3 Online Personal Finance Communities You Should Join

Reddit, Facebook, and other forums are great places to have a personal finance conversation.

If you can imagine it, you can probably find it online. So it shouldn't be a surprise that millions of people the world over turn to the internet to find groups of like-minded personal finance nerds. Which of these communities is right for you? Read on to find out.

1. Taxes in Retirement

The community Taxes in Retirement calls Facebook home. Originally founded in March of 2020, the group now boasts over 32,000 members. What's the reason for this rapid success?

The group's mission is simply to be a place to learn and share knowledge of tax-efficient retirement planning. The forum allows users to tell their own stories and ask for advice from an understanding community. Many posts in the group start with the words "I am age X," before describing their situation and asking for advice. The group has a lot of personality, which is likely the cause of its explosive growth.

Another factor that may contribute to the success of the group is the stellar moderation team. Andy Panko, CFP®, RICP®, EA, is the head honcho of the group and often weighs in on the group's discussion. His expertise as a financial planner and owner of Tenon Financial make him a valuable resource for those seeking advice as they near retirement.

2. r/PersonalFinance

Reddit is famous for having subgroups of almost every variety, and personal finances are no different. The largest personal finance community is r/PersonalFinance, with over 16 million members.

The subreddit is home to a wide range of discussion topics, including debt payoff, credit, budgeting, insurance, taxes, retirement, and more. Users can filter these topics to find posts most relevant to them. Additionally, the subreddit has an extensive wiki with detailed information for the above topics and many more.

Still can't find what you're looking for? Post a question to the forum and watch the Reddit machine do its magic. The community is highly active, with posts garnering thousands of upvotes and hundreds of comments in the span of a few hours.

3. The Bogleheads

Inspired by the late financial forward-thinker John Bogle, the Bogleheads are a group preaching long-term investing (typically in low-cost index funds). The Bogleheads forum keeps Bogle's legacy alive with over six million posts spanning nearly half a million topics.

The forum may have begun as a place to discuss investments, but it has grown to become a place for all things personal finance. Posts are grouped daily into one of three categories. Personal Investments encompasses trades made by forum members, while the Investing category covers theories, news, and more. Additionally, the Personal Finance category includes all non-investing, but finance-related, topics such as insurance, credit, real estate, taxes, and legal matters.

But the community isn't the only thing attracting new Bogleheads. The forum includes links to an extensive wiki, covering everything from asset classes to indexing. The wiki stays true to John Bogle's philosophy of saving early and often, diversifying, and truly understanding one's investments. Additionally, the Bogleheads blog provides access to videos, podcasts, and webinars explaining key financial concepts.

A word of caution

Online forums can be a great way to build financial literacy, but may not be the best for specific advice. As always, some comments are helpful and informative while others may be less so. Practice skepticism and always find another source of information before acting on any advice given in an online community.