Liz Weston, CFP®, is a former NerdWallet personal finance columnist and co-host of the "Smart Money" podcast. She is an award-winning journalist and author of five books about money, including the bestselling "Your Credit Score." Liz has appeared on numerous national television and radio programs, including the "Today" show, "NBC Nightly News," the "Dr. Phil" show and "All Things Considered." Her NerdWallet columns were carried by The Associated Press, appearing in hundreds of media outlets each week. Prior to NerdWallet, she wrote for MSN, Reuters, AARP The Magazine and the Los Angeles Times.