a featured selection of my writing work below.

Personal Finance & Investing

US News & World Report •

How to Figure Out the Break-Even Point on a Mortgage Refinance

To find out what your monthly savings are, you'll need to subtract your new monthly mortgage payment from your old one. For example, if your old monthly payment was $2,750 and your new monthly payment is 2,500, this is what the equation would look like: $2,750 - $2,500 = $250

This is the last step and it's also when you'll find out how many months it will take to regain your refinance expenses. In order to discover your break-even point, you'll need to divide the total refinancing costs by your
US News & World Report •

How to Read a Credit Report

"By understanding the information in your credit report, you can understand your overall creditworthiness and financial standing," says Rod Griffin, senior director of consumer education and advocacy at Experian. "From there, you can take steps to address issues and ultimately improve your credit standing. This can open doors to better interest rates, access to credit and financial opportunities."


How to Get Your Credit Report

You can easily get a free copy of your credit reports by visiting
US News & World Report •

Do Balance Transfers Hurt My Credit Score?

If you're looking for a way to lower the interest rate on your credit card balances, a balance transfer could help. By using a balance transfer credit card, you can transfer a balance from one credit card to another. In the process, you could score a promotional interest rate that's lower, sometimes as low as 0% APR, and substantial savings on interest costs. Adding a new line of credit could also improve your credit utilization rate, which could improve your credit score.

How a Balance Transfe
Fortune Recommends •

What is a will? The estate planning document you need ASAP (even if you think you don’t)

A secret document kept in a drawer. The reason siblings go to war when they discover they’ve been “cut out” of one. Something that’s only for rich people.

No matter what you think a will is, two out of three American adults don’t have one. According to a 2023 survey by Caring.com, only 34% of U.S. adults have a will. While some people haven’t gotten around to making one, others don’t think they own enough to need one.

But here’s the truth: Wills are for everyone. And if you think about them wi

When Will Gas Prices Go Down?

Gas prices are up lately, especially compared to the ultralow rates drivers enjoyed during the pandemic. While some relief is on the way, experts suggest it isn’t likely to arrive until next year.

For drivers, Covid-19 came with a small silver lining. With millions stuck at home, oil supplies swelled, and Americans scored a big break at the pump—with gas below $1 per gallon in some locales. Today, people are thankfully back at work and behind the wheel, but those dollar-gas days are history.

A
Fortune Recommends •

Understanding trusts: An important estate planning tool for everyday Americans

When you think of a trust, you may have visions of contentious family gatherings in an attorney’s office after the death of a patriarch or matriarch. And sure, why not add sibling rivalries on par with the Roy family of Succession fame to keep things interesting?

But here’s the truth: Trusts aren’t just for the uber-wealthy, and using one in your estate plan can make sense no matter how much money you have.

And let’s be honest: No one wants to think about dying. But that’s where the magic of e
Buy Side from the WSJ •

What Happens If You File Your Taxes Late—And How to Avoid Big Penalties

If you get motivated by deadlines, here’s one to bookmark: April 18, 2023. That’s Tax Day 2023, and the date by which you must either file your income tax return for the 2022 tax year or request a tax extension. It is also the deadline for paying any taxes owed, as an extension to file isn’t an extension to pay.

But each year, some taxpayers choose “none of the above” and either don’t file or file late without requesting an extension. The Internal Revenue Service frowns on both, but penalties a
Fortune Recommends •

Ready to invest in mutual funds? Here’s the step-by-step guide you need

Since the first modern mutual fund was launched in the U.S. investment landscape in 1924, investors have increasingly turned to these types of assets to reap their benefits. Today, you can choose from thousands of mutual funds that span nearly every sector, asset class, and investment strategy available and build a diversified portfolio with a minimal initial investment.

But before you hit the “buy” button, aligning your unique investment needs with the vast array of mutual funds on the market
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Real Estate

Forbes Advisor •

6 Types Of Mortgages: Which Is Best For You?

When you get a mortgage that’s not backed by a government agency, you’re likely getting a conventional mortgage.

Private lenders, such as banks and credit unions, fund conventional mortgages. These loans are flexible in purpose, and you can use the proceeds to purchase either your primary or secondary residence. The amount you’re able to borrow follows income and down payment guidelines set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and loan limits set by the Federal Housing Finance Administration (FHFA).
Forbes Advisor •

Buying Your First Home? 8 Ways To Be Prepared

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

As you begin to think about buying a home, it may be tempting to fire up those real estate search engines. What’s more exciting than finding the perfect listing on Realtor.com, Zillow or Trulia and imagining the day when you’ll call that house your home?

Before you get lost in the magic of the popular real estate listing sites, though, you’ll want to invest