Should I use a robo-advisor or invest myself?
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. If you value control, have a good grasp of investing, and are willing to put in the time, then self-directed investing may be a good fit. If you prefer a hands-off approach or are just starting out, then a robo-advisor could be a better choice.
The best approach may be a combination of self-investing and using a financial advisor. That is, hiring an advisor to help you plan and make sure all bases are covered, while also making an effort to educate yourself and continuing to learn about investing so you can personally and capably oversee your investments.
However, robo-advisors offer limited flexibility to customize your investment strategy, and they can't provide more integral financial advice that accounts for things like tax and estate planning.
If you require a high level of personalized service and direct management of your investments, a traditional human advisor might be better suited to your needs. Conversely, if cost and simplicity are your primary concerns, a robo-advisor might be the better choice.
- Lower fees compared with a traditional financial advisor.
- Lower capital required to start.
- The ability to avoid human error and bias.
- Automatic rebalancing.
If you're young and have fairly straightforward financial goals, like saving for retirement and have a retirement plan through your employer, you might not need to work with a financial planner, Ayoola says. Maybe you don't want to actively invest and are looking for a lower-cost option.
Many financial advisers charge based on how much money they manage on your behalf, and 1% of your total assets under management is a pretty standard fee. But psst: If you have over $1 million, a flat fee might make a lot more financial sense for you, pros say.
Robo-advisors are less expensive than traditional advisors—but their low, up-front price comes with a loss in quality. Robo-advisors lack an irreplaceable human element, which prevents them from providing the essential qualities and services characteristic of traditional financial advisors.
Robo-advisor performance is one way to understand the value of digital advice. Learn how fees, enhanced features, and investment options can also be key considerations. Five-year returns from most robo-advisors range from 2%–5% per year.
Robo-advisors often build portfolios using a mix of various index funds. But depending on the asset class mix and the particular index funds selected, a robo-advisor may underperform or outperform a broad equity index like the S&P 500.
Do rich people use robo-advisors?
Digital Advisor Use Dropped in 2022
High-net-worth investors exited robo-advisor arrangements at the highest rates. Here's how the data broke down along asset levels: $50,000 or less: A drop from 23.6% to 20.6% in 2022, which translates to a decrease of 3 percentage points.
While it's smart to be cautious when trusting others with your money, a robo-advisor may be just as safe as a human financial advisor. But investing always comes with the risk of losing money, and that's true whether you're investing on your own, hiring a financial advisor or using a robo-advisor.
“One key benefit of using a robo-adviser for retirement savings is that the fees are much lower than a traditional adviser,” says Nick Holeman, director of financial planning at Betterment. “This is especially important for retirement savings, which oftentimes are the largest accounts an investor has.”
The generic cons of Robo Advisors are that they don't offer many options for investor flexibility. They tend to not follow traditional advisory services, since there is a lack of human interaction.
- Decide your investment goals. ...
- Select investment vehicle(s) ...
- Calculate how much money you want to invest. ...
- Measure your risk tolerance. ...
- Consider what kind of investor you want to be. ...
- Build your portfolio. ...
- Monitor and rebalance your portfolio over time.
- Limited Access to Human Advisors. ...
- Narrow Investment Choices. ...
- Might Not Consider All Your Investments. ...
- Tax-Loss Harvesting Isn't Always Helpful.
They're unresponsive or take too long to reply. The financial advisor world is completely client-centric. You are the priority, you are the center of their universe. A common red flag is if an advisor sounds very client-centric and dedicated to you on the call… but then forgets about you afterward.
- "I offer a guaranteed rate of return."
- "You'll get a higher return if you transfer all your assets to me."
- "Our investment management fee is comparable and in line with other financial service firms' fees."
- "This investment product is risk-free.
However, if you need comprehensive financial advice and guidance, a financial advisor could be worth the additional cost. In many cases, it's not a matter of choosing between the S&P 500 and a financial advisor, as a financial advisor may recommend investing in the S&P 500 as part of a broader investment strategy.
- Max Out Your IRA.
- Contribution to a 401(k)
- Create a Stock Portfolio.
- Invest in Mutual Funds or ETFs.
- Buy Bonds.
- Plan for Future Health Costs With an HSA.
- Invest in Real Estate or REITs.
- Which Investment Is Right for You?
Who is the most trustworthy financial advisor?
- Top financial advisor firms.
- Vanguard.
- Charles Schwab.
- Fidelity Investments.
- Facet.
- J.P. Morgan Private Client Advisor.
- Edward Jones.
- Alternative option: Robo-advisors.
Schwab Wealth Advisory™
Fees start at 0.80% and the fee rate decreases at higher asset levels. Call us at 866-645-4124 or find a local Financial Consultant to speak with.
But according to the Robo Report, the five-year returns (2017 to 2022) from most robo-advisors range from 2% to 5% per year. And Wealthfront, one of the best robo-advisors available, also states that customers can expect about a 4% to 6% return per year, depending on their risk tolerance.
If a robo-advisor fails, the most likely scenario is that its managed assets will be purchased by a rival financial company and your portfolio will move over to them.
Robo-advisors lack the ability to do complex financial planning that brings together your estate, tax, and retirement goals. They also cannot take into account your insurance, general budgeting, and savings needs.
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