Author: Lisa Lagace

We adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. Some or all links contained within this article are paid links.

Billionaire Ray Dalio recently made a shocking comment about the state of the economy, claiming an American “economic heart attack” is nearly inevitable, but his warning also came with some ideas for savvy investors looking to avoid the storm.

In a recent post on the social platform X promoting his latest book, “How Countries Go Broke: The Big Cycle,” he explained his fears surrounding America’s debt, and why he compares the U.S. economy to a person’s circulatory system.

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• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in ‘great wealth’. How to get in now

“The debt dynamics work the same for a government as they do for a person or a company, except that the central government has a central bank that can print money (which devalues it) and it can take money away from people via taxes,” Dalio wrote.

The way Dalio sees it, a country’s debt can build up to a dangerous level the same way plaque can in a person’s arteries.

“To me, the credit/market system is like the circulatory system, bringing nutrients to all parts of the body that make up our markets and economy.”

Dalio makes the point that credit, when used effectively, can create productivity and income, which can pay back the debt and the interest on the debt.

But, like in business, if the debt isn’t used well it doesn’t create enough income to pay for itself. This means debt servicing can build up like plaque in the circulatory system of the American economy, squeezing out other spending.

This can lead to interest rates rising and central banks “printing money,” which lowers the value of the dollar and raises inflation.

“All these things lead toward a government debt crisis which produces the equivalent of an economic heart attack that comes when the constriction of debt-financed spending shuts down the normal flow of the circulatory system,” Dalio wrote.

So what can savvy investors do to avoid this impending economic doom? Dalio recommends focusing on two shockproof assets.

Protect your investment plan with gold

The billionaire feels strongly about gold, because it tends to do well in tumultuous times.

Dalio’s post pointed out that this economic problem isn’t specific to the U.S. Other countries like Japan, the U.K. and China all have similar debt and deficit problems:

“I expect a similar debt and currency devaluation adjustment process in most countries, which is why I expect non-government produced monies like gold and bitcoin to do relatively well.”

Since gold can’t be printed, and it isn’t tied to a single country, currency or economy, it can provide a safe alternative investment strategy during challenging times. In April, the price for an ounce of gold hit a new benchmark of $3,400, up 66% from its listed price in early 2024, according to CBS News.

“Having a small percentage of one’s money in gold can reduce the portfolio’s risk, and I think it will also raise its return,” Dalio wrote.

If you’re interested in investing in gold, Priority Gold is one option for tapping into this alternative asset. They also have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Priority Gold allows you to convert an existing IRA into a gold IRA with 100% free rollover, free shipping and free storage for up to five years. Qualifying purchases can also receive up to $10,000 in free silver.

You can download their free 2025 gold investor bundle to learn more. Keep in mind that gold is often best used as a portfolio diversification tool when it’s combined with other alternative assets.

Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

Consider complimenting with crypto

Dalio concluded his post on X by answering a pressing question for many: How should investors navigate financial risk going forward?

“Everyone’s financial situation is different, but as general advice, I suggest diversifying well in asset classes and countries that have strong income statements and balance sheets and are not having great internal political and external geopolitical conflicts, underweighting debt assets like bonds, and overweighting gold and a bit of bitcoin.”

Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are another asset that, like gold, avoids being tied to any specific country or currency, which can make them useful for diversifying your portfolio during globally stressful times.

Bitcoin struck a new all-time high of $112,000 per coin in June, surging 50% from its April low. After Elon Musk replied positively to a post asking if his new America Party would embrace bitcoin, the price continued to rise.

If you’re looking to get into the crypto market, one option is Gemini, which made Forbes’ 2024 top ten of list of the best crypto exchanges.

As a full-reserve and regulated cryptocurrency exchange and custodian where you can buy, sell and store over 70 vetted cryptocurrencies, Gemini lets you choose the coins that suit your confidence level.

New users can even get $15 in free Bitcoin with code GEMINI15 when you trade $100 or more. However, the trade needs to be revenue-generating for Gemini — meaning no stablecoin or withdrawal-deposit shuffling.

But be sure to act fast, as this promotion is only good for 30 days after creating an account.

If you’re not sure yet about actively investing in crypto, you can test the waters by applying for the Gemini credit card. With no annual fees, it allows you to earn crypto on every purchase you make.

As an added bonus, you can also earn $200 in crypto rewards when you spend $3,000 on the Gemini credit card within your first 90 days.

Art investing as an alternative asset

In a YouTube video posted to his channel, Dalio shared that his “Holy Grail of investing” is to “find 10 to 15 good, uncorrelated return streams.”

This strategy helps ensure that risk remains low.

“If you find a number of return streams, a number of investments that are good and uncorrelated, you will have the average return of those so you don’t lessen your return,” he said.

“But at 15, you’ll eliminate 80% of your risk, so you’ll improve your return-to-risk ratio by a factor of five.”

Investing in fine art can be a great addition to any diversification strategy. Just like gold and crypto, it isn’t tied to any specific currency or country.

But while it might be easy for someone like Dalio to invest millions in an original Basquiat, the price point for investing in fine art isn’t accessible for most.

But now, Masterworks is helping investors tap into this diversification strategy by investing in fractional shares of fine art from artists such as Picasso and Banksy.

Masterworks handles the process of finding, purchasing and storing the artwork for you.

To earn a profit, just wait for Masterworks to sell the painting. Typically, it takes between 3 and 10 years to make a sale, although you can sell your shares yourself on the secondary market before then.

From 23 exits so far, Masterworks investors have realized representative annualized net returns like +17.6%, +17.8%, and +21.5% among assets held for longer than one year.

If you’re already comfortable with investing, see if you qualify with Masterworks today and invest like the billionaires do.

See important Regulation A disclosures at Masterworks.com/cd.

But talk to an advisor first

While Dalio’s suggestions might be helpful, it’s usually a good idea to speak with a financial advisor before making any big investment decisions.

A skilled advisor can help determine the right asset mix for your portfolio depending on your risk tolerance, investing timeline and financial goals. People who work with financial advisors tend to experience a 3% increase in net returns, according to a report from Vanguard.

If you’re not sure where to find a qualified advisor, Advisor.com can help match you with an advisor who can meet your particular needs. The platform’s advisors are also fiduciaries, meaning they’re legally obligated to act in your best interests.

From there, you can book a no-obligation call to see if they’re the right fit for you.

What to read next

• You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
• Accredited investors can now buy into this $22 trillion asset class once reserved for elites – and become the landlord of Walmart, Whole Foods or Kroger without lifting a finger. Here’s how
• Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they’re banking on instead

Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. Subscribe now.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

We adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. Some or all links contained within this article are paid links.

Are you financially honest with yourself?

This question is at the heart of Washington Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary’s latest money column. In it, she lays out the top five financial lies people tell themselves, with a nod to Jack Nicholson’s iconic role in A Few Good Men: You can’t handle the truth.

“Many people unintentionally misrepresent their spending, naively believing their own narratives about where their money goes until they are confronted with the undeniable evidence of their bank statements,” Singletary wrote.

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• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in ‘great wealth’. How to get in now

She notes that this “financial amnesia” tends to happen because someone doesn’t actually have a budget. While they like to think they aren’t spending much on evenings out or Uber Eats, they aren’t regularly tracking how much they spend on these things.

So, what are the five lies she hears the most?

Lie #1: I have a budget

Some people think they have a budget because they decided on a ballpark number for food, clothes and gifts each month — but they never actually track their spending.

Mental “tracking” isn’t a budget. If you take time to write down exactly how much you spent on Uber Eats last month, you’ll probably be shocked.

Seeing the numbers in front of you is the only way to know how much you’re actually spending. Once you realize your restaurant budget is double what you thought it was, you’ll have more motivation to stick with a budget.

Budgeting apps like Monarch Money can help you quickly set up a budget — since you can track spending, account balances, transactions and investments all in one place. You can also integrate this info with your partner’s finances at no extra cost, making it a simple way for couples to manage finances together.

They currently offer a seven-day free trial to see if Monarch Money gives you a new perspective on your budget.

If you find the app helpful, for a limited time you can get 50% off your first year with code MONARCHVIP.

Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

Lie #2: I have an emergency fund

Having a few thousand dollars floating around in your bank after payday might feel like an emergency fund, but if you don’t have a separate savings account set up and funded as your designated emergency fund — meaning you only touch it if an actual financial emergency occurs — it’s not actually for emergencies.

“People will swear they have a rainy-day fund, but they raid it so regularly that it becomes just another spending account,” Singletary wrote.

The ideal emergency fund should contain at least six months of your basic living expenses (housing, food, transportation, bills). This is a lot of money for most people, so you’ll want the money in this account earning interest to keep up with inflation. A high-yield savings account can ensure your money still grows while avoiding the market fluctuations that come with investing.

If you’re looking for a great high-yield savings account to park your emergency fund in, Wealthfront currently offers 4% interest on their cash account. At nearly ten times the national average, it’s a reliable home for long-term savings.

Even better, if you refer a friend to Wealthfront after opening a new account, you can also boost your APY to 4.5% for three months.

Wealthfront accounts are also FDIC insured for up to $8 million for individuals, and $16 million if shared. With over 1 million users and 15 years of experience, Wealthfront can keep your cash secure while it works for you.

Fund your account with $500 or more today to get a $30 bonus.

Lie #3: I manage my spending better with a credit card

This lie is easy to sell yourself if you’ve bought into the noise around maximizing credit card rewards. Wanting to use your card for everything so you can easily track spending makes sense, but it might be the reason you blow past your budget every month.

According to Singletary, “research reveals that paying with plastic — credit or debit — increases how much people spend.”

She points out that in 2016 the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston found that consumers spend an average of $112 when using credit cards, but just $22 when using cash.

If you find it difficult to stop overspending, consider cutting the credit card and trying out cash only (where possible) for the next month. Compare your spending to the previous month to see if it made a significant impact.

If you’re looking to use your money in a more productive way, consider trying Acorns, an investment platform that automatically invests spare change from your everyday purchases into a diversified portfolio of ETFs.

For instance, if you buy a coffee for $3.25, Acorns will round it up to $4 and invest the change in a diversified investment portfolio. So a $3.25 purchase automatically becomes a 75-cent investment in your future.

Sign up today to receive a $20 bonus investment when you set up a recurring deposit.

Lie #4: I don’t dine out a lot

Restaurant bills can add up much faster than some might realize. This is especially true in the age of food delivery apps, when your favorite meal is just a few taps away from your door.

“The average American household spent nearly $4,000 on food away from home in 2023, an 8 percent increase from the previous year,” Singletary writes.

If you’re not a fan of cooking, be sure to track exactly how much you are spending on food someone else prepared for you each month.

But if dining out is something you enjoy and don’t necessarily want to cut back on, you can still optimize this spending using a platform like Upside, an app that provides cash-back on gas, groceries, dining and more.

It will even give you up to 25 cents per gallon back on gas at the pump. You can also get a bonus 25 cents off per gallon when you use code MONEYWISE25 on your first transaction when you sign up.

Just claim the offer in-app, shop as usual, then purchase and pay with a linked credit or debit card. Simply cash out your earnings directly to your bank account, PayPal or a gift card.

Lie #5: I don’t understand why I’m always broke

If you’ve caught yourself saying this before, you need a financial audit. Perhaps your money situation changed recently, but your spending habits didn’t. It’s time to get real about your income and expenses, so you can take action.

“If you genuinely reflected on your spending habits and combed through your bank or credit union statements, you’d quickly uncover the reason your budget isn’t balancing,” Singletary wrote.

Be ruthless about your spending and find ways to cut costs.

For example, insurance providers tend to increase prices over time, making that once great deal you had on car insurance suddenly expensive. Take stock of how much you are paying, and see if you can find a better deal.

You can save on car insurance using aggregators like OfficialCarInsurance.com — just type in your age, zip code and current car insurance provider and you’ll instantly be provided with a selection of quotes to compare.

Providers include household names like GEICO, State Farm and Allstate. Depending on factors like your driving history and location, you can secure rates as low as $29 per month.

And if you’re paying too much for home insurance? OfficialHomeInsurance.com can help.

Simply input a few data points to be provided with a variety of insurance quotes — you could save an average of $482 this year alone.

What to read next

• You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
• Accredited investors can now buy into this $22 trillion asset class once reserved for elites – and become the landlord of Walmart, Whole Foods or Kroger without lifting a finger. Here’s how
• Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they’re banking on instead

Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. Subscribe now.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Last year was an excellent time to be an investor. According to the annual World Wealth Report from Capgemini, 11,000 Canadians became millionaires in 2024 — surging 2.4% from 2023.

This increase was aided by a 18.5% gain in the Canadian S&P/TSX, its highest gain since 2021.

However, according to Kris Bitterly, head of Citi Global Wealth at Work, alternative investments are another important element contributing to this rapid wealth accumulation.

“Many investors, presently, when you look at their asset allocations, they’re significantly underweight on alternatives,” Bitterly told Bloomberg, noting that alternatives present “unique opportunities that are not available in public markets that you want to express in your portfolio.”

If you’re interested in exploring some options that are usually reserved for the ultra wealthy, here are a few alternative investments you can easily add to your portfolio today.

Low barrier to entry for real estate investments

Real estate is a well known driver of high-net-worth individuals’ wealth.

But it may not be easy to break into property investing if you’re not already wealthy. Many new homeowners can only access the market because their parents have provided the down payment. In fact, 31% of first-time home buyers received some form of financial support from family in 2024 — an increase from 20% just a decade ago, according to Fidelity.

If you’re considering real estate investing, but don’t have enough saved for the down payment quite yet — or you just don’t want the hassle of being a landlord or homeowner — there are some real estate investment options with a lower barrier to entry.

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are particularly appealing for investors looking to grow their wealth and portfolio since they offer exposure to real estate without owning or managing physical properties.

REITs pool funds from investors to buy and manage income-generating real estate, including residential, commercial and industrial buildings.

They’re particularly attractive for Canadian investors as they provide steady income through dividends, portfolio diversification and access to real estate’s growth potential.

Furthermore, REITs provide tax advantages as they must distribute 90% of their taxable income to shareholders in Canada. With interest rates decreasing and market trends stabilizing, 2025 is an ideal time to consider adding Canadian REITs to your investment portfolio.

Gold is your neighbour’s best-kept secret

While it might not be the trendiest investment, gold still holds value in a properly diversified portfolio.

Over the past five years, from January 2020 to January 2025, gold has delivered a substantial return on investment (ROI). On January 1, 2020, gold was priced at approximately $1,518.40 per ounce. By January 1, 2025, the price had risen to around $2,623.96 per ounce.

This indicates that physical gold appreciated by approximately 72.77% over the five-year period. This growth reflects gold’s role as a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty, factors that have influenced its price trajectory during this time. As a result, hedge fund managers like Ray Dalio are bullish on gold for this reason.

The crypto rise continues

Once considered a fad, crypto is now dominating the alternative investment conversation, especially since the election of Donald Trump. In May, Bitcoin hit a record high, skyrocketing by 3% and surpassing a US$110,000 valuation for the first time ever.

Investors may trade cryptocurrency for a variety of reasons. Some see it as a store of value, like gold, whose returns may be uncorrelated to the stock market. Others see it as a currency, albeit one that is decentralized from any government or central bank.

It’s too early to tell exactly how cryptocurrency behaves as an asset class. What’s clear is that its short history and volatile price movements make trading cryptocurrency a largely speculative endeavour.

For those looking to enter into this space while sidestepping some of the inherent risks of owning and purchasing crypto, Bitcoin ETFs — and crypto ETFs, in general — offer Canadians a straightforward way to gain exposure to price fluctuations.

Traded on stock exchanges, these crypto ETFs allow individuals to buy and sell shares — as you would with traditional stocks. These crypto ETFs can be held in unregistered, cash accounts, as well as in tax-advantaged accounts like TFSAs or RRSPs.

Bitcoin ETFs make crypto investment easier by eliminating the need for private wallets and technical knowledge, while also simplifying asset security. With Canadian regulatory oversight, these ETFs come with protections designed to reduce risks.

For investors, Bitcoin and crypto ETFs in Canada also offer a potentially diversified approach to entering the crypto market. Some crypto ETFs incorporate a mix of digital assets, helping spread risk across multiple cryptocurrencies, which may reduce exposure to individual asset volatility.

Sources

1. Capgemini: World Wealth Report 2025

2. Fidelity: A parents’ guide to home down payment gifts and loans, by Jason Heath (Sept 24, 2024)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

We adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. Some or all links contained within this article are paid links.

Last year was an excellent time to be an investor. According to the annual World Wealth Report from Capgemini, 562,000 Americans became millionaires in 2024 — a 7.6% increase from 2023.

This rapid increase had two major contributing factors: interest rate cuts and the explosion of AI investments. Americans invested $109 billion in AI in 2024, far exceeding every other country in the world, according to Stanford University’s 2025 AI Index.

Don’t miss

• Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don’t have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here’s how
• I’m 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don’t panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast)
• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in ‘great wealth’. How to get in now

According to Kris Bitterly, head of Citi Global Wealth at Work, alternative investments are another important element contributing to this rapid wealth accumulation.

“Many investors, presently, when you look at their asset allocations, they’re significantly underweight on alternatives,” Bitterly told Bloomberg, noting that alternatives present “unique opportunities that are not available in public markets that you want to express in your portfolio.”

If you’re interested in exploring some options that are usually reserved for the ultra wealthy, here are a few alternative investments you can easily add to your portfolio today.

Low barrier to entry real estate investments

Real estate is a well known driver of high-net-worth individuals’ wealth. The National Association of Realtors found that approximately 90% of all millionaires in the U.S. grew part of their wealth through real estate.

But it’s not easy to break into property investing if you’re not already wealthy. Many new homeowners can only access the market because their parents have provided the down payment. As Redfin reported, one-third (36%) of Gen Zers and millennials expect to receive a cash gift from family to help fund their down payment.

If you’re considering real estate investing, but don’t have enough saved for the down payment quite yet — or you just don’t want the hassle of being a landlord or homeowner — there are some real estate investment options with a lower barrier to entry.

If you’re not an accredited investor, crowdfunding platforms like Arrived allow you to enter the real estate market for as little as $100.

Arrived offers you access to shares of SEC-qualified investments in rental homes and vacation rentals, curated and vetted for their appreciation and income potential.

Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived makes it easy to fit these properties into your investment portfolio regardless of your income level.

For accredited investors, Homeshares gives access to the $34.9 trillion U.S. home equity market, which has historically been the exclusive playground of institutional investors.

With a minimum investment of $25,000, investors can gain direct exposure to hundreds of owner-occupied homes in top U.S. cities through their U.S. Home Equity Fund — without the headaches of buying, owning or managing property.

With risk-adjusted target returns ranging from 14% to 17%, this approach provides an effective, hands-off way to invest in owner-occupied residential properties across regional markets.

Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

Gold is your neighbor’s best-kept secret

While it might not be the trendiest investment, gold still holds value in a properly diversified portfolio.

Over the past few months of tariff uncertainty, gold has done incredibly well. Gold breached $3,000 per ounce in April — avoiding some of the up-and-down spikes that rocked the S&P 500. Gold could even surpass the $4,000 benchmark by the second quarter of 2026, according to a report by JPMorgan.

Hedge fund managers like Ray Dalio are bullish on gold for this reason. It can hedge against inflation and help shield against volatility, ensuring high-net-worth individuals can weather any financial storm.

One way to invest in gold that also provides significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with the help of Priority Gold.

Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, which combines the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold, making it an attractive option for those looking to potentially hedge their retirement funds against economic uncertainties.

To learn more, you can get a free information guide that includes details on how to get up to $10,000 in free silver on qualifying purchases.

You don’t have to be a celeb to invest in fine art

For many, the trickiest part of investing is learning how to get started. Do I need a finance manager? What should I invest in? And what does everyone mean by diversified anyway?

But some investments don’t just sit in an account. In fact, the wealthiest among us often invest in beautiful works of art they can keep in their homes and enjoy every day.

David Bowie was known for his large collection of modern art, including works from Marcel Duchamp, Henry Moore, Frank Auerbach and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

While hanging a Basquiat on your wall someday might sound like a pipedream, that doesn’t mean investing in the art world is completely out of reach.

With Masterworks, anyone can diversify their portfolio by investing in fine art.

From their 23 exits so far, Masterworks investors have realized representative annualized net returns like +17.6%, +17.8% and +21.5% among assets held for longer than one year.

To earn a profit, you can either wait for Masterworks to sell the painting — the typical timeframe before a sale is between 3 to 10 years — or you can sell your shares yourself on the secondary market.

Masterworks takes care of all the heavy lifting: from buying the paintings, to storing them and to selling them for you — no art experience required.

Get started with Masterworks today and you could make your portfolio as beautiful as a Starry Night.

The crypto rise continues

Once considered a fad, crypto is now dominating the alternative investment conversation.

Bitcoin hit a record high in May, skyrocketing by 3% and surpassing a $110,000 valuation for the first time ever. Its rise could continue once the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve’s final plans are unveiled by President Donald Trump’s administration on July 22, 2025.

A recent study from Greyscale Investments also found that 38% of high-net-worth Americans with at least a million in investible assets expect to invest in crypto in the future, pointing to its relevance in a high-net-worth portfolio.

So all the bullish crypto sentiments coming from the office of the president just might be the real reason your neighbor was suddenly able to buy that new Benz sitting in the driveway.

For those looking to hop on the Bitcoin bandwagon, new crypto platforms have made it easier for everyday investors.

For instance, Gemini is a full-reserve and regulated cryptocurrency exchange and custodian, which allows users to buy, sell and store bitcoin and 70 other cryptocurrencies.

You can place instant, recurring and limit buys on their growing and vetted list of available coins.

Gemini is also offering new users $15 in free Bitcoin with code GEMINI15 when you trade $100 or more. However, the trade needs to be revenue-generating for Gemini — meaning no stablecoin or withdrawal-deposit shuffling. Just remember to act fast, the promotion is only good for 30 days after creating a new account.

But if you’re not ready to buy just yet, you can still invest in crypto with their Gemini credit card, which transforms a percentage of every purchase into bitcoin or a coin of your choice.

What to read next

• You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
• Accredited investors can now buy into this $22 trillion asset class once reserved for elites – and become the landlord of Walmart, Whole Foods or Kroger without lifting a finger. Here’s how
• Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they’re banking on instead

Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. Subscribe now.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

We adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. Some or all links contained within this article are paid links.

Money mastery isn’t always taught in school. In fact, only 11 U.S. states guaranteed students access to a personal finance course in high school before 2021, according to Next Gen Personal Finance — meaning, if you’re an adult in the U.S., there’s a good chance you were never taught how to manage your money.

But Ramit Sethi’s goal in life is to bridge that knowledge gap.

Don’t miss

• I’m 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don’t panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast)
• Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it
• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in ‘great wealth’. How to get in now

“Many people drift through their 20s and 30s hoping money just figures itself out,” Sethi said in a video posted to his Youtube channel in June.

With his website, I Will Teach You To Be Rich, he created an empire built around clear, no-nonsense financial advice that anyone can put into practice today.

If you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s or beyond, his 9 money milestones are worth considering.

Milestone #1: Zero high-interest debt

His first milestone is clearing all high-interest, meaning over 6%, debt.

“You cannot build a rich life while dragging credit card debt behind you — and you will be shocked at how fast your money grows once this anchor is gone,” Sethi says.

Credit card debt is the worst kind of debt, according to Sethi. It creates compound interest in reverse, counteracting any of the benefits you would otherwise receive from investing. Clearing this debt before doing anything else with your cash should be your number one priority.

The fastest path to understanding your debt is by creating a budget that tracks it all — credit card debt, student loans, mortgage, personal loans — alongside the APR, or the interest rate charged on your debt.

Monarch Money can act as your personal finance concierge, connecting with over 11,200 financial institutions. This means you can have a top-down view of your bank accounts and investment portfolios.

This can help you get a handle on your financial situation faster — then it’s time to pay down your debt strategically.

The two most common types of debt payment strategies are the avalanche and snowball methods. The avalanche technique starts with your largest, or highest interest, debt to create cascading relief once it’s settled. The snowball method aims to knock off smaller debts first and build momentum over time.

After your debts are under control you can use Monarch Money to start actively planning and tracking your financial goals. Want to build an emergency fund, save for a vacation or make a down payment on a home? Monarch Money can help you set these goals and track your progress.

Another option is to sit down and take stock of your assets. If you have substantial equity in your home, you could consider consolidating your credit card debt and paying it off with a Home Equity Line of Credit, which will offer a much lower interest rate than your credit card.

A HELOC is a secured line of credit that leverages your home as collateral. Depending on the value of your home and the remaining balance on your mortgage, you may be able to borrow funds at a lower interest rate from a lender as a form of revolving credit.

Rather than juggling multiple bills with varying due dates and interest rates, you can consolidate them into one easy-to-manage payment. The results? Less stress, generally reduced fees, and the potential for significant savings over time.

LendingTree’s marketplace connects you with top lenders offering competitive HELOC rates. Instead of going through the hassle of shopping for loans at individual banks or credit unions, LendingTree lets you compare multiple offers in one place. This helps you find the best HELOC for your situation.

Terms and conditions apply. NMLS#1136.

Milestone #2: Have a bullet-proof emergency fund

After your debt is cleared, the next milestone is creating an emergency fund.

While many money influencers suggest three to six months so you can invest more of your money faster, Sethi believes six to 12 provides true psychological security.

“Your goal is to build six to 12 months of core expenses in an emergency fund,” Sethi notes. “That includes rent or mortgage payments, transportation, groceries — and put that money in a boring high-yield savings account.”

A high-yield savings account like SoFi is a safe, simple way to store your emergency fund so the money grows while still being completely accessible should the unexpected happen.

SoFi currently offers a 3.80% APY, which is much higher than the national average for traditional savings accounts. Plus, SoFi doesn’t charge monthly or overdraft fees, and they’re currently offering a $300 bonus when you set up direct deposit.

Milestone #3: Reach full financial automation

His next milestone is all about ensuring you are investing regularly, without lifting a finger.

Automating your finances means you don’t have to do anything to invest — it happens automatically. This requires setting up automatic contributions  with your banking and investing accounts, so a percentage of the money you earn is automatically invested every time your paycheck hits your account.

“The secret to getting rich is not about stock picks, it’s not about crypto, it’s definitely not day trading … it’s boring, automated, consistent investing,” according to Sethi.

He recommends investing at least 10% of your income into your 401k and/or Roth IRA every time you are paid.

He also suggests increasing that auto-investment by 1% every year to supercharge your investment plan — meaning if you invest 7% of your pay this year, next year you would revisit your automatic investment plan and set it to 8%. The year after would be 9%, and so on.

If you don’t know how to set up automatic investing yourself, Acorns can help you get started in less than three minutes. How it works is simple: When you make a purchase Acorns rounds it up to the nearest dollar, turning that $4.25 coffee into a 75-cent investment in your future.

Acorns also offers a $20 bonus when you sign up with a recurring deposit.

Once you’re fully automated, it’s time to consider diversifying your investments. Investing in stocks and bonds with a 60/40 split is a good first step, but still exposes you to market risks tied to fiat currency, global trade and the like.

Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

Milestone #4: Reach career mastery

Sethi notes that your income is your most powerful wealth building tool. Your career is where you earn money, and the more money you earn, the more you can invest.

“The majority of millionaires in America made it from having a nice stable salary and then investing their money in low cost investments,” he says. “They didn’t win an insurance settlement. They didn’t pick a lottery ticket.

“They literally had a nine-to-five job and they took part of that money and invested. That’s why it makes a lot of sense for you to pay attention to your career and build the skill of increasing your income.”

Milestone #5: Know your number — and your why

Sethi’s next milestone is all about finding and understanding the bank account balance you need to retire and achieve all the financial goals you want in life.

“What number in the bank is enough for you? Is it a million dollars in savings? Two million, five million? Okay, but why?” Sethi asks.

“Why do you want that number? Truly rich people know their number and they know their why.”

Ask yourself what number will make you feel like you have enough to retire comfortably, retire early or go on that dream sabbatical. Knowing how much you need and why is the backbone of any strong financial plan.

“If you don’t know what that money is for, then you are simply wasting your life chasing a number,” Sethi continues.

If you’re unsure of what that number should be, a financial advisor can help you get a better picture of your goals. You can quickly find the right financial advisor for you through Advisor, by answering a few questions.

From here, you can book a call with no-obligation to hire to see if they’re a good fit.

Milestone #6: Have a shared financial dashboard

If you are married, or considering marriage, this is crucial advice.

Sethi notes that there should never be one person in the relationship who controls all the fiances — as that can be a breeding ground for resentment. A shared dashboard means you actively look at your money together, share financial goals and make long-term plans together.

His advice isn’t just about emotions. It’s also practical.

“If you happen to get hit by a bus one day, you’re going to leave your grieving family not even sure where the money is.”

If one partner holds access to all the accounts, and that person is suddenly gone, this creates extra chaos for the partner left behind.

With this in mind, Monarch Money also offers tools for couples to track your combined finances across multiple accounts. This can help you and your partner create a shared dashboard to manage your full financial picture.

Milestone #7: You’ve created your “no” list

What don’t you care about? Cut it out ruthlessly.

“This checkpoint is about clarity. It’s about knowing what doesn’t matter to you,” Sethi notes. “Here’s what you need to do: Write down three things you don’t care about spending money on, then write three things you want to spend money on unapologetically.”

This means actively looking at what you spend money on by tracking spending for a few months. Make sure your spending is aligned with the things you actually care about.

“Once you know what is not part of your rich life, then you can cut those things without guilt, and you can actually redirect that money to the things you love,” Sethi says.

Tracking your spending could show that you’re actually spending $120 a month on subscription services you haven’t used in years, allowing you to make cuts and put your money toward something more meaningful.

While you’re tightening up your finances, it might be a good idea to look at other monthly expenses like insurance. A big part of this is shopping around for the best rates, but this can take a lot of time and energy.

One option is to use OfficialCarInsurance.com to do the hard work for you. The platform lets you compare reputable providers like Geico and Progressive in minutes with offers as low as $29/month.

For homeowners, you could instead look at OfficialHomeInsurance.com to see if they beat the rates you’re currently paying. On average, you can save $482 per year using side-by-side comparisons of providers in your area. From here, you could put the money you’ll save each month toward investments instead.

Keep in mind that, in most cases, you don’t need to wait until your policy is up for renewal to make a switch.

Milestone #8: A simplified credit card assortment

Sethi’s next milestone is all about simplicity.

It is easy to get caught up in financial optimization to the detriment of  enjoying your life.

An all-consuming obsession with getting the best deal possible, or carrying around a wallet full of credit cards that need a spreadsheet to keep track of the best cash back rates for each spending category, is not how you create a healthy relationship with money.

“Do you really want to spend the rest of your life optimizing a spreadsheet of cash back rewards?” Sethi asks.

This takes up time you could better spend earning money, recharging by watching your favorite show or being with family. All that work to save an extra $50 a year isn’t always a worthwhile use of time.

Instead, he recommends keeping “one to two solid rewards cards.”

“Cancel those junk cards, including those predatory f—ing credit cards with 30% plus APRs that you got from Gap and Kohl’s to get $10 off a sub par pair of jeans,” he continues. “And then monitor your interest rates like a hawk while you’re paying off debt.”

Milestone #9: Have your financial vision in place

Finally, Sethi recommends using everything you learned from the other milestones to create a financial vision that you revisit yearly.

What you think you want out of life in your 30s will not be the same as what you might want in your 40s or 50s. At the end of each year, update your plan to suit your current lifestyle and future goals —  a recurring calendar event can help with this.

Sethi recommends asking yourself the following questions during these check-ins: “What do I want more of in this coming year? What doesn’t matter to me anymore? What do I want less of? And finally, what’s next?”

For some, a big goal might include real estate investing to create generational wealth. But not everyone can afford a mortgage, or a big downpayment.

Crowdfunding platforms like Arrived allow you to enter the real estate market for as little as $100, meaning even if you never want to own your own home, you can still benefit from investing in the market without the hassle of home ownership.

Backed by world-class investors, including Jeff Bezos, Arrived helps you invest in shares of vacation and rental properties, earning passive income from real estate without the midnight maintenance calls about burst pipes.

If you have at least $25,000 to invest, you could instead consider Homeshares, which offers exposure to hundreds of owner occupied properties around the U.S.

Homeshares can help you access this market through their U.S. Home Equity Fund. The fund provides homeowners with substantial, property-based equity access to liquidity through Home Equity Agreements, without incurring debt or additional interest payments.

This can translate into risk-adjusted target returns for investors ranging from 14% to 17%, while offering a low-maintenance alternative to traditional property ownership.

What to read next

• Financial aid only funds about 27% of US college expenses — but savvy parents are using this 3-minute move to cover 100% of those costs
• Here are the 6 levels of wealth for retirement-age Americans — are you near the top or bottom of the pyramid?
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
• How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you’ll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement

Money doesn’t have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

We adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. Some or all links contained within this article are paid links.

The USD has dropped 10% over the last six months alone, according to the U.S. Dollar Index. This means the dollar has reached its lowest value since the Nixon years, when the price of gold was unlinked from the USD in 1973, creating a rapid decline in the dollar’s value.

This decline is being felt most by Americans traveling abroad. Since the dollar has dropped 13% against the euro and 6% against the Japanese yen, international travellers are experiencing the pain of an increased summer vacation budget when visiting trendy destinations like Tokyo, Rome, Paris and Barcelona.

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• Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it
• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in ‘great wealth’. How to get in now

This time around, the sudden drop is happening partly due to President Donald Trump’s recurring tariff threats creating an isolationist foreign policy, according to the New York Times.

With Trump’s recently passed “big, beautiful bill” set to increase the debt by $3.4 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office, inflation worries and rising government debt are also pushing the value of the dollar down further.

So what does this mean for your investments?

Here are four ways to protect your retirement fund when the USD takes a nosedive.

Let gold work its magic

Since the value of gold is no longer tied to any particular country or currency, it can be a great way to hedge against a dropping dollar.

A recent report from JPMorgan notes that the current share of gold in foreign exchange (FX) reserves is “more than double the 4% seen a decade ago,” which highlights the current bull market gold is experiencing.

With prices forecast to climb toward $4,000 per ounce by mid-2026, these gold highs don’t appear to be going away anytime soon. This means a percentage of assets in gold could be a solid strategy for growing your investments while the dollar is down.

If you want to get some tax advantages while you’re at it, one option is opening a gold IRA with the help of Priority Gold.

Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, combining the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold. This can make them a good option if you’re seeking to shield your retirement funds against a declining dollar.

When you make a qualifying purchase with Priority Gold, you can receive up to $10,000 in precious metals for free.

Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

Invest in the housing market

Real estate provides another solid option for diversifying your portfolio against market shocks.

“A weaker dollar makes U.S. real estate more attractive to foreign investors as their purchasing power increases,” noted Private Banker International during a previous dollar dip in 2023.

A decrease in the dollar’s purchasing power typically leads to rising inflation. While this isn’t great for your pocketbook, inflation leads to real estate prices rising due to the increased cost of materials.

This means rental income tends to increase, giving landlords a revenue stream that adjusts with inflation.

But, if you don’t want to be a landlord, there are other options for tapping into real estate as an alternative asset. One opportunity is the $34.9 trillion home equity market.

Homeshares allows accredited investors who don’t want the headache of buying, owning or managing property the ability to invest in hundreds of owner-occupied homes in top U.S. cities through their U.S. Home Equity Fund.

With a $25,000 initial investment, Homeshares can provide an effective, hands-off way to invest in high-quality residential properties minus the stress of being a landlord.

And if you’re curious about short-term rental investing, but don’t want the hassle of being a host, there’s an easier option.

Arrived offers access to shares of SEC-qualified investments in rental homes and vacation rentals, vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Backed by world class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived makes it easy to add real estate to your portfolio to protect yourself against market swings.

Even better, you can get in the door with a $100 initial investment to see if Arrived is a good fit for you.

Consider adding fine art to your portfolio

Fine art investing can help set your portfolio up for success even when the dollar is low.

Fine art is known for appreciating significantly over time. Contemporary art returns outpaced the S&P 500 by 43% from 1995 to 2024, and the total estimated global value of wealth held in art is $2.1 trillion, according to Deloitte.

But the process of finding and investing in fine art can feel opaque and overwhelming.

If you’re not sure how to get started, Masterworks provides a simple way to bring beloved, time-tested artwork into your portfolio through the power of crowd funding.

Masterworks helps you quickly tap into this asset class. All you have to do is invest in fractional shares of artwork from the likes of Picasso and Banksy.

Masterworks then takes care of finding, purchasing and storing the artwork for you, making it a simple hands-off process. Then, when Masterworks sells the painting, you earn a profit.

From 23 exits so far, Masterworks investors have realized representative annualized net returns like +17.6%, +17.8%, and +21.5% among assets held for longer than a year.

If you’re looking for a new alternative investment, see if you qualify for Masterworks today. Billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Oprah Winfrey invest in fine art. Why not you?

See important Regulation A disclosures at Masterworks.com/cd.

Make sure to include some international investments

When trust is lost in the dollar, investors often move away from U.S. stocks.

“Investors tend to invest in places where their capital is treated best,” Kristian Kerr, head of macro strategy for LPL Financial, told Investor’s Business Daily. “So, if U.S. assets start to underperform, it’s likely investors will move some assets to parts of the world where they can generate better returns.”

While international investments should always make up some percentage of a well-diversified portfolio, now is a good time to look at the balance you have set up between U.S. and international markets.

Kerr added that some foreign investors are now “rebalancing” their portfolio due to an “overweight” in U.S. assets. Carrying a healthy mix of international assets can protect you when the dollar is low.

But if you’re not sure which international investments to add to your portfolio, you might benefit from an advisor’s advice.

Advisor.com can match you with an advisor who can help find the right portfolio mix for you. Since the platform’s advisors are legally obligated to act in your best interest, you know your money is in good hands.

How it works is simple — answer a few questions about yourself and your goals and Advisor.com will match you with a vetted financial advisor.

Book a free, no-obligation call today to see if they’re the right fit for you.

What to read next

• Financial aid only funds about 27% of US college expenses — but savvy parents are using this 3-minute move to cover 100% of those costs
• Here are the 6 levels of wealth for retirement-age Americans — are you near the top or bottom of the pyramid?
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
• How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you’ll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement

Money doesn’t have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

We adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. Some or all links contained within this article are paid links.

Billionaire Ray Dalio recently made a shocking comment about the state of the economy, claiming an American “economic heart attack” is nearly inevitable, but his warning also came with some ideas for savvy investors looking to avoid the storm.

In a recent post on the social platform X promoting his latest book, “How Countries Go Broke: The Big Cycle,” he explained his fears surrounding America’s debt, and why he compares the U.S. economy to a person’s circulatory system.

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• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in ‘great wealth’. How to get in now

“The debt dynamics work the same for a government as they do for a person or a company, except that the central government has a central bank that can print money (which devalues it) and it can take money away from people via taxes,” Dalio wrote.

The way Dalio sees it, a country’s debt can build up to a dangerous level the same way plaque can in a person’s arteries.

“To me, the credit/market system is like the circulatory system, bringing nutrients to all parts of the body that make up our markets and economy.”

Dalio makes the point that credit, when used effectively, can create productivity and income, which can pay back the debt and the interest on the debt.

But, like in business, if the debt isn’t used well it doesn’t create enough income to pay for itself. This means debt servicing can build up like plaque in the circulatory system of the American economy, squeezing out other spending.

This can lead to interest rates rising and central banks “printing money,” which lowers the value of the dollar and raises inflation.

“All these things lead toward a government debt crisis which produces the equivalent of an economic heart attack that comes when the constriction of debt-financed spending shuts down the normal flow of the circulatory system,” Dalio wrote.

So what can savvy investors do to avoid this impending economic doom? Dalio recommends focusing on two shockproof assets.

Protect your investment plan with gold

The billionaire feels strongly about gold, because it tends to do well in tumultuous times.

Dalio’s post pointed out that this economic problem isn’t specific to the U.S. Other countries like Japan, the U.K. and China all have similar debt and deficit problems:

“I expect a similar debt and currency devaluation adjustment process in most countries, which is why I expect non-government produced monies like gold and bitcoin to do relatively well.”

Since gold can’t be printed, and it isn’t tied to a single country, currency or economy, it can provide a safe alternative investment strategy during challenging times. In April, the price for an ounce of gold hit a new benchmark of $3,400, up 66% from its listed price in early 2024, according to CBS News.

“Having a small percentage of one’s money in gold can reduce the portfolio’s risk, and I think it will also raise its return,” Dalio wrote.

If you’re interested in investing in gold, Priority Gold is one option for tapping into this alternative asset. They also have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Priority Gold allows you to convert an existing IRA into a gold IRA with 100% free rollover, free shipping and free storage for up to five years. Qualifying purchases can also receive up to $10,000 in free silver.

You can download their free 2025 gold investor bundle to learn more. Keep in mind that gold is often best used as a portfolio diversification tool when it’s combined with other alternative assets.

Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

Consider complimenting with crypto

Dalio concluded his post on X by answering a pressing question for many: How should investors navigate financial risk going forward?

“Everyone’s financial situation is different, but as general advice, I suggest diversifying well in asset classes and countries that have strong income statements and balance sheets and are not having great internal political and external geopolitical conflicts, underweighting debt assets like bonds, and overweighting gold and a bit of bitcoin.”

Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are another asset that, like gold, avoids being tied to any specific country or currency, which can make them useful for diversifying your portfolio during globally stressful times.

Bitcoin struck a new all-time high of $112,000 per coin in June, surging 50% from its April low. After Elon Musk replied positively to a post asking if his new America Party would embrace bitcoin, the price continued to rise.

If you’re looking to get into the crypto market, one option is Gemini, which made Forbes’ 2024 top ten of list of the best crypto exchanges.

As a full-reserve and regulated cryptocurrency exchange and custodian where you can buy, sell and store over 70 vetted cryptocurrencies, Gemini lets you choose the coins that suit your confidence level.

New users can even get $15 in free Bitcoin with code GEMINI15 when you trade $100 or more. However, the trade needs to be revenue-generating for Gemini — meaning no stablecoin or withdrawal-deposit shuffling.

But be sure to act fast, as this promotion is only good for 30 days after creating an account.

If you’re not sure yet about actively investing in crypto, you can test the waters by applying for the Gemini credit card. With no annual fees, it allows you to earn crypto on every purchase you make.

As an added bonus, you can also earn $200 in crypto rewards when you spend $3,000 on the Gemini credit card within your first 90 days.

Art investing as an alternative asset

In a YouTube video posted to his channel, Dalio shared that his “Holy Grail of investing” is to “find 10 to 15 good, uncorrelated return streams.”

This strategy helps ensure that risk remains low.

“If you find a number of return streams, a number of investments that are good and uncorrelated, you will have the average return of those so you don’t lessen your return,” he said.

“But at 15, you’ll eliminate 80% of your risk, so you’ll improve your return-to-risk ratio by a factor of five.”

Investing in fine art can be a great addition to any diversification strategy. Just like gold and crypto, it isn’t tied to any specific currency or country.

But while it might be easy for someone like Dalio to invest millions in an original Basquiat, the price point for investing in fine art isn’t accessible for most.

But now, Masterworks is helping investors tap into this diversification strategy by investing in fractional shares of fine art from artists such as Picasso and Banksy.

Masterworks handles the process of finding, purchasing and storing the artwork for you.

To earn a profit, just wait for Masterworks to sell the painting. Typically, it takes between 3 and 10 years to make a sale, although you can sell your shares yourself on the secondary market before then.

From 23 exits so far, Masterworks investors have realized representative annualized net returns like +17.6%, +17.8%, and +21.5% among assets held for longer than one year.

If you’re already comfortable with investing, see if you qualify with Masterworks today and invest like the billionaires do.

See important Regulation A disclosures at Masterworks.com/cd.

But talk to an advisor first

While Dalio’s suggestions might be helpful, it’s usually a good idea to speak with a financial advisor before making any big investment decisions.

A skilled advisor can help determine the right asset mix for your portfolio depending on your risk tolerance, investing timeline and financial goals. People who work with financial advisors tend to experience a 3% increase in net returns, according to a report from Vanguard.

If you’re not sure where to find a qualified advisor, Advisor.com can help match you with an advisor who can meet your particular needs. The platform’s advisors are also fiduciaries, meaning they’re legally obligated to act in your best interests.

From there, you can book a no-obligation call to see if they’re the right fit for you.

What to read next

• Financial aid only funds about 27% of US college expenses — but savvy parents are using this 3-minute move to cover 100% of those costs
• Here are the 6 levels of wealth for retirement-age Americans — are you near the top or bottom of the pyramid?
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
• How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you’ll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement

Money doesn’t have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

We adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. Some or all links contained within this article are paid links.

Last year was an excellent time to be an investor. According to the annual World Wealth Report from Capgemini, 562,000 Americans became millionaires in 2024 — a 7.6% increase from 2023.

This rapid increase had two major contributing factors: interest rate cuts and the explosion of AI investments. Americans invested $109 billion in AI in 2024, far exceeding every other country in the world, according to Stanford University’s 2025 AI Index.

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• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in ‘great wealth’. How to get in now
• Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

According to Kris Bitterly, head of Citi Global Wealth at Work, alternative investments are another important element contributing to this rapid wealth accumulation.

“Many investors, presently, when you look at their asset allocations, they’re significantly underweight on alternatives,” Bitterly told Bloomberg, noting that alternatives present “unique opportunities that are not available in public markets that you want to express in your portfolio.”

If you’re interested in exploring some options that are usually reserved for the ultra wealthy, here are a few alternative investments you can easily add to your portfolio today.

Low barrier to entry real estate investments

Real estate is a well known driver of high-net-worth individuals’ wealth. The National Association of Realtors found that approximately 90% of all millionaires in the U.S. grew part of their wealth through real estate.

But it’s not easy to break into property investing if you’re not already wealthy. Many new homeowners can only access the market because their parents have provided the down payment. As Redfin reported, one-third (36%) of Gen Zers and millennials expect to receive a cash gift from family to help fund their down payment.

If you’re considering real estate investing, but don’t have enough saved for the down payment quite yet — or you just don’t want the hassle of being a landlord or homeowner — there are some real estate investment options with a lower barrier to entry.

If you’re not an accredited investor, crowdfunding platforms like Arrived allow you to enter the real estate market for as little as $100.

Arrived offers you access to shares of SEC-qualified investments in rental homes and vacation rentals, curated and vetted for their appreciation and income potential.

Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived makes it easy to fit these properties into your investment portfolio regardless of your income level.

For accredited investors, Homeshares gives access to the $34.9 trillion U.S. home equity market, which has historically been the exclusive playground of institutional investors.

With a minimum investment of $25,000, investors can gain direct exposure to hundreds of owner-occupied homes in top U.S. cities through their U.S. Home Equity Fund — without the headaches of buying, owning or managing property.

With risk-adjusted target returns ranging from 14% to 17%, this approach provides an effective, hands-off way to invest in owner-occupied residential properties across regional markets.

Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

Gold is your neighbor’s best-kept secret

While it might not be the trendiest investment, gold still holds value in a properly diversified portfolio.

Over the past few months of tariff uncertainty, gold has done incredibly well. Gold breached $3,000 per ounce in April — avoiding some of the up-and-down spikes that rocked the S&P 500. Gold could even surpass the $4,000 benchmark by the second quarter of 2026, according to a report by JPMorgan.

Hedge fund managers like Ray Dalio are bullish on gold for this reason. It can hedge against inflation and help shield against volatility, ensuring high-net-worth individuals can weather any financial storm.

One way to invest in gold that also provides significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with the help of Thor Metals.

Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, which combines the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold, making it an attractive option for those looking to potentially hedge their retirement funds against economic uncertainties.

To learn more, you can get a free information guide that includes details on how to get up to $20,000 in free metals on qualifying purchases.

You don’t have to be a celeb to invest in fine art

For many, the trickiest part of investing is learning how to get started. Do I need a finance manager? What should I invest in? And what does everyone mean by diversified anyway?

But some investments don’t just sit in an account. In fact, the wealthiest among us often invest in beautiful works of art they can keep in their homes and enjoy every day.

David Bowie was known for his large collection of modern art, including works from Marcel Duchamp, Henry Moore, Frank Auerbach and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

While hanging a Basquiat on your wall someday might sound like a pipedream, that doesn’t mean investing in the art world is completely out of reach.

With Masterworks, anyone can diversify their portfolio by investing in fine art.

From their 23 exits so far, Masterworks investors have realized representative annualized net returns like +17.6%, +17.8% and +21.5% among assets held for longer than one year.

To earn a profit, you can either wait for Masterworks to sell the painting — the typical timeframe before a sale is between 3 to 10 years — or you can sell your shares yourself on the secondary market.

Masterworks takes care of all the heavy lifting: from buying the paintings, to storing them and to selling them for you — no art experience required.

Get started with Masterworks today and you could make your portfolio as beautiful as a Starry Night.

The crypto rise continues

Once considered a fad, crypto is now dominating the alternative investment conversation.

Bitcoin hit a record high in May, skyrocketing by 3% and surpassing a $110,000 valuation for the first time ever. Its rise could continue once the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve’s final plans are unveiled by President Donald Trump’s administration on July 22, 2025.

A recent study from Greyscale Investments also found that 38% of high-net-worth Americans with at least a million in investible assets expect to invest in crypto in the future, pointing to its relevance in a high-net-worth portfolio.

So all the bullish crypto sentiments coming from the office of the president just might be the real reason your neighbor was suddenly able to buy that new Benz sitting in the driveway.

For those looking to hop on the Bitcoin bandwagon, new crypto platforms have made it easier for everyday investors.

For instance, Gemini is a full-reserve and regulated cryptocurrency exchange and custodian, which allows users to buy, sell and store bitcoin and 70 other cryptocurrencies.

You can place instant, recurring and limit buys on their growing and vetted list of available coins.

Gemini is also offering new users $15 in free Bitcoin with code GEMINI15 when you trade $100 or more. However, the trade needs to be revenue-generating for Gemini — meaning no stablecoin or withdrawal-deposit shuffling. Just remember to act fast, the promotion is only good for 30 days after creating a new account.

But if you’re not ready to buy just yet, you can still invest in crypto with their Gemini credit card, which transforms a percentage of every purchase into bitcoin or a coin of your choice.

What to read next

• Financial aid only funds about 27% of US college expenses — but savvy parents are using this 3-minute move to cover 100% of those costs
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
• How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you’ll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement
• This is how American car dealers use the ‘4-square method’ to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs

Money doesn’t have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

We adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. Some or all links contained within this article are paid links.

Money mastery isn’t always taught in school. In fact, only 11 U.S. states guaranteed students access to a personal finance course in high school before 2021, according to Next Gen Personal Finance — meaning, if you’re an adult in the U.S., there’s a good chance you were never taught how to manage your money.

But Ramit Sethi’s goal in life is to bridge that knowledge gap.

Don’t miss

• I’m 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don’t panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast)
• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in ‘great wealth’. How to get in now
• Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

“Many people drift through their 20s and 30s hoping money just figures itself out,” Sethi said in a video posted to his Youtube channel in June.

With his website, I Will Teach You To Be Rich, he created an empire built around clear, no-nonsense financial advice that anyone can put into practice today.

If you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s or beyond, his 9 money milestones are worth considering.

Milestone #1: Zero high-interest debt

His first milestone is clearing all high-interest, meaning over 6%, debt.

“You cannot build a rich life while dragging credit card debt behind you — and you will be shocked at how fast your money grows once this anchor is gone,” Sethi says.

Credit card debt is the worst kind of debt, according to Sethi. It creates compound interest in reverse, counteracting any of the benefits you would otherwise receive from investing. Clearing this debt before doing anything else with your cash should be your number one priority.

The fastest path to understanding your debt is by creating a budget that tracks it all — credit card debt, student loans, mortgage, personal loans — alongside the APR, or the interest rate charged on your debt.

Monarch Money can act as your personal finance concierge, connecting with over 11,200 financial institutions. This means you can have a top-down view of your bank accounts and investment portfolios.

This can help you get a handle on your financial situation faster — then it’s time to pay down your debt strategically.

The two most common types of debt payment strategies are the avalanche and snowball methods. The avalanche technique starts with your largest, or highest interest, debt to create cascading relief once it’s settled. The snowball method aims to knock off smaller debts first and build momentum over time.

After your debts are under control you can use Monarch Money to start actively planning and tracking your financial goals. Want to build an emergency fund, save for a vacation or make a down payment on a home? Monarch Money can help you set these goals and track your progress.

Another option is to sit down and take stock of your assets. If you have substantial equity in your home, you could consider consolidating your credit card debt and paying it off with a Home Equity Line of Credit, which will offer a much lower interest rate than your credit card.

A HELOC is a secured line of credit that leverages your home as collateral. Depending on the value of your home and the remaining balance on your mortgage, you may be able to borrow funds at a lower interest rate from a lender as a form of revolving credit.

Rather than juggling multiple bills with varying due dates and interest rates, you can consolidate them into one easy-to-manage payment. The results? Less stress, generally reduced fees, and the potential for significant savings over time.

LendingTree’s marketplace connects you with top lenders offering competitive HELOC rates. Instead of going through the hassle of shopping for loans at individual banks or credit unions, LendingTree lets you compare multiple offers in one place. This helps you find the best HELOC for your situation.

Terms and conditions apply. NMLS#1136.

Milestone #2: Have a bullet-proof emergency fund

After your debt is cleared, the next milestone is creating an emergency fund.

While many money influencers suggest three to six months so you can invest more of your money faster, Sethi believes six to 12 provides true psychological security.

“Your goal is to build six to 12 months of core expenses in an emergency fund,” Sethi notes. “That includes rent or mortgage payments, transportation, groceries — and put that money in a boring high-yield savings account.”

A high-yield savings account like SoFi is a safe, simple way to store your emergency fund so the money grows while still being completely accessible should the unexpected happen.

SoFi currently offers a 3.80% APY, which is much higher than the national average for traditional savings accounts. Plus, SoFi doesn’t charge monthly or overdraft fees, and they’re currently offering a $300 bonus when you set up direct deposit.

Milestone #3: Reach full financial automation

His next milestone is all about ensuring you are investing regularly, without lifting a finger.

Automating your finances means you don’t have to do anything to invest — it happens automatically. This requires setting up automatic contributions  with your banking and investing accounts, so a percentage of the money you earn is automatically invested every time your paycheck hits your account.

“The secret to getting rich is not about stock picks, it’s not about crypto, it’s definitely not day trading … it’s boring, automated, consistent investing,” according to Sethi.

He recommends investing at least 10% of your income into your 401k and/or Roth IRA every time you are paid.

He also suggests increasing that auto-investment by 1% every year to supercharge your investment plan — meaning if you invest 7% of your pay this year, next year you would revisit your automatic investment plan and set it to 8%. The year after would be 9%, and so on.

If you don’t know how to set up automatic investing yourself, Acorns can help you get started in less than three minutes. How it works is simple: When you make a purchase Acorns rounds it up to the nearest dollar, turning that $4.25 coffee into a 75-cent investment in your future.

Acorns also offers a $20 bonus when you sign up with a recurring deposit.

Once you’re fully automated, it’s time to consider diversifying your investments. Investing in stocks and bonds with a 60/40 split is a good first step, but still exposes you to market risks tied to fiat currency, global trade and the like.

Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

Milestone #4: Reach career mastery

Sethi notes that your income is your most powerful wealth building tool. Your career is where you earn money, and the more money you earn, the more you can invest.

“The majority of millionaires in America made it from having a nice stable salary and then investing their money in low cost investments,” he says. “They didn’t win an insurance settlement. They didn’t pick a lottery ticket.

“They literally had a nine-to-five job and they took part of that money and invested. That’s why it makes a lot of sense for you to pay attention to your career and build the skill of increasing your income.”

Milestone #5: Know your number — and your why

Sethi’s next milestone is all about finding and understanding the bank account balance you need to retire and achieve all the financial goals you want in life.

“What number in the bank is enough for you? Is it a million dollars in savings? Two million, five million? Okay, but why?” Sethi asks.

“Why do you want that number? Truly rich people know their number and they know their why.”

Ask yourself what number will make you feel like you have enough to retire comfortably, retire early or go on that dream sabbatical. Knowing how much you need and why is the backbone of any strong financial plan.

“If you don’t know what that money is for, then you are simply wasting your life chasing a number,” Sethi continues.

If you’re unsure of what that number should be, a financial advisor can help you get a better picture of your goals. You can quickly find the right financial advisor for you through Advisor, by answering a few questions.

From here, you can book a call with no-obligation to hire to see if they’re a good fit.

Milestone #6: Have a shared financial dashboard

If you are married, or considering marriage, this is crucial advice.

Sethi notes that there should never be one person in the relationship who controls all the fiances — as that can be a breeding ground for resentment. A shared dashboard means you actively look at your money together, share financial goals and make long-term plans together.

His advice isn’t just about emotions. It’s also practical.

“If you happen to get hit by a bus one day, you’re going to leave your grieving family not even sure where the money is.”

If one partner holds access to all the accounts, and that person is suddenly gone, this creates extra chaos for the partner left behind.

With this in mind, Monarch Money also offers tools for couples to track your combined finances across multiple accounts. This can help you and your partner create a shared dashboard to manage your full financial picture.

Milestone #7: You’ve created your “no” list

What don’t you care about? Cut it out ruthlessly.

“This checkpoint is about clarity. It’s about knowing what doesn’t matter to you,” Sethi notes. “Here’s what you need to do: Write down three things you don’t care about spending money on, then write three things you want to spend money on unapologetically.”

This means actively looking at what you spend money on by tracking spending for a few months. Make sure your spending is aligned with the things you actually care about.

“Once you know what is not part of your rich life, then you can cut those things without guilt, and you can actually redirect that money to the things you love,” Sethi says.

Tracking your spending could show that you’re actually spending $120 a month on subscription services you haven’t used in years, allowing you to make cuts and put your money toward something more meaningful.

While you’re tightening up your finances, it might be a good idea to look at other monthly expenses like insurance. A big part of this is shopping around for the best rates, but this can take a lot of time and energy.

One option is to use OfficialCarInsurance.com to do the hard work for you. The platform lets you compare reputable providers like Geico and Progressive in minutes with offers as low as $29/month.

For homeowners, you could instead look at OfficialHomeInsurance.com to see if they beat the rates you’re currently paying. On average, you can save $482 per year using side-by-side comparisons of providers in your area. From here, you could put the money you’ll save each month toward investments instead.

Keep in mind that, in most cases, you don’t need to wait until your policy is up for renewal to make a switch.

Milestone #8: A simplified credit card assortment

Sethi’s next milestone is all about simplicity.

It is easy to get caught up in financial optimization to the detriment of  enjoying your life.

An all-consuming obsession with getting the best deal possible, or carrying around a wallet full of credit cards that need a spreadsheet to keep track of the best cash back rates for each spending category, is not how you create a healthy relationship with money.

“Do you really want to spend the rest of your life optimizing a spreadsheet of cash back rewards?” Sethi asks.

This takes up time you could better spend earning money, recharging by watching your favorite show or being with family. All that work to save an extra $50 a year isn’t always a worthwhile use of time.

Instead, he recommends keeping “one to two solid rewards cards.”

“Cancel those junk cards, including those predatory f—ing credit cards with 30% plus APRs that you got from Gap and Kohl’s to get $10 off a sub par pair of jeans,” he continues. “And then monitor your interest rates like a hawk while you’re paying off debt.”

Milestone #9: Have your financial vision in place

Finally, Sethi recommends using everything you learned from the other milestones to create a financial vision that you revisit yearly.

What you think you want out of life in your 30s will not be the same as what you might want in your 40s or 50s. At the end of each year, update your plan to suit your current lifestyle and future goals —  a recurring calendar event can help with this.

Sethi recommends asking yourself the following questions during these check-ins: “What do I want more of in this coming year? What doesn’t matter to me anymore? What do I want less of? And finally, what’s next?”

For some, a big goal might include real estate investing to create generational wealth. But not everyone can afford a mortgage, or a big downpayment.

Crowdfunding platforms like Arrived allow you to enter the real estate market for as little as $100, meaning even if you never want to own your own home, you can still benefit from investing in the market without the hassle of home ownership.

Backed by world-class investors, including Jeff Bezos, Arrived helps you invest in shares of vacation and rental properties, earning passive income from real estate without the midnight maintenance calls about burst pipes.

If you have at least $25,000 to invest, you could instead consider Homeshares, which offers exposure to hundreds of owner occupied properties around the U.S.

Homeshares can help you access this market through their U.S. Home Equity Fund. The fund provides homeowners with substantial, property-based equity access to liquidity through Home Equity Agreements, without incurring debt or additional interest payments.

This can translate into risk-adjusted target returns for investors ranging from 14% to 17%, while offering a low-maintenance alternative to traditional property ownership.

What to read next

• Financial aid only funds about 27% of US college expenses — but savvy parents are using this 3-minute move to cover 100% of those costs
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
• How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you’ll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement
• This is how American car dealers use the ‘4-square method’ to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs

Money doesn’t have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

We adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. Some or all links contained within this article are paid links.

Last year was an excellent time to be an investor. According to the annual World Wealth Report from Capgemini, 562,000 Americans became millionaires in 2024 — a 7.6% increase from 2023.

This rapid increase had two major contributing factors: interest rate cuts and the explosion of AI investments. Americans invested $109 billion in AI in 2024, far exceeding every other country in the world, according to Stanford University’s 2025 AI Index.

Don’t miss

• I’m 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don’t panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast)
• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in ‘great wealth’. How to get in now
• Gain potential quarterly income through this $1B private real estate fund — even if you’re not a millionaire. Here’s how to get started with as little as $10

According to Kris Bitterly, head of Citi Global Wealth at Work, alternative investments are another important element contributing to this rapid wealth accumulation.

“Many investors, presently, when you look at their asset allocations, they’re significantly underweight on alternatives,” Bitterly told Bloomberg, noting that alternatives present “unique opportunities that are not available in public markets that you want to express in your portfolio.”

If you’re interested in exploring some options that are usually reserved for the ultra wealthy, here are a few alternative investments you can easily add to your portfolio today.

Low barrier to entry real estate investments

Real estate is a well known driver of high-net-worth individuals’ wealth. The National Association of Realtors found that approximately 90% of all millionaires in the U.S. grew part of their wealth through real estate.

But it’s not easy to break into property investing if you’re not already wealthy. Many new homeowners can only access the market because their parents have provided the down payment. As Redfin reported, one-third (36%) of Gen Zers and millennials expect to receive a cash gift from family to help fund their down payment.

If you’re considering real estate investing, but don’t have enough saved for the down payment quite yet — or you just don’t want the hassle of being a landlord or homeowner — there are some real estate investment options with a lower barrier to entry.

If you’re not an accredited investor, crowdfunding platforms like Arrived allow you to enter the real estate market for as little as $100.

Arrived offers you access to shares of SEC-qualified investments in rental homes and vacation rentals, curated and vetted for their appreciation and income potential.

Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived makes it easy to fit these properties into your investment portfolio regardless of your income level.

For accredited investors, Homeshares gives access to the $34.9 trillion U.S. home equity market, which has historically been the exclusive playground of institutional investors.

With a minimum investment of $25,000, investors can gain direct exposure to hundreds of owner-occupied homes in top U.S. cities through their U.S. Home Equity Fund — without the headaches of buying, owning or managing property.

With risk-adjusted target returns ranging from 14% to 17%, this approach provides an effective, hands-off way to invest in owner-occupied residential properties across regional markets.

Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

Gold is your neighbor’s best-kept secret

While it might not be the trendiest investment, gold still holds value in a properly diversified portfolio.

Over the past few months of tariff uncertainty, gold has done incredibly well. Gold breached $3,000 per ounce in April — avoiding some of the up-and-down spikes that rocked the S&P 500. Gold could even surpass the $4,000 benchmark by the second quarter of 2026, according to a report by JPMorgan.

Hedge fund managers like Ray Dalio are bullish on gold for this reason. It can hedge against inflation and help shield against volatility, ensuring high-net-worth individuals can weather any financial storm.

One way to invest in gold that also provides significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with the help of American Hartford Gold.

Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account — combining the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold, making it an option for those looking to potentially hedge their retirement funds against economic uncertainties.

Even better, you can often roll over existing 401(k) or IRA accounts into a gold IRA without tax-related penalties. To learn more, get your free 2025 information guide on investing in precious metals.

Qualifying purchases can also receive up to $20,000 in free silver.

You don’t have to be a celeb to invest in fine art

For many, the trickiest part of investing is learning how to get started. Do I need a finance manager? What should I invest in? And what does everyone mean by diversified anyway?

But some investments don’t just sit in an account. In fact, the wealthiest among us often invest in beautiful works of art they can keep in their homes and enjoy every day.

David Bowie was known for his large collection of modern art, including works from Marcel Duchamp, Henry Moore, Frank Auerbach and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

While hanging a Basquiat on your wall someday might sound like a pipedream, that doesn’t mean investing in the art world is completely out of reach.

With Masterworks, anyone can diversify their portfolio by investing in fine art.

From their 23 exits so far, Masterworks investors have realized representative annualized net returns like +17.6%, +17.8% and +21.5% among assets held for longer than one year.

To earn a profit, you can either wait for Masterworks to sell the painting — the typical timeframe before a sale is between 3 to 10 years — or you can sell your shares yourself on the secondary market.

Masterworks takes care of all the heavy lifting: from buying the paintings, to storing them and to selling them for you — no art experience required.

Get started with Masterworks today and you could make your portfolio as beautiful as a Starry Night.

The crypto rise continues

Once considered a fad, crypto is now dominating the alternative investment conversation.

Bitcoin hit a record high in May, skyrocketing by 3% and surpassing a $110,000 valuation for the first time ever. Its rise could continue once the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve’s final plans are unveiled by President Donald Trump’s administration on July 22, 2025.

A recent study from Greyscale Investments also found that 38% of high-net-worth Americans with at least a million in investible assets expect to invest in crypto in the future, pointing to its relevance in a high-net-worth portfolio.

So all the bullish crypto sentiments coming from the office of the president just might be the real reason your neighbor was suddenly able to buy that new Benz sitting in the driveway.

For those looking to hop on the Bitcoin bandwagon, new crypto platforms have made it easier for everyday investors.

For instance, Gemini is a full-reserve and regulated cryptocurrency exchange and custodian, which allows users to buy, sell and store bitcoin and 70 other cryptocurrencies.

You can place instant, recurring and limit buys on their growing and vetted list of available coins.

Gemini is also offering new users $15 in free Bitcoin with code GEMINI15 when you trade $100 or more. However, the trade needs to be revenue-generating for Gemini — meaning no stablecoin or withdrawal-deposit shuffling. Just remember to act fast, the promotion is only good for 30 days after creating a new account.

But if you’re not ready to buy just yet, you can still invest in crypto with their Gemini credit card, which transforms a percentage of every purchase into bitcoin or a coin of your choice.

What to read next

• JPMorgan sees gold soaring to $6,000/ounce — use this 1 simple IRA trick to lock in those potential shiny gains (before it’s too late)
• This is how American car dealers use the ‘4-square method’ to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
• How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you’ll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement

Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. Subscribe for free.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.