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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Easier Ways to Send Cash Fast
credit & debt More banks and credit unions are offering peer-to-peer payments.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
credit & debt -
Best Bank Accounts for Retirement
retirement These checking accounts offer attractive perks to retirees.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
retirement -
Miles or Cash Back: Which Is the Better Credit-Card Reward?
credit & debt MileCards.com can help you decide whether an air-miles reward card or a cash-back card will be a better deal for you.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
credit & debt -
Online Bill Paying Isn't Foolproof
credit & debt Using your bank's bill-payment service is convenient, but the process isn't a slam dunk.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
credit & debt -
Best Banks for Retirees, 2017
savings Banks like having retirees as customers because they tend to keep a lot of cash on deposit.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
savings -
Best Banks for Military Personnel, 2017
savings
By Lisa Gerstner Published
savings -
Best Credit Unions Anyone Can Join, 2017
credit union Credit unions are nonprofit institutions owned by their members—meaning they tend to offer accounts and services that are more customer-friendly than those of large national banks.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
credit union -
Best National Banks, 2017
savings Thanks to their ability to raise money in capital markets, larger banks have a lot of resources at their disposal.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
savings -
Wedding Gifts for Newlyweds Who Have Everything
Smart Buying Skip the china. Couples value experiences and cash to put toward the future.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
Smart Buying -
Top Tech Bargains of 2017 — Laptops, Tablets, TVs, Data Plans
Technology An expert shares his tips for buying electronics on a budget.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
Technology -
How to Get Even Sweeter Rewards From Your Rewards Credit Card
credit & debt Boost your rewards by opening a bank account.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
credit & debt -
Your TV Might Be Spying on You
Technology Those internet-connected devices can be a gateway for hackers.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
Technology -
How Deposit Insurance Protects Savers
credit & debt Your money is safe, but there are reasons we are removing CDs from our tables.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
credit & debt -
How Retailers Track Customers Online and Offline
spending When stores track your shopping, you get discounts and they get your personal info.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
spending -
7 Habits of People With Excellent Credit Scores
credit score Want to improve your credit score?
By Lisa Gerstner Published
credit score -
How to Protect Your Rewards Points and Miles From Theft
Travel Monitor your loyalty rewards as you would your bank accounts.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
Travel -
Lessons From the Credit-Score Elite
credit & debt Simple steps for how to improve your credit score.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
credit & debt -
Don't Be Burned by Deferred Interest
credit & debt You'll feel the pain if you fail to pay off your store card before the 0% period ends.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
credit & debt -
Boomers Cashing Out Their Art Collections
Smart Buying That spells opportunity for buyers of modern and contemporary art.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
Smart Buying -
7 Smart Moves to Prevent Identity Theft
Financial Planning Data breaches got you worried?
By Lisa Gerstner Published
Financial Planning -
8 Best Wireless Phone Plans for Every Type of User
Smart Buying Because the wireless carriers are no longer subsidizing phone prices with most of their plans, buying a smartphone these days will cost you a pretty penny—especially if you want a top-of-the-line device.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
Smart Buying -
How to Fix Errors on Your Credit-Card Bill
credit & debt Start with the merchant in question, but don't be afraid to escalate a dispute to your credit card issuer.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
credit & debt -
3 Surprisingly Great Kirkland-Brand Products at Costco
Smart Buying You can save money and find quality in the warehouse chain's signature food and spirits line.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
Smart Buying -
How to Get Your First Credit Card
credit & debt Plus, how to use it wisely and earn the lowest interest rates.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
credit & debt