Justin Donald

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The key to smart investing is to first equip yourself with the right knowledge. For the average person, investing can seem like an intimidating concept. “How do I figure out what to invest in?” “How much should I invest, and how often?” “What are the best accounts to open up?” “What happens if I lose all my money?” These are just some of the questions aspiring investors are likely to ask, but getting answers isn’t always so straightforward. Those attempting to invest without any knowledge of how to do so have the potential to set themselves up for grave financial mistakes in the future. In this way, it’s critical new investors take care before making any decisions or setting any investment goals. But whether someone just wants to dabble in investing or they’re ready to make some more aggressive moves, they should first consider the advice of financial and investment experts. As such, the leaders of Kiplinger Advisor Collective have some sage advice for newbie investors. Below, they each offer one tip that individuals new to investing may not know about how to do it smartly, and why they would so strongly advise taking these cautionary steps before taking any major financial ones.

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Choosing the right account for your needs is a great first step to kick-starting your retirement savings. Saving for retirement is an important step for anyone who hopes to stop working after a certain age. However, while many people understand the importance of retirement savings as part of their financial journey, they may not always understand the best way to go about it. Though putting your retirement savings into a standard savings account may seem like an easy option, several other, more advantageous accounts exist that can help you reach your retirement goals faster — and may help you avoid more taxes down the line. But which account is right for you? When offering advice and discussing options with their own clients, the financial leaders of Kiplinger Advisor Collective have a few favorites in mind. Below, they go over seven different accounts you can choose from to kick-start your retirement savings, and why they recommend these solutions to anyone looking into their ideal retirement plan.

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Drawing up an intentional plan can ease your fears about not having enough. One of the biggest fears soon-to-be retirees have is that they won’t have enough money to last them throughout their retirement. And rightly so — with concerns surrounding inflation, recessions and a volatile stock market, over half of Americans feel behind on their retirement savings. These fears may keep them from taking the plunge and quitting their jobs once they hit retirement age, delaying retirement for years or perhaps even indefinitely.  However, with an intentional plan and the right support in place, you can retire comfortably — and confidently — at the age you choose. To provide some guidance on how to prepare, seven financial experts from Kiplinger Advisor Collective discuss their top tips for soon-to-be retirees looking for ways to make their savings last throughout their retirement and banish their fears of not being able to survive financially.

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It’s important to deal with the emotional aspect first before tackling the financial one. Inheritance can often feel like a double-edged sword. While a large influx of money can be a welcome blessing to those who may be in debt, are looking to purchase a home or a business or are wanting to start investing toward retirement, inheritance also often means the passing of a loved one and a period of emotional turmoil and grief. When paired together, these two major life changes can cause even the most financially savvy person to make a few mistakes. While emotions are high, it’s unwise to make any major financial moves. Instead, allow time for grief and healing before moving forward. Once you feel ready to take action, consider the following advice from the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective. Below, they discuss the next steps you should take after inheriting money from a loved one and some of the mistakes they’ve witnessed others make along the way.

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Would you have made different decisions with the knowledge you have now? There’s certainly no shortage of financial advice out there — from family, friends, colleagues, experts and pseudo-experts alike. Some advice is born out of experience while other tips are based on the latest data or trends. Regardless of where it comes from, however, good financial advice at the right time can be critical to how well you succeed with money throughout your life. Unfortunately, good advice can sometimes come later than you’d like it to, which means you sometimes may reflect back, thinking about how your life could be different had you known then what you know now. The financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective are no different, and here, they each discuss the one piece of financial advice they wish someone had given them a long time ago and why.

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A real estate syndication can grant you access to higher-value assets without entirely carrying the financial burden.

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There’s more to this decision than simply when you want to retire. An important player in your overall retirement plan, Social Security can help fund your living expenses when you’re no longer able to work or are working reduced hours. However, as the payments you receive while drawing from Social Security only replace a partial percentage of the income you received while working, Social Security benefits should be considered supplemental rather than your only source of income. And while you can apply for your benefits at any time between the ages of 62 and 70, there may be reasons why you would want to delay receiving your benefits until a later date. So when should you plan to start collecting these benefits? While the answer can vary based on each individual person’s situation, the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective recommend considering these factors first before determining your goal age to begin collecting Social Security.

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Maximize your efforts by following these expert-recommended tips. The holidays are, naturally, a time of giving — a time when people look to show gratitude for and to others by giving gifts or donating their money or time. It’s often when individuals look to donate funds to their favorite charities or special causes that are important to them. But is it as simple as writing a check?  Unfortunately, it may not always be that easy, as scammers can be especially active during this season, looking to take advantage of those with the best intentions. Further, there may be certain tax benefits or strategies you may not have considered that can maximize your giving efforts. Below, eight financial leaders from Kiplinger Advisor Collective share their insights on charitable giving during the holiday season as well as the best tips you should know to ensure you’re doing it the right way.

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Could this technology lead you toward financial success? In this current world of artificial intelligence and tech-first solutions, even the financial industry is seeing new advancements in technology. Robo-advisers are just one of those solutions, leveraging financial data and complex algorithms to provide investment suggestions and financial advice — all without a human touch. While this technology is certainly not a recent innovation, increasing interest in convenience, speed and overall ease of use has brought robo-advisers to the forefront of the collective conversation. But is a robo-adviser right for you?  This is just one of the many questions you may have when considering robo-advisers. Here, to offer some clarity, six financial experts from Kiplinger Advisor Collective answer common questions the public may have when it comes to robo-advisers and whether or not they are the right solution for their financial needs.

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Steering clear of these mistakes will save you a lot of regret once you reach retirement age. Saving for retirement is one of the most important aspects of managing your finances, and getting started can be as simple as signing up for your company’s 401(k) program. But while setting aside money to live on after you retire from work may seem straightforward, there are definitely still some mistakes you can make along the way.  Some of those mistakes may have little to no effect on your overall savings strategy, but others — like putting off saving too long in favor of other goals or following a plan ill-suited to your unique situation — can have a major impact on the amount of money you’re able to save or the amount of taxes you’ll have to pay once you’re of retirement age.  To provide some guidance and shed light on the do’s and don’ts of retirement savings, the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective each discuss one thing someone should never do while saving for retirement, and why doing so can ultimately derail your success.

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Holding on to these beliefs could be holding you back from realizing your dreams. With high interest rates and even higher housing prices scaring many people away from the  thought of purchasing a home any time soon, strong narratives and beliefs around home buying in general continue to swirl around the cultural conversation. While some believe they’ll never be able to afford a home, others believe it’s the ultimate end goal and indicator of true financial success.  Though every person’s situation is unique, there are some common misconceptions people have about home buying that may be holding them back from realizing their true financial potential. Here, the financial and investment experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective discuss seven of those misconceptions as well as the real truths behind these common beliefs.

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Here are three strategies to keep in mind as you embark on your path to wealth accumulation and financial security.

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Here’s why technology can be one of the best guides for your financial journey. In the vast world of finance, there are plenty of resources claiming to help educate you, guide you toward the quickest path to wealth and set you up for a financially stable retirement — with some of those resources more helpful than others. However, some of the most useful tools in finance, especially today, involve technology. From simple budgeting apps to online banking to AI chatbots and robo-advisers, technology has the potential to act as a powerful tool and guide on your wealth-building journey. But while technology and tech-based financial tools continue to improve and grow more advanced each day, some people remain skeptical of using tech to manage something so important to their lives. Others simply aren’t aware of the benefits these platforms and tools can provide them with. Below, six financial leaders and members of Kiplinger Advisor Collective share their expertise by outlining some of the ways in which leveraging financial technology and tools can help you not only improve your financial management but your overall financial literacy as well.

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Taking a few key steps can help you both better understand and utilize your employee benefits. Employee benefits can be a big draw for job seekers looking for companies that will care for their employees well beyond their paychecks. Whether it’s a good employer match on your 401(k) contributions, employer-covered healthcare or unlimited paid time off, different employees find value in different benefits, but a well-rounded benefits package — often paired with a competitive salary — can help companies attract the best talent in their respective fields. But despite the initial draw of quality benefits, many of these benefits go unused or are improperly utilized. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, an employee’s benefits make up nearly a third of their total compensation — meaning employees could be missing out on a significant portion of their total pay.  To ensure you’re taking full advantage of your employee benefits, it’s important to first ensure you have a clear grasp on what they entail. Below, the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective suggest practical steps anyone can take to not only understand their benefits package but also make the most of what their company offers.

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Oh, the dreaded financial emergency. It crops up when you least expect it — usually late on a Friday, right? That’s when our options for resolving the issue are the most limited, whether its air conditioning on the fritz (an especially big concern during all these heat waves) or a plumbing disaster. We’re left scrambling to both secure expert help and pay for it. Or maybe you have an unexpected medical bill or lose your job. What can you do to make ends meet? While there’s no way to know what’s going to happen or take steps, beyond the usual preventive ones, to head it off, you can at least be prepared in other ways. To find out what our options could be during a financial emergency, we at Kiplinger.com asked some of the financial experts among our Building Wealth contributors and Kiplinger Advisor Collective members to answer this question: How can I best prepare for unexpected financial emergencies, such as job loss, medical bills or major home repairs?

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Here are a few tax implications to consider as you dive into investing.

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Investing can be a risky business, but with the right strategy, it doesn’t have to be.Naturally, any investor hopes for high returns on their investments. However, achieving those high returns can often involve setting aside one’s usual tolerance for risk and making a move which could pay off big or could result in big consequences. Conversely, managing your risk may mean making investments that will provide a lower return but will also provide you with a sense of stability and steadiness helpful for building a secure future. But making money as an investor doesn’t necessarily have to involve major risk-taking. What’s needed is a balance between the desire for high returns and the need for safe portfolio diversification and risk management.  To achieve such a balance, consider the following advice from the financial and investment experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective. Below, they offer up their best tips for making money while maintaining a strategy that helps you avoid unnecessary risks.

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Deciding how to invest in real estate can sometimes seem complex and overwhelming, especially when you don’t know what’s hot and what’s not. So we at Kiplinger.com asked some of the financial experts among our Building Wealth contributors and Kiplinger Advisor Collective members to answer, in a few sentences, this question: What is one current trend in real estate investing, and how can investors take advantage of it? Their responses range from checking out online real estate investing platforms, to exploring tax-advantaged qualified opportunity zones, to keeping an eye on the debt issues of commercial real estate. Or maybe you might be interested in owning some rental property that you can also use as a vacation home. Wherever your real estate interests may lie, there’s bound to be a tip here that could snag your interest.

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Here are a few ways investing can keep you on track to achieve the life you envision, not one that happens to you while you’re chained to a desk.

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Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just dabbling in the financial world, you’re likely looking for the “next big thing” to put your money toward. There are a number of promising opportunities to choose from, but as financial leaders and advisers in this space, the members of Kiplinger Advisor Collective suggest that these eight sectors have high growth potential now and in the future. From sustainable options such as green energy to evolving technologies such as artificial intelligence, these sectors are growing in both popularity and necessity — meaning early investments now could equal major returns later on.

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While graduating from school is a major milestone in your life, it's not the last big step you'll take in the months ahead. Preparing yourself for your future can take any number of pathways depending on your specific goals. But whether you'll be buying a new car, saving up for a home or delving into the stock market, there are a few key financial steps you can take that will help you achieve success. As noted leaders in the financial space, the members of Kiplinger Advisor Collective recommend taking one or more of the following actions with any money you may have received as a graduation gift. Doing so will help you start adulthood—and your financial future—off on the right foot.