A financially independent trader who consistently beats the S&P 500 shares 3 pieces of advice for retail investors in 2026

Erik Smolinski makes a living trading options. The 34-year-old Marine veteran has been at it for more than half of his life. Since he first started trading in 2007, he's posted just two negative years — his first two — and, between 2018 and 2022, returned 24.6% on average. Business Insider verified his claims by looking at screenshots of his summary statements.Smolinki's strongest year was 2023, when he returned triple digits. In 2025, he said his portfolio has returned 79% and he's on track to hit his thi ...