Writer · Editor · Senior Reporter

I make complicated money stories clear.

As a Senior Consumer Reporter at The U.S. Sun, I’ve published more than 4,000 articles on personal finance, housing, taxes, the retail industry, and consumer issues. My writing, read by millions, turns complex topics into stories people can understand and use as they navigate their lives.

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Jacob Willeford

4,000+

published articles

20M+

views in the past year

5+

years in digital media

National

outlets including The U.S. Sun, SlashGear, and Looper

Selected work

Recent reporting

Stories on the money questions people are asking right now, from mortgages and taxes to retail and the AI tools changing how we shop.

Housing Thousands of homeowners to see monthly payments increase by over $1,000 through ‘ARM’ change The U.S. Sun · Read → Housing · Exclusive Foreclosures jump 42% – here’s how to protect your home if you miss a payment The U.S. Sun · Read → Taxes · Exclusive Urgent warning for 950,000 Americans before you cash $500 ACA refund checks The U.S. Sun · Read → Government payments Donald Trump again vows $5k payout for ALL US adults if GOP wins – and warns of ‘economic depression’ if they lose The U.S. Sun · Read → Retail Walmart, Sephora, and Gap introduce highly controversial ‘concierge’ service for shoppers – here’s how it works The U.S. Sun · Read → Consumer tech Cash-strapped parents using high-tech ‘workaround’ to avoid paying for class portraits – but is it legal? The U.S. Sun · Read →
More work All articles at The U.S. Sun Features at SlashGear Movie & TV writing at Looper Interview: Zion Clark

About

Every good story starts with understanding.

I’ve been writing professionally since college, from directing a team of writers at Strike Magazine Orlando to earning a post-graduate certificate in book, magazine, and digital publishing from the Columbia University Publishing Course. Early in my career, I covered movie and TV news for Looper, part of Static Media. I joined The U.S. Sun in 2022, worked my way up from the News desk to the Money desk, and wrote in-depth technology features for SlashGear along the way.

Today I cover the money questions people face every day: mortgages, taxes, retail, government payments, store closures, deals, and even the rare coins that might be sitting in their pockets. Every story gets the same approach: find the real question, talk to the people who know the answer, and explain it clearly enough that readers can act on it.

I also pay close attention to how stories perform. I’ve worked alongside SEO and audience teams, used analytics to shape coverage, and adopted AI-assisted workflows, all while keeping accuracy and voice at the center.

What I enjoy most is connecting with people and helping a complicated idea finally click, whether for a reader trying to understand their mortgage or an organization trying to explain what it knows. Increasingly, I’m interested in how research, interviews, and clear storytelling can help companies in finance and technology do exactly that.

Off the clock: golf, the gym, sci-fi films, and a good cheeseburger.

Experience

Where I’ve worked

Download résumé
  1. Jun. 2022 – present

    The U.S. Sun

    Senior Consumer Reporter, Money desk. Cover personal finance, retail, housing, taxes, rare coins and valuables, and more, including exclusive interviews with economists, industry leaders, and retail and policy experts. Fill in as desk lead, managing a team of experienced reporters. Previously a Consumer Reporter and News Reporter.

  2. Dec. 2024 – Jan. 2026

    SlashGear

    Features Writer. Reported and wrote in-depth, 3,000-word features on technology, cars, and aviation.

  3. Sept. 2021 – Nov. 2022

    Looper

    Movie and TV News Writer. Pitched and wrote fast-turnaround entertainment news and features on film and television trends.

  4. Aug. 2020 – May 2021

    Campus and academic publishing

    Writing Director at Strike Magazine Orlando, a campus lifestyle magazine, and an editor for the Convergence Rhetoric Academic Journal at UCF.

Education

B.A., Writing & Rhetoric

University of Central Florida, 2021

Certificate

Book, Magazine & Digital Publishing

Columbia University Publishing Course, 2021

Beyond the newsroom

Complex ideas deserve clear stories.

I’m always glad to connect with editors, founders, and teams in finance and technology who care about explaining complex ideas well. If you’re working on something in that space, I’d love to hear about it.

Start a conversation

Contact

Let’s talk.

For story ideas, interviews, or new opportunities, email is the best way to reach me.

jaker4444@gmail.com
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