Christopher Smith is a writer who covers investing, banking, insurance, and making extra money. He joined Clark.com in 2020. He has more than 14 years of writing experience. Christopher has always been interested in personal finance. When he was in elementary school, he would read the Sports and Money section of the newspaper at the breakfast table every morning, tracking the prices of his favorite stocks. He joined the investment club at school and even chose to make his fourth-grade presentation about the stock market. When he’s not working, he spends most of his time with his wife, a first-generation Colombian immigrant and a Physician Assistant. He also likes college football, NFTs, rock climbing and good restaurants. You can reach Christopher at [email protected]

More posts by Christopher Smith

Afterpay is a buy now, pay later service charges 0% interest.
How Does Afterpay Work? Money & Credit September 23rd, 2021
What if you could buy furniture, clothes or other household items by paying just 25% upfront? That's the basic premise…
Opinion Outpost Review: Is This Survey Site Legit?
Opinion Outpost Review: Is This Survey Site Legit? Make Money September 17th, 2021
If you want to make money by answering surveys online, Opinion Outpost is an option that will most likely turn…
InboxDollars review
InboxDollars Review: How Much Money Can You Make? Make Money September 9th, 2021
Do you dream about making money online at any time of the day while you relax by the pool or…
Honeygain review
Honeygain Review: Is This a Safe Option for Passive Income? Make Money September 1st, 2021
Honeygain's slogan is "Passive Income -- Effortlessly." That's pretty catchy and could be quite the lure. But what is Honeygain…
Wells Fargo decided to allow current customers to maintain personal lines of credit one month after the bank announced that it was shuttering all personal lines of credit.
Wells Fargo To Maintain Some Lines of Credit After Criticism Banks & Banking August 23rd, 2021
Wells Fargo announced in July that it was shuttering all personal lines of credit. This week, CNBC reported that the…
Swagbucks review
Swagbucks Review: How Much Money Can You Make? Make Money August 19th, 2021
If you're searching for ways to make money online, you've probably come across Swagbucks. The online rewards portal awards you…
Learn how to make money online as a teen as we explore the best online jobs for teens.
16 Ways To Make Money Online as a Teenager Make Money August 17th, 2021
Thanks to a booming digital economy, online jobs for teens are plentiful. If you're a teenager who wants to learn…
The best passive income ideas still take work, time and money.
23 Best Passive Income Ideas To Build Wealth Investing & Retirement August 11th, 2021
Passive income can help you achieve financial freedom and live the life of your dreams. Who doesn't want to get…
Clark.com's Acorns review will explain how the micro-investment platform works and examine its fees.
Acorns Review: How It Works, Pros & Cons Investing & Retirement August 11th, 2021
If you're looking for companies to help you invest your money, one big player is the Acorns platform. In this…
Cricket and Acorns have partnered to offer customers free investment money.
There’s a New Way To Invest Money: With Your Cell Phone Bill Budgeting & Saving August 9th, 2021
There's a new corporate partnership that can help consumers get a boost in their efforts to save and invest. If…
Robinhood's stock price soared dramatically less than a week after the fintech company announced its IPO.
What’s Happening With Robinhood’s Stock? Investing & Retirement August 6th, 2021
Robinhood's stock has sent investors and short-term traders into a frenzy less than one week after its IPO. Trading under…
Learn how to make quick money in one day with a list of ideas from Clark Howard.
Need Money: How To Make Quick Money in One Day Jobs August 3rd, 2021
Maybe you need money now, but your paycheck isn't hitting your bank account today. Or maybe you're just interested in…
The Dividend Aristocrats are some of the best dividend stocks because they've raised their dividend for at least 25 consecutive years.
What Are Dividend Stocks and Should You Invest in Them? Investing & Retirement July 28th, 2021
Is building a dividend portfolio a good idea, and what are the best dividend stocks? In this article, I'll tell…
Is it worth opening a high-interest savings account if you have to meet certain conditions?
High-Interest Savings Accounts With Conditions: Are They Worth It? Investing & Retirement July 21st, 2021
We're in the midst of a long stretch of historically low interest rates. Getting much more than 0.50% APY in…
Money expert Clark Howard doesn't like investing in individual stocks.
Clark’s Take: Should You Invest in Stocks at All? Investing & Retirement July 12th, 2021
Money expert Clark Howard isn't a fan of investing in individual stocks. Clark thinks putting an outsized percentage of your…
Wells Fargo just stopped offering a personal line of credit to any of its customers.
Wells Fargo Is Closing All Personal Lines of Credit Banks & Banking July 11th, 2021
In a move that surely will make a negative impact on the credit score of some of its customers, Wells…
Use a compound interest calculator to figure out how much money you'll be able to make on your savings and investments.
How To Calculate Compound Interest Investing & Retirement July 9th, 2021
Whoever came up with the phrase, "It takes money to make money," was probably a big fan of compound interest.…
ETF vs. mutual fund may seem trivial but comes with serious tax implications.
ETF vs. Mutual Fund: Which Investment Is Better? Investing & Retirement July 1st, 2021
The difference between an ETF vs. a mutual fund may seem trivial, as both are available as part of professionally-managed…
Target Date Funds vs Index Funds
Target Date Funds vs. Index Funds: Which Are Better for You? Investing & Retirement June 22nd, 2021
Money expert Clark Howard is a huge proponent of target date funds as a way to invest for retirement. He…
A mutual fund is a popular retirement investment type that can get you quick access to a diversified portfolio.
What Is a Mutual Fund? Investing & Retirement June 22nd, 2021
A mutual fund is an investment vehicle that gives you access to a diversified, professionally-managed portfolio. In this article, I'll…
Clark Howard's favorite target date funds are Fidelity, Schwab and Vanguard.
Best Target Date Funds: 3 Top Picks Investing & Retirement June 17th, 2021
The best target date funds offer a one-stop solution for low-cost retirement investing. In this article, I'll highlight the target…
Ally Bank eliminated overdraft fees for all of its customers in June 2021.
Ally Bank Eliminates Overdraft Fees Banks & Banking June 14th, 2021
Ally Bank has stopped charging overdraft fees to any of its customers. Ally temporarily waived some overdraft fees starting in…
index funds investing concept on $100 bills
What Are Index Funds? Investing & Retirement June 10th, 2021
Index funds are among the most popular retirement investments. But exactly what are they, and what are the best index…
401(a) vs. 401(k): What's the difference between these workplace retirement plans?
What Is a 401(a) and How Is It Different From a 401(k)? Investing & Retirement June 7th, 2021
A 401(a) retirement plan is much less common and more quirky than a 401(k). However, there are many similarities between…
A SIMPLE IRA is a workplace retirement plan for small businesses that is more restrictive than a solo 401(k) or a SEP IRA.
What Is a SIMPLE IRA and How Does It Work? Investing & Retirement May 27th, 2021
A SIMPLE IRA is a type of retirement plan available to small businesses with 100 or fewer employees. Because of…
Hybrid robo-advisor vs. full-service financial advisor: Which investing option is best for you?
Full-Service Financial Advisor vs. Hybrid Robo-Advisor: What’s Best for Me? Investing & Retirement April 30th, 2021
Money expert Clark Howard often recommends Vanguard Personal Advisor Services (PAS) to people who want to hire a financial advisor.…
According to the IRA withdrawal rules, you can avoid an early withdrawal penalty by waiting until 59½ to take out your money.
IRA Withdrawal Rules: Early Withdrawal Penalty & Exceptions Investing & Retirement April 26th, 2021
If you're funding your retirement through an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), you'll want to know the IRA withdrawal rules to…
The 401(k) withdrawal rules dictate when you can take money out of your 401(k) without paying an early withdrawal penalty.
401(k) Withdrawal Rules: Early Withdrawal Penalty & Exceptions Investing & Retirement April 26th, 2021
If you're thinking of retiring -- especially if you’re considering retiring early -- it's important to understand the 401(k) withdrawal…
A 401(k) match is an excellent feature of a workplace retirement plan that can help secure your financial future.
401(k) Match: What Is It, How It Works Investing & Retirement April 21st, 2021
If your company offers a 401(k) match, get excited. You have an opportunity to stockpile free money for your retirement.…
Hybrid financial advisors are a favorite of money expert Clark Howard for investors of all kinds.
Comparing Hybrid Financial Advisors: Vanguard vs. Schwab vs. Fidelity Investing & Retirement April 19th, 2021
Are you looking for a financial advisor? Money expert Clark Howard loves to recommend the hybrid advisor options from Vanguard,…