Emily Guy Birken

Emily Guy Birken has worn a lot of hats throughout her career: Temporary tattoo artist. Bookseller. Americorps volunteer. Teacher. Throughout it all, there’s been one constant: she’s a huge money nerd. In 2010, she turned her excitement about spreadsheets into a career as a Plutus Award-winning freelance writer in the financial sphere. Her varied career combined with her background in education helps her make complex financial topics relatable. Her work has appeared in HuffPo, Business Insider, Kiplinger, MSN Money, and the Washington Post. She is the author of four books: The 5 Years Before You Retire, Choose Your Retirement, Making Social Security Work for You, and End Financial Stress Now. Emily lives in Milwaukee with her spouse and two sons, plus their dog Tivo, and their cat The Dude.