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 Max Out Your 401(k) Early in the Year? Find out about the pros and cons of maxing out your 401(k) contributions and hitting the annual limit earlier in the year. Family Member Stole Your Identity to Open Credit Cards: What to Do Photo of Thomas (TJ) Porter Thomas (TJ) Porter Family Member Stole Your Identity to Open Credit Cards: What to Do Family members, especially parents, often have easy access to sensitive personal... How Long Does it Take to Get Approved for a Personal Loan? Photo of Thomas (TJ) Porter Thomas (TJ) Porter How Long Does it Take to Get Approved for a Personal Loan? If you’re looking for a personal loan it’s probably because you’re in a financial... Fractional Shares: Compare the Pros & Cons Learn how fractional shares work, including pros and cons of buying partial shares. Find out which brokerages allow investors to buy fractional shares. Which Credit Report Does American Express Pull? Find out which credit report is used more often by American Express when it checks an applicant's credit to decide whether or not to grant approval for a new credit card or charge card. Learn how you can check your credit report for free or at a discount. See how you can improve your credit for higher chances of approval. Which Credit Report Does Capital One Pull? Photo of Thomas (TJ) Porter Thomas (TJ) Porter Which Credit Report Does Capital One Pull? Capital One is unlike other banks in that there isn’t one credit bureau that it is... How to Avoid Having Medical Bills Go to Collections Photo of Thomas (TJ) Porter Thomas (TJ) Porter How to Avoid Having Medical Bills Go to Collections Americans make more than 140 million visits to the emergency room each year, and... How to Go Totally Cashless and Why You Should Living a cashless life has never been easier thanks to the near ubiquity of smartphones, public WiFi, and internet access in general. How to Buy and Sell Litecoin Cryptocurrency Learn how you can buy, sell, and hold Litecoin, one of the more popular cryptocurrencies available to investors globally. How to Raise Your Credit Score Above 700 Photo of Thomas (TJ) Porter Thomas (TJ) Porter How to Raise Your Credit Score Above 700 In the world of credit scores, the 700 is an important number.  FICO provides...