Jen Smith

A last will and testament is a legal document that allows you to spell out how you'd like your assets to be distributed to family members, friends, or even charitable organizations after you're gone. You can also use a will to name legal guardians for minor children, assign a caretaker for pets, and name an executor.
Thinking about your end-of-life wishes is already intimidating, but given the fact that hiring an attorney to create a last will and testament can cost an average of $300 to $1,2...

Citizens One is the national lending division of Citizens Bank, one of the oldest and largest financial institutions in the U.S. Citizens One offers a variety of financing—home, auto, and personal loans—but one of its best-known areas is its student loans and refinancing.
Investopedia is committed to providing our readers with unbiased product recommendations. We may receive compensation when you click on links to products, but this doesn't affect how we rate, review, and rank them.
Multi-yea...

College Ave is an online lender offering both private student loans and refinancing. It specializes in undergraduate, graduate, career, and parent loans and has a wide range of repayment terms to fit your budget.
College Ave was built to make getting a private student loan less complicated. Its three-minute application process gives you your rates quickly,1 and you don’t need a cosigner to be approved, though 97% of undergraduate borrowers do have one.
The credit score you need to qualify is ...

Earnest, a leading student loan refinancing company, began offering private student loans in April of 2019. To make the experience as innovative as possible, Earnest incorporated 300 hours of user research with students, co-signers, and financial aid offices into building its lending process.
What resulted is flexible in-school repayment options, a unique range of loan terms, and a grace period three months longer than the industry standard. Students in financial hardship also have a variety ...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… for tax accountants.
Americans have until April 15th, 2020–or October 15th, 2020 with an extension–to file their 2019 federal income taxes.
It’s also time to start thinking about your 2020 income taxes.
You might say it’s too early to think about 2020 tax brackets and deductions but understanding your tax bracket can help you make all sorts of helpful financial decisions, especially if you’re on the line between two.
Deal of the Day: Credit Karma Tax ...

Chopping, and marinating, and sautéing, oh my!
For those of us with busy schedules and families with big appetites, thinking about dinner can be terrifying.
Meal delivery kits were created to solve that problem. The perfectly portioned ingredients and minimal prep have helped people rediscover the joy of cooking and reduce food waste in the process. But over the past ten years, the market has become inundated with these services. It’s hard to know which to choose or if you should use them.
8 ...

There are few things more awkward to talk to your parents about than money. Especially when it’s their money you want to talk about. But unfortunately, it’s a conversation that needs to happen earlier than you think.
Over 70% of adults don’t have a will and nearly 50% of them are over age 55. And the number of adults with estate plans has decreased by almost 25% since 2017.
If your parents don’t have the right documents or are hiding financial information then helping to care for them can bec...

Our number one goal at DollarSprout is to help readers improve their financial lives, and we regularly partner with companies that share that same vision. Some of the links in this post may be from our partners. Here’s how we make money.
When I was in college I was always looking to make extra cash to fund my Starbucks addiction.
And like most over-caffeinated students, my schedule didn’t leave a lot of room for a part-time job.
That’s why one of my favorite side hustles was Craigslist. There...

Our number one goal at DollarSprout is to help readers improve their financial lives, and we regularly partner with companies that share that same vision. Some of the links in this post may be from our partners. Here’s how we make money.
Money is traditionally thought of as a taboo subject.
Most people reserve their conversations about money for the teller at their local bank and maybe a financial advisor.
But when it comes to the people closest to us, we’re embarrassed to share the truth abo...

Our number one goal at DollarSprout is to help readers improve their financial lives, and we regularly partner with companies that share that same vision. Some of the links in this post may be from our partners. Here’s how we make money.
If you’ve tried as many ways to save money as you can and exhausted your all energy on part-time jobs but still come up short on cash at the end of the month, there is help.
Ignoring calls and avoiding the mailbox isn’t a solution, it just makes the problem w...

Jen Smith is a former staff writer for The Penny Hoarder.

With 2.5 million weddings annually and the average wedding costing an overwhelming $32,641, I don't have to tell you that the business of weddings outrageous (but you're here so I will.)

Marriage is a great thing and you don't need a wedding to have a marriage. I love parties though so a wedding was a no brainer for me. An excuse to have all my friends and family together to drink wine and dance all night? Count me in!

Your air conditioning goes out in August, your tire is flat the morning of a big presentation, or your new puppy thinks your chocolate chip cookies would make a good dessert too.
There are a number of things out of your control that can throw your well-made budget off the rails, especially when you’re trying to pay off debt. That’s why having an emergency fund is so important.
What Is an Emergency Fund?
An emergency fund is a savings account for unexpected large expenses. With an emergency fu...

I was totally clueless about what it would be like to buy a house.

I’d watched an obscene amount of HGTV, and everyone and their mom is a realtor. How hard could it be to find an affordable fixer-upper and make it Pinterest-worthy?

No “reality” show could’ve prepared me for this reality.

Jen Smith has been a full-time personal finance writer since 2018. After growing up with no personal finance education at home or in school, Jen learned firsthand the value of increasing her income, becoming debt-free and investing for retirement.
Since paying off $78,000 of debt in two years without a six-figure income she's been teaching others how to navigate student loans, pay off debt faster, and become comfortable with investing through her website, Modern Frugality, and episodes of the...