Jessica Walrack
Jessica Walrack is a personal finance writer at SuperMoney, The Simple Dollar, Interest.com, Commonbond, Bankrate, NextAdvisor, Guardian, Personalloans.org and many others. She specializes in taking personal finance topics like loans, credit cards, and budgeting, and making them accessible and fun.
articles from Jessica
238 posts
Social Security Benefits and Your Taxes – How Much SSA Income Is Taxable?
Published 03/04/2013 by Jessica Walrack
After years of working hard and paying into the Social Security system, it’s finally time to receive your payouts. But are your Social Security benefits tax-free, or will Uncle Sam want a cut? Here’s what you need to know.

Business Identity Theft: The Complete Guide
Published 02/04/2013 by Jessica Walrack
Business identity theft is a significant threat to companies as it can result in staggering losses. In 2018, the number of records exposed rose to 446.5 million (source). The Federal Trade Commission processed 1.4 million fraud reports in 2018, which caused $1.48 billion in losses. Identity theft accounted for a quarter of all reports. According to the latest data from the IRS, 10,000 of business identity theft were logged in 2016 alone, which caused $268 million in damages.

4 Simple Strategies to Maximize Your Credit Card Rewards
Published 02/01/2013 by Jessica Walrack
Credit card rewards allow you to earn while you spend. And you aren’t limited to just one reward program. You have the luxury of picking and choosing the lineup of cards that best serves your spending habits. While 2% to 6% cashback may not seem like much, it can add up over time, especially if you choose your cards strategically. Read on to learn how to maximize your credit card rewards.

How to Renegotiate a Mortgage: The Ultimate Guide
Published 01/14/2013 by Jessica Walrack
Can you renegotiate your mortgage to get better terms without refinancing? It’s possible. Banks do renegotiate mortgage contracts in certain situations. However, you need to give your lender a good reason.

Annuity Payments Vs. Lump-Sum Payments: Pros and Cons of Each Payment Method
Published 12/10/2012 by Jessica Walrack
When you have a large sum of money at your disposal, whether it’s a pension, settlement, or something else, you often have the choice of taking all the money at once or choosing annuity payments instead.

Types of Frauds: Complete List and How to Avoid Them
Published 11/09/2012 by Jessica Walrack
Unfortunately, various types of frauds — everything from debt collection schemes to exploitation of the elderly — are on the rise. In 2018, consumers reported losing $1.48 billion due to fraud. That’s an increase of $406 million from 2017.

Marrying Someone With Bad Credit: The Survival Guide
Published 10/16/2012 by Jessica Walrack
If you are planning on marrying someone with bad credit, you’re probably wondering how it’s going to affect you. Will you still be able to get approved for credit lines? Will your credit score become the average of both scores? Nobody wants their hard-earned credit to be lost.

Bi-Weekly Mortgage Payments: Are They Worth It?
Published 09/10/2012 by Jessica Walrack
The short answer is yes. Making bi-weekly mortgage payments is definitely worth it, if you can afford it. You will save thousands of dollars over the life of your mortgage and pay off your mortgage years earlier than with regular monthly payments.
