Brian Baker, CFA

Senior writer, Investing and Retirement

15

Years of experience

EXPERTISE

Investing
Wealth management
Behavioral finance
Stock analysis and valuation

EDUCATION

CFA Institute
Bachelor of Arts, Finance, Michigan State University
Master of Science, Journalism, Northwestern University

Investing can be intimidating, but following some basic principles can put you on the path to achieving your financial goals.
— Brian Baker, CFA

Brian Baker, CFA, covers investing and retirement for Bankrate. He previously worked in equity research at Diamond Hill Capital Management and is a CFA Charterholder. His work has appeared online in various publications including MarketWatch, Fortune, the Omaha World-Herald, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Detroit News, MSN and Yahoo Finance. He also serves on the Investment Task Force for the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing.

Prior to joining Bankrate, he covered mergers and acquisitions for MLex Market Insight in Washington, D.C. Baker is passionate about helping people make sense of complicated financial topics so that they can better plan for their financial futures.

Readers can rely on his articles to learn more about a variety of investing topics such as how to start investing, investing through mutual funds, when to sell a stock and how investors can manage their emotions.

Baker’s passion for investing developed in college after reading about the success of long-term investors like Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger.

Investing can be intimidating, but following some basic principles can put you on the path to achieving your financial goals.
— Brian Baker, CFA

Brian's Picks

senior woman at desktop computer in home office

4 MIN READ

How much should retirees have invested in the stock market?

Retired? Here’s how to think about your asset allocation

Warren Buffett display at 2025 Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting.

4 MIN READ

Warren Buffett to step down as Berkshire Hathaway CEO: 5 takeaways from the annual meeting

Five key takeaways from Warren Buffett at the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting.

Image of a person holding a mobile phone that showing a stock performance graph with Buy and Sell buttons at the bottom of the screen.

4 MIN READ

5 strategies to build confidence while investing in the stock market

Want to feel more confident about investing? These tips can help.

Brian's latest articles

What is net asset value (NAV)? Definition and formula explained

If you’re a mutual fund or ETF investor, then you need to know about net asset value. Here’s the basics.

2 min read May 08, 2024
Active ETFs: What they are and how they work

What to know about active ETFs before you invest.

3 min read Apr 18, 2024
7 strategies financial advisors use with their own money

Financial advisors use these strategies when managing their own money.

4 min read Mar 19, 2024
Liquid assets vs. fixed assets: What’s the difference?

What investors should know about fixed assets and liquid assets.

2 min read Mar 12, 2024
What is fixed income investing? Consider these pros and cons

Fixed income investing can give you a consistent – aka fixed – stream of money. Here’s how.

6 min read Mar 08, 2024
What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and why is it useful?

What you should know about the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

5 min read Mar 08, 2024
What is forex trading?

Forex trading may sound complex, but we’ll show you what you need to know to get started.

5 min read Feb 19, 2024
Morgan Stanley Access Investing

For younger investors looking to invest based on their values or certain themes, Morgan Stanley’s Access Investing provides a suitable option among robo-advisors.

5 min read Sep 24, 2021