About Elizabeta
Self-directed investor. Writes everything on RiskStock.
Elizabeta is the founder and sole writer behind RiskStock. She believes money should work for you, not the other way around. Self-taught in investing and day trading, she dove into learning the markets from the ground up — and built RiskStock to give other self-directed investors the plain-English explanations she wished existed when she started.
She writes across the full spectrum of personal finance and markets: ETFs and long-term portfolio construction, tax-advantaged accounts like the TFSA, RRSP, Roth IRA, and 401(k), retirement planning, dividend investing, macro and monetary policy, central-bank decisions, commodities, forex, and sector news. Every claim cites a primary source. Every calculation shows its work.
What she covers
- ETFs, index investing, and long-term portfolio construction
- Tax-advantaged accounts (TFSA, RRSP, Roth IRA, 401(k), FHSA)
- Retirement planning and FIRE strategies
- Dividend investing and yield analysis
- Macro: Fed and ECB rate decisions, inflation, jobs reports, Treasury yields
- Commodities and currencies (oil, gold, natural gas, USD, CAD)
- Sector news (tech earnings, semiconductors, biotech, energy, REITs)
Editorial standards
Elizabeta is not a licensed financial advisor. RiskStock is an educational publication. Nothing she writes is personal financial advice. For more on how content is sourced, fact-checked, and corrected, read the Editorial Policy.
Everything Elizabeta has written
119 articles, grouped by topic. Most recent work also appears across the News & Articles sections.
Investing & Personal Finance
Beginner Guide
- How to Start Investing with $100 in the US (Step-by-Step)
- What Is a TFSA (and Why Americans Call It a Roth IRA)?
- Stocks vs. ETFs: Which One Should a Beginner Actually Start With?
- How to Pick an ETF Without Losing Your Mind (A Simple 5-Step Checklist)
- What Does "Diversify Your Portfolio" Actually Mean?
- The 3-Fund Portfolio: The Simplest Investment Strategy That Actually Works
- The Biggest Investing Mistakes Beginners Make (And How to Avoid Them)
- How to Read a Stock Before You Buy It (Even If You Hate Numbers)
- How to Buy Stocks for the First Time: A Beginner’s Walkthrough
- What Is an ETF? Exchange-Traded Funds Explained for Beginners
- How to Read a Stock Chart for Beginners (Candlesticks, Volume & Trends Explained)
Brokers
- How to Open a Questrade Account (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)
- How to Open a Wealthsimple Account (2026 Beginner Guide)
- How to Open a TD Direct Investing Account (2026 Guide)
- How to Open an RBC Direct Investing Account (2026 Guide)
- How to Open an Interactive Brokers Account in Canada (2026)
- How to Open a Fidelity Account (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)
- How to Open a Charles Schwab Account (2026 Guide)
- How to Open a Vanguard Account (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)
- How to Open a Robinhood Account (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)
- How to Open an Interactive Brokers Account (2026 Guide)
- Questrade vs Wealthsimple Trade 2026: Which Is Better for Canadians?
- Best Online Brokers in Canada 2026: Top Picks Ranked & Compared
- Questrade Review 2026: Fees, Pros, Cons & Who It's For
- Wealthsimple Review 2026: Fees, Accounts, Pros & Cons
- Robinhood vs Webull 2026: Which Trading App Is Better?
Compound Interest
- DCA Into the S&P 500: A 20-Year Backtest That Proves the Strategy
- I Invested $5,000 and Forgot About It for 10 Years — Here's What I Woke Up To
- What If You Just Invested Your Tax Refund Every Year?
- The Netflix Subscription That Could Make You $64,000
- What If You Invested $100/Month Starting at 22 vs. 32?
- The $1,000 Birthday Gift That Turns Into $45,000
- What Happens If You Put $1,000 in the S&P 500 and Wait 20 Years?
- What If You Invested Every Raise You Ever Got?
- The $50/Month Experiment: What Tiny Investments Actually Become
- Coffee Money: What $5 a Day Actually Becomes
- What Happens If You Invest $500/Month for 5 Years Then Stop?
- The $10,000 Lump Sum: S&P 500 vs. Savings Account
- What If You Maxed Your TFSA Every Year From Age 25?
- What Doing Nothing Costs You
- Compound Interest Is the Closest Thing to a Money Cheat Code — Here's the Math
Investing Basics
- The 5 Best US Dividend ETFs for Beginners in 2026
- Is SCHD a Good ETF? Here's What the Data Says
- Your Savings Account Is Losing You Money — Here's the Math
- What Is a Dividend and Why Do People Love Them?
- Index Funds vs. Picking Stocks: What the Data Actually Says
- What Does "The Market Crashed" Actually Mean — Should You Panic or Buy?
- TFSA vs. RRSP: Which One Should You Fill First?
- Roth IRA vs. 401(k): What's the Difference and Which Should You Open First?
- What Happens to Your Investments If the Company Goes Bankrupt?
- ETF Expense Ratios Explained: The Small Fee That Can Cost You Thousands
- VOO vs SPY vs IVV: Which S&P 500 ETF Is Actually the Best?
- QQQ vs VOO: Growth or Broad Market for the Next Decade?
- Dollar-Cost Averaging vs Lump Sum: Which Actually Wins?
- Index Funds vs Mutual Funds: What’s the Difference and Which Is Better?
- Bonds Explained: How They Work and Why Your Portfolio Might Need Them
- REITs Explained: How to Invest in Real Estate Without Buying Property
- High-Yield Savings Accounts vs Money Market Funds: Where to Park Cash in 2026
- Dividend Yield vs Dividend Growth: Which Strategy Actually Builds Wealth?
- How to Read an Earnings Report in 10 Minutes (Even If You’re Not an Accountant)
- P/E Ratio Explained: What a ‘Cheap’ or ‘Expensive’ Stock Actually Means
- Recession-Proof Investing: Does That Even Exist? (The Honest Answer)
- What Is a Margin Account? How Borrowing to Invest Works
- Dollar-Cost Averaging Explained: A Calmer Way to Invest
- How to Build a Dividend Portfolio in Canada (Step-by-Step Guide)
- What Is a Robo-Advisor and Should You Use One in Canada?
Opinion
- Why We Think the AI Rally Has More Room to Run
- Is the Housing Market Finally Cooling? Here's What We See
- 3 ETFs We'd Actually Consider Right Now (Not Financial Advice)
- Small-Cap Stocks Are Being Overlooked — Here's Why That Might Be an Opportunity
- Stop Checking Your Portfolio Every Day — Here's Why
- The "Buy the Dip" Mentality: When It Works and When It Doesn't
Retirement
- How Much Money Do You Need to Retire? (Real Numbers, Not Vague Answers)
- The 4% Rule Explained: Can You Actually Live Off It?
- FIRE Explained: How People Are Retiring in Their 30s and 40s
- Target Date Funds Explained: The Set-and-Forget Retirement Strategy
Retirement Accounts
- Roth IRA Contribution Limits 2026: Who Can Contribute and How Much
- TFSA Contribution Limit 2026: Room, Rules & Mistakes
- RRSP vs 401(k): The Cross-Border Retirement Account Guide
- What Is a TFSA? A Complete Canadian Guide (2025)
- RRSP vs TFSA: Which Account Should You Use in 2025?
- What Is a FHSA? Canada’s First Home Savings Account Explained (2025)
Taxes
- Capital Gains Tax Explained: What You Actually Owe When You Sell Stocks
- Capital Gains Tax in Canada: What Every Investor Needs to Know
Market & Sector News
Energy
- Energy Stocks in 2026: How the Oil Shock Is Reshaping the Sector
- Renewable Energy Stocks Are Making a Comeback — Is the Turnaround Real?
- Natural Gas Prices Just Surged — What's Behind the Spike
- Oil Prices Are Under Pressure — What's Driving It and Who's Affected
Finance
- Big Bank Earnings Were Better Than Expected — Here's What Stood Out
- The Fintech Shakeout Is Here — Which Companies Will Survive?
Real Estate
- REITs Are Starting to Recover — Is Now the Time to Look at Real Estate?
- Commercial Real Estate Is Still Struggling — Here's Why It Matters
Healthcare
- Big Pharma's Patent Cliff Is Coming — What Investors Should Watch
- Biotech Drug Approvals Are Accelerating — What It Means for the Sector
Materials
- Lithium Prices Have Collapsed — Is the EV Battery Boom in Trouble?
- Gold Just Hit $5,200 — Why the Safe-Haven Rally Might Not Be Over
Utilities
- Utility Stocks and Their Dividends — A Safe Bet in Uncertain Times?
- Nuclear Energy Is Having a Renaissance — What Investors Need to Know
Communications
- The Streaming Wars Are Getting Expensive — Who's Actually Making Money?
- 5G Was Supposed to Change Everything — Where Do Telecom Stocks Stand Now?
Technology
- SpaceX Goes Public (SPCX): Inside the Biggest IPO in History
- AI & Semiconductor Stocks in 2026: Is the Rally Sustainable?
- The Semiconductor Cycle Is Turning — What Chip Investors Should Know
- Cybersecurity Spending Is Surging — These Companies Are Cashing In
- Treasury Yields Are Holding Elevated — What Bond Investors Need to Know
Regional & Global Markets
USA
- Kevin Warsh Is the New Fed Chair — What It Means for U.S. Investors
- The S&P 500 Just Hit a New Record — Should You Be Worried or Excited?
- The Jobs Report Surprised Everyone — What It Tells Us About the Economy
- The Fed Is Holding Rates Steady — Here's What That Actually Means For You
- Inflation Keeps Cooling Toward the Fed's Target — Here's What the Latest Data Shows
- Big Tech Earnings Season: Winners, Losers, and What We Learned
Canada
- Bank of Canada Rate Decision June 2026: What Investors Need to Know
- Canada's Housing Market Is Correcting — What Buyers and Investors Need to Know
- The Canadian Dollar Is Under Pressure — Here's Why It Matters
European
- The ECB Is Cutting Rates While the Fed Holds — What This Divergence Means
- Europe's Energy Prices Are Spiking Again — What's Behind the Surge