21 money questions to ask the government's new AI
This guide is for general education and is not personalized investment advice. Your situation is unique. Consider talking with a qualified professional before making financial decisions.
The government just launched America.gov, a free AI that answers questions using official government websites and links you to the source. The answers are free. The hard part is knowing what to ask. Here are 21 money questions most people never think to ask, and why I think each one is worth two minutes of your time.
America.gov is run by the U.S. government, not by me or StratiCo. It gives general information and does not give financial, tax, or legal advice. Like any AI, it can be wrong, so click the source link in every answer and confirm on the official site. Using these questions does not create an advisory relationship with StratiCo.
Never type your Social Security number, account numbers, date of birth, or login details into any AI tool, including this one. None of these questions need them. When a search or claim needs your personal details, do it directly on the official agency site.
how this works
Copy, paste, click the link
- Go to America.gov. No account needed.
- Tap Copy on any question below and paste it in.
- Click the source link in the answer and check it on the official site.
These questions work in any AI or search engine too. America.gov just happens to answer from government sites only, with no ads. (More on that in the section for the AI nerds.)
wait, is that mine?
Find your money
1. Unclaimed money
How do I search for unclaimed money in my name?
Why it matters: Old paychecks, deposits, refunds, and even forgotten brokerage accounts can end up with your state when a company loses track of you. Every state runs its own search, and it's free. The federal list also includes money the SEC has collected for harmed investors. Search every state you've lived in, and be wary of anyone who charges a fee to "find" it for you.
2. An old 401(k)
How do I find an old 401(k) from a former employer?
Why it matters: Change jobs a few times and it's easy to lose track of a retirement account. The Department of Labor runs a database built for exactly this.
3. Old savings bonds
How do I find old U.S. savings bonds?
Why it matters: That savings bond a grandparent gave you as a kid? Some bonds stop earning interest once they mature, and Treasury has a search for ones nobody cashed.
4. A pension from a company that closed
How do I find a pension from a company that went out of business?
Why it matters: If you (or a parent) worked somewhere with a pension that later closed or ended its plan, a federal agency may be holding benefits for you.
5. Your 401(k) options when you leave a job
What are my options for my 401(k) when I leave a job?
Why it matters: There are usually a few choices, and each one comes with different fees, investment choices, and tax consequences. Knowing the full menu keeps a rushed decision from being made for you. Confirm the tax side with a tax professional.
trust, but verify
Check out your advisor
6. Is your advisor registered?
How do I check if a financial advisor is registered and see their disciplinary history?
Why it matters: It takes two minutes and shows licenses, employment history, and any disciplinary actions. Do it before you hand anyone your money. Yes, including me: here's my record.
7. How your advisor gets paid
What is Form CRS, and how do I get the one for my financial advisor or broker?
Why it matters: Registered firms have to give you a short plain-English summary of their services, fees, and conflicts of interest. Most people never read it. It's only a few pages.
8. When something goes wrong
What can I do if I have a dispute with my broker or financial advisor?
Why it matters: Good to know before you need it. There's a formal process, and regulators want to hear about problems.
what am I actually paying?
Understand your investments
9. Your 401(k) fees
How do I find out what fees I'm paying in my 401(k)?
Why it matters: 401(k) fees come out quietly, so most people have never seen theirs. Your plan is required to disclose them. You just have to know where to look.
10. How fees add up
How do investment fees and expenses affect my investments over time?
Why it matters: A fee that looks tiny as a percentage is charged every year on your whole balance. The SEC explains how that works in plain English.
11. What's inside a fund
Where can I find a mutual fund or ETF's prospectus, fees, and holdings?
Why it matters: A fund's name doesn't tell you everything it owns. The official filings do.
12. A company's own numbers
How do I look up a public company's annual report and financial filings?
Why it matters: Headlines summarize. The annual report (10-K) is the company's own filing, and anyone can read it for free.
13. If your brokerage firm fails
What happens to my investments if my brokerage firm goes out of business?
Why it matters: Brokerage accounts have a different kind of protection than bank accounts, with its own limits. It doesn't cover investments losing value. Worth understanding the difference.
14. Buying Treasuries directly
How do I buy Treasury bills, notes, or savings bonds directly from the government?
Why it matters: Most people don't know you can buy these straight from the Treasury. This explains how it works, not whether it fits you.
future me says thanks
Retirement and Social Security
15. Your Social Security record
How do I get my Social Security statement and check my earnings record for mistakes?
Why it matters: Your future benefit is based on your earnings record. If a year is missing or wrong, it's much easier to fix now than decades from now. Especially worth a look if you're self-employed.
16. Retirement plans for the self-employed
What retirement plans can a self-employed person set up?
Why it matters: No employer, no automatic 401(k). But there are several plans built for business owners and creators. For a side-by-side of two common ones, see my SEP IRA vs. Solo 401(k) guide.
17. Medicare timing
When does Medicare eligibility start and how does enrollment work?
Why it matters: Enrollment has specific windows. Worth knowing for yourself or for helping a parent.
not today, scammers
Protect yourself
18. Investment scams
How can I spot and report an investment scam?
Why it matters: Scams follow the headlines, and they're getting more convincing. Knowing the warning signs is the cheapest protection there is.
19. Credit reports and freezes
How do I get my free credit reports and freeze my credit?
Why it matters: A credit freeze is free and makes it harder for someone to open accounts in your name.
20. Is that investment registered?
How do I check if an investment offering is registered with the SEC?
Why it matters: If someone pitches you a "can't-miss" opportunity, checking whether it's registered is a quick first step.
21. Crypto risks
What should I know about the risks of investing in crypto assets?
Why it matters: Whatever you think of crypto, it helps to hear what the regulators are warning about.
Bonus: Trump Accounts for kids
How do I claim my child's Trump Account deposit?
Why it matters: Treasury is opening accounts for eligible kids automatically, but the one-time federal deposit has to be claimed. Rules are new and may change, so confirm the details at the source.
for the ai nerds
How America.gov is different from other AIs
Think of it as an open-book test versus a closed-book test. Most chatbots answer mostly from what they learned in training, like a student answering from memory. America.gov looks up official government pages first and answers from those, then shows you the link. That's why every answer comes with a source.
Where the analogy breaks down: an open-book student can still misread the book. So click the link.
- Where the answers come from: about 29,000 federal websites, according to the administration.
- No ads, no account, nothing to sell. Try searching "old 401(k)" on a regular search engine and count how many results want to move your money for you.
- Privacy: the White House says conversations aren't saved and the site doesn't use web tracking. That's their claim, not something I can verify, so the privacy rule above still stands.
Where other AIs are stronger:
- It only knows federal sites. Your state's unclaimed property details, your fund company's documents, and your 401(k) plan's own paperwork live elsewhere.
- It's brand new. When I tested these questions, a couple of the links it gave me led to dead government pages. Government sites move things around; if a link breaks, search the agency's own site.
- It answers one question at a time. For digging into your own portfolio, a general AI with the right guardrails works better. That's what my 5-prompt portfolio checkup is for.
Last tested: September 30, 2026. America.gov plans to add more services in 2027, so some answers may change.
then what?
Questions to bring to a professional
These questions get you facts. What to do with them depends on your whole picture. If something you found raises a question, write it down and bring it to a licensed professional. Two questions to ask anyone before you work with them:
- "How are you compensated?"
- "Will you act as a fiduciary for this advice at all times?"
the most important part
Keep it in perspective
Facts are free now. Direction still takes a person who knows your whole picture.
- Use AI to find and understand. Where your money is, what you pay, who you're working with.
- Verify at the source. Every answer should lead to an official page. Read it there.
- Bring your questions to a professional. Especially before moving money, claiming benefits, or making a decision you can't easily undo.
Sources: U.S. General Services Administration and The White House, America.gov launch and fact sheet, September 29, 2026. GovExec, "White House launches AI-powered 'America.gov' digital front door," September 29, 2026. USAGov, "Unclaimed money from the government," accessed September 30, 2026.