Automated investing services or Robo advisors are becoming popular by the day, and financial experts around the world only expect to see a surge in their usage. This is because these intelligent services offer one crucial advantage that many investors benefit from: low-cost financial advice. With many top financial services companies jumping in the race to provide customers with the best automated investing services, there are plenty of great options available for every kind of investor. What is a Robo advisor and how much does it cost? A Robo advisor is a digital platform that provides algorithmic-driven money management services that require virtually no human supervision. It does this by collecting client data like financial situation, future goals, and other details through an online survey. This data is then used to automatically manage clients’ assets and provide them with the most suitable financial advice. Robo advisors are immensely cheaper than human financial advisors. Most services only charge an annual management fee that is anywhere between 0.25% and 0.5% of the account balance. Depending on your need, you can even find good Robo advisors that offer services free of charge and low minimum balance value. Top Robo advisors in the market There are several low-cost Robo advisors that you can choose based on your needs and preferences.

Financial planning is a daunting and technically challenging task. Its execution is more difficult without the help of a professional. And that is one of the main reasons why you should find individual consultants and advisory agencies alike to help guide you for proper compliance with regulatory agencies. It doesn’t matter if you are an individual or own and run a business organization, the following certified professionals rank highly among the best investment advisors in the country, representing your case. Certified Financial Planner (CFP) For a broad range of investment services, you can consult with a Certified Financial Planner. These professionals have a general understanding of all investment and financial portfolios. CFPs help in holistic planning and execution of the financial plan to generate the maximum rate of return by diversifying your investment. Generally, CFPs are qualified to provide sound investment advice for taxation, insurance, estate, and retirement planning. Note that CFPs must take several exams and stay up to date, especially in their areas of specialization to provide certain niche planning and advisory services. Armed with all the technical expertise and the latest know-how about financial services, CFPs rank at the number one position among best investment advisors. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) CPAs are experts in taxes and accounting.

Investment of any nature and for any goal is always a good idea, apart from saving for your retirement. The rising rate of inflation coupled with reduced pension plans demonstrate the need for retirement-focused investments, which will not just deliver value over an extended period of time. That being said, not all assets are capable of delivering high returns at low risk and have their own set of importance to investor portfolios. To help you make an informed investment decision, here are some best retirement investments and their pros and cons. Cash-balance plans Similar to pensions, a cash-balance plan offers a fixed amount of return at the time of retirement. However, unlike pensions, every employee has a cash-balance account where the lump sum amount is mentioned. Employers credit this account with a set percentage of the employee’s yearly compensation plus interest charges. Pros: A defined-benefit is a major attraction of cash-balance plans. Additionally, you don’t have to pay a single penny for it and yet it offers a tremendous certainty of retirement funds. In case of a job switch, these accounts can be transferred to your new job. Cons: Should you choose to retire early, the plan wouldn’t benefit much.

Credit cards are a boon in these modern times and there is no denying that. A swipe, a touch, a tap, and everything is paid for (yes, you do pay for what you buy, but not until later.) So, what’s the idea behind these swipes? Who is actually paying for the stuff we purchase? Are credit card companies making money every time we use our cards? These are some of the questions that we’re going to try to answer for you. What is a credit card? A credit card is a plastic payment card that is designed to provide us with a certain amount of credit. This amount can be used to make purchases. The only criterion is that you have to pay the money back as per the credit card company’s policy. When you pay the money back, the credit is restored to its original limit. In a way, a credit card is like a replenishable loan. You can keep taking the loan as long as you pay the money back within the stipulated time period. How does a credit card work? A credit card electronically transfers money from one person’s account to another’s. To do this, there are multiple stakeholders involved, namely the issuer, network, merchant, and user.

ETF or Exchange-Traded Funds are a type of mutual funds that trade in stocks, securities and track various indexes. Exchange-traded funds often invest in a broad range of industry sectors and use various strategies to yield maximum returns. One of the biggest advantages of investing in high dividend ETFs is they have lesser fees than other indexed funds, thereby costing you less in taxes. Although ETFs help in diversifying your portfolio, it is important to choose the right funds that compliment your current investments. Here is how you can choose the right high dividend ETF funds. Consider tracking difference One of the factors that set high dividend ETF funds from other market investments is tracking differences; that is, the difference between ETF performance and index performance. The lower the tracking difference, the better the ETF fund. This ensures that the ETF fund is reasonably priced and trackable. Define your investment goals Identify your investment objectives to pick the best ETFs. Ask yourself if you want to invest in companies with specific characteristics, diversify your portfolio, or find a lower-cost alternative to mutual funds. Furthermore, consider how long you plan to invest. Financial experts suggest not investing if you will need the money within the next five years.

Running a small business during financially turbulent times can be extremely trying. But, monetary aid, specifically small business loans, can definitely make things easier for both the business and its employees. Funded and guaranteed by the federal government, 7(a) loan programs have been designed by keeping business-owners’ best interests in mind. Here are answers to some commonly asked questions regarding small business loans: What is an SBA loan? Loans by the Small Business Administration (SBA) are guaranteed business loans that are given to small businesses by participating lenders. Since these loans are guaranteed by the federal agency, they are much more manageable than those provided by private agencies. SBA loans also have the added advantage of lower interest rates. These loans are available in a broad range in order to suit specific business needs. You can get a loan that ranges anywhere from $500 to $5.5 million to fund your entrepreneurial adventure. Further, the loan can be accessed in the form of fixed assets or working funds. Types of SBA loans SBA loans are available in many types. Some of them include—SBA flagship loans, microloans, SBA disaster loans, and 504 loans, among others. Each of these loans comes with different funding criteria.