- TD Ameritrade vs. Fidelity
TD Ameritrade and Fidelity are two of the most popular full-service trading platforms on the internet. Ultimately between these two giants, there are relatively few points of true distinction. If you’re looking for a trading platform that will give you… read more…
- TD Ameritrade vs. Robinhood
Comparing TD Ameritrade and Robinhood is a little bit of an exercise in apples-to-oranges. TD Ameritrade is a full-service brokerage firm offering storefront advising, online and app-based trading platforms and robo-advisors. Robinhood is a highly streamlined, primarily app-based trading platform… read more…
- Robinhood vs. Acorns
Acorns and Robinhood are online investment tools both geared toward younger, newer investors, but they are still quite distinct. Acorns is a robo-advisor that helps people invest by automatically skimming the spare change off their digital purchases. This overage is… read more…
- What Is a Cash Management Account?
When opening a brokerage account, you may also be given the option of opening a cash management account. Cash management accounts share some of the same features as checking accounts but they’re not traditional bank accounts like the kind you’d… read more…
- Webull vs. Robinhood
Webull and Robinhood are two popular online stock trading platforms where users can invest and make trades largely commission-free. Webull advertises itself as much to the desktop market as to app-based users, if not more, and tends to aim toward more… read more…
- Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst (AIFA)
When you go to a doctor, you may prefer one who puts your health first. When it comes to your money, you likely want a professional with your interests in mind. An Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst (AIFA) can work in your best interests. Here’s how people get that title and how they work for you.… read more…
- What Is the Series 27 Exam and License?
The Series 27 Financial and Operations Principal (FINOP) is a license that allows its holder to oversee the financial operations in one specific organization, namely a member firm brokerage. Also, the name refers to the exam the license holder must pass. We’ll explore the role the qualification plays in the regulatory structure of the investing… read more…
- What Are Registered Representatives?
Whether you’re looking to buy or sell a security, you’ll likely use a registered representative to help complete the transaction. Registered representatives, usually working with a brokerage firm, help their clients trade securities and provide investment advice. Their practices are… read more…
- What Is a Chartered Wealth Manager (CWM)?
Whether you’re a financial novice or a seasoned investor, getting some help from an expert might be good for you. If you need some help with financial planning, investing, or managing wealth a Chartered Wealth Manager (CWM) may be a… read more…
- What Is a Certified Financial Marketing Professional (CFMP)?
Marketing professionals within the finance industry may escape licensing exams like the Series 7. However, the Certified Financial Marketing Professional (CFMP) designation from the American Banking Association (ABA) requires some testing of its own. A CFMP demonstrates expertise in bank… read more…
- What Is the Role of a Subadvisor?
A subadvisor is an investment management firm that typically partners with a mutual fund investment advisor to help with the day-to-day management of the fund. They often provide specialized expertise in a specific type of investment strategy. This could include building… read more…
- What Does It Mean to Buy Investments on Margin?
Buying on margin is a technique often reserved for intermediate and advanced investors through which someone borrows money from their broker in order to invest it. In the best-case scenario, buying stock on margin can increase your earnings significantly. On the… read more…
- How a Separately Managed Account (SMA) Works
A separately managed account (SMA) is an individually tailored investment portfolio overseen by a professional asset manager on behalf of a individual investor. Unlike mutual funds, which pool assets, SMAs grant investors direct ownership of the underlying securities, enabling customized strategies and tax-efficient management. Typically available through wealth management firms, these accounts often have high… read more…
- What It Means for an Advisor to Be CEFEX-Certified
Choosing a financial advisor isn’t easy. You’ll need to determine if you need an in-person financial advisor or a robo-advisor. Then you’ll choose a firm. It may be one close to home or with a certain area of expertise. Once you pick, check their credentials. If an advisory firm says it’s CEFEX-certified, it’s certified by… read more…
- What Are Advisory Shares and Who Gets Them?
Advisory shares are a type of stock option given to company advisors rather than employees. They may be issued to startup company advisors in lieu of cash compensation. Advisors are usually granted options to buy shares rather than given the… read more…
- Empower vs. Mint: Which Is Better for You?
Getting your finances under control isn’t easy. Young Americans have a lot of expenses. It isn’t as simple as learning to balance your checkbook, no matter what your parents might tell you. Empower and Mint are two of the most… read more…
- The Services Offering Free Stock Trading
Trading stocks in a brokerage account can be a great way to grow wealth alongside the money you may be investing in a 401(k) or individual retirement account. The only catch is the fees you may pay to make trades.… read more…
- What Is a Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA)?
Certified investment management analysts sit atop an entire industry of financial planners, having earned a top certification and are considered experts. Only about a third of Americans under 35 have money in the stock market, which makes the role these… read more…
- What Is a Money Manager and What Do They Do?
When developing your investment strategy, you may find yourself in need of some help. Yet between financial planners, financial advisors and a money manager, it can be tough to pick the right resource for you. Each specialization varies ever so… read more…
- Best Day Trading Apps for 2025
Day trading apps make buying and selling stocks, mutual funds or other securities easier than ever. These apps offer convenience and portability since you can manage your investment portfolio from your mobile device or laptop on the go. But which… read more…
- Understanding Mutual Fund Expense Ratios
If you’re investing in mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs), the fund manager will charge fees to cover their various expenses. Those fees are collectively rolled into what’s known as an expense ratio, which is expressed as a percentage. This… read more…
- What Is the SIPC, and What Does It Do?
There are many agencies and organizations in America that exist to protect consumers, including consumers on the investing markets. One of those organizations is the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). The SIPC is a nonprofit, member-funded organization that helps clients… read more…
- FINRA BrokerCheck: What It Is and How to Use It
Before signing on with a broker or investment advisor, you should look them up in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s (FINRA’s) BrokerCheck. FINRA is authorized by Congress to oversee brokers and broker-dealers. The FINRA BrokerCheck database provides key information about individual brokers and… read more…
- What Is the Series 66 License?
The Series 66 license is required to work as an investment advisor in the United States. To obtain it, you must pass a rigorous exam covering methods of delivering investment advice and other topics. Below, we’ll tackle what the exam… read more…
- Series 7 Exam: Qualifications and Preparation
The Series 7 exam is one of two exams that registered representatives of broker-dealers must pass to sell and trade most securities as a financial services professional. The exam mainly covers information about investments, their suitability for different investors, record-keeping… read more…