All comparisons

WealthAdvisor365 vs. Betterment

Your money is at Betterment. Who plans your taxes?

A conversation, not a sales pitch. Nothing has to move.

Credentialed and on the record

  • Certified Financial Planner
  • IRS Enrolled Agent
  • Financial Planning Association
  • National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
  • National Association of Enrolled Agents
  • Kiplinger
  • MarketWatch
  • Realtor.com
  • Sam’s List

Side by side

Betterment and us, side by side

Betterment and us, side by side
ComparisonWealthAdvisor365Betterment
Firm model Independent and fee-only. We answer to you, not to shareholders or a parent company. An app-based investing company. Its own sister brokerage holds your money.
Built for Business owners and high earners with complex taxes. Everyday investors, from small balances up, who want automated portfolios.
Who you work with A CFP® professional and IRS Enrolled Agent who knows your full picture, every meeting. An app. Premium adds an on-demand team, not one adviser assigned to you.
Tax planning Your adviser is a tax professional. Strategy is planned all year, not in April. Software that harvests losses and picks which shares to sell. No custom tax plan.
Business-owner planning Entity choice, owner pay, 401(k) design, and tax planning around a business sale are core work. Built for ETF portfolios. Owner pay, entities, and exits go to outside pros.
How we're paid One fee, paid only by you. We earn nothing from what you invest in. Your fee, plus a cut of the interest on cash held in its cash program.
Products We sell nothing. Your money stays in your name at Altruist. The same ready-made ETF portfolios for everyone, plus its own cash account.
Standard of care A fiduciary on everything we advise on, every time. Fiduciary on advice. Its sister brokerage follows a looser sales rule when it recommends.

What you get with us

01

Tax planning all year

02

Your business in the plan

03

One person who knows you

A conversation, not a sales pitch. Nothing has to move.

What advice really costs

What advice really costs
CostIndependentBig brokerage
Advisory fee2 ~0.95% ~0.75%
Fund costs3 ~0.35% ~0.75%
Platform and trading4 ~0–0.05% ~0.15–0.45%
Total per year ~1.30–1.35%
~$26k–$27k a year
~1.65–1.95%
~$33k–$39k a year

Service fit

Which fits you best?

WealthAdvisor365 may suit you if you value

  • Advice that can compare the best options across institutions
  • An adviser’s independent judgment and client-first recommendations
  • Direct access to a consistent adviser and planning team
  • A simpler, tax-aware strategy that is easy to understand and built to endure
  • An adviser who stays ahead of the decisions affecting your wealth
  • A personal relationship, transparent pricing, and advice without commissions

Betterment may suit you if you prefer

  • Keeping your financial life inside one large institution
  • A firm’s in-house tools, research, and investment menu
  • Brand scale and a large service organization
  • More investment choices and greater product complexity
  • Managing your own finances with occasional professional input
  • A standardized wealth-management experience

Discussing a transfer

  1. 1

    Review

    After an introductory conversation, any account review takes place within the agreed engagement scope.

    Your part: Discuss which records are needed after engagement.

  2. 2

    Plan

    Review the proposed holdings, account changes, tax considerations and transfer requirements before proceeding.

    Your part: Ask questions, then decide.

  3. 3

    Transfer

    Transfer requirements and timing depend on the accounts, holdings and institutions involved.

    Your part: Review and sign.

Questions before a transfer

What should I review before a transfer?
Review account eligibility, paperwork, fees, tax implications and any restrictions on trading or withdrawals.
Do I have to move everything?
The accounts and holdings included depend on the agreed scope and the receiving custodian’s requirements.
What if I change my mind?
The introductory conversation is complimentary and carries no obligation. Any later engagement is governed by its written agreement.

No documents are needed for the introductory conversation.

Your money stays in your name

  • Registered Investment Adviser

  • CFP® professional

  • IRS Enrolled Agent

  • Independent custody

Common questions

Questions about switching

See what one adviser can do for you

Complimentary introductory conversation. No obligation to engage.

Sources and disclosures. Betterment information is based on publicly available sources and may change. Confirm current terms directly with Betterment. WealthAdvisor365 is not affiliated with or endorsed by Betterment.