Algorithmic or human-based advice – what works

When you are starting your investing journey you are generally having this question where to go for advice? Well, you can invest your funds by doing your own research or hiring a financial advisor. But not no so long back there is a new category of advisors added to the list. Online Advisors or we can call them Robo advisors. These Robo advisors work on certain algorithms and use artificial intelligence to provide advice to their clients remotely. 

Choices of Advisors available for clients:

• Robo-advisors

• Financial advisors (Human based)

• Doing your own research for taking the decision

Who are Robo-advisors?

They are online advisors which provide financial advisory services to their clients with a minimized human intervention using complex software. This new technology has brought great advancements and personalized advice and solutions are provided to the clients. 

How does Robo-advisor work?

Robo-advisors recommend customized or personal portfolios for individuals that are based on the client’s goals and risk appetite. The algorithm is so advanced that it can provide precision and saves time. This begins with asset allocation, which is the most important part of decision-making. The funds are allocated in different asset classes like bonds, cash, and stocks. These assets have subsets like large-cap, equity funds, midcap, etc. They also provide a rebalancing portfolio facility.

What are the advantages of Robo Advisor?

Many researchers have found that many investors have the tendency to make investment decisions on emotional behaviour. As they see short-term volatility of the market, they get into a panic situation and make illogical decisions that are detrimental to their goals. Moreover, as the process of Robo-advisor is automated the risk of emotional decision is eliminated as there is least human intervention.

Some Robo-advisors are registered financial advisors that charge fees for financial advice given. Additionally, the fees are comparatively lower than a traditional financial advisor. 

There is a convenience factor added when we talk about Robo-advisors. You just have to log in to the platform that is available online and act upon the recommendations on your free will. You do not have to go to any broker and meet them personally for having advice. It will save you time and money. 

These advisors have been found to be extremely useful for beginners or those who have no experience at all in investing and want to start a new journey. Additionally, they can start investing with an optimal solution rather than wandering around thinking about where to start from. 

What are the disadvantages of Robo Advisor?

• Not Personalized: Your concern should not be just an investment portfolio. In the future, you might be having some issues for which you will require personalized solutions. While many Robo-advisors have the option to change or to edit the goals by using financial planning software. There might be some issues like money-related issues solution to which can be provided by a chat with a human. Not all but most Robo-advisors will not have the feature to talk you off any decision when there will be a significant market drop.

• Bashes Advisors’ Price Schedule: The fact that most Robo-advisors have lower price schedules is true but not for all. It is false that all financial advisors are expensive. Some may charge approx. 1% AUM for the services they provided. The fees of traditional advisors are sometimes low too which personal touch. Other advisors charge a fee per hour or for service. Such practice enables customers to save their costs and get more personalized information. The new web-based personal advisors can get you a long-cost list of fancy offices and serve you personally via chats for lower fees.

Are Robo-advisors capable of replacing traditional financial advisors?

Well not in every manner. Once you operate at a higher level and you have a big portfolio at that point complexity enters the picture. It will be difficult for you to get investment advice that suits you under the typical mould of a Robo advisory. Suppose you want to go for estate planning or you have any tax-related issue then you need to talk to an advisor that would provide a customized investment solution. 

As we all know constructing a financial plan is a difficult task and it is both arts as well as science. It is about understanding the deep emotions that an investor feels like the fears, inspiration, and other psychological aspects. These aspects of an individual can only be known by personal discussions and through an interview. Then comes the scientific aspects that are based on investor’s assets, liabilities, and cash flows. So at some point investors require to make a call for help related to money-related queries.

What is right for investors to do?

Technology-savvy and young traders and investors can easily get used to these Robo-advisers. Also, these low-cost advisers come with many features with which they can start to invest in a systematic way. Moreover, a Robo-adviser will not be able to provide an optimal solution in every case. Some will require a plan and guidance as per reality for which these advisers won't work. 

If you have unique investment needs you might want to seek personal advice from a financial advisor. In the future, you can also expect new-age financial advisors to utilize the benefits of both human-based and science advice in a hybrid model.

Conclusion

To sum it up, Robo-advisors recommend customized or personal portfolios for individuals that are based on the client’s goals and risk appetite. The algorithm is so advanced that it can provide precision and saves time. Choices of Advisors available for clients: Robo-advisors, Financial advisors (Human based), and Doing your own research for taking the decision. Additionally, you should consider your needs and decide which one you should go for. You should choose an advisor with low cost but with great facilities that can guide you in the way you want it. Technology-savvy and young traders and investors can easily get used to these Robo-advisers. Also, these low-cost advisers come with many features with which they can start to invest in a systematic way.