09/2017 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 57hybrid advisory services. In recent
months, Betterment and Schwab in-
troduced services that combine robo
advice with input from certified finan-
cial planners. Citizens Investment
Services, a unit of Citizens Bank;
Wells Fargo Advisors, the investment
arm of the banking giant; and UBS
Wealth Management Americas have
partnered with robo adviser SigFig
to pair their in-house human advisers
with robo technology that’s tailored
to each firm’s clientele. Over the past
year and a half, E*Trade, Fidelity, TD
Ameritrade and T. Rowe Price have
started their own robo services, with
licensed representatives ready to chat.
Pioneers such as Vanguard’s Per-
sonal Advisor Services and Personal
Capital have offered hybrid advice
since their debut. Both programs start
by taking a digital accounting of your
cash and investments. Then comes a
consultation with a certified financial
planner (by phone or via computer),
who will craft a strategy to meet your
goals. (See the table on page 59 for
more details on other hybrid robos.)
Although many traditional finan-
cial-services firms have adopted the
eye-catching digital technology of the
robo world, including graphics-laden,
interactive websites and mobile apps,
not all robo advisers plan to add the
human touch. “Our clients don’t want
that,” says Kate Wauck, a spokes-
woman for robo adviser Wealthfront.
“They consistently tell us, ‘We pay you
not to talk to us.’ ”
For investors looking for high tech
and a heartbeat when it comes to ad-
vice, we think services from Schwab
and Vanguard stand out. Schwab
Intelligent Advisory is a bargain—
charging just 0.28% of assets per year
in fees and requiring a $25,000 mini-
mum. Plus, it offers well-diversified
portfolios that hold a variety of assets,
from large-company stocks (U.S. and
foreign) to small-company stocks, U.S.
and foreign bonds, high-yield debt,
and even gold. And it’s a plus that it
has a certified financial planner on
hand. Intelligent Advisory uses the