The best financial advisor is one that helps you set and achieve financial goals in a way that fits your needs and budget.
You have options that range from automated investment management services called robo-advisors, to online financial-planning services, to a variety of traditional, in-person specialists. We’ll give you a quick look at the types of help you can choose from. Or, jump ahead to find a financial advisor from among our top picks.
Finding the best financial advisor for you
Here’s an overview of the three main types of financial advisors. We’ve included information about fees, minimum investment requirements and which type of advisor might be best for certain financial situations, so you can make an informed choice about which is right for you.
Robo-advisors
These online services pick and manage an investment portfolio for you using computers, which lowers their overhead. Some offer access to human advisors for when you have questions, but their primary service is investment management, not financial planning.
- Low cost, easy entry: Fees start as low as 0.25% of your balance and most charge 0.50% or less. Many have no or low account minimums, so you can start investing with a small amount of money.
- Good when: You need help investing for financial goals like retirement, but don’t want or can’t afford a more holistic financial plan. Robo-advisors are typically a great fit if you’re just starting out and want to make sure you’re investing correctly for your goals.
Online financial planning services
Online financial planning services are relatively new to the market, and they’re the next level up from robo-advisors. These companies offer investment management alongside virtual financial planning — clients typically meet with financial advisors by video or phone, and they receive financial plans and guidance.
The range of services provided by online financial planning companies is relatively wide — some services assign each client a dedicated advisor and build each investment portfolio from scratch; others offer access to a team of advisors and use robo-advisor algorithms to build investment portfolios.
- Medium cost, varied minimums: Online financial planning services typically charge either a percentage of your account balance or a flat monthly or annual fee. In either case, the cost will typically be less than a human financial advisor, but more than a robo-advisor. Some services have relatively high investment requirements of $25,000 or more; others require no minimum investment.
- Good when: You want virtual access to a financial advisor and a holistic financial plan, but at a lower cost than a human advisor. Some online financial planners won’t handle complex situations — such as self-employment taxes or estate planning – but others are able to tackle anything a traditional advisor would.
Traditional financial advisors
Many different types of specialists focus on helping you reach financial goals. Finding a fee-only certified financial planner gives you a good combination of specialized training and no conflicts of interest. A CFP must meet a high bar for educational requirements, experience and testing.
- Higher cost, higher minimums: The median financial advisor fee is about 1% of the assets managed for you, although some charge by the hour or have a set rate per service. Some require a minimum balance, such as $250,000 in assets to manage.
- Good when: You want specialized services, your situation is complex or you want to meet your financial advisor in person.
The best financial advisors
Once you’ve decided which type of financial advisor is best for your situation and budget, you can get down to the work of finding an advisor to work with.
We’ve reviewed the landscape of robo-advisors and online financial planning services so we can make specific recommendations. Below are our some of our picks for the best robo-advisors and online planning services.
 | Why we like Betterment: Betterment is the largest independent robo-advisor, with low management fees. Clients can upgrade to Betterment Premium for access to financial advisors. » Read our full review | Account management fee: 0.25% to 0.40% Account minimum: $0 ($100,000 for Betterment Premium) Promotion: Up to 1 year free management with qualifying deposit. |
| Why we like SoFi: SoFi charges no management fee and offers unlimited access to a team of CFPs. » Read our full review | Management fee: 0% Account minimum: $0 Promotion: Free career coaching, plus loan discounts with qualifying deposits. |
| Why we like Wealthfront: Wealthfront is strictly digital, with powerful financial planning tools and a low management fee. » Read our full review | Management fee: 0.25% Account minimum: $500 Promotion: $5,000 managed free for NerdWallet readers. |
 | Why we like Facet Wealth: Facet Wealth offers dedicated CFPs and charges a flat fee based on how much financial advice you require. Investment management is included. » Read our full review | Management fee: $480 to $5,000 per year. Account minimum: $0 |
 | Why we like Personal Capital: Personal Capital offers dedicated CFPs and charges a percentage of assets under management. » Read our full review | Management fee: 0.89% Account minimum: $100,000 |
If you’d rather work with a human financial advisor in your area, consider these factors:
Costs: Understand how the advisor is compensated, and by whom. Look for a fee-only planner, not someone who earns commissions for selling you products. (Read more about the difference between fee-only and fee-based planners.)
Standards: Ask if the advisor follows a fiduciary standard, which requires acting in the best interest of the client.
Qualifications and background: Check out the person or firm’s qualifications and background by reading through their Form ADV.
NerdWallet suggests these organizations as sources of fee-only, fiduciary planners. All of them have a “find an advisor” tool on their sites:
