Michelle Singletary

Washington, D.C.

Personal finance columnist

Education: University of Maryland; Johns Hopkins University

Michelle Singletary writes the nationally syndicated personal finance column “The Color of Money,” which appears in The Washington Post on Wednesdays and Sundays. If you have a personal finance question for Singletary, please call 1-855-ASK-POST (1-855-275-7678). Her award-winning column is syndicated by The Washington Post News Service and Syndicate and is carried in dozens of newspapers nationwide. In 2021, she won the Gerald Loeb award for commentary. She has written four personal finance books, including, “What to Do With Your Money When Crisis Hits: A Survival Guide” and “The 21-Day Finan
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Latest from Michelle Singletary

Can you get your money back after a scam? Ask Michelle Singletary.

Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary will take your questions about scams during a live chat on Friday at 11 a.m. Eastern time.

December 6, 2024

The banks warned her it may be a con. The scammer’s influence was stronger.

Scammers know fraud detection systems and coach their victims around barriers. The financial institutions warned Judith, but it wasn’t enough.

December 3, 2024

She believed she was an FBI ‘asset.’ The scam drained her life’s savings.

Maryland resident Judith Boivin opens up to personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary about a government impersonation scam that cost her nearly $600,000.

December 2, 2024

Enter the ‘ether,’ where scammers weaponize your emotions

Fraud experts discuss scammers’ three-pronged approach to trap victims in an heightened emotional state known as the “ether” and steal their money.

December 2, 2024

    Tell The Post: Are you in your 20s and a victim of financial fraud?

    Federal data shows more than 2 in 5 adults between 20 and 29 reported losing money in a scam last year. Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary wants to know your story.

    December 2, 2024

    They didn’t thank you for your gift. Here’s how to talk it out.

    When it comes to showing gratitude, some people might need a nudge to learn how it’s done.

    November 29, 2024

    Do you hate every gift you receive? You may want to work on that.

    As Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “We are either glad or sorry at a gift, and both emotions are unbecoming.”

    November 27, 2024

    Medicare plan options are confusing. This book may help.

    “Get What’s Yours for Medicare” by Philip Moeller is important reading for Medicare enrollees and this month’s Color of Money Book Club selection.

    November 22, 2024
    “Get What's Yours for Medicare: Maximize Your Coverage, Minimize Your Costs” by Philip Moeller.

    Behind on retirement savings? Here’s how you can save more in 2025.

    If you’re in your early 60s and have a 401(k), 403(b) or other workplace retirement account, you can supersize your contributions — to as much as $34,750.

    November 20, 2024

    Credit card debt hit a record $1.17 trillion. It’s a red flag for budgets.

    Americans are putting more on plastic, a sign that household cash flow is shaky and spending is unsustainable.

    November 15, 2024