Is Robert Kiyosaki Still Relevant in 2026? His Wealth-Building Advice Reviewed
Written by
Karen Doyle
Edited by
Brendan McGinley
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Robert Kiyosaki is the bestselling author of “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” a financial educator and investor. He has been giving personal finance advice since 1997, when he published his groundbreaking book. Now, almost 30 years later, does his advice still hold up? Let’s take a look.
Kiyosaki’s philosophy is based on eight advantages that he says rich people have over poor people, and he offers advice on how to gain these advantages even if you’re not rich — yet. Each of these has to do with the way rich people interpret common advice people get in their lives, and how they make these rules work for them.
These are the eight rules that most of us are taught about money, alongside how Kiyosaki interpreted them when he wrote his book and how they apply today.
1. Go to School
Kiyosaki doesn’t discount the value of a good education, but he notes that school trains you to be an employee. He adds that you need a financial education in addition to a traditional education to be truly successful.
This is good advice that still holds up decades later, but could be expanded upon to enact its teachings at the same time. Given the cost of a college education today, the best advice should include a discussion of how to get that education without going into a lot of debt, such as going to community college for the first two years or living at home instead of in a dorm.
2. Get a Good Job
It’s hard to get rich working for someone else. Kiyosaki says that real financial freedom is achieved when you create income by starting your own business and making investments.
This advice stands the test of time. The people making real money, today more than ever, are those who started businesses and made smart investments. Starting a side hustle while working a corporate job is a good way to ease into entrepreneurship.
3. Work Hard
According to Kiyosaki, the rich don’t work hard, they work smart. This means making their money work for them.
This advice surely stands the test of time. Hard work is not a bad thing, of course, but combining hard work with smart work is the winning combination.
4. Live Below Your Means
Kiyosaki suggests that the way to follow this rule is to work on expanding your means when you want to buy something that’s not in the budget. He suggests asking yourself, “How can I afford that?” to spark creative thinking about expanding your cash flow.
This rule is still relevant but more difficult to adhere to than it was when Kiyosaki first wrote his book, thanks to the triple whammy of inflation, endless layoffs, and stagnant wages even for those lucky enough to retain employment. Atop all that, housing costs have been racing inflation for years whether you buy or rent. But one underlying truth remains: If you want to have more money available to you, you can earn more or spend less. Those are your only two options.
5. Save Money
This is a ‘rule’ that Kiyosaki takes exception to. His position is that ‘savers are losers in today’s economy’ because inflation erodes savings.
Kiyosaki’s advice to invest in cash-flow-producing assets is as true today as it was in 1997, if not more so. If you want to stay ahead of inflation, you’ll need to invest instead of just saving.
6. Your House Is an Asset
Kiyosaki’s take on this is that your house is a liability if it takes money out of your pocket. He takes issue with the conventional wisdom that your home is your largest asset and investment.
This point of view around real estate can vary based on where the real estate market is at any particular point. With home values increasing the way they have in the last 10 years or so, most people’s homes are certainly an asset. What they are not, however, is an asset that provides cash flow, unless you rent out part of your home or your garage, for example, to generate income.
7. Get Out of Debt
Most financial advice includes paying off all your debt. Kiyosaki argued that the wealthy take advantage of debt, using it to buy assets that pay them every month, thereby building wealth.
The rich have long used debt judiciously as a wealth-building tool, and the last few decades have been no exception. Keeping an eye on interest rates is critical, however, especially if they’re changing frequently, as we’ve seen in the past five years or so.
8. Diversify
Common financial advice suggests you should diversify amount asset classes by buying mutual funds and equities of different market cap sizes and investment objectives. Kiyosaki doesn’t object to diversifying but says that this approach doesn’t go far enough. He recommends investing in real estate, commodities, and businesses in addition to stocks and bonds.
The several stock market corrections that have occurred since “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” came out certainly bear out this advice. The truly wealthy have portfolios that include much more than stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, which insulate them better from risk.
Taking these eight rules of personal finance and looking at them through the lens of what it takes to be truly wealthy seems to have stood the test of time. With some minor tweaking to reflect current economic conditions, Kiyosaki’s philosophy is still solid.
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