Which Robo-Advisor is Right For You?

Author: AB Staff

Which Robo-Advisor is Right For You?

Editor's Pick Finances

If you’re interested in starting to invest, or are a long-time investor with tons of experience, you need to hear about robo-advisors. No, they aren’t robotic law enforcement officers from the future. They’re actually a lot more useful. Robo-advisors are computer algorithms that invest your money for you.

These automated investment managers may be the future of finance, as a big draw of these digital advisors is that they manage investments better than you could by yourself, like a GPS, but for your money. Robo-advisors are also more cost effective than traditional financial advisors, usually only charging 0.4% of in investor’s assets.

Want to try one out? Use this list of ideal robo-investors for beginner to advanced investors to get you stared.

  • Betterment Digital for Beginners – Betterment Digital is ideal for beginner investors because it is designed to help you build a solid investment foundation. It has a lower minimum requirement to start an account than other models, and has easy access to essentials like auto-deposit and traditional and Roth IRAs. Betterment Digital also has algorithms geared towards more advanced investors so you can stick with the company as your financial needs mature. They also have both robo and human advisors in case you crave a more human approach every now and again.

The Basics:

  • $0 to open an account
  • 36% average all-in cost
  • Schwab Intelligent Advisory for Intermediate – As your financial portfolio gets more complex you need more complex help. Schwab Intelligent Advisory offers a combination of robo and human advisement that’s ideal for both taxable and retirement accounts. This is a premium service that offers comprehensive planning and investment management 6 days a week. You will be assigned a personal guide that will do everything from help you onboard in a phone or video call to meet for questions and follow ups about your investments.

The Basics:

  • $25,000 to open an account
  • 43% average all-in cost
  • Vanguard Personal Advisor Services for Advanced –If you have a substantial retirement savings, $250,000 or above, you need a robo-advisor that can keep up and help you plan for the long term. Vanguard Personal Advisor Services has a wide array of investment options from ETFs to funds and everything in between. This platform also combines human and AI interaction, but it maintains the lower robo-advisor cost. They specialize in complex investments and retirement strategies for both pre-retirees and retirees. They are unique in that they offer income drawdown strategies for those already in retirement, and have a special set of tools for retirement planners like Social Security Optimization.

The Basics:

  • $50,000 to open an account
  • 38% average all-in cost

Want to learn more about robo-advisors before you give any of these a try? Check out the following for more information:

Do you have experience with robo-advisors? Do you have more questions? We’d love to hear from you! Comment below to share your advice, experiences or questions.