Lisa Gerstner
Lisa has been with Kiplinger Personal Finance magazine for more than 15 years and became editor in June 2023. 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, including credit, banking and retirement. For several years, she compiled the magazine’s annual rankings of the best rewards credit cards and the best banks, and she assembled the survey and results for Kiplinger’s first Readers’ Choice Awards in 2023.
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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How to Add Treasury Bonds, Bills and Notes to an IRA
investing While you can't use the government's TreasuryDirect website to buy Treasury securities for your IRA, there are other ways to get the securities online.
By Lisa Gerstner Last updated
investing -
6 Ways to Boost Your Credit Score — Fast
Tips for boosting your credit score quickly, starting with paying down your credit card debt.
By Lisa Gerstner Last updated
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What Are I-Bonds?
savings bonds Inflation has made Series I savings bonds enormously popular with risk-averse investors. So how do they work?
By Lisa Gerstner Last updated
savings bonds -
Still Have FSA Money to Spend?
Still have FSA money to spend from your healthcare flexible spending account? Here are some ideas to use it up.
By Lisa Gerstner Last updated
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Best Business Credit Cards of March 2024
Credit Cards Small business credit cards can be great tools to earn hundreds of dollars of rewards.
By Lisa Gerstner Last updated
Credit Cards -
6 Smart Ways to Cut Your Utility Bills
Tax Breaks Tax breaks and potentially lower home energy costs make these green projects worth a look.
By Lisa Gerstner Last updated
Tax Breaks -
Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit
If used wisely, these credit cards can help you dig out of bad credit; you may even earn 2% cash back.
By Lisa Gerstner Last updated
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Best 0% APR Credit Cards
Kiplinger's guide to the best 0% APR credit cards. Pay no interest on large purchases for up to 21 months.
By Lisa Gerstner Last updated
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The Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards
Balance transfer credit cards have the power to drastically cut your payments with 0% APR. But there’s a cost, and rules to follow.
By Lisa Gerstner Last updated
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21 Great Ways To Use $1,000
Kiplinger experts present over 20 ways to use $1,000, from long-term investing to smart vacation planning.
By Anne Kates Smith Published
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Get Free Weekly Credit Reports
Coronavirus and Your Money Check your credit report weekly for free as the three major credit bureaus make a pandemic-era initiative permanent.
By Lisa Gerstner Last updated
Coronavirus and Your Money -
Best Student Credit Cards
Students can get hundreds of dollars in cash back while they build credit with these offers from popular issuers.
By Lisa Gerstner Last updated
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Airline Ticket Prices Are Coming Down to Earth
Domestic airline prices are on the decline in fall 2023, finally retreating after spiking just a year ago. International fares are still high.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
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Know Why Your Credit Score Changes: 9 Money Moves to Consider
credit & debt Your credit score is a key indicator of your financial well-being and of the risk you pose to lenders. How good is yours?
By Lisa Gerstner Last updated
credit & debt -
A Fresh Look for Kiplinger Personal Finance
The magazine has undergone its first total redesign in several years — but our mission of providing sound financial advice hasn’t changed.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
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How to Deal With Nanny Taxes
Hiring full-time help, such as a nanny, requires financial obligations to pay certain taxes. Here's how to keep track of what you're responsible for.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
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Kiplinger's 2023 Best Banks for Retirees
banking Kiplinger's 2023 list of the best banks for retirees.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
banking -
Kiplinger's 2023 Best Banks for High-Net-Worth Clients
wealth management Kiplinger's 2023 list of the best banks for higher-net-worth clients.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
wealth management -
Kiplinger's 2023 Best National Banks
banking Kiplinger's 2023 selections of the best national banks.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
banking -
Kiplinger's 2023 Best Credit Unions
credit union Kiplinger's 2023 list of the best credit unions.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
credit union -
Kiplinger's 2023 Best Internet Banks
online banking Kiplinger's 2023 list of the best internet banks.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
online banking -
The Best Bank for You, 2023
Making Your Money Last Kiplinger's list of the best candidates for your next financial institution based on interest rates, fees and other features.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
Making Your Money Last -
Kiplinger's 2023 Best Banks for Families with Kids
Raising Money-Smart Kids Kiplinger's 2023 list of the best banks for families with kids.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
Raising Money-Smart Kids -
Kiplinger Readers' Choice Awards 2023 Results
Kiplinger Readers' Choice Awards The results are in for the Kiplinger Readers’ Choice Awards — celebrating the best products and services in personal finance.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
Kiplinger Readers' Choice Awards