Rhonda W.
SmartVestor Customer
“Sitting with [our pro] is different than sitting with insurance guys or financial planners of the past. [Our pro] cares, not just about our money, but about our family, what we’re doing, how we are.”
SmartVestor Pros are investment professionals who can walk you through all those decisions that sometimes feel like guesswork.
Ramsey Solutions is a paid, non-client promoter of SmartVestor Pros. Learn more.
Your Questions Deserve Answers
We all know investing’s important. It’s the “how” part that can make your shoulders tense up.
“Am I doing this right? What’s the next step? Should I be doing more?” We’ve heard these questions from countless investors over 30+ years and here’s what we’ve learned.
You don’t need a finance degree or more conflicting opinions. What you need is clarity. Dave Ramsey and his team created the SmartVestor program to connect people to investment pros who lead with the heart of a teacher.
Never Invest In Anything You Don’t Understand
Hiring a financial advisor shouldn’t mean handing over your hard-earned money to someone who makes you feel intimidated or undervalued.
We’ll help you find a pro who’s always happy to turn your questions into answers—yep, even the ones you’re afraid are dumb.
Get the Confidence That Comes From a Clear Plan
Working with a pro means never having to find answers alone—and knowing there’s someone dedicated to helping you become a confident investor. Here are some of the ways a SmartVestor Pro can help you create an informed plan for the future:
Find a Pro Who Gets You With Our Free Interview Guide
We get it, it’s not always easy to find a pro you click with. That’s why we’re not going to just match you with one and hope it works out. We’ll connect you with several pros in your area and help get the conversation rolling with a free interview guide you can use to find the best fit for you.
Hear What Our Customers Have to Say
Andrew M.
SmartVestor Customer
"They need to have a heart of a teacher. And that's exactly what [our pro] has. He made sure to know where we were, what our comfort level was with investing, what we knew, what we didn't know, and just walked us through the process."
Sherri M.
SmartVestor Customer
"[Our pro] has had really good advice for us. Anytime we’ve had a question, he’s been good to answer it, and he’s not condescending at all."
Tim W.
SmartVestor Customer
“I wanted someone I could trust, who understood my priorities, and who wasn’t trying to push their agenda on me. Amazingly, despite going into the process saying I’d take help on just a bit of our portfolio, I said “We’re in!” I felt a peace I hadn’t felt before. A burden lifted. I knew that no matter what happened to me, [my wife] had someone she could turn to with her best interests at heart.”
Tyler T.
SmartVestor Customer
“Our SmartVester Pro has really, really been key in helping us understand what we didn't really know before.”
Explore Your Potential With Our Free Tools
Investing Calculator
Take the mystery out of how much your investments and contributions could grow over time with our free calculator.
Net Worth Calculator
Your net worth is how much you own (assets) minus how much you owe (liabilities). Just plug in your numbers and we’ll handle the math.
Retirement Assessment
Get a better understanding of how much money you may need to retire—and how much to save each month to hit your goals.
Common Questions (and Answers)
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What should I expect after I fill out the form?
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Once you fill out the form, we’ll match you with up to five different SmartVestor Pros who serve your area. Then, you’ll have two options to connect. You can:
- Schedule an appointment with as many pros as you like right from your results page
- Wait for your pros to give you a call so you can set up an appointment
Either way, be sure to check your email after you submit your form! We’ll send you a free pro interview guide with questions you can use to interview your pros.
From there, you’ll pick your pro and enter into an agreement with them.
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How much does it cost to work with a SmartVestor Pro?
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The SmartVestor program itself is free to use, so you won’t be charged for getting connected with an advisor. If you decide to work with one of the pros you interview, you’ll pay them based on their pricing and payment structure.
Different advisors charge using different pricing models. Some of the most common include AUM-based, flat fee, commission and even hourly. During your interviews, be sure to ask each pro how their payment system works.
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What are the requirements to become a SmartVestor Pro?
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To join the SmartVestor program, investment professionals must:
• Work for an investment-advisor or broker-dealer firm that is not affiliated with Ramsey
• Have at least two years of experience as a registered investment professional
• Understand Dave Ramsey’s 7 Baby Steps and agree to our Code of Conduct
• Participate in ongoing coaching with us to help maintain our high standards of customer service -
Are SmartVestor Pros financial advisors?
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SmartVestor Pros are financial advisors, but many also have their own specialties. You may come across investment advisors, financial planners, wealth managers and more.
You can often tell an advisor’s specialty based on their credentials. For example:
- CFP (Certified Financial Planner)
- RR (registered representative)
- IAR (investment advisor representative)
- RIA (registered investment advisor)
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When should I start investing?
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We generally suggest that you start investing after:
- You’ve paid off all your debt (except for your mortgage)
- You’ve saved up 3–6 months’ worth of living expenses in an emergency fund
That said, everyone’s situation is unique, so make sure to discuss yours with an investment professional.
Have a Question?
We’re here to help! If you have a question about the SmartVestor program that’s not answered below, call 866.523.8473 or send us an email.
Become a SmartVestor Pro
Are you a registered investing professional interested in joining our SmartVestor program?
Share the SmartVestor Program
Unless otherwise indicated, Ramsey Solutions is a paid, non-client promoter of Pros. Ramsey Solutions is not affiliated with any SmartVestor Pros participating in the SmartVestor program (“Pros”). Each Pro has entered into an agreement with Ramsey Solutions under which the Pro pays Ramsey Solutions fees to advertise the Pro’s services and receive client referrals from interested consumers who are located in the Pro’s coverage area. The receipt of such fees creates a conflict of interest because it creates a financial incentive for Ramsey Solutions to refer you only to those Pros participating in the SmartVestor program.
Neither Ramsey Solutions nor its affiliates provide investment advice or recommendations as to the selection or retention of any Pro, nor does Ramsey Solutions evaluate whether any particular Pro is appropriate for you based on your individual circumstances. Ramsey Solutions does not give any warranty or guarantee as to the services of any Pro and makes no claim or promise about the investment performance of any result or success of retaining a Pro. Your use of the SmartVestor program, including the decision to retain the services of a Pro, is at your sole discretion and risk. Any services rendered by a Pro are solely that of the Pro. Contact links may be provided to connect to Pros’ websites. Ramsey Solutions and its affiliates are not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information contained on Pros’ websites
SmartVestor™ is an advertising and referral service for investment professionals operated by The Lampo Group, LLC d/b/a Ramsey Solutions (“Ramsey Solutions”). When you provide your zip code through the SmartVestor site, Ramsey Solutions will introduce you to up to three (3) investment professionals (“Pros”) that cover your geographic area (a “territory”) based on your zip code. Unless otherwise indicated, Ramsey Solutions is a paid, non-client promoter of Pros. Each Pro has entered into an agreement with Ramsey Solutions (“Referral Agreement”) under which the Pro pays Ramsey Solutions a combination of fees, including a one-time training fee of $3,000, a flat monthly membership fee of $400 and a flat monthly territory fee depending on the size of the territory of up to $1,050 to advertise the Pro’s services through SmartVestor and to receive client referrals from interested consumers who are located in the Pro’s coverage area. If a Pro offers his or her services on a national basis (“National Pro”), they pay RS National Per-Impression Fees up to a monthly revenue cap that varies by National Pro. RS introduces National Pros on a rotational basis when there are not enough investment professionals in a local market.
If a Pro elects to cover a “select” territory, the Pro pays Ramsey Solutions a fee of up to 25% per year of the gross fees you pay to the Pro for services the Pro provides to you and your related persons and entities (“Closed-Client Fee”). The Closed-Client Fee is payable to Ramsey Solutions for as long as you remain a client of your Pro, unless otherwise terminated under the terms of the Referral Agreement. The amount of fees each Pro pays to Ramsey Solutions will vary based on certain factors, including whether the Pros choose to advertise in local or national markets, and if applicable, the Closed-Client Fee will vary based on fees that a Pro earns from its clients. All of the Pros that are available through the SmartVestor program pay fees to participate in the program. None of these fees are passed along to you, however, the receipt of such fees creates a conflict of interest because it provides a financial incentive for Ramsey Solutions to refer you only to those Pros participating in the SmartVestor program. In addition, National Pros that have a higher revenue cap are referred more often relative to other National Pros that have a lower revenue cap. Please refer to the profile for each Pro for important disclosures about the fees they pay to Ramsey Solutions.
It is up to you to interview each Pro and decide whether you want to hire them. If you decide to hire a Pro, you will enter into an agreement directly with that Pro to provide you with investment services. Ramsey Solutions is not affiliated with the Pros and neither Ramsey Solutions nor any of its representatives are authorized to provide investment advice on behalf of a Pro or to act for or bind a Pro. Neither Ramsey Solutions nor its affiliates provide investment advice or recommendations as to the selection or retention of any Pro, nor does Ramsey Solutions evaluate whether any particular Pro is appropriate for you based on your individual circumstances.
No investment advisory agreement with a Pro will become effective until accepted by that Pro. Ramsey Solutions does not give any warranty or guarantee as to the services of any Pro and makes no claim or promise about the investment performance or success of retaining a Pro. Your use of the SmartVestor program, including the decision to retain the services of a Pro, is at your sole discretion and risk. Any services rendered by a Pro are solely that of the Pro.
Contact links may be provided to connect to Pros’ websites. Ramsey Solutions and its affiliates are not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information contained on Pros’ websites.
Each Pro signed a Code of Conduct under which they have agreed to certain general investment principles, such as eliminating debt and investing for the longer-term, but Ramsey Solutions does not monitor or control the investment advisory services the Pros provide.
By participating in the SmartVestor program, you acknowledge that Ramsey Solutions may obtain from the Pros information about the status of their relationship with you, including whether the Pro has contacted you and/or whether you engaged the Pro and the fees your Pro earns from you and your related persons and entities, and you authorize each Pro to share such information with Ramsey Solutions. Ramsey Solutions uses such information to administer the SmartVestor program and to confirm fee calculations under the Referral Agreement.
Last updated: October 1, 2026