Zillow isn’t just for house hunting. It’s a window into your financial life. Here’s how to take control of it.
AI just roasted your retirement plan
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I set up my 401(k) back when I worked for AT&T and truly never looked at it again. I picked a few funds and stocks, hoped for the best and trusted that everything was on track. It worked out for me. But now?
With AI peeking over my financial shoulder like a nosy aunt, I’m in deep. I’m dissecting my holdings, side-eyeing expense ratios and even questioning my financial adviser like I suddenly have a CFA.
You might not have the best mix of investments, and sneaky fees could be quietly draining your money. Do what I do. Use AI to get a second opinion, safely and easily.
Step 1: Grab the basics
Log in to your 401(k) or brokerage account and save in a doc. Tip in a tip: In Chrome, put doc.new in the address bar to start a new Google doc.
In there put:
- The names or ticker symbols of your investments
- The percentage you have in each fund
- Any listed fees or “expense ratios”
That’s all you need. Never share account numbers, dollar amounts tied to your name or login info. AI doesn’t need them.
Step 2: Ask AI what it thinks
Head to ChatGPT (or your favorite AI assistant) and type something like: “Here are the funds in my 401(k). Does this look like a good mix for someone who’s 50 years old?”
You’ll get a plain-English breakdown of your risk level, diversification and what your investments actually do.
Step 3: Look for sneaky fees
💰 Meanwhile, retirement changes: Trump’s planning an executive order to let 401(k)s tap into crypto, gold, private equity and other alt assets. Long locked in stocks and bonds, opening up the $9T retirement market could be a windfall for digital assets and a whole new playbook for savers. If this passes, your financial adviser might start wearing Yeezys.
$300 billion
The payday Ronald Wayne missed by leaving Apple too soon. Wayne bailed on his 10% stake 12 days in, for $800 in 1976 (paywall link), thinking he was dodging a financial bullet. The payout probably could buy him a small country today, or a few months’ rent in a San Francisco studio apartment.
AI-proof, for now: Turns out some white-collar gigs are harder to kill than expected. Looks like we’re gonna need tens of thousands more accountants, CEOs and financial advisers by 2030, even as AI keeps eating jobs like it’s at a buffet. AI also can’t replace CEOs because it hasn’t learned golf yet.
$64 billion
And growing as Coinbase’s market cap crashes the S&P 500 party. After nearly 13 years of crypto chaos, Coinbase is officially joining the S&P 500, replacing Discover Financial. Shares jumped 8% on the news, because apparently, being the cool new kid at Wall Street’s lunch table has its perks. Bitcoin hitting $104K probably didn’t hurt either.
$328,739.18
The amount raised for an 81-year-old waitress. She told a customer she couldn’t afford to stop working, so a kind stranger posted the story on TikTok. Now Betty’s trading in the diner shift for well-earned rest. Her reaction? “I think I better get a financial adviser!” You and me both, Betty.
The smishing scam
Received a message from FedEx or UPS about a package you didn’t order? Don’t fall for it —clicking that link could put your personal and financial information at risk.