Ellevest believes that gender-neutral investing fails women. So they’ve created a platform to help. Here’s our full Ellevest review.

Men and women are different in many ways. They each have a unique set of needs and circumstances that might call for them to approach things like nutrition, relationships, professional development, and even financial management in different ways.

The folks over at Ellevest believe in this idea so much that they created an investment platform that caters to women.

Ellevest was born out of an observation about women and investing: Gender-neutral investing fails women.

They argue that because of circumstance like gender pay gaps and longer lifespans, women need an entirely different approach to investing.

What is Ellevest?

Ellevest is a robo-advisor service that offers customized portfolios for women investors. The goal-based plans are tailored to meet the individual needs of women.

The financial services industry is dominated by men, so it follows that most investing plans are created without regard to special needs or circumstances that women face in their lives. As a result, many investment plans do not consider that women are paid less over their life spans and may have more time off due to childbirth and rearing which further reduces their earnings over their lifetime.

All of this is complicated by the fact that they will live longer than the average male despite having less money to live on. When creating portfolios, Ellevest considers the specific factors that only affect women.

The Ellevest mission

The mission of Ellevest is to help women meet their financial goals. In addition to this, the company helps its investors to invest in companies that empower positive social change by advancing women.

The dual mission allows women to help other women, while meeting their own financial goals.

They’re fiduciaries

The company acts as a fiduciary to its clients. This means that Ellevest is required to act in your best interests.

When determining the right path for you, Ellevest will consider factors such as your age, income, and retirement assets to determine the best possible investments for you.

Ellevest is the only company that considers gender-specific lifespans and salary curves.

How does Ellevest work?

You tell them your goals

Ellevest will suggest personalized investment portfolios based on your information and goals.

They consolidate your investments

You may already have retirement accounts spread across multiple providers. Ellevest has a way to get all your investments in one place.

You may have set up a 401(k) or 403(b) with an employer at some point, but do not check your investments’ performance or related fees very often.

They suggest management strategies

The platform will help to evaluate your current 401(k) or 403(b) plan to make sure it’s right for you and your financial goals. After they have taken a close look at your fees and the other options you have available, Ellevest will make a recommendation on how to manage your investments going forward.

If you decide to roll your account over with Ellevest, they will walk you through the entire process. They can even handle everything for you at no extra charge.

You can also easily transfer an IRA to Ellevest without any fees.

If you have other assets that you would like managed through Ellevest, you can speak with an advisor about private wealth management. It could be a great option if you have large assets that you do not want to manage on your own.

­­As you continue investing through Ellevest, you can change your goals or strategy at any time. Life happens, so you have the option to adjust your goals accordingly. As you set up your plan, you will be able to change the timeline, recurring contributions, initial deposits and even the target date for each goal.

What are Ellevest advice options?

Ellevest has a team of professionals that are ready to provide you with solid financial advice. The company has three different levels of advice options for its clients:

Ellevest Essential

The Ellevest Essential option is the most basic option, but it still offers a lot in the way of advising.

At this level, you will get a portfolio built to help you reach your goals. You’ll also have the option of participating in Ellevest Impact Portfolios, a selection of funds geared specifically toward the unique needs of women.

Need a session with a financial planner or career coach? This plan includes a 20% discount on those services.

Ellevest Plus

Ellevest Plus is the next level service offering. Through this option, you will have access to personalized retirement planning. You’ll also get support for any IRA transfers or 401(k)/403(b) rollovers.

The Plus plan also includes a 30% discount on one-on-one sessions with a financial planner or career coach.

Ellevest Executive

Ellevest Executive takes goal-based investing to an even more personalized level. State a goal, such as saving for a house or setting money aside for retirement, and the team at Ellevest will set you up to get there. 

This plan also includes a free one-on-one counseling session with a financial specialist. If you need more one-on-one time, you’ll get a 50% discount on future sessions with either a financial specialist or career coach.

How does Ellevest’s pricing work?

• Ellevest Essential: For this plan, you’ll pay a flat membership fee of $1 per month.. 

• Ellevest Plus: The Plus plan costs $5 each month.. 

• Ellevest Executive: The Executive plan comes at a cost of $9 a month.

Ellevest Digital has no minimum deposit requirement, but some portfolios have their own minimum deposits. You’ll be warned about this when you choose that portfolio to allow you to opt out.

Ellevest vs. their competitors