Are Robo Advisors Worth It?
Yes, Robo Advisors are worth it if you automated tax-loss harvesting & low-cost access to ETF’s & Mutual Funds, saving you money. They also provide automatic portfolio construction, rotation & adjustment based on your risk and preferences. Finally, they also offer model portfolios for socially responsible investing.
To elaborate further, Robo Advisors are worth using if you would like the following services. Many Robo Advisors are tuned for optimal tax-loss harvesting, which saves you money. They are also optimized for automatic portfolio rotation & adjustment based on your risk and preferences, saving you a lot of time. They also provide low-cost access to ETF’s & Mutual Funds, thus reducing trading costs. Some Robo Advisors offer model portfolios to socially responsible investing or gender-specific demands, saving you time researching the companies you want to invest in.
Also, a Robo Advisor has no emotional attachment to a particular investment. Thus, it could sell a money-losing favorite faster. Hence, the lack of a human touch can be a good thing for investments.
In contrast, many people value a relationship with an advisor and the insight they can bring. Therefore, your investment style can determine if a Robo Advisor will work for you.
Thus, there are many advantages to Robo Advisors. In particular, Robo Advisors can offer small investors a higher level of service at a lower price. On the other hand, robo investment is a new field with many risks. Thus, research Robo Advisors carefully before you entrust one with your money.
[Related Article: Top 10 Robo Advisors Review]
Are Human Financial Advisors Worth It?
On the other hand, a person with a poor understanding of the markets and little time to devote to investments could benefit from the human touch. Beginning investors will usually learn a lot from a human advisor, particularly one willing to explain the process.
Conversely, the human touch is hard to quantify and value. For instance, a human advisor can make you feel better. However, a dishonest human advisor has a strong incentive to lie or exaggerate to make money from commissions or fees.
Notably, one of the Robo Advisors’ greatest strengths is their honesty and impartiality. For instance, a Robo Advisor makes no commission on sales. Thus, a Robo Advisor has no incentive to recommend a particular investment or withhold negative information.
Robo Advisors Are Not Worth It If You Want To Beat The Market
The fact is most Robo Advisors do not beat the market or even try to. From our research and performance comparison of over 20 Robo Advisors, it turns out that M1 Finance offers a great mix of performance and investment services. Read the M1 Review.
The fact is that most Robo Advisors are focused on efficient tax-loss harvesting, portfolio balancing, and structuring based on your risk tolerance and preferences, which is mostly OK if you want lower risk and do not want to manage your investments actively.
What Alternatives Are There To Robo Advisors?
The simple alternative to a Robo Advisor is you are seeking to beat the return of the S&P 500 is to invest in a Nasdaq 100 Index Tracking Fund. The Nasdaq 100 is the best performing major index in the developed world and has beaten the S&P500 continuously.
[Related Article: 39 Stock Market Statistic To Blow Your Mind]
Another alternative is to learn to find and invest in stocks yourself. There are many reputable training courses available on the market today. But to find and time the purchase of shares in great companies to try to beat the market, you will need a complete education in Fundamental Analysis and Technical Analysis, including portfolio and risk management. We happen to have that very course available. Find out more about the Liberated Stock Trader PRO – A Complete Stock Market Education.
Finally, you can try to go it alone by using our Free Stock Market Training series, which includes Finance Books, Movies, Audiobooks, and even our Podcast so that you can educate yourself.
Should I Use A Robo Advisor?
Only you can answer that question, but the benefits are less effort to manage your portfolio and usually lower trading fees. If you select an Advisor with excellent transparency of reporting, holdings, and a good reputation, you should do well. If you prefer to manage every aspect of your investing, then Robo Advisors are not for you.
Learn More About Robo Advisors With Our 12 Part Q&A Series
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
