Miranda Marquit, MBA, is a freelance contributor to Newsweek’s personal finance team. She has an M.A. in journalism from Syracuse University and has been writing and podcasting about money since 2006.

Discover how laddering strategies help investors manage risks in bonds and fixed-income products, and learn about its controversial role in IPOs for boosting stock prices.

A buddy of mine has what I call a beast-mode emergency fund. It's a full 12 months of living expenses (mine is more like three to four months). Looking for a secure place to grow your savings? See our ...