About
Rae Hartley Beck first started writing about personal finance in 2011 with a regular column in her college newspaper as a staff writer. Since then she has become a leader in the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement and has over 100 bylines in prominent publications including Money, Bankrate and Investopedia on all things personal finance. A former award-winning claims specialist with the Social Security Administration, Rae continues to share her expert insider knowledge with Forbes Advisor readers.
Rae Hartley Beck first started writing about personal finance in 2011 with a regular column in her college newspaper as a staff writer. Since then she has become a leader in the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement and has over 100 bylines in prominent publications including Money, Bankrate and Investopedia on all things personal finance. A former award-winning claims specialist with the Social Security Administration, Rae continues to share her expert insider knowledge with Forbes Advisor readers.
She has created and taught courses to small and large groups on topics including Social Security benefits, credit card rewards programs, budgeting, creating and establishing credit, first-time home buying and beginner investing.
Rae went from having her family home foreclosed on when she was in high school to becoming a homeowner at age 24. This experience taught her that with the right knowledge, diligence and luck many people can achieve financial stability on limited means. She shares that knowledge by volunteering with a range of nonprofits, creating free educational financial content and individually mentoring women and teens. As a former foster parent to older teenagers, Rae focused on teaching the next generation the skills they need to prosper in a system that is rigged against them.
When not heckling her friends into opening a Roth IRA, Rae can be found backpacking in the desert Southwest with her retired racing sled dog and reading an average of four books a week.
Expertise
- Social Security
- Retirement
- Investing
- Early Retirement
- Roth IRA
- 401(k)
- Health Savings Account
- Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE)
- 529 plans
- Investing for kids
- Low-income investing
- Personal finance
- Budgeting
- Credit card rewards
- Rewards travel
Achievements
- Recipient of nine performance awards in just under six years of employment with the Social Security Administration including a Commissioner’s Citation
- 12+ years of experience writing, creating and editing personal finance content
- Achieved $100,000 net worth before W-2 income surpassed $28,000
- Went from being foreclosed on in high school to homeowner at 24
- Earned and redeemed over $100,000 in credit card rewards without paying a cent in interest
Other Publications
- How Long Will $1,500,000 Last in Retirement?
- Special Needs Trusts Vs. ABLE Accounts
- How to Become a Millionaire
- How Long Will $400k Last in Retirement?
- Could Working After Age 70 Increase Social Security?
- Retiring at 62 to 67 While Waiting for Disability: A Guide
- Claiming Social Security Early Can Be a Savvy Move in a Down Market
- 2023 cost of living data: Singles vs. married couples
- Men, women and debt: Does gender matter?
- 5 alternatives to 529 plans that can help you save for college
- How did COVID affect the housing market?
- Best Roth IRA Real Estate Investments
- What Happens to Your Bank Account After Death?
- The First Bank of the United States
Education
Berea College, Berea, Kentucky, B.A. in history and education studies
Honors and Awards
- Deputy Commissioner’s Team Award- Social Security Administration.
- Eight other performance-related awards from the Social Security Administration.
Professional Memberships
- Women’s Personal Finance: course teacher and book club manager
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About
Rae Hartley Beck first started writing about personal finance in 2011 with a regular column in her college newspaper as a staff writer. Since then she has become a leader in the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement and has over 100 bylines in prominent publications including Money, Bankrate and Investopedia on all things personal finance. A former award-winning claims specialist with the Social Security Administration, Rae continues to share her expert insider knowledge with Forbes Advisor readers.