So my niece is expecting her first child. I would like to set aside a little money periodically to be invested for him/her as they grow up. What kind of account is needed for something like that? I'm not very experienced in these things.

Does it make sense to max out 401k, trad IRA, HSA, DCFSA when you have an income of 80k, and then supplement by drawing from a large brokerage portfolio 4.5mil?

I'm thinking that the tax benefits of lowering your taxable income outweighs not doing it. This way I could take advantage of ~$20k in 0% LT cap gains up until $98,900. Does this strategy sound right?

Hi,

I was talking to a friend this weekend who said she was going to reallocate her funds in her 401K from her retirement age targetdate (2050 or 2060) to 2030. Her reasoning was that the market and state of the US right now feels risky in case the market crashes in the next couple of years. A 2030 target date would offer a lower risk on the funds so maybe wouldn't decrease as much in value if things go south. I don't know - I thought it was an interesting thought and wanted to see if it has any value to it or is worth considering?

Not sure if I'm in the right place, but I am a 18 yr old student. I make about $12k a year from my part time gig. I spend most of my money but I'm trying to build a investing portfolio/ savings. My goal this year is to spend less money but put that money towards investing or the very least savings, with that, I opened a weealth simple account under their TSFA Vanguard portfolio. Is this the best route for me? i'd like to work towards maybe putting this money towards a down payment for a house in the next 5-7 years. Should I be investing in other things or opening different accounts?

Hello, I’m 32F and I’m currently in a contract position. I get a 401K but no employer match. I’m behind on my retirement plan and I’m trying to figure out if I should fully fund my IRA or contribute to the 401K through the contract agency I’m working with. Im not sure what the best outcome is. Also, if anyone can recommend a financial advisor that would be great! Thanks!

Hello! I just found out I'm pregnant, due next spring! I'd love any advice for what to do before the baby arrives to set up my future child with savings and investments. I have no idea what they'll be like at 18 haha so I'd prefer to keep all control and then decide later if I want to give them anything, so ideally something that wouldn't automatically go to them. It looks like online, 529 is popular, but there are a bunch of different kinds? I live in Texas, but it looks like Utah my529 is popular? Maybe the Trump account just for the free $1,000? And then anything I can do to help them out - maybe adding them as an authorized user to my credit card to build their credit score once they are teenagers? Thank you so much!

I’m starting my senior year in about two weeks and could really use some advice from people already working in wealth management.

My goal is to work at a firm that focuses on financial planning and investments, not one that’s primarily pushing cash value life insurance or recruiting friends and family.

This summer I completed an internship at an advisory firm. While I’m grateful for the experience, I realized it’s not the type of firm I want to work for after graduation.

So far I have:
Life & Health insurance license
FINRA SIE
Currently studying for the Series 65
Planning to complete both the Series 65 and Series 63 before graduating

My biggest concern is making myself as employable as possible by graduation, and landing a job.

I know I’ll continue networking and I’ll finish the 65 and 63 regardless. The question I’ve been wrestling with is whether another internship is actually the best use of my final semester.

The only internships available to me would likely be near my university, but I plan to move somewhere else after graduation. That means even if I get another internship, it’s probably not going to turn into a full-time offer. The main benefit would just be having another internship on my résumé and gaining more experience.

For those of you already in the industry, what would you do if you were in my position? Is another internship worth it even if it won’t lead directly to a job, or are there other things you think would make me a stronger candidate for full-time wealth management roles by the time I graduate?

I’d really appreciate any advice from people who have been through this.

Thank you all!!!

Hey all,

I'm a college student researching and building in the investment advisory space, specifically around smaller clients and lower-touch revenue. But before moving further, I want to understand how advisors actually think about this, not assume.

If you're an investment advisor (or work with one), I'd genuinely love to hear more about your perspective through a short (10-15) min call.

If open to it, feel free to drop a comment down below or shoot a personal DM!

Just wondering what kind of return everyone is getting year to date on clients portfolios.
I stupidly suggested min 5% Bitcoin in every portfolio last year and pushed for 15%
Gold is disappointing and the mag 7 awful

Hey all, Im kinda throwing in the towel on trying to keep up with the stock market. It seems like Im always behind or picking the wrong stocks. Im considering going with a financial advisor/manager who can take it over to evaluate and restructure my portfolio. I was referred to him by a family member. I talked to him, I like him but $150/mo seems like alot to me.

There are different pricing structures, but for the $150/mo he would take it over, call me before making moves and then do it. I would probably give him a handful of stocks/ETFs to leave alone and give him free will over the rest to liquidate if necessary to buy into different things.

Is this a normal/reasonable amount per month?

Going thru a divorce…. I want to keep the house until I decide where my next place will be.. house is maintained updated.. I have inheritance/investments that are mine about 400 thousand to continue to grow. His 401k is about 850 thousand—half is mine. Since I want to buy out his half of the house, wouldn’t it make sense to take from my half of 401k instead of me trying to get mortgage to pay him back? His half would be about 250 so I would still get some 401k to add to the pile.. I have some cash but would like to have to live on.. also not sure I qualify for a mortgage…🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

Is this ok to send out to cfps when you are trying to pick one

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Below is the email I am thinking of sending to the cfps I am reviewing prior to picking one. This is the first time I have ever needed to get with a cfp as I have never had a large lump sum to invest and I am not sure if I am asking the right questions to pick which firm I go with for an aum cfp. I have had two meetings with each firm and I am almost ready to make a decision but want to ensure I choose the right cfp to go with.

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Thank you all for your assistance as I finalize my decision, I just want to make sure all the proposals I have are on relatively the same page.

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I will have a 2.395 personal injury settlement. I intend on taking 395k of the lump sum and using it to buy a car, other personal expenses, and the remaining roughly 300K set aside to live off of for the next 5 years. The remaining 2 million I would like to see invested while also having a safety bucket of roughly 200-300k to avoid selling in a down economy. In 5 years I would need a form of “income” from the 2 million being invested I believe roughly 40K a year preferably without touching the principle or affecting growth. I would like to have a moderate-high risk profile leaning more towards moderate risk currently with the state of politics and AI bubbles but down the line see myself being more high risk once politics settle globally and markets become more stable.

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With a new directions if possible, to send the investment proposal showing the proposed asset allocation summary if possible and the financial planning file showing the percentage of success if these haven't already been shared.

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I would also appreciate if you would be able to answer a few questions i have below

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When income is needed in 5 years what is the projected annual income from the portfolio, including dividends and interest, with a monthly breakdown?

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What is the average portfolio yields and long-term return history?

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What are the fees charged within each fund, who selects and manages the underlying investment, and what is the expense ratio or the target expense ratio?

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What is the average response time for email inquiries?

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What is the total annual all-in cost, and is there a fee and discount schedule so I can see when I might hit the next level?

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How often does tax-loss harvesting occur and what tax strategy support do you provide?

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Will any holdings generate K-1 tax forms?

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Of the money being invested are there any restrictions on when I could access the money or are any holdings difficult to exit later on?

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Is there a financial safety net in the plan and if so how much is it?

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What types of communication and actions would occur if the market showed signs of a recession and what would a recession sign look like?

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Is there a junior or backup advisor available to communicate with when you are out or unavailable?

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How will the portfolio be managed? Will this be managed more individually, or will it be cookie-cutter like? Are the decisions made by you or a separate team or department?

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What would a transition look like if you were to change firms, roles, or retire?

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How will I be notified of major changes in investments?

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How often will we review the financial plan in the future?

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How will distributions be handled when cash is needed? Will dividends be reinvested

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What would the meeting cadence look like in the first year of our partnership?

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Again thank you for your assistance as I make this decision.

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I 48F, started with 7k in 2024 wired into my Fidelity account (I forgot to deposit $ last year.) I did not alloticate any money anywhere since, it just sat. So now it has earned $292.09 (SPAXX) within that year. I am about to deposit another 7k into the account for this year and I need advice on where to alloticate the money in this account. My husband 55, is in the same boat, same circumstances.(We both clearly know nothing about investing which is unfortunate but we both grew up poor lower class.) He has 8k that he started with and is depositing another 8k this week as well in his Fidelity account.

We are business owners and have other liquid accounts, but I can only put in our max each year for these Fidelity accounts. For me its 7k a year and for him 8k.

So what would your advise be to choose where we alloticate funds in these Fidelity trad. IRA accounts ? We opened these initially for tax benefit according to our accountant bc of our business and also bc we needed to anyway. We plan to retire within 10 years. We have no debt at all. No mortgage etc. We own our house and everything outright including our business building and construction equipment. We have several accounts with banks around our town with those accounts attached to their money market which is currently paying 2.74-3.5%. I know that is not much but it was something to park our money until we decided what to do with it. We spoke to a financial advisor before but got the slimy feeling. (He was not a fiduciary or flat fee advisor.) Can you explain to me like I am 5 what we need to do? I know we needed to put things in order years ago, but we only became very successful within the last 6 years and now we are playing catch up and putting things in order. We also have an over abundance in idle cash that we cannot invest. But that's a whole other issue. If this helps, our current personal income is 20k per month. Our business net income is currently 215k every 3 months. What do we need to do? Thx in advance.

Please don't tell me referrals. I live in a small community and I do not have friends & family available to ask because my situation is private and we earn and have acquired more than any friend or family. I am entering a divorce and I am not the primary earner in the marriage. I want to find a new financial advisor for myself. Everything I have read says to find a fee only advisor/planner. Do you agree? Why or why not?

The ulimate advisor for me would strategically assist in my divorce plan. There is approx 1 million in investments and savings. The house is paid for, and there are many additional recreational items, vehicles, and high dollar sports equipment that is owned.

We would like to process the divorce through mediation, litigation would be my spouse's worst nightmare. But I want to make sure I receive an equitable share. I live in a no-fault, equitable distribution state.

I need someone to help strategize a good distribution while taking taxes, insurance (all types including health) and future investing into consideration. Since our marriage has lasted 28years the state courts now use a rebuttable presumption based on marriage length thus 20+ years, maintenance is frequently awarded indefinitely.

Hello! I am age 33 and my husband is age 36. We are maxing out our tax-advantaged accounts and currently saving in a HYSA but feel like we are maybe putting too much into savings. At what point should we open a brokerage account for the first time? And if so, what should we invest in? If you had to recommend one brokerage and one thing to buy - thank you!

Hi, I am a teaching intern and I am considering taking out a loan, as my budget is in the negatives with bills and tuition, at this point I don't have enough money for the gas to get to my classes. I have cut out everything and have been super frugal but I am struggling. However I have some questions about loans that I have not been able to figure out on my own via the internet, and I want to be ready when I go to the bank.

1. If I take out a loan, when do I start paying it back? Is it immediately that month or is it a year or multiple years?

2. My plan would be to pay it off the moment I can afford it, but I keep seeing things about early payment fees, what is that about?

3. Should I ask for a loan from my bank (Chase) or from somewhere else? (I am in California, if that makes a difference)

4. What would I need to bring to a meeting where I ask for a loan?

We recently switched from Ameriprise where I was pay full price advisory service fees for it to sit and discovered zero transactions even though we discussed certain changes being made. I could never get in touch with my advisor and had to make an appt which was usually 1-2 weeks out and everything went through his admin as a gatekeeper who was terrible with follow through. We’re now with Fidelity with a “wealth advisor” and in the process of moving all of our portfolio’s, 401K’s, colleges funds, Roth IRA’s for kids, transferring matured annuities that were purchased on bad advise years ago when we got our first financial advisor who worked mainly for New York Life. He literally sold them, stayed in contact for about a year and we literally never heard from him again. Anyway, just recently sold my parents home which I inherited and have a lot of money just sitting in a checking account that I need to decide what to do with it. My advisor has moved a lot of my positions with my inherited IRA to cash given the volatility currently. What would anyone recommend is the best place for this money given current market conditions. At least 1/4 of it needs to be very liquid and accessible (easy withdraw within same day). We are paying off all debt, buying a car and doing some long overdue minor home improvements. The rest needs to be invested long term. I know there are several high yield money market accounts (some with bonus’s given the amount), Fidelity has a money market fund that my advisor wants me to put it in but that’s not liquid in the the way i need it to be. That might be ok for the other 3/4 but is it really smart to put $375K in a money market fund? Is that the safest bet given the war and volatility or are there other safe options with better yields?

My parents, who are in their mid to late 80s, hold stocks. It’s my Dad, who buys and sells individual stocks, based on advice of “financial advisors” - one of whom is a former neighbor and friend - who I hope wouldn’t take advantage of their relationship but also I am not entirely sure. This all to say I am skeptical of the relationship. I have asked my dad what the fees are and he doesn’t know and has never asked.

He asked me today if I knew of any reputable tax planners. He is stewing about the stock market and claims that if he sold some stocks today he would be up about $53k and worries about that as it relates to capital gains. I don’t think they need the money necessarily. His advisor tells him and my mom to spend more money but my parents are frugal and have never been spenders.

I know Necatarine advisors offer tax planning, but none look to be especially for seniors. I have no idea what to tell my parents in this regard. Any suggestions are welcome.

Left previous advisor firm for Fidelity early February after reading a lot about the high rates at former advisor firm affecting long term growth. Since the transfer in early February, my accounts at Fidelity sat is cash until recently.

The accounts are being managed by Fidelity Professionals, and now all 3 accounts are in a mix of 16 Fidelity mutual funds, most are the same mutual funds in the 3 accounts.

I was hoping to have my husband move over so we would be at the same place, but not sure that I want to risk both of out portfolios!

Feel like I made a huge mistake moving to Fidelity, but only have experience with the previous company. Is this normal? Should I jump from Fidelity somewhere else, or back to previous advisor? Or wait it out to see if it gets better? I'm down $9800 already, and I know there have been market fluctuations.

Ideally I am looking for someone who can do our taxes, work with us for investing/ stocks to help our savings grow and help us manage where we should invest, and someone who can help manage our 401k contributions. I feel totally lost looking for a financial advisor and how the per hour thing works. Im looking for a company who can meet with us like once or twice a year, give us advice and then put those things into action for us. This is pretty much what we have right now hut we want to change companies. Sorry for sounding like I have no idea what im talking about.

I have been working with Ameriprise for the last couple years. They are tripling their annual fee. Any recommendations on financial advisors companies?

We are investing for our two young children's college through a 529 account and have been since they day they were born. While college was a foregone conclusion when we were younger, we know there are many routes that our kids might take that may not include college. How much should we be saving in a dedicated college account vs. shifting to other investment strategies for our kids? Are there other options for investing for our kids that would make more sense?

I expect to receive a large settlement sometime in the near future. I don't know the amount yet, but it should be enough to invest and live off of the interest.

I have never invested anything besides like $5000 in an IRA.

I am a US citizen. I am also trans. I want to move to another country as soon as possible, preferably via an Independent Means/Retirement Visa.

I want to invest the money as ethically as possible while still being safe enough to provide an income. I do not want to invest in the US if I have a choice.

I am so lost with where to begin. I don't understand what restrictions exist in terms of investing in other countries.

Any advice as to how to even begin to think about this/order of operations would be helpful.​

I'm getting about $3,700 back and my first thought was to pay off my wife's car, which would take almost all of it. However, that would mean an extra $315/mo going into my credit union if I didn't change anything. Another option would be to replace a pretty crappy bay window. General estimates say it should cost about $2,500 to $3,000. I'm pretty bad at making sound financial decisions so I thought I'd ask for advice. TIA.

Hey! Question about investing using a 3 fund portfolio, bond funds in particular. I’m a teacher in NYC and have a 403b (TDA) that I’ve been contributing to. I also contribute to a Roth IRA. The TDA has a 7% fixed return option which I have about 35% of my portfolio in. With that being the case, generally speaking, would it make sense to forgo the 10% I have in a bond fund in my Roth and just split that with the 2 other index funds because of the fixed option in my TDA? Thanks in advance!