Susan Shelly has written, co-written, or contributed to more than 30 books, including The Complete Idiot's Guide to Personal Finance in Your 20s and 30s and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Being a Successful Entrepreneur. She also has written for various newspapers, agencies, and online publications.

Robert A. Cooke, C.P.A. (Deceased) had nearly two decades of experience as a business consultant, speaker, and author of a number of books on finance. He also owned and managed several successful businesses.