Mark Cuban, Kevin Hart regret passing on the chance to invest in this multibillion-dollar business in its early stages — and it haunts them to this day

Maximize retirement accounts

When building wealth and planning for your financial future, consider using tax-friendly investment vehicles like a 401(k) account if your employer offers one.

Suppose you don’t have access to a 401(k). In that case, you might consider opening a traditional individual retirement account (IRA), where you can contribute pretax income and grow it tax-free until you make withdrawals in retirement.

A Gold IRA is a great investment vehicle that can help protect your future. Unlike the U.S. dollar, which has lost 98% of its purchasing power since 1971, gold’s purchasing power remains stable over time.

American Hartford Gold is an industry leader in precious metals, offering physical delivery of gold, silver and platinum, as well as retirement accounts like IRAs, 401Ks and TSPs. They have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and are a three-time winner of Inc. 5000’s Best Gold Company award.

While inflation is increasing everyone’s expenses, precious metals won’t be affected — so a Gold IRA might be the best thing to preserve your retirement

Invest in real estate without the headache of being a landlord

Imagine owning a portfolio of thousands of well-managed single family rentals or a collection of cutting-edge industrial warehouses. You can now gain access to a $1B portfolio of income-producing real estate assets designed to deliver long-term growth from the comforts of your couch.

The best part? You don’t have to be a millionaire and can start investing in minutes.

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Don't be afraid to seek advice

Unlike investing juggernauts Hart and Cuban, everyday investors don’t typically get tips from business leaders that could grow into millions of dollars.

But you can work with a professional financial adviser to get a leg up on the hottest deals.

Financial advisers can answer your questions, help you understand complex investing terms and provide you with reliable information on the stock market and the wider economy.

A matching service like WiserAdvisor can help you find a professional adviser that fits your needs. WiserAdvisor is an easy-to-use online platform that connects you with vetted financial advisers who can help you achieve your financial goals.

All you have to do is share some a few details, and in a few minutes you’ll be matched with registered financial advisers.

You can then view their profiles, which showcase their experience and testimonials from previous clients. And you can even book an initial consultation with them on the spot, 100% free of charge — with no obligation to hire.

Diversify with index funds

One of the first things that many financial professionals tell beginner investors is to diversify your portfolio with different types of assets and exposure to different sectors.

One easy way to do this is to invest in index funds. An index fund is a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund that tracks the performance of a specific market index, such as the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

The fund includes a representative sample of stocks or bonds from the index it tracks rather than hand-selecting them. They’re typically less expensive to invest in than actively managed mutual funds.

With Robinhood — a commission-free investment app — you can invest in index funds at no account minimum.

With features like automatic investing, in-app investing guides and 24/7 access to their customer service team, Robinhood makes it easy to diversify — and protect — your portfolio.