# Laura Castellano, CFP® — Editorial Reviewer | PayKedge

> Laura Castellano is a CFP® and former Reuters consumer-finance journalist who oversees editorial review at PayKedge, bringing 18 years of experience in personal finance reporting and planning.

Источник: https://paykedge.com/authors/laura-castellano/

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# Laura Castellano, CFP®

Editorial Reviewer at PayKedge. A CFP® and ex-Reuters reporter covering consumer finance — she verifies accuracy on every money guide and state page, from costs and APRs to repayment terms.

LC
**Laura Castellano, CFP®** · CFP® certified

**On this page** Background Certifications Specializations Pages reviewed Conflict disclosure Contact info

## Professional background

Laura Castellano is the lead editorial reviewer at PayKedge, where he signs off on every money page, state hub, and research report before publication. He holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation, earned an MBA from UCLA Anderson, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Notre Dame.

Laura spent the first decade of his career as a consumer-finance reporter at Reuters, covering credit-card pricing, mortgage policy, and the rise of online lending. His investigative work on tribal lending and rate-evasion structures was cited in two state-level enforcement actions and appeared in the Reuters Wealth section, Yahoo Finance syndication, and the AP wire.

In 2017 he completed the CFP certification and joined a fee-only Los Angeles planning firm serving households in the $75K-$250K income range — the same demographic that most often turns to small-dollar credit during income shocks. Over six years there he reviewed product disclosures for major consumer-media outlets as a paid subject-matter expert and testified twice at California state-assembly hearings on consumer-lending reform.

Laura joined PayKedge in 2024 as Editorial Reviewer. His review focus is checking that every money page presents the alternatives ladder honestly, that no claim about cost or APR is overstated or understated, and that source citations are current and accessible.

## Certifications held

**Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)**
CFP® professional · Active since 2017
**MBA**
UCLA Anderson School of Management · 2014
**BS Finance**
University of Notre Dame · 2006
**Years of experience**
12 years in personal-finance journalism plus 6 years in CFP® practice

## Fields of specialization

- **Consumer credit** — pricing, disclosure compliance, comparative APR analysis
- **Debt-to-income analysis** — borrower affordability and ability-to-repay frameworks
- **Small-dollar alternatives** — credit-union PALs, EWA, 0% promotional credit
- **Retirement planning** — 401(k) loan vs. payday loan tradeoffs, IRA hardship rules
- **Financial journalism** — source verification, plain-language explainers

## Pages Laura has reviewed

Laura signed off as reviewer on:

- [Payday Loans Online — Compare 23+ State-Licensed Lenders (2026)](/payday-loans/)
- [15 Payday Loan Alternatives Ranked by Cost](/beyond-payday/)
- [Payday Loans in Texas: Laws, Rates, Limits & Alternatives](/by-region/texas/)
- [What is a Payday Loan? Plain-English Explainer](/money-guides/what-is-a-payday-loan/)

## Disclosure of potential conflicts

**Disclosure.** Author owns no securities in companies covered. Compensated by PayKedge salary; no per-loan referral incentives. Discloses any continuing fee-only planning relationships to the editorial board; recused from any review involving a client. No advisory relationships with lenders, lead generators, or debt-relief firms.

## How to reach her

For editorial review questions, contact editor@paykedge.com.

#### About our authors

All PayKedge content is developed by a qualified writer and undergoes a separate review by another expert.

[See all 6 authors](/authors/)

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#### Editorial standards

[Read our editorial policy →](/editorial-policy/)

[Fact-checking process →](/fact-checking-policy/)

[Corrections log →](/corrections/)