Let’s start with a disclaimer:

We’re not financial geniuses, we’re content editors.

We’ve scoured the web for info we think is useful, to help make it easier for PM readers to decide how to best plan for their own retirement.

But there’s no guarantee the info on these sites is right for you and how much you’ve already accumulated for retirement, your comfort level at managing your own funds or giving someone else control, and your personal tolerance level for risk.

Trust. Diversification.

Two words that should become your financial mantras.

TRUST:

It’s up to you to do your due diligence to make sure you can trust the person or organization you hand your money over to.

That goes for a company you might invest in, or a financial advisor who might invest for you.

And just because your friend or your boss or your neighbor tells you someone is a great, trustworthy guy or they’ve invested all their money in XYZ company, do your own damn due diligence.

DIVERSIFICATION:  

Not even Warren Buffett is right 100% of the time.

You’re going to make mistakes; the goal is to have your wins outpace your loses.

That’s why diversification is so important; so you don’t lose it all in one investment or industry or company.

You should be skeptical of everything you read and hear.

Ask yourself:

“Why are they saying this? Is it to sell me something, from a book to financial consulting? Or to get clicks or likes? Or to stroke themselves and prove to the world how smart they are?”

Your best source for info is one that is transparent about motive.

That means you’re getting your info from a site or person who tells you:

“I’m trying to sell my books or financial consulting services, or we’re a website that gets affiliate revenue if you click the links.”

That’s why here at PM, we include a statement about our Advertising Disclosure at the end of every Google Hack column; we want you to know why we are doing what we do.

There is no risk-free solution, but there are lots of too-risky solutions.

Sure, you could stick all your money in a savings account and earn about .5% interest, if you’re lucky. And up to $250,000 will be insured by the federal government’s FDIC or Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

That might seem risk-free since your money is insured.

But if the interest you get on your money (currently .5% or less) is lower than the rate of inflation (currently around 4%), then you are effectively losing money every month.

And even the FDIC insurance is not 100% risk free, because sometimes even insurance companies fail.

So as we said, nothing is 100% risk-free.

As for the too-risky solution:

It’s the deal you jump into impulsively, or without the proper investment of time and research.

So you meet a guy at a bar who does financial planning, and you need a financial planner so you ignore the rule about trust and give him all your retirement money to manage without doing due diligence on him.

Or your neighbor swears he has created the next Facebook, so you ignore the rule about diversification and give him all your retirement money to manage without doing due diligence on his company.

Forbes recommends:

NOTE TO RYAN: Need affiliate links below

Best Robo-Advisor Overall: Betterment
Best for Robo-Advisor for Low Fees: SoFi
Best Robo-Advisor for High Balances: Vanguard Personal Advisor Services
Best Robo-Advisor for Beginners: Vanguard Digital Advisor
Best Robo-Advisor for DIY Financial Planning: Wealthfront

Investopedia recommends:

NOTE TO RYAN: Need affiliate links below

Best for Mobile: E*TRADE Core Portfolios
Best for Socially Responsible Investing and Best for Portfolio Construction: Interactive Advisors
Best for Sophisticated Investors and Best for Low Costs: M1 Finance
Best for Education: Merrill Guided Investing
Best for Portfolio Management: Personal Capital
Best for Beginners and Best for Cash Management: Betterment

The Balance recommends:

NOTE TO RYAN: Need affiliate links below

Best Overall and Best for Goal Setting: Wealthfront
Best for Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans: Blooom
Runner-Up: Charles Schwab
Best for Robo Advising in Your Existing Accounts: SigFig
Best Overall: Betterment
Best for Hybrid Human/Robo: Personal Capital
Best for No Fees: SoFi
Best for Multiple Accounts: Wealthfront