The Curriculum

Mark Agustin is a personal finance writer and the founder of KatchingStacks. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Management and came to personal finance the hard way — through firsthand financial hardship that made the gap between what schools teach about money and what actually matters in real life painfully clear. That experience drove him to spend years researching the tools, platforms, and strategies that genuinely help people build financial stability from scratch — robo-advisors, index funds, retirement accounts, and the compound math that works quietly in the background when everything else feels uncertain. Every review and guide on KatchingStacks reflects that same ethos: research-backed, jargon-free, and written for the person who doesn't have a financial advisor and doesn't plan to get one. Mark evaluates each platform on fees, portfolio construction, and real-world usability — not affiliate payouts. He is not a licensed financial advisor, and nothing on this site constitutes personalized investment advice. It's the research he does to make better decisions with his own money, shared plainly.

Guides
How to Switch Robo-Advisors Without a Surprise Tax Bill

Moving a robo-advisor account is not taxable; selling is. How to transfer in-kind, what gets sold anyway, and the wash-sale trap.

Sep 30, 2026
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Life Insurance
Life Insurance Beneficiaries: A Complete Guide for Wealth Builders

Naming the wrong beneficiary — or forgetting to update them — can send your death benefit to the wrong person. Here's everything wealth-building investors need to know about life insurance beneficiaries.

Sep 29, 2026
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Life Insurance
Life Insurance vs. Investing: Can You Do Both?

Life insurance and investing aren't competing priorities — they solve different problems. Here's how to integrate both into a coherent financial strategy without sacrificing one for the other.

Sep 22, 2026
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Life Insurance
Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Review 2026

Northwestern Mutual has paid dividends for over 150 consecutive years and holds the highest financial strength rating available. Here's what investors need to know before buying a policy.

Sep 15, 2026
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HSA vs. 401(k)
Guides
HSA vs. 401(k): Which Should You Max Out First in 2026?

HSA vs 401k: see why the HSA's triple tax advantage often beats even a Roth, and the right order to fund both in 2026.

Sep 14, 2026
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401(k) vs. Robo-Advisor
Guides
401(k) vs. Robo-Advisor: Where Should Your Next Dollar Go?

401k vs robo advisor: get the match first, then choose based on taxes and flexibility. Here's the framework that actually settles it.

Sep 10, 2026
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New York Life Insurance
Life Insurance
New York Life Insurance Review 2026

New York Life is the largest mutual life insurer in the U.S. and holds the highest possible financial strength rating. Here's what investors should know before getting a policy.

Sep 8, 2026
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Avalanche vs. Snowball
Guides
Debt Avalanche vs. Snowball: Which Payoff Method Actually Works?

Debt avalanche vs snowball: the real math, the real psychology, and a simple framework for picking the method you'll actually finish.

Sep 7, 2026
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How Much to Keep in Savings
Guides
How Much Should You Really Keep in a High-Yield Savings Account?

Learn how much to keep in high-yield savings — the simple formula based on essential expenses, not gross income.

Sep 3, 2026
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Is Whole Life Worth It?
Life Insurance
Is Whole Life Insurance a Good Investment?

Insurance agents pitch whole life as an investment. Financial advisors usually disagree. Here's an honest breakdown of what whole life actually delivers — and when it might make sense.

Sep 1, 2026
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