The Stellar Communicator

Often, money management comes down to a series of “now” versus “then” decisions—and usually the “then” is years away. That’s especially true when you’re dealing with immediate obligations like debt while considering future needs like retirement. And when money is tight, it’s hard to know exactly where your money should go. Here, three personal finance experts outline ways to think about debt versus saving for retirement. (Image: Joe Picas on Pexels)

Frequently, questions about diversity in fintech center on gender diversity, and that gender diversity means “white women.” When any organization is predominantly white, it often focuses on attracting customers who look like its employees and leadership—white ones, though that’s often not deliberate. Here's what Betterment is doing to change that.

Launched in 1968 as Unity Bank & Trust Company in response to calls for Black economic empowerment, OneUnited Bank’s mission remains being Black America’s first choice for banking. Here’s how OneUnited is working to achieve that goal. (Forbes Advisor added an editor's name under my byline for SEO purposes. However, I researched, interviewed subjects for, and authored this story entirely.)

Black-owned banks and credit unions provide genuine opportunities for the Black community to overcome the racial wealth gap, and BankBlackUSA is an organization that is helping to lead that charge.

Studies prove that, in most American homes, women still do most of the household management tasks. Increasingly, this includes handling finances. Research shows that, in nine in 10 American households, saving and spending decisions involve women, while 31% of partnered women are the primary managers of their household’s finances. Partnered or not, perhaps you’re a woman who’s decided it’s time to change your or your family’s financial picture. Let these seven women help you.

At a time when Black-owned banks are disappearing through closure or consolidation, digital banking startup Greenwood Financial, which launched in October 2020, is showing Black banking’s resiliency with its Black- and Latinx-focused offerings. Learn more about the initiative and what systemic issues the neobank got launched to address.

(Editor's Note: In this story, Dahna Chandler profiles OneUnited Bank and E. Napoletano profiles the Daylight financial platform; Mitch Strohm wrote the introduction and conclusion.) Someday soon, if not today, you may find a banking platform that’s designed specifically for you and those like you. A growing number of banks and fintechs are using digital banking platforms to meet the unique challenges and needs of individual communities. This article tells the story of two of them.

Many Americans over 50 haven’t saved for retirement. In fact, the Insured Retirement Institute found that only 54 percent of boomers (age 53 to 71) have retirement savings. Quite a few Gen X’ers over 50 have little or no retirement savings, too. The boomers and Gen X’ers are in this position for multiple reasons; the most common one is postponement. If you’re one of them, it isn’t too late to get started funding your retirement and avoid future missteps, though. Here's a smart plan to help you.

You can fly like a rock star on a garage band budget. Even if you're not one of Delta's medallion or elite level travel clients, here are some options for flying on a private jet from TODAY Money.

Based on solid personal financial literacy principles, this article provides a step-by-step plan to teach your kids how to master personal finance and avoid college debt, starting in kindergarten. I pitched, researched, developed, interviewed for and wrote this story for a national media outlet.

One airline has decided to weigh its passengers with their carry-on luggage to determine if they are too heavy to fly. Could that ever become a regular practice on your favorite airline? You want to know how this practice can influence your travel plans.

Census data show that in 2013, 3.5 million Americans made one-way mega-commutes from their homes to their jobs. As this piece shows, there are people who travel between countries to get to work in the US each day, not just within busy metro areas or between states. This article shows those of you who make frequent long commutes for work how to cope effectively with the stresses, including financial, of such constant work travel.

In the U.S., college is a rite of passage for the 20.5 million students estimated to be in college classrooms currently. Right now, many students are applying to their dream schools. But is an education from your dream college or university worth taking on debt to attend? This personal finance article will help you find out.

Just in time for your holiday shopping and gift buying, here are 25 products with a lifetime guarantee. This article contains products for the whole family, even some furry ones!

Because procrastinators like to buy nice gifts, here are 20 last-minute Christmas gifts from retailers with last-minute shipping or instantaneous gift delivery. That means you can buy some Christmas gifts online on Christmas morning and still look like a rock star gift giver!

Sometimes, it's your face that's the trouble spot for weight gain on your body. Here are 7 tips to lose weight there before getting surgery. (My editor assigned this article to me as part of WomansDay.com's SEO strategy. She knows how well I understand content strategy and how to write interesting and informative articles that also meet the publication's strategic objectives for attracting readership. I got a title from her that included the keywords. From that, I researched, sourced, interviewed for and wrote the piece.)

Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are relatively common in women: They account for 8.1 million doctor's office visits annually. If not treated promptly or properly, though, this usually minor infection can be deadly, especially for elderly women. Here's how to know what symptoms to look for and when to call your doctor. (My editor assigned this article to me as part of WomansDay.com's SEO strategy. She knows how well I understand content strategy and how to write interesting and informative articles that also meet the publication's strategic objectives for attracting readership. I got a title from her that included the keywords. From that, I researched, sourced, interviewed for and wrote the piece.)

It was meant to be part of a social studies assignment tied to the US presidential campaign and the national debate about immigration. Instead, Erwin High School in Buncombe County, North Carolina, started its school year with a class project that inflamed existing racial tensions. The assignment in question? Students were required to create “bumper stickers” reflecting a point of view based on the topic of undocumented immigration. Read this article to learn what happened.