About Elena
Elena started covering consumer lending as a state-capitol beat reporter in California, which is a good preparation for reading small-dollar lending statutes because Sacramento writes a lot of them. She has since traced the APR-cap language across all 50 states and most of the big cities, and she keeps the spreadsheet that the rest of the team consults when a reader asks “is this app legal in my state?”
On the review side, she is the editor who insists on installing the app and using it with real money before a review publishes. Screenshots in Elena’s reviews are from her own device.
Approach
State guides follow the same structure: the cap in plain English, the licensing requirement (does the lender need one to operate there?), which apps on our roster actually operate in that state, and where to file a complaint if something goes wrong. The structure is deliberately repetitive so readers can compare across states.
Reviews publish two numbers: the lender’s advertised cost, and what Elena actually paid. When the two disagree, she explains the gap rather than hiding it.
What Elena does not cover
Deep APR math lives with Jordan. Scams and debt collection live with Ray. Elena stays in the state-law and hands-on-review lane so the coverage stays focused.
Articles by Elena
Elena’s state guides and hands-on reviews will appear here as they publish. Browse the full Money IQ library.