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A grandfather and grandson playing soccer.
Inheritance

4 Ways to Leave Money to Your Grandchildren

Leaving a financial legacy for your grandchildren is about more than just passing down money, it’s also about creating opportunities that can shape their future. Whether you want to help pay for education, support major life milestones or build long-term wealth, there are several ways to do so. Knowing your options can help you choose… read more…

Couple comparing budgeting apps.
Personal Finance

MoneySpire Review: Features, Pricing and Competitors

Not all budgeting tools are equal, especially when it comes to the balance of convenience, cost and control they offer. Moneyspire takes a different approach from many modern apps by offering desktop-based financial management with a one-time purchase option. If you’re looking for a way to track your money without ongoing subscription fees, it’s worth… read more…

Very-high-net-worth individuals occupy a middle tier in wealth management, with access to sophisticated strategies but typically below the threshold for a dedicated family office.
How to Invest

Very-High-Net-Worth Individuals: How Much They Have and How They Invest

The wealth management industry segments affluent individuals into distinct tiers, each with different investment opportunities and service models. Very-high-net-worth individuals occupy a specific middle ground, wealthy enough to access sophisticated investment strategies but typically below the threshold where building a dedicated wealth management infrastructure makes sense. A financial advisor who works with very-high-net-worth clients could… read more…

Form 843 is the IRS form used to request relief from penalties, interest and certain tax overcharges.
Tax Filing

How to Use IRS Form 843: Refund Claims and Tax Abatements

Dealing with IRS penalties and incorrect tax assessments can be frustrating. This is especially true when you believe the charges are unfair or that they resulted from circumstances beyond your control. In these scenarios, Form 843 is the IRS mechanism for requesting relief from penalties, interest and certain tax overcharges.  A financial advisor can help… read more…

Editor's Picks

A couple determining whether they need a CFA vs. CFP®.
Certifications & Licenses

CFA vs. CFP®: Which Do You Need?

Chartered financial analyst (CFA) and certified financial planner (CFP) are common certifications for individuals working in finance, namely financial advisors. These are designed to tell a client (or employer) that the holder has received education in certain types of financial… read more…

Clients meeting with an advisor from a wealth management firm.
Brokerage

6 Tips for Choosing a Wealth Management Firm

Wealth management firms are all different, with their own specializations and services. As a result, the process for choosing a wealth manager is a very personal one. Wealth managers work closely together with their clients to identify financial goals and… read more…

A fee-only financial planner doesn't earn commissions for recommending certain products.
Advisor Fees & Costs

What Is a Fee-Only Financial Planner?

If a financial planner, financial advisor or another type of financial professional is fee-only, that means they receive compensation solely from the fees clients pay for their services. They do not earn commissions for recommending certain products. A fee-only structure… read more…

Investment Property
Real Estate Investing

Why First Homes Could Be Investment Properties

If you’re young and looking to purchase a new home to live in, you may want to consider turning it into an investment property. While most people wait until after they’ve bought their first or second home to begin investing in… read more…

Data Articles and Studies

Texas flag flying in front of the Austin, Texas skyline.
Income

When it Pays to Work in Texas — and When It Doesn’t

Whether it’s football, barbecue, or swagger, bigger is part of the Texas brand. But what about salaries? After accounting for regional price variations, state-to-state pay differences often narrow, but they do not disappear. Sometimes, earning a bigger paycheck may be as simple as crossing state lines. SmartAsset evaluated more than 700 occupations to identify the… read more…

Neighbors talking over the fence.
Quality of Life

America’s Friendliest States — 2026 Study 

The ways in which Americans connect vary widely by state. A range of factors contribute to a place’s overall character, but the time residents spend socializing, volunteering and helping people outside their own homes can shape how friendly it feels. SmartAsset analyzed the 50 states by the number of minutes per day residents spend on… read more…

Man on a laptop, working in a data center.
Travel, Education & More

AI Attitudes, Adoption, and Benefits by State – 2026 Study

AI continues to accelerate its presence in politics, the economy, and personal lives, transforming everything from autonomous vehicles to medical discoveries to military operations and a myriad of other workflows and personal use cases. In turn, investors eagerly listen in to company earnings’ calls to understand the implications of this developing suite of technologies in… read more…

Bridge across the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio.
Cost of Living & Taxes

Where Home Prices Increased Most – 2026 Study

Home values can reflect cost of living trends in an area, giving hopeful homebuyers as well as existing homeowners a pulse on the momentum in their local market. Between 2025 and 2026, the typical home value in large U.S. cities actually declined by 1.04%, with values dropping in 70% of cities. But the full range… read more…

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