Heidi Rivera
- Personal loans
- Debt consolidation
- Interest rate trends
- Student loans
- Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Full Sail University
Heidi Rivera is a personal finance writer and reporter for Bankrate. Her areas of expertise include personal loans, student loans and debt consolidation, in addition to data collection and analysis. Heidi started covering personal finance topics in late 2018 and her work has been featured in several publications, including Money, MSN Money, Yahoo Finance and Money Under 30.
Before working in finance, Heidi spent several years in post production, working as a subtitle editor for different TV and film studios.
When she isn’t giving her best financial advice, Heidi enjoys spending time with her cats, crafting and pinning home decor ideas on Pinterest.
Heidi wants you to know
Before applying for any loan product, make sure you understand how the APR (annual percentage rate) works and how it accrues. I certainly didn’t know this when I took out private student loans in college and was surprised to see how much my balances had grown once I graduated. If possible, make interest payments even when you’re in your grace period — this can make a world of difference in the long run.
Heidi’s recommended readings
Heidi's latest articles
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The Best Student Loans of 2024
Pay for school the smart way. Find a winning lender with our list of the latest and greatest so you can focus on your school, not your school loans.
Mar 15, 2024 -
The Best Personal Loans of 2024
Make sure you're borrowing from the best of the best. Find the latest and greatest personal loan lenders with this year's Banakrate Awards.
Mar 15, 2024 -
Student Loan Forgiveness Guide
Only federally owned student loans qualify for forgiveness. Here's everything you need to know, from important deadlines to how forgiveness will impact you to everything else in between.
Mar 01, 2024 -
The state of student loan forgiveness: What borrowers need to know
The Biden administration continues to push for student loan forgiveness options.
3 min read Feb 27, 2024 -
What are credit repair companies and how do they work?
When you have bad credit, a credit repair company can help you improve your credit.
3 min read Feb 21, 2024 -
How much an adoption costs and 4 ways to pay for it
How much does it cost to adopt a child?
7 min read Feb 20, 2024