{"id":245,"date":"2015-07-24T15:40:59","date_gmt":"2015-07-24T15:40:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pamkrueger.com\/?p=245"},"modified":"2018-12-19T15:50:47","modified_gmt":"2018-12-19T15:50:47","slug":"can-a-robo-adviser-boost-your-investment-returns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pamkrueger.com\/can-a-robo-adviser-boost-your-investment-returns\/","title":{"rendered":"Can a \u201cRobo Adviser\u201d Boost Your Investment Returns?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you better off letting a computer invest your money rather than hiring a human \u00adfinancial adviser or doing it on your own? It sounds like science fiction, but \u201crobo advisers,\u201d as they are known, use sophisticated software programs to generate a customized portfolio for you, then manage it, helping with tasks such as automatically rebalancing your portfolio to improve your chances of success.<\/p>\n

Although the robo adviser trend is just a few years old, more than two dozen companies ranging from startups to giants such as Charles Schwab and Vanguard expect to use robo advisers to serve hundreds of thousands of investors and manage a total of $60 billion in assets by the end of 2015.<\/p>\n

Fees for robo advisers are much lower than fees for human advisers, and robo advisers offer greater objectivity and convenience. But recently, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a warning that there are risks and limitations in using these automated, online services.<\/p>\n

To help you figure out whether \u201chiring\u201d a robo adviser is right for you,\u00a0Bottom Line\/Personal<\/i>\u00a0spoke with investment expert Pam Krueger about the pluses and minuses and which robo advisers might work best for different types of investors\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Messages<\/a>HOW THEY WORK<\/h4>\n

Before you sign up for a robo adviser service, you fill out a questionnaire about your investment time horizon, goals, tolerance for risk, etc. Within a few minutes, you receive a suggested portfolio typically made up of low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that are passively managed, tracking various \u00adindexes. Depending on which robo \u00adadviser you choose and your investment criteria, the portfolio typically can hold ETFs tracking eight to 20 asset classes, including various types of stocks, bonds, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and commodities. The ETFs are issued by well-known providers such as BlackRock (the iShares brand of ETF), State Street (SPDR), Schwab and Vanguard.<\/p>\n

If you decide to invest in the suggested portfolio, you open an account and transfer money in. Some robo advisers allow you to tweak the portfolio by subtracting or substituting a limited number of ETFs.<\/p>\n

The robo adviser oversees the account, typically making changes to rebalance back to your original allocations on a regular basis. If you undergo life changes that alter your risk tolerance, need for cash flow and\/or investment horizons\u2014such as marriage, divorce or major illness\u2014the robo adviser can adjust your portfolio.<\/p>\n

Some firms offer additional no-fee services, such as \u201csmart\u201d dividend reinvesting (new dividend payouts in certain ETFs are invested in other ETFs whose balances fall short of the\u00a0portfolio\u2019s desired allocations).<\/p>\n

Some robo advisers offer automatic tax-loss \u00adharvesting\u2014selling shares in ETFs that have \u00adexperienced a loss and replacing them with similar ones. (By realizing, or harvesting, the loss, investors offset capital gains and reduce income taxes.) And some offer limited support from human advisers.<\/p>\n

THE PLUSES AND MINUSES<\/h4>\n

Annual management fees for robo \u00adadvisers range from no fee at Schwab and 0.25% of your average asset balance at Wealthfront\u2026to 0.3% at Vanguard and 0.5% at FutureAdvisor, compared with an industry-wide average of 1% for human advisers. (No fee versus a 1% fee is a savings of $1,000\u00a0on a $100,000 \u00adinvestment.) You usually are not charged trading commissions for buying or selling shares of ETFs.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest benefits of robo advisers is that they can protect you from your own worst impulses, helping you avoid common mistakes such as not diversifying enough\u2026failing to occasionally rebalance back to your long-term intended asset allocations\u2026panicking and selling when the stock market gets rocky\u2026or getting too giddy and overbuying certain investments when they are soaring.<\/p>\n

Robo advisers can serve as a supplement to fixed sources of income, such as a pension or an annuity.<\/p>\n

If you occasionally need more complex advice\u2014say, you just received a windfall from selling your small business or you want to leave a sizable inheritance to your family\u2014it may be wise to schedule sessions with a fee-only financial adviser or an estate planner.<\/p>\n

Be aware that robo advisers have limitations and drawbacks significant enough that they triggered the recent SEC warning.<\/p>\n

What you should be aware of\u2026<\/p>\n

These services have very short track records.\u00a0Each robo adviser uses its own proprietary software, which means that your portfolio would vary depending on which robo adviser you use. It\u2019s too soon to know which ones will produce the best long-term results, especially since none have faced a bear market yet. (For some of the differences, see the box on page four.)<\/p>\n

Most robo advisers don\u2019t manage 401(k) or 403(b) retirement accounts,\u00a0only taxable accounts and IRAs. Also, you generally can\u2019t transfer investments that you already hold, such as stocks, bonds or mutual funds, into a robo \u00adaccount, although there are some exceptions. That means you would either have to liquidate existing investments or oversee them yourself.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, most robo advisers don\u2019t take into account your existing holdings when they choose portfolio allocations for you. This can be a big negative if you have existing holdings that you do not want the robo adviser to \u00admanage.<\/p>\n

COMPARING ROBO ADVISERS<\/h4>\n

Below are five of the largest, most reputable auto\u00admated investment services\u2026<\/p>\n