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Plain-English investing for serious beginners.
Investing fundamentals, broker comparisons, and long-term strategy for serious beginners. No hype, no day-trading nonsense — just the basics done right.
Bond allocation in 2026: how much, what kind, and why
An honest look at bonds in 2026 — why they still belong in most portfolios despite the rough 2022–2023 stretch, how to size your allocation, and which bond fund types fit which investor.
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Latest guides
Our newest, most up-to-date research.
Tax-loss harvesting: when it actually saves money (and when it doesn't)
A clear-eyed look at tax-loss harvesting in 2026 — how the wash-sale rule works, why most retail investors over-rate the savings, and the specific situations where harvesting is genuinely worth the effort.
Asset allocation by age: a 2026 framework that ages with you
How to set your stocks-to-bonds allocation by age and risk tolerance — and the simple rebalancing rules that keep your portfolio aligned through every life stage.
How to invest your first $10,000 in 2026
A step-by-step framework for investing your first $10,000 — what to fund first, which accounts to use, and the simple portfolio that beats most professional managers.
Three-fund portfolio explained: a 2026 starter guide
What the three-fund portfolio is, why it works for most long-term investors, and the specific funds most readers should actually use in 2026.
Beginner stock screening checklist: what to look at first
A simple, repeatable checklist for screening individual stocks — fundamentals, valuation, and the qualitative factors that matter for long-term holdings.
How to Choose Your First Broker as a Long-Term Investor
A clear 2026 comparison of the major US brokers — Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard, and Robinhood — focused on what actually matters for buy-and-hold investors.