Michael Kitces

Global Business / Economy

Not all financial advice comes with a duty to put your interests first. As influencers, salespeople, and self-proclaimed experts increasingly compete with fiduciary advisors for attention, consumers face a crucial question: can advice still be useful when the person giving it isn't required to act in their best interest?

Credit & Personal Finance

Bank-provided financial planning tools have become increasingly sophisticated, offering budgeting, savings projections, retirement calculators, and personalized recommendations within the same apps consumers use every day. While these platforms can improve financial awareness and make planning more accessible, they also operate within institutions that have products to sell. The key question is not whether these tools are useful—they often are—but whether users understand the incentives behind the recommendations they receive. Used thoughtfully, bank planning tools can serve as valuable starting points, provided consumers recognize where objective guidance ends and product marketing begins.

Credit & Personal Finance

For decades, the 60/40 portfolio—60% stocks and 40% bonds—served as the cornerstone of retirement investing, offering a balance between growth and stability. But years of historically low interest rates, followed by persistent inflation and rapidly rising bond yields, have challenged many of the assumptions that made the strategy so successful. Some investment experts argue that retirees must look beyond the traditional formula to generate income and protect purchasing power, while others maintain that abandoning a disciplined allocation after a difficult period risks repeating a familiar investing mistake. The debate is no longer about whether the 60/40 portfolio worked in the past, but whether it remains the right framework for navigating the retirement challenges of the future.

Financial Technology (FinTech)

Over 1.7 billion adults worldwide still lack access to basic financial services — and fintech promises to change that. But Kathryn Petralia, Ruth Hedges, and Michael Kitces debate whether these innovations are genuinely empowering underserved communities or just giving more people faster access to products that still don't work in their favor.

Credit & Personal Finance

Inflation is eating away at every dollar sitting idle — but markets feel shaky enough that "stay liquid" still sounds reasonable. Michael Kitces, Samantha Sharf, and David Stein debate whether holding cash right now is smart defense or just a slow bleed while you wait for certainty that may never come.

Global Business / Economy

Nearly 20% of small businesses fail in their first year — and one of the quietest killers is mistaking busyness for productivity. Barbara Weltman, Michael Kitces, and Karen Miller help entrepreneurs ask the hard question: is all that activity actually showing up in revenue?

Global Business / Economy

Every SaaS subscription promises to make your business run better — but are all those premium tools actually showing up in your profits, or just making work feel more organized? Ryan Holiday, Seth Godin, and Michael Kitces debate when software investment pays off and when it's just expensive comfort.

Global Business / Economy

The 4% withdrawal rule has guided retirement planning for decades — but it was built for a world of high returns and low inflation that may no longer exist. Michael Kitces, Christine Benz, and Blaine Aikin debate whether retirees can still trust this formula or need a smarter, more flexible approach.

Credit & Personal Finance

Should you tell a client what you charge someone else? It sounds simple, but pricing transparency in financial services is a minefield. Julie Littlechild, Michael Kitces, and Ed Slott debate whether openness builds trust or just invites a race to the bottom.

Global Business / Economy

Only 30% of Americans feel confident in their financial decisions — so when you sit down with an advisor, should you pay for a full plan or start with a free consultation? Sallie Krawcheck, Michael Kitces, and Jean Chatzky weigh in.

Credit & Personal Finance

Most business owners wait too long to make this call — and it costs them. The accountant who handled your first tax return may not be the right partner for the business you're building now. A financial planner, a CPA firm consultant, and a tax strategist explain how to know when it's time to move on. One verdict.

Investments / Wealth Building

Dollar-cost averaging feels disciplined, safe, and smart. But is it a proven investment strategy — or a way to feel like you're making a decision without actually making one? A veteran investment author, a leading financial planner, and a renowned financial expert disagree on what DCA actually delivers. One verdict.

Credit & Personal Finance

How you pay your financial advisor shapes what advice you get — and most investors never think about it. A fee-only planner, a CPA partner, and a co-founder of one of the largest advisor networks in the country disagree on which model actually serves you better. One verdict.