Maria's contributions to First Quarter Finance include content on banking, lending, money orders, and credit cards.

One particular area of interest and expertise for Maria is personal investing. She is active in local financial independence groups such as ChooseFI and is passionate about helping people build passive income streams so that they can enjoy life and do the work they love.

Maria holds an undergraduate degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a law degree from The George Washington University. She currently practices banking and corporate law and has self-published several books.

Maria has also worked in marketing and management consulting and as a foreign-language translator in the areas of consumer finance and marketing.