Investments

Investor comparing fund fact sheets printed on A4 paper at a library on their back porch in the evening

Investments Oct 22, 2025 · 8 min read

Investing Fees and Expense Ratios: The Quiet Cost That Can Steal Your Returns

Learn how investing fees work, where they hide, and how to reduce them so more of your market returns stay in your pocket over time.

Rachel Simmons

Woman reviewing ETF performance on a tablet during a lunch break wearing headphones at a library

Investments Oct 10, 2025 · 8 min read

Investing During a Recession: A Step-by-Step Plan for Regular People

Learn a practical, step-by-step approach to investing through recessions using contributions, diversification, and risk controls that fit real-life budgets and timelines.

Rachel Simmons

Man studying stock charts on a dual-monitor setup at a home desk sitting at a park bench with a laptop

Investments Sep 23, 2025 · 8 min read

Investing Buckets: A Simple 3-Account System for Every Dollar You Invest

Learn a practical “bucket” system to decide where each investing dollar should go—cash, retirement, or brokerage—based on timelines, taxes, and risk.

Rachel Simmons

Person highlighting key metrics in a mutual fund prospectus with a yellow marker in their apartment living room

Investments Sep 7, 2025 · 8 min read

Investing After You Pay Off Debt: A Step-by-Step “Now What?” Plan for 2026

If you just paid off a credit card, car loan, or student loan, this guide shows how to redirect the freed-up payment into a simple, risk-aware investing plan without backsliding.

Rachel Simmons

Young professional opening a brokerage account on a laptop at a kitchen table while waiting at a doctor's office

Investments Aug 25, 2025 · 9 min read

Investing Account Order in 2026: A Step-by-Step “Where Next?” Plan After the Basics

A practical, numbers-first guide to choosing which investing account to fund next in 2026, using taxes, liquidity, and employer benefits to prioritize your dollars.

Rachel Simmons

Person highlighting key metrics in a mutual fund prospectus with a yellow marker with a planner open beside their laptop

Investments Aug 11, 2025 · 8 min read

Index Funds vs Target-Date Funds: How to Choose for Your 401(k) and IRA

A step-by-step guide to deciding between index funds and target-date funds, using simple rules, real numbers, and account-specific examples for 401(k)s and IRAs.

Rachel Simmons

Person highlighting key metrics in a mutual fund prospectus with a yellow marker

Investments Jul 28, 2025 · 10 min read

Dollar-Cost Averaging: A Step-by-Step Plan for Investing When Markets Feel Scary

Learn how dollar-cost averaging works, when it helps (and when it doesn’t), and how to set up a simple automatic investing routine in a 401(k), IRA, or brokerage account.

Rachel Simmons

Young professional opening a brokerage account on a laptop at a kitchen table

Investments Jul 15, 2025 · 8 min read

Dividend Investing Basics: A Step-by-Step Plan for Building Reliable Cash Flow

Learn how dividend investing works, how to evaluate dividend stocks and funds, and how to build a diversified dividend strategy that fits U.S. taxes, retirement accounts, and your timeline.

Rachel Simmons

Man studying stock charts on a dual-monitor setup at a home desk

Investments Jun 25, 2025 · 9 min read

Brokerage Account Investing: A Step-by-Step Plan After You’ve Maxed the Match

Learn how to invest in a taxable brokerage account with a simple, tax-aware setup, fund order, and maintenance routine that fits real life and real paychecks.

Rachel Simmons