
Alex Johnson
CFP® · Tax-Smart Investing & Retirement Planning
CFP® · B.S. Finance, University of Texas · 12+ Years Experience
About Alex
Alex Johnson is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Texas. With over 12 years of experience, Alex helps young professionals and families build wealth without sacrificing joy.
A former corporate accountant turned full-time writer, Alex specializes in tax-smart investing, retirement planning, and side-hustle strategies. When not crunching numbers, Alex enjoys hiking with their rescue dog and mentoring first-generation college grads on financial independence.
Areas of Expertise
- 💚 Tax-Smart Investing
- 💚 Retirement Planning
- 💚 Economic News Analysis
- 💚 Side-Hustle Strategies
Credentials
✅ CFP® — Certified Financial Planner™
✅ B.S. Finance, University of Texas
✅ Former Corporate Accountant
✅ 12+ Years Experience
Articles by Alex Johnson (53 articles)
AI Hiring Boom Is Over — Now the Layoffs Begin
AI hiring is slowing as tech firms shift from rapid expansion to discipline. Here’s what the cooldown means for jobs, la…
Economic News
February 27, 2026
Infrastructure Wake-Up Call: The System Is Failing Faster Than Expected
America is pouring trillions into infrastructure, but cracks are widening. Here’s how failing roads, power grids, and po…
Economic News
February 20, 2026
The Compounding Breakdown
High interest rates turned compounding from a wealth builder into a debt trap. Here’s how small money choices now snowba…
Savings & Investment
February 13, 2026
Smart Savings: Simple Ways to Cut Everyday Costs
Even if you feel you need a service, you’re likely spending too much for it and can usually negotiate lower costs …
Savings & Investment
February 1, 2026
How Retirement Contributions Affect Taxes
Putting money into, or taking money out of retirement accounts, can affect your personal federal income taxes….
Savings & Investment
January 22, 2026
Crypto 101: The Top 10 Coins to Watch This Summer
Discover Summer 2025’s top 10 cryptocurrencies for new investors….
Savings & Investment
January 14, 2026
Navigating Self-Employment and the Gig Economy in Today’s Tech-Driven World
The more familiar you are with the basics of self-employment, the easier it will be for you to plan decisions and select…
Economic News
January 2, 2026
Climate vs. Weather: Understanding the Big Picture of Our Planet’s Changing Conditions
There are many scientists who study the climate by analyzing historical weather data, tracking temperature trends, and e…
Economic News
December 20, 2025
Investment Options Under Current Taxation Methods
Any investment takes patience, time, and research to get to any point that a person can be happy about….
Savings & Investment
November 19, 2025
Create An Appreciated Work Environment
The less stress that a person feels while they are working, the more that they will appreciate the job that they have an…
Economic News
November 13, 2025
How Tech is Transforming Lives for People with Disabilities
What were once significant obstacles are now being solved by clever apps, innovative devices and software making communi…
Economic News
November 7, 2025
How to Save Money Using Your Savings Account
Savings is hard, the efforts you make will be rewarded in the future….
Savings & Investment
October 29, 2025
9 Ways a Government Can Ensure Accountability to the People
Keeping public trust and efficient governance depends heavily on ensuring government accountability, which is a fundamen…
Economic News
September 27, 2025
Smartphones: Evolving from Basic Communication Tools to Tech Marvels
The advent of smartphones caused a radical change in how people communicate. Mobile phones have come a long way since th…
Economic News
September 9, 2025
Demographic Change: How Population Trends Shape Our Society
The demographic change is a reality that shapes every aspect of our lives, from economics to culture….
Economic News
September 3, 2025
Understanding Climate Change and Analyzing the Strategic Remedies to Mitigate Disasters
Climate change is a global problem resulting from human activities, mainly deforestation, and industrialization….
Economic News
August 21, 2025
How To Navigate The Stock Market
he stock market generally offers investors higher returns than risk-averse investment vehicles (such as savings accounts…
Savings & Investment
July 22, 2025
How The Growth of The American Infrastructure Is Boosting The Economy
Infrastructure investment creates economic growth by encouraging more businesses to shop within your sector. That increa…
Economic News
July 8, 2025
Beginners Guide to Investments and its Principles
Investments come in many shapes and sizes, but they all have one goal: to provide a return on your money….
Savings & Investment
June 27, 2025
Special
May 3, 2024
Special
April 25, 2024
Special
April 21, 2024
Special
April 13, 2024
Special
April 10, 2024
Special
April 2, 2024
Special
March 27, 2024
High Cost of Business School
A four-year business degree is one of those degrees that can take you just about anywhere. You can work in administratio…
Economic News
December 18, 2023
The High Cost of Law School
The decision to go to law school is a big one, and while you may like the idea of earning a generous salary and working …
Economic News
November 24, 2023
College Majors that Don’t Pay Well
Going to college may improve your future job prospects, However, the fact that you may have more opportunities than some…
Economic News
November 13, 2023
Easy And Simple Ways To Save Money As An Undergraduate
Everyone knows the rumor: “College kids are broke.” However, there are simple and easy ways to save money on a college c…
Savings & Investment
September 28, 2023
PrimeRates Market Talk: Facebook, Summers and PPI
In what was expected to be a week dominated by Syria, the markets pivoted almost as fast as Obama to new topics….
Economic News
September 24, 2023
Apple Legally Shelters Billions of Dollars Overseas
Apple is a huge company. While they have been around for nearly four decades; it is only since about the year 2000 that…
Economic News
August 14, 2023
Colleges That Offer the Best Return on Investment
College expenses can accumulate quickly, especially when no scholarships are involved. There are some schools that offe…
Savings & Investment
April 19, 2023
PrimeRates Morning Markets: CPI, Wal-Mart, Japan, Housing And Iron Man
While this time of the year tends to see light trading, there are a few things to keep an eye on. Wal-Mart will report t…
Economic News
January 1, 2023
Surprise! Google+ Is Only Behind Facebook In Social Media
Google+ is still a new player in the game with only two years under its belt, but it has already accumulated 135 million…
Economic News
October 7, 2022
Bracing For the Impact: Doubling of Interest Rates on Student Loans
There is a common question hovering around most college campuses these days. It usually goes, “Will my subsidized studen…
Economic News
March 19, 2022
Hey, What’s Going On With Sallie Mae?
The recent announcement that Sallie Mae is going to split into two companies has more than a few people puzzled. What ex…
Economic News
February 23, 2022
Great Student Loans: Federal vs. Private Borrowing Choices
Federal loans feature a low, fixed rate, and in most cases, repayment does not begin until after graduation. Federal aid…
Savings & Investment
January 11, 2022
Engineering Degrees Offer the Most Financially Rewarding Careers
The NACE compiles information on degrees in Business, Communications, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities & So…
Savings & Investment
December 22, 2021
The Bully Pulpit – Why Rex Reed Should Shut Up
Rex Reed has now come back into notoriety via his recent movie review of the new Jason Bateman/Melissa McCarthy film, Id…
Economic News
March 12, 2021
David v. Goliath – the Kelly Clarkson/Clive Davis Feud
It’s hard to imagine why Clive Davis, a legendary music executive, would find it necessary to single out Kelly Clarkson …
Economic News
March 7, 2021
Sir Richard Branson To Donate Half His Fortune to Charity
Truly a case of paying one’s good fortune forward. Well done, Sir Richard Branson and all the other Giving Pledge suppor…
Economic News
February 22, 2021
Lindsay Lohan Loses Litigation
Does Lindsay Lohan know what tremendous emotional distress it causes me to have to keep writing stories about her bad be…
Economic News
February 18, 2021
Taylor Swift Is Sued; Song To Follow
No matter what the outcome, I’m guessing we’re going to hear a song written about it by Taylor Swift sooner rather than …
Economic News
January 30, 2021
Case Solved: Patricia Cornwell Wins Big In Court
On February 5, we told you about the complicated case of Patricia Cornwell who sued her former financial advisers for re…
Economic News
January 21, 2021
Prince Michael Jackson and the Celebrity Child Syndrome
There are some celebrity offspring who have proven to be talented. But there are others who are probably being cast beca…
Economic News
January 17, 2021
Celebrity Perfumes and Why We Buy Them
Have you ever purchased a celebrity-endorsed perfume for yourself or someone else? And did you ever wonder how this phen…
Economic News
January 10, 2021
Mary J. Blige and Her Tax Woes
Just to show you that being rich and famous doesn’t mean you don’t have financial problems, the sad tale of Mary J. Blig…
Economic News
January 5, 2021
Charlie Sheen, the New Good Guy
The request made its way to Charlie Sheen and he wired $10,000 into the family’s bank account on Valentine’s Day to cove…
Economic News
December 27, 2020
Celebrity Gift Bags and the IRS
Celebrity gift bags are a series of products, services, and other amenities that are given to people who perform or pres…
Economic News
December 22, 2020
Universities Are Required to Publish Net-Price Calculators
Colleges are required to put net-price calculators on their sites. Students now have a much more accurate picture of how…
Economic News
November 30, 2020
All-Star Celebrity Apprentice Proves the Mayan Calendar Was Wrong
Now that we’ve had several seasons of Celebrity Apprentice, NBC has upped their game to launch All-Star Celebrity Appren…
Economic News
November 8, 2020
Setting Up a Savings Account For a Newborn
Establishing a savings account for a newborn represents a surefire ways parents can prepare for a child’s financial futu…
Savings & Investment
September 1, 2020

Alex Johnson
CFP® · Tax-Smart Investing & Retirement Planning
CFP® · B.S. Finance, University of Texas · 12+ Years Experience
About Alex
Alex Johnson is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Texas. With over 12 years of experience, Alex helps young professionals and families build wealth without sacrificing joy.
A former corporate accountant turned full-time writer, Alex specializes in tax-smart investing, retirement planning, and side-hustle strategies. When not crunching numbers, Alex enjoys hiking with their rescue dog and mentoring first-generation college grads on financial independence.
Areas of Expertise
- 💚 Tax-Smart Investing
- 💚 Retirement Planning
- 💚 Economic News Analysis
- 💚 Side-Hustle Strategies
Credentials
✅ CFP® — Certified Financial Planner™
✅ B.S. Finance, University of Texas
✅ Former Corporate Accountant
✅ 12+ Years Experience
Articles by Alex Johnson (53 articles)
AI Hiring Boom Is Over — Now the Layoffs Begin
AI hiring is slowing as tech firms shift from rapid expansion to discipline. Here’s what the cooldown means for jobs, la…
Economic News
February 27, 2026
Infrastructure Wake-Up Call: The System Is Failing Faster Than Expected
America is pouring trillions into infrastructure, but cracks are widening. Here’s how failing roads, power grids, and po…
Economic News
February 20, 2026
The Compounding Breakdown
High interest rates turned compounding from a wealth builder into a debt trap. Here’s how small money choices now snowba…
Savings & Investment
February 13, 2026
Smart Savings: Simple Ways to Cut Everyday Costs
Even if you feel you need a service, you’re likely spending too much for it and can usually negotiate lower costs …
Savings & Investment
February 1, 2026
How Retirement Contributions Affect Taxes
Putting money into, or taking money out of retirement accounts, can affect your personal federal income taxes….
Savings & Investment
January 22, 2026
Crypto 101: The Top 10 Coins to Watch This Summer
Discover Summer 2025’s top 10 cryptocurrencies for new investors….
Savings & Investment
January 14, 2026
Navigating Self-Employment and the Gig Economy in Today’s Tech-Driven World
The more familiar you are with the basics of self-employment, the easier it will be for you to plan decisions and select…
Economic News
January 2, 2026
Climate vs. Weather: Understanding the Big Picture of Our Planet’s Changing Conditions
There are many scientists who study the climate by analyzing historical weather data, tracking temperature trends, and e…
Economic News
December 20, 2025
Investment Options Under Current Taxation Methods
Any investment takes patience, time, and research to get to any point that a person can be happy about….
Savings & Investment
November 19, 2025
Create An Appreciated Work Environment
The less stress that a person feels while they are working, the more that they will appreciate the job that they have an…
Economic News
November 13, 2025
How Tech is Transforming Lives for People with Disabilities
What were once significant obstacles are now being solved by clever apps, innovative devices and software making communi…
Economic News
November 7, 2025
How to Save Money Using Your Savings Account
Savings is hard, the efforts you make will be rewarded in the future….
Savings & Investment
October 29, 2025
9 Ways a Government Can Ensure Accountability to the People
Keeping public trust and efficient governance depends heavily on ensuring government accountability, which is a fundamen…
Economic News
September 27, 2025
Smartphones: Evolving from Basic Communication Tools to Tech Marvels
The advent of smartphones caused a radical change in how people communicate. Mobile phones have come a long way since th…
Economic News
September 9, 2025
Demographic Change: How Population Trends Shape Our Society
The demographic change is a reality that shapes every aspect of our lives, from economics to culture….
Economic News
September 3, 2025
Understanding Climate Change and Analyzing the Strategic Remedies to Mitigate Disasters
Climate change is a global problem resulting from human activities, mainly deforestation, and industrialization….
Economic News
August 21, 2025
How To Navigate The Stock Market
he stock market generally offers investors higher returns than risk-averse investment vehicles (such as savings accounts…
Savings & Investment
July 22, 2025
How The Growth of The American Infrastructure Is Boosting The Economy
Infrastructure investment creates economic growth by encouraging more businesses to shop within your sector. That increa…
Economic News
July 8, 2025
Beginners Guide to Investments and its Principles
Investments come in many shapes and sizes, but they all have one goal: to provide a return on your money….
Savings & Investment
June 27, 2025
Special
May 3, 2024
Special
April 25, 2024
Special
April 21, 2024
Special
April 13, 2024
Special
April 10, 2024
Special
April 2, 2024
Special
March 27, 2024
High Cost of Business School
A four-year business degree is one of those degrees that can take you just about anywhere. You can work in administratio…
Economic News
December 18, 2023
The High Cost of Law School
The decision to go to law school is a big one, and while you may like the idea of earning a generous salary and working …
Economic News
November 24, 2023
College Majors that Don’t Pay Well
Going to college may improve your future job prospects, However, the fact that you may have more opportunities than some…
Economic News
November 13, 2023
Easy And Simple Ways To Save Money As An Undergraduate
Everyone knows the rumor: “College kids are broke.” However, there are simple and easy ways to save money on a college c…
Savings & Investment
September 28, 2023
PrimeRates Market Talk: Facebook, Summers and PPI
In what was expected to be a week dominated by Syria, the markets pivoted almost as fast as Obama to new topics….
Economic News
September 24, 2023
Apple Legally Shelters Billions of Dollars Overseas
Apple is a huge company. While they have been around for nearly four decades; it is only since about the year 2000 that…
Economic News
August 14, 2023
Colleges That Offer the Best Return on Investment
College expenses can accumulate quickly, especially when no scholarships are involved. There are some schools that offe…
Savings & Investment
April 19, 2023
PrimeRates Morning Markets: CPI, Wal-Mart, Japan, Housing And Iron Man
While this time of the year tends to see light trading, there are a few things to keep an eye on. Wal-Mart will report t…
Economic News
January 1, 2023
Surprise! Google+ Is Only Behind Facebook In Social Media
Google+ is still a new player in the game with only two years under its belt, but it has already accumulated 135 million…
Economic News
October 7, 2022
Bracing For the Impact: Doubling of Interest Rates on Student Loans
There is a common question hovering around most college campuses these days. It usually goes, “Will my subsidized studen…
Economic News
March 19, 2022
Hey, What’s Going On With Sallie Mae?
The recent announcement that Sallie Mae is going to split into two companies has more than a few people puzzled. What ex…
Economic News
February 23, 2022
Great Student Loans: Federal vs. Private Borrowing Choices
Federal loans feature a low, fixed rate, and in most cases, repayment does not begin until after graduation. Federal aid…
Savings & Investment
January 11, 2022
Engineering Degrees Offer the Most Financially Rewarding Careers
The NACE compiles information on degrees in Business, Communications, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities & So…
Savings & Investment
December 22, 2021
The Bully Pulpit – Why Rex Reed Should Shut Up
Rex Reed has now come back into notoriety via his recent movie review of the new Jason Bateman/Melissa McCarthy film, Id…
Economic News
March 12, 2021
David v. Goliath – the Kelly Clarkson/Clive Davis Feud
It’s hard to imagine why Clive Davis, a legendary music executive, would find it necessary to single out Kelly Clarkson …
Economic News
March 7, 2021
Sir Richard Branson To Donate Half His Fortune to Charity
Truly a case of paying one’s good fortune forward. Well done, Sir Richard Branson and all the other Giving Pledge suppor…
Economic News
February 22, 2021
Lindsay Lohan Loses Litigation
Does Lindsay Lohan know what tremendous emotional distress it causes me to have to keep writing stories about her bad be…
Economic News
February 18, 2021
Taylor Swift Is Sued; Song To Follow
No matter what the outcome, I’m guessing we’re going to hear a song written about it by Taylor Swift sooner rather than …
Economic News
January 30, 2021
Case Solved: Patricia Cornwell Wins Big In Court
On February 5, we told you about the complicated case of Patricia Cornwell who sued her former financial advisers for re…
Economic News
January 21, 2021
Prince Michael Jackson and the Celebrity Child Syndrome
There are some celebrity offspring who have proven to be talented. But there are others who are probably being cast beca…
Economic News
January 17, 2021
Celebrity Perfumes and Why We Buy Them
Have you ever purchased a celebrity-endorsed perfume for yourself or someone else? And did you ever wonder how this phen…
Economic News
January 10, 2021
Mary J. Blige and Her Tax Woes
Just to show you that being rich and famous doesn’t mean you don’t have financial problems, the sad tale of Mary J. Blig…
Economic News
January 5, 2021
Charlie Sheen, the New Good Guy
The request made its way to Charlie Sheen and he wired $10,000 into the family’s bank account on Valentine’s Day to cove…
Economic News
December 27, 2020
Celebrity Gift Bags and the IRS
Celebrity gift bags are a series of products, services, and other amenities that are given to people who perform or pres…
Economic News
December 22, 2020
Universities Are Required to Publish Net-Price Calculators
Colleges are required to put net-price calculators on their sites. Students now have a much more accurate picture of how…
Economic News
November 30, 2020
All-Star Celebrity Apprentice Proves the Mayan Calendar Was Wrong
Now that we’ve had several seasons of Celebrity Apprentice, NBC has upped their game to launch All-Star Celebrity Appren…
Economic News
November 8, 2020
Setting Up a Savings Account For a Newborn
Establishing a savings account for a newborn represents a surefire ways parents can prepare for a child’s financial futu…
Savings & Investment
September 1, 2020