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.

What Is Dollar-Cost Averaging? — KatchingStacks
Guides
What Is Dollar-Cost Averaging? The Boring Strategy That Actually Works

Dollar-cost averaging is the most-recommended investing strategy for a reason. Here's what it is, why it works, and when it doesn't.

Jun 9, 2026
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How Compound Interest Works — KatchingStacks
Guides
How Compound Interest Works — And Why Starting at 25 vs 35 Is a $300,000 Difference

Compound interest isn't magic — it's math. Here's why a ten-year head start is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Jun 2, 2026
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What Is an Index Fund? — KatchingStacks
Guides
What Is an Index Fund? (And Why Warren Buffett Won’t Shut Up About Them)

Index funds are the quiet backbone of modern investing. Here's what they are, why they work, and how Warren Buffett thinks about them.

May 27, 2026
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Vanguard Digital Advisor Review — KatchingStacks
Reviews
Vanguard Digital Advisor Review: The Index Fund King Goes Robo

Vanguard invented the low-cost index fund. Here's how its robo-advisor stacks up and whether the legend still holds.

May 27, 2026
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Fidelity Go Review — KatchingStacks
Reviews
Fidelity Go Review: Fidelity’s Simple, Low-Cost Robo-Advisor

Fidelity Go is free under $25,000 and uses zero-expense-ratio funds. Here's the full breakdown of how it works.

May 27, 2026
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Ellevest Review — KatchingStacks
Reviews
Ellevest Review: A Robo-Advisor Built for Women — But Should Everyone Use It?

Ellevest builds portfolios around the realities of women's financial lives. Here's how it works and whether the approach matters for your money.

May 27, 2026
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Best Robo-Advisors for Beginners — KatchingStacks
Reviews
Best Robo-Advisors for Beginners in 2026 (Ranked and Reviewed)

Not sure which robo-advisor to start with? We ranked the best options for beginners in 2026 — including Acorns, Betterment, and Wealthfront — so you can stop overthinking and start investing.

May 27, 2026
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Betterment Review 2026 — KatchingStacks
Reviews
Betterment Review 2026: The Original Robo-Advisor, Still a Top Pick?

Betterment invented the robo-advisor category in 2010 — and it's still one of the best. Here's our full Betterment review for 2026, including pricing, features, and who it's right for.

May 27, 2026
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Wealthfront Review 2026 — KatchingStacks
Reviews
Wealthfront Review 2026: The Best Robo-Advisor for Hands-Off Investors?

Wealthfront combines tax-loss harvesting, a high-yield cash account, and automated portfolio management into one sleek platform. Here's our full 2026 review.

May 27, 2026
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What Is a Robo-Advisor? — KatchingStacks
Guides
What Is a Robo-Advisor? (And Should You Use One in 2026)

A robo-advisor is an automated investment platform that builds and manages a diversified portfolio for you — no stock-picking required. Here's how they work and whether one is right for you.

May 27, 2026
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