Personal Finance
Advertiser Disclosure
Craig Stephens is a personal finance and investing writer covering diverse topics, including retirement, financial independence, stocks, ETFs, IPOs, and alternative investments. His writing has been featured on US News & World Report, Yahoo! Finance, Business Insider, Seeking Alpha, and HumbleDollar.
He is a former information technology professional who spent 19 years consulting for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). A do-it-yourself investor since 1995, he started blogging in 2013 to share his investment knowledge and early retirement aspirations before leaving his consulting career in 2022 to be a full-time writer.
Craig studied Finance at Michigan State University and lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and three children.
Articles by Craig Stephens
MoneyLion Cash Advance App Review 2024: Cash When You Need It
MoneyLion’s Instacash offers $500 in no-fee cash advances for customers with direct-deposit income. Automatic repayment ensures convenience.
EarnIn Cash Advance App Review 2024: Best-of-Breed Cash Advance App
EarnIn provides cash advances of up to $750 per pay period. The app has more favorable fees than competitors, yet comes with stricter income verification.
How to Borrow Money: 9 Best Ways
These methods for borrowing money are convenient, inexpensive, and fast. Find out the wrong ways to borrow, too, which may lead to debt troubles.
CDs vs. Share Certificates: Which Is Better?
CDs and share certificates help savers accomplish their financial objectives, with a few minor differences.
What Is a Lien and How Does It Work?
Explore how liens work, different types, and implications for property owners. Learn how to remove a lien and sell or refinance properties affected by liens.
How to Open A Bank Of America Account: Minimum Deposit and Other Requirements
You can open a Bank of America account by following these step-by-step instructions. Learn more.
Inflation investments: How to hedge against inflation
Move idle cash to inflation investments and consider increasing your risk tolerance to hedge against inflation's harmful effects on your wealth.
Best Self Employed Retirement Plans of 2024
The solo 401(k), SEP IRA, and SIMPLE IRA offer tax advantages for self-employed individuals. The best choice depends on income, age, and employees.
Quontic Bank Review 2024: Modern Banking With a Nice Ring to It
Quontic Bank is an online bank offering competitive rates and a pay ring. Its specialty is nontraditional mortgages for underserved borrowers.
Share Certificates: Definition, Pros And Cons
Share certificates are credit unions’ equivalent of certificates of deposits (CDs). However, the two savings vehicles are not identical.
What Is a Credit Builder Loan and How Does It Work?
Credit-builder loans help those with no credit history establish credit scores by making regular payments to lenders that report payments to credit bureaus.
Best Health Savings Accounts in December 2024
The best health savings accounts (HSAs) offer low minimums, a wide range of investment options, and straightforward fees.
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