Headshot of Kat Tretina

Kat Tretina

Kat Tretina is a personal finance writer focused on helping people pay down debt and boost their incomes. Her own experience paying off $35,000 student loans ahead of schedule thanks to side hustles helps inform her writing on debt repayment, student loans and investing topics. Her work has been featured in publications like The Huffington Post, MarketWatch, Business Insider, and more.

Articles by Kat Tretina

529 Qualified Expenses: What You Can Use a 529 Plan For

With tuition and other college expenses skyrocketing, using tax-advantaged investment accounts like a 529 college savings plan can be an excellent way to pay for... read more

10 Best College Search Tools for High School Students

Why are college search tools so valuable? There are over 3,900 degree-granting colleges and universities in the U.S., which can make choosing your school a... read more

Financial Aid Disbursement: How It Works

Financial aid disbursement is when your loans or grants are paid out at the beginning of each semester. Typically, issuers send your financial aid funds... read more

Can You Return Unused Student Loan Money?

If you realize you borrowed too much money to pay for college, you may wonder how to return unused student loan money. Depending on loan... read more

How Does Student Loan Interest Work?

If you have student loan debt, you know how quickly your balance can grow due to interest charges. But how does student loan interest work?... read more