Instead of a single portfolio that ignores your specific goals, our algorithms provide each of your goals with a custom investment plan, based on:
The portfolio growth required for your goal
The amount of risk you're happy with
The time period you have to save or invest
Stock market scenarios, inflation & your details
Once you've set up your personal goal, BrightPlan can automate investing in a BrightPlan Investment Account to help you stay on track with your plan. You can also apply our advice in your external investment accounts when linked to a goal.
The BrightPlan Investment Committee is led by Peter Lazaroff and Jeff Buckner, who currently manage approximately $3.7 billion at Plancorp. Their evidence-based approach to investing is based on academic research that reveals the following tenets:
Capital markets do a good job of fairly pricing all available information and investors’ expectations about publicly traded securities. The market has already done most of the work. Rather than working to beat the market, let it work for you.
Embracing market pricing can net investors higher returns by
Most investors are neither diversified enough, nor properly diversified. We manage risk through smart diversification based on Modern Portfolio Theory. Our model portfolios invest in a global mix of over 10,000 stocks and bonds, yet you can start with as little as $500.
A good investment plan requires commitment, not activity. Investors gain time and peace of mind by automating smart choices like:
We select specific funds for each portfolio with an end result that is globally diversified and based on historical performances.
Own the whole market in our simplest, lowest cost investment option.
Often referred to as “passive investing” because it makes no specific bets on individual entities. Each fund simply buys and holds its target index, and lets broad, long-term market growth do the rest.
Higher risk, higher expected return approach designed to beat the market.
Targeting specific factors brings risk in order to earn a return premium above a broad market index. Patience and a long time horizon are essential to success with this portfolio.
Do good while preserving performance.
Environmental, Social, and Governance Portfolios allow you to do good with your money while still seeking to preserve investment performance through similar risk and return expectations as those found in broad markets.
Make automatic progress towards your goals with a BrightPlan Investment Account.
Open an investment account for each of your goals and relax knowing your investment plan fits your resources, risk tolerance, and timeframe.
Choosing investments can be overwhelming. So we analyze, select, and monitor investments for you.
Your plan on auto-pilot. Set up one-time or recurring contributions, we’ll invest them automatically.
If market movements push your portfolio out of balance, our software automatically nudges it back on track.
We reduce the need to sell funds by reinvesting dividends to rebalance your account.
Our tax aware portfolio construction and periodic tax loss harvesting work to improve your after-tax returns (the only returns that matter).
BrightPlan offers fiduciary advice at a much lower price tag compared to traditional advisors.[5] We keep expenses low: no commissions, kickbacks, or fees, which keeps our advice aligned to clients' best interests.
View our pricing guide
Traditional Advisor |
Brightplan |
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Set a low $500 account minimum |
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Low annual management fee of 0.25% |
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Real time account tracking from any device |
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Chose funds with low expenses |
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Negotiated with a low, unlimited trading fee with TD Ameritrade |
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Zero commissions, we are only compensated by clients |
BrightPlan Investment Accounts are opened in your name at TD Ameritrade Institutional, a top-tier custodian safeguarding over $1.1 Trillion in investors' assets with their asset protection guarantee. BrightPlan selected TD Ameritrade Institutional as our preferred custodian because of their robust technology integrations, strong track record as a custodian for over 6,000 Registered Investment Advisors, and low fees for trading and account management. Through TD Ameritrade, mutual funds and cash held in BrightPlan Investment Accounts are protected by SIPC and FDIC insurance.
(*) TD Ameritrade and BrightPlan are separate and unaffiliated firms, and are not responsible
for each other’s services or policies. TD Ameritrade does not endorse or recommend any advisor
and the use of the TD Ameritrade logo does not represent the endorsement or recommendation of
any advisor. Brokerage services provided by TD Ameritrade Institutional, Division of TD
Ameritrade, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. TD Ameritrade is a trademark jointly owned by TD Ameritrade
IP Company, Inc. and The Toronto-Dominion Bank. Used with permission.
Traditional Advisor |
Brightplan |
|
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Account minimum |
$250,000+ |
$500 |
Management fees |
1% |
0.25% |
FURTHER READING
[1] All funds in BrightPlan portfolios have lower average expense ratios than their Morningstar category (as of 12/30/2017)
[2] Dimensional Statistic: Performance data shown represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Beginning sample includes funds as of January 1, 2002. The number of beginners is: Industry - 3,545 and Dimensional - 29. Outperformers (winners) are funds with return observations for every month of the 15-year period whose cumulative net return over the period exceeded that of their respective benchmark. US-domiciled open-end mutual fund data is from Morningstar and Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP) from the University of Chicago. Performance of each fund in the industry sample are evaluated relative to the fund’s Morningstar Category Index. Dimensional fund data provided by the fund accountant. Dimensional funds exclude VA funds and those distributed exclusively through Loring Ward. Performance of Dimensional funds measured against prospectus benchmarks. When evaluating the Dimensional funds relative to the fund’s Morningstar category index, 79% outperform. For further methodology details, see DFA’s Mutual Fund Landscape brochure.
[3] Vanguard Statistic: For the 10-year period ended December 31, 2017, 9 of 9 Vanguard money market funds, 51 of 55 Vanguard bond funds, 21 of 22 Vanguard balanced funds, and 101 of 108 Vanguard stock funds—for a total of 182 of 194 Vanguard funds —outperformed their Lipper peer-group average. Results will vary for other time periods. Only mutual funds with a minimum 10-year history were included in the comparison. The competitive performance data shown represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results.
[4] Vanguard average mutual fund expense ratio: 0.12%. Industry average mutual fund expense ratio: 0.69%. All averages are asset-weighted. Industry averages exclude Vanguard. Sources: Vanguard and Morningstar, Inc., as of December 31, 2016. Morningstar US Fund Fee Study 2019
[5] Based on the median 1% annual assets under management fee for investment advisors managing between $250,000 and $1 million. Source: Inside Information 2017 Planning Profession Fee Survey
[6] How we calculated fund costs: BrightPlan fund costs are a weighted average of all of the funds included in a taxable BrightPlan Investment Account holding 60% stocks and 40% bonds. Industry averages are based on the asset weighted average fund costs of all US Mutual Funds from the Morningstar US Fund Fee Study 2019 Because the weightings of funds are different in every model portfolio, clients invested in BrightPlan model portfolios could have fund fee averages ranging between 0.13% and 0.28%.
Recognized by the best
BrightPlan LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser that only offers digital investment advice to US residents. Financial advisors are from Plancorp LLC, an affiliated SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training nor does it imply endorsement by the SEC. Please see the BrightPlan and Plancorp ADVs for additional important information. All investing involves risk, including the loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. BrightPlan is a trademark of BrightPlan LLC, registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Board of Directors are of Prumentum Group, Inc., the parent of BrightPlan LLC. BrightPlan is certified by the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence, LLC ("CEFEX") as having met their standards for Fiduciary Practices for Investment Advisors. It is not known whether the listed customers approve of BrightPlan or the advisory services provided. The customers represented herein were not chosen based on any performance-related criteria but were chosen based upon the level of employee usage of BrightPlan's financial wellness program. Awards are not indicative of future performance. Awards and Other Recognitions should not be interpreted as a guarantee or suggestion that a client or prospective client will experience a certain level of results if our firm is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services, or as an endorsement of our firm by any past or present client. None of the sponsoring publications or organizations are affiliated with our firm, none of the Awards or Other Recognitions are based on client evaluations of our firm, and we have not made any payments for or in anticipation of any Award or Other Recognition.
© 2024 BrightPlan LLC
BrightPlan LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser that only offers digital investment advice to US residents. Financial advisors are from Plancorp LLC, an affiliated SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training nor does it imply endorsement by the SEC. Please see the BrightPlan and Plancorp ADVs for additional important information. All investing involves risk, including the loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. BrightPlan is a trademark of BrightPlan LLC, registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Board of Directors are of Prumentum Group, Inc., the parent of BrightPlan LLC. BrightPlan is certified by the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence, LLC ("CEFEX") as having met their standards for Fiduciary Practices for Investment Advisors. It is not known whether the listed customers approve of BrightPlan or the advisory services provided. The customers represented herein were not chosen based on any performance-related criteria but were chosen based upon the level of employee usage of BrightPlan's financial wellness program. Awards are not indicative of future performance. Awards and Other Recognitions should not be interpreted as a guarantee or suggestion that a client or prospective client will experience a certain level of results if our firm is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services, or as an endorsement of our firm by any past or present client. None of the sponsoring publications or organizations are affiliated with our firm, none of the Awards or Other Recognitions are based on client evaluations of our firm, and we have not made any payments for or in anticipation of any Award or Other Recognition.