The Most Misleading Financial Search Terms

The Most Misleading Financial Search Terms — And What To Search Instead

There’s a lot of great financial planning information on the internet. However, it’s imperative to pay close attention to the source, as there’s also plenty of dishonesty on the web.

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Three in four Americans search online for financial information at least once a month, according to the 2025 CFP Board Financial Misinformation Report. Unfortunately, the report also said that three in five Americans regret a financial decision made due to misinformation.

Paid Search Can Cause Financial Misinformation

Due to the prevalence of paid search ads, it isn’t surprising that Americans often feel misled when seeking financial information online. In an effort to drive traffic to advertisers’ websites, paid search ads are placed at the top of Search Engine Results page, according to Google Ads.

If you look closely, you’ll see the top search results will often have the word “sponsored” or “ad” above them. You may also see a list of related products and services on a Google search page — if you read the fine print — which lead to relevant offers from advertisers.

Additionally, your Google search might generate an AI Overview on the very top of the page. Used on queries that typically don’t have one correct answer, you might mistakenly think you’re being served the best response, but you’re actually receiving information paid for by advertisers.

Here Are the Most Misleading Financial Search Terms

Some financial search terms are more likely to generate incorrect results than others. Knowing which terms to be especially cautious with can help you avoid financial misinformation.

This is imperative, as Google AI is inaccurate in 43% of finance-related searches, according to The College Investor. The blog-turned-website tested 100 personal finance-related queries and discovered the following terms had misleading responses or were missing key information about career and retirement searches:

How does a credit card work?
Where to open a savings account?
Where can I open an auto loan online?
What is the Roth IRA income limit?
What is the 529 plan contribution limit?
What are qualified 529 plan expenses?
Can a 529 plan be used for elementary school?
How much can I contribute to a solo 401(k)?
Should I open an S Corp or LLC?
What is the Backdoor Roth IRA?
What is the Mega Backdoor IRA?
What is the Wash Sale Rule?
How do I open a Roth IRA?
Can I invest if I’m under 18?
Can I withdraw from my Roth IRA Early?
Where to open an IRA?
Where to open an options trading account?
How to get student loans?
Can you get fired for having student loans?
Can I apply for public student loan forgiveness?
Do I have to apply for PSLF every year?
When to consolidate my student loans?
Is term life insurance worth it?
Is an IUL better than an IRA?
Do I have to have an escrow account?
Can I get my earnest money back if I cancel a deal?
How much earnest money do I have to put down?
Do I have to pay the sellers’ commission?

How To Avoid Online Financial Misinformation

Paying close attention to the source can help you avoid receiving misleading financial information. This will likely mean scrolling past the top spots on Google search results, since you now know these are often purchased by advertisers.

The manner in which you phase the query might also matter. When basic financial questions were posed in a “what is” or “how to” format, Google’s AI overviews were often correct, according to The College Investor.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Most Misleading Financial Search Terms — And What To Search Instead

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