Personal Finance

You're not imagining things. Computers are getting smarter every day.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a not-so-new technology that involves "smart" computers capable of demonstrating intelligence, usually through solving problems or learning. As the horsepower behind AI improves, the technology is able to perform increasingly complex tasks, from identifying new sales opportunities to steering vehicles. And that technology is driving the best AI stocks to strong outperformance this year, with many equities that either use or help power artificial intelligence boasting double-digit gains against a down market.

In fact, you probably use AI every day, whether you realize it or not. Artificial intelligence powers personal assistants such as Alexa, Cortana and Siri. It also guides the search results you plug into your computer or smartphone, and it often helps determine the advertisements you see.

It's an incredible investing opportunity, too. AI stocks are gunning after a market poised to grow from $10.1 billion in 2018 to $126 billion in 2025, according to estimates by emerging-technology research and consulting firm Omdia | Tractica.

Here, we look at 10 of the best AI stocks to buy for investors in it for the long haul. Each stock has already outperformed considerably year-to-date, and the coronavirus outbreak still might rattle them in the short-term. But each also shows plenty of promise looking out to 2021, 2022 and beyond.

Read more: https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/investing/T058-S001-the-best-ai-stocks-to-buy-for-2021-and-beyond/index.html

I can't tell you how often I meet with clients who tell me they have been meaning to update their wills for years but never got around to doing it. Their numbers are only surpassed by the people who didn't think they needed to update their legal documents, and their omissions become clear once they passed away and their family discovers the will is woefully inappropriate.

Some wills really do pass the test of time. I have seen a 50+-year-old will that was spot-on. The deceased individual stated they wanted their spouse to receive their assets, then their children equally if their spouse passed away, and named the same people as executors of their estate. The drafting attorney could have patted himself on the back that he foresaw exactly how things would be, but the skeptic could say he got lucky that what he drafted happened to play out in this family's life without any hitches.

It is also important to realize that it isn't merely "why" you are updating your will, but "when" you are updating that can make all the difference. Acting too late (or too early) may mean your changes are no longer appropriate or even immediately invalidated. Here are 12 times you should consider changing your will:

Read more: https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/retirement/T021-S014-12-times-when-you-should-update-your-will/index.html

Read more: https://www.kiplinger.com/article/retirement/T021-C032-S014-high-level-strategies-to-protect-your-wealth.html

Read more: https://www.kiplinger.com/article/retirement/T064-C032-S014-the-path-to-making-a-charitable-impact.html

Read more: https://www.kiplinger.com/article/investing/T038-C000-S001-does-stock-market-close-early-memorial-day-2020.html