When searching for the best financial advisors, you’ll find options that range from automated investment management services called robo-advisors to traditional, in-person financial advisors. In the middle are online financial advisors and financial planning services: These companies offer many of the services of a traditional financial advisor, but operate online to reduce fees.
Here's how to find an advisor who works for your situation:
1. Keep your budget in mind. Simple, digital-only services will be less expensive; holistic financial planning will be more. It's a good idea to know what you're comfortable spending before you dive in.
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Custom financial plan tailored to your situation and goals
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Low fee of $49/month* or $499/year
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*3-month commitment to be set up for success, billed monthly thereafter.
2. Decide what services you need. Maybe you just want help picking investments, or maybe you need advice on more advanced topics, like estate planning or insurance needs. These requirements will help you choose what type of financial advisor you need — typically, a robo-advisor is a good fit for investment management, but you'll need an online planning service or traditional human financial advisor for advanced planning. (View our picks for the best robo-advisors.)
3. Choose whether you want in-person or online advice. If you don’t mind meeting with your advisor virtually, you'll often save money with an online service. These services also typically have lower account minimum requirements than traditional investment advisors. No matter what option you choose, it's always important to check qualifications and make sure they follow a fiduciary standard, which means your needs come first.
» Need more information? Learn how to choose between financial advisors
If you're still not sure how to find the right financial advisor for you, it often makes sense to start with a robo-advisor or online planning service — you can always hire a traditional financial advisor if your situation grows more complex. Below are our picks for the best online financial advisors.
Why you can trust NerdWallet's picks: Our writers and editors together have more than 50 years of experience writing about finance, and follow strict guidelines to maintain editorial integrity. We do a deep, independent analysis of dozens of investment firms, sorting through the details to find and evaluate the information investors want when choosing an investing account. To see our full methodology and learn more about our process, read our criteria for evaluating online financial advisors.
When searching for the best financial advisors, you’ll find options that range from automated investment management services called robo-advisors to traditional, in-person financial advisors. In the middle are online financial advisors and financial planning services: These companies offer many of the services of a traditional financial advisor, but operate online to reduce fees.
Here's how to find an advisor who works for your situation:
1. Keep your budget in mind. Simple, digital-only services will be less expensive; holistic financial planning will be more. It's a good idea to know what you're comfortable spending before you dive in.
AD
Get a custom financial plan and unlimited access to a Certified Financial Planner™
Custom financial plan tailored to your situation and goals
Access to a Certified Financial Planner™ via calls or messaging
Low fee of $49/month* or $499/year
CHAT WITH AN ADVISOR
NerdWallet Advisory LLC
*3-month commitment to be set up for success, billed monthly thereafter.
2. Decide what services you need. Maybe you just want help picking investments, or maybe you need advice on more advanced topics, like estate planning or insurance needs. These requirements will help you choose what type of financial advisor you need — typically, a robo-advisor is a good fit for investment management, but you'll need an online planning service or traditional human financial advisor for advanced planning. (View our picks for the best robo-advisors.)
3. Choose whether you want in-person or online advice. If you don’t mind meeting with your advisor virtually, you'll often save money with an online service. These services also typically have lower account minimum requirements than traditional investment advisors. No matter what option you choose, it's always important to check qualifications and make sure they follow a fiduciary standard, which means your needs come first.
» Need more information? Learn how to choose between financial advisors
If you're still not sure how to find the right financial advisor for you, it often makes sense to start with a robo-advisor or online planning service — you can always hire a traditional financial advisor if your situation grows more complex. Below are our picks for the best online financial advisors.
Why you can trust NerdWallet's picks: Our writers and editors together have more than 50 years of experience writing about finance, and follow strict guidelines to maintain editorial integrity. We do a deep, independent analysis of dozens of investment firms, sorting through the details to find and evaluate the information investors want when choosing an investing account. To see our full methodology and learn more about our process, read our criteria for evaluating online financial advisors.
