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Lauren Perez

Credit Card, Banking and Savings Expert

Lauren Perez writes on a variety of personal finance topics for SmartAsset, with a special expertise in savings, banking and credit cards. She is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® (CEPF®) and a member of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. Lauren has a degree in English from the University of Rochester where she focused on Language, Media and Communications. She is originally from Los Angeles. While prone to the occasional shopping spree, Lauren has been aware of the importance of money management and savings since she was young. Lauren loves being able to make credit card and retirement account recommendations to friends and family based on the hours of research she completes at SmartAsset.

Posts by Lauren Perez:

by Lauren Perez Mar 23, 2023

For 2023, you can invest up to $6,500 in your IRA if you’re younger than 50, or $7,500 if you’re 50 or older. This is an increase from 2022, when the limits were $6,000 and $7,000, respectively. The IRS limits how much you can contribute to your retirement accounts each year, as they are tax-advantaged accounts. In some cases, there are also stipulations on who can contribute to these accounts. However, these rules aren’t dictated by age, but rather by your income and whether you’re covered by a workplace retirement plan. If you need help planning for retirement then consider speaking with a financial advisor. Read more

by Lauren Perez Mar 02, 2017

Ready to sell your house? Before you get too excited about moving on, it’s important to consider the financial implications of putting your home on the market. Sellers are often responsible for covering the cost of various expenses. And these fees can add up, reducing the size of your earnings. If you’d rather avoid a nasty surprise, here are some costs you should plan to cover when selling your house. Read more

by Lauren Perez Mar 17, 2023

While preparing for retirement is a good idea, having a plan in place for how to withdraw your savings is equally important. Without considering how you’ll use the funds in your accounts, you could run out of money or lose most of your savings to taxes. Here’s how to develop a strategy that’ll allow you to withdraw your retirement assets as efficiently as possible. You can also work with a financial advisor to determine the best path forward for your investments so that you hit your desired income levels in retirement.  Read more

by Lauren Perez Jan 25, 2023

Reverse mortgages are popular among seniors for many reasons. One of them is due to the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) Program, which allows retirees to turn their home equity into a monthly… Read more

by Lauren Perez Apr 12, 2022

Do homeowners sell their houses before paying off their mortgages? Turns out, it happens more often than you may think. After all, most mortgage loan terms last for 30 years and few homeowners stay… Read more

by Lauren Perez Mar 20, 2023

Putting 20% down on a house may not be feasible for everyone. That’s why many homebuyers get stuck paying private mortgage insurance (PMI). Having to pay mortgage insurance can make owning a home… Read more

by Lauren Perez Mar 22, 2022

Paying property taxes is inevitable for homeowners. The amount each homeowner pays per year varies depending on local tax rates and a property’s assessed value (or a yearly estimate of a property’s… Read more

by Lauren Perez Mar 20, 2023

Credit card companies will do almost anything to get you to sign up for their cards. Some offer travel miles and others use sign-up bonuses to entice customers. No doubt those incentives sound great… Read more

by Lauren Perez Mar 20, 2023

Secured credit cards can be perfect for anyone trying to establish or rebuild their credit. But there will come a time when the secured card has served its purpose and you’re ready to move on. While… Read more

by Lauren Perez Aug 31, 2022

In one way or another, taxes are a part of every American’s financial life. But for residents of Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming, they are off the hook… Read more

by Lauren Perez Mar 17, 2023

A land loan is an option for prospective homeowners who want to buy a piece of land and then build their own home there. Land loans aren’t as common as mortgages, so you may have to shop around a bit… Read more

by Lauren Perez Nov 21, 2016

Don’t have enough cash for a down payment? If you can’t put at least 20% down on a house, you might have to pay for private mortgage insurance. Luckily, there are ways to get around that. One… Read more

by Lauren Perez Oct 17, 2017

Many recent graduates struggle to transition from college to the real world. As independent adults, they may be making major decisions concerning different aspects of their lives, including their… Read more