Lisa Gerstner
Lisa has spent more than 15 years with Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, where she has gained a breadth of knowledge on pocketbook issues for consumers. She started with Kiplinger as an American Society of Magazine Editors intern in 2006, was hired as a copy editor in 2007 and later began reporting and writing on a range of personal-finance topics. Her primary areas of coverage:
Retirement, including Social Security claiming strategies, advice on retirement-account savings and withdrawals, and growth of the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement. Consumer credit, including boosting credit scores and monitoring credit reports. For several years, she has compiled the magazine’s annual rankings of the best rewards credit cards, and she regularly updates articles on the best rewards cards for Kiplinger.com. Consumer banking, including the magazine’s annual rankings of the best banks. Money concerns for millennials, from saving on child-care costs to managing student loans.Lisa has shared her expertise as a guest with many media outlets around the nation, including the Today Show, CNN, Fox, NPR and Cheddar.
Lisa was an Honors College student at Ball State University, in Muncie, Ind., and graduated summa cum laude with a degree in magazine journalism and history. During her time as a student, she was editor-in-chief of the campus magazine and an intern at the Indianapolis Business Journal as well as her hometown newspaper, the Wapakoneta Daily News. She received Ball State’s “Graduate of the Last Decade” award in 2014.
A military spouse, Lisa experiences firsthand the financial challenges and opportunities for military families. Born and raised in Ohio, she has moved around the U.S.-from Washington, D.C., to Las Vegas to southern New Mexico–and currently lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and two sons. When she finds free time, she loves to travel (especially to national parks), hike, try new recipes in the kitchen, and get on the mat to practice yoga.
Latest articles by Lisa Gerstner
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New Venmo Card Personalizes Rewards
Smart Buying The Venmo Visa Credit Card pays you 3% cash back in the category in which you spend the most.
By Lisa Gerstner • Published
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Find Higher Yields for Your Cash
Financial Planning Interest rates are scraping bottom, but here’s a road map to accounts that will help your money grow.
By Lisa Gerstner • Published
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What the New President Means for Your Money
Politics President-Elect Biden wants more consumer protections and perks for the middle class and seniors.
By Lisa Gerstner • Published
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Give Your Budget Some Love
Budgeting Think of it as a flexible tool to prioritize—and achieve—your goals.
By Lisa Gerstner • Published
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Great Cards for Holiday Shopping
credit cards The branded card of a retailer you are loyal to may have strong rewards.
By Lisa Gerstner • Published
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Kiplinger’s Best Firms for Customer Service: Banks, Credit Cards and More
banking We evaluated major banks, credit card issuers, mortgage lenders, and home and auto insurers to see how well they treat their clients.
By Lisa Gerstner • Published
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Your Guide to Open Enrollment
health insurance Your options may look a little different this fall. Meanwhile, the cost of coverage continues to climb.
By Lisa Gerstner • Published
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Skip the Fees on Savings Transfers
banking But banks are not required to lift the limits or stop charging fees for excessive transactions.
By Lisa Gerstner • Published
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How to Catch a Rock-Bottom Rate
Buying & Leasing a Car Rates on everything from home mortgages to car loans are at record lows. We’ll tell you how to qualify for the best rates.
By Sandra Block • Published