Articles by Thomas (TJ) Porter

TJ Porter has in-depth experience in reviewing financial products such as savings accounts, credit cards, and brokerages, writing how-tos, and answering financial questions. He has also contributed to publications and companies such as Investment Zen and Echo Fox. He aims to provide actionable advice that can help readers better their financial lives. Education: B.S. in Business Administration, Concentration in Information Systems from Northeastern University.

Should You Pay Off Your Student Loan in Lump Sum? Learn about the benefits and drawbacks of making a lump sum payment toward your student loan debt and how it can affect the rest of your finances. Should Your Pay Off Student Loans or Buy a Car? Photo of Thomas (TJ) Porter Thomas (TJ) Porter Should Your Pay Off Student Loans or Buy a Car? If you’ve come into a large sum of money, whether it come from an inheritance or a... Credit Card Closed? 6 Things You Need to Do Now Photo of Thomas (TJ) Porter Thomas (TJ) Porter Credit Card Closed? 6 Things You Need to Do Now Sometimes, you’ll have one of your credit card accounts closed. Whether you... Should You Contribute the Maximum to Your 401(k)? Find out if it is a good idea to contribute the maximum amount to your particular 401(k) plan because there are times when it doesn‘t make sense. Credit Counseling vs. Debt Settlement: What is Better for You? Compare credit counseling and debt settlement services to see which option is better for helping you get out of large amounts of debt, especially high-interest credit card balances. Learn about the benefits of each option and how much it costs. Find out what other options you might have available to you. How to Boost the Interest Rate on Your CDs? Photo of Thomas (TJ) Porter Thomas (TJ) Porter How to Boost the Interest Rate on Your CDs? Certificates of deposit (CDs) give consumers the chance to earn a secure return on... 8 Lenders That Refinance $100k Undergraduate Students Loans Photo of Thomas (TJ) Porter Thomas (TJ) Porter 8 Lenders That Refinance $100k Undergraduate Students Loans Americans have a record amount of student loan debt and the amount is only growing... How to Start Building Good Credit as An Immigrant As a U.S. immigrant, learn how you can obtain your first line of credit so that you can begin building a good credit score for key loans in the future. How to Invest in a 401k With High Fees Even when you‘re stuck with an expensive 401(k) retirement plan that has high fees, learn how you can still use it to invest for the future. Good Credit May Be Required When Applying for a Green Card Photo of Thomas (TJ) Porter Thomas (TJ) Porter Good Credit May Be Required When Applying for a Green Card Immigrating to the United States takes a lot of work. You need to meet a number...