Betterment

CRD#149117
Investment Advisor Firm

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  • Overview
  • By the Numbers
  • Products and Services
  • Fee Structure
  • Types of Clients
  • Disclosures
  • State Registrations
  • Office Locations
  • Firm Advisors

    • Overview

    Betterment is located at 27 West 23rd Street, New York, NY. The firm employs 32 financial advisors to manage client portfolios and provide financial guidance. Betterment is not a registered broker-dealer.

    Betterment oversees $45.9 billion in assets under management across 1,103,630 accounts, all of which are discretionary. Over the past year, the firm has provided financial planning services to 3,500 clients. The services offered include financial planning services, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, and pension consulting services. The firm caters to retail investors, high net worth investors, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporations, with retail investors being the largest client type by accounts. The fee structure at Betterment includes asset-based and fixed fees. The firm has 15,873 high net worth clients and maintains affiliations with a broker-dealer or securities dealer.

    Betterment is registered in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, California, Florida, Delaware, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Minnesota, Montana, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.

    Assets Under Management

    $45.9 billion

    Number of Advisors

    32

    Disclosures

    No

    Office Location

    27 West 23Rd Street
    New York, NY 10010

    Betterment by the Numbers

    Total Assets Under Management

    $45.9 billion

    National Average: $8.6 billion
    Total Number of Employees

    532

    National Average: 64
    Total Number of Accounts

    1,103,630

    National Average: 375,227
    Average Account Size

    $41.6 thousand

    National Average: $23.0 thousand
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    Products and Services

    Betterment provides a number of financial services, including financial planning services, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, and pension consulting services. In the prior fiscal year, Betterment provided financial planning services to 3500 of its accounts. It is not involved in selling products or offering services aside from investment advisory services to its investment advisory customers.

    Core Advisor Services

    • Offered by 31% of firms

      Financial Planning Services

      This is the process of planning for your financial future, including for events such as retirement, your child's college education or estate succession.

    • Offered by 46% of firms

      Portfolio Management

      This is the selection and management of an investment mix and portfolio strategy for individuals and small businesses.

    • Find a firm that offers this service

      Market Timing Services

      This is the practice of attempting to make short-term profits on investments by buying low and selling high.

    Other Services

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    Fee Structure

    Fees charged by financial advisors usually depend on the services offered. Fees billed by Betterment likely include some combination of the following fee types: asset-based or fixed. The firm does participate in a wrap fee program, in which the company offers a service bundle for a comprehensive fee.

    Available

    • Offered by 69% of firms

      Percentage of Assets

      Show Explanation

      This fee, which is the most common fee type charged by advisors for portfolio management, is based on the amount of assets you have under management. Also referred to as an asset-based fee, this fee typically ranges from 0.50%-2.00% of AUM annually. You'll typically pay a lower rate the more assets you have under management.

    • Offered by 32% of firms

      Fixed

      Show Explanation

      Fixed fees are a one-time, lump sum charged for a specific service, like the creation of a financial plan without subsequent implementation. This can be useful if you only need advice for one specific purpose, rather than a long-term advisor. Fixed fees usually range from $1,000 to $3,000.

    Unavailable

    • Find one of the 21% of firms that offer this fee type

      Hourly

      Show Explanation

      Like a lawyer, a financial advisor may charge you by the hour. This can be helpful if you are only looking for short-term or one-time advice. Rates typically range from $100-$300 per hour, depending on the complexity and level of services needed.

    • Find one of the 1% of firms that offer this fee type

      Commissions

      Show Explanation

      Occasionally, advisors earn commissions from selling financial products, such as securities or insurance policies, or making certain referrals or transactions. Advisors who earn commissions may be incentivized to make certain recommendations to clients in order to make a commission. Fee-only advisors do not earn commissions, while fee-based advisors may.

    • Find one of the 26% of firms that offer this fee type

      Performance-based

      Show Explanation

      Advisors only earn performance-based fees if a portfolio outperforms a defined benchmark. This fee may be calculated in a number of ways but most commonly is charged as a percentage of investment profits. Performance-based fees may incentivize advisors to make riskier decisions in order to generate higher returns.

    • Find one of the 0% of firms that offer this fee type

      Subscription

      Show Explanation

      Firms generally charge this fee for educational materials provided, such as a monthly magazine. This can be useful if you want to learn about investing or financial management on your own.

    • Find one of the 10% of firms that offer this fee type

      Other

      Show Explanation

      Firms can sometimes charge customers using non-traditional fee structures. See this firm's Form ADV for more details.

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    Types of Clients

    The firm manages money for a number of different customers. It caters to retail investors, high net worth investors, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. Out of its 5 clients, Betterment's biggest client type by number of accounts is retail investors, though it also caters to 15873 high-net-worth individuals. The SEC defines a high-net-worth individual as an individual who has at least $750,000 in AUM or a net worth of at least $1,50 million or who counts as a "qualified purchaser" (a standard met by having at least $5 million in investments).

    • High-Net-Worth Individuals* - 1.87%
    • Other Individuals - 97.67%
    • Corporations - 0.46%
    • Charitable Organizations - 0%

    * The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) defines a high-net-worth individual as someone who has at least $750,000 under management.

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    Disclosures

    Betterment does not have any disclosures.

    Please visit its Form ADV for more details.

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    Financial Advisors at Betterment

    Rachel Hartendorp
    New York, NY
    Jonathan Wittig
    New York, NY
    Alec Pupo
    New York, NY
    Robert Glotfelty
    New York, NY
    Mindy Yu
    New York, NY
    Norman Perkins
    New York, NY
    Tyler Moore
    New York, NY
    Sara Kalsman
    New York, NY
    Nicholas Holeman
    New York, NY

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