Finhabits’ CEO Carlos Armando Garcia noticed a disparity between financial services offered and utilized by minorities in the U.S. In an effort to give minorities access to mainstream financial services and build wealth, the CEO founded Finhabits. It’s an easy-to-use, low-cost robo advisor that helps users open IRAs, save for emergencies, and invest their money.
- Finhabits will help you get started, so you don’t need to know a lot about investing at the outset
- You can start with as little as $5 minimum per week
- Free for the first month
- There’s a monthly fee in addition to the fund fees, plus other miscellaneous fees
- Limited investment options
- Expected and historical returns on some portfolios are fairly low
Finhabits Ratings at a Glance
Finhabits is a bilingual financial platform designed by ”Latinos for Latinos“ that can help you invest in what you feel is most important. Because barriers to entry can be even more difficult to hurdle for immigrants and those without the backing of generational or even middle-class money, Finhabits wants to fill the gap and help anyone invest—even though they might not be an “average” investor.
What Finhabits Offers
If you don’t consider yourself flush with cash, need a place to park a retirement fund, or would like to do some general investing, check out Finhabits’ simple-to-understand website.
Recently, Finhabits introduced retirement plans with the launch of 401k plans on their platform. Finhabits wants to implement these in California where there are over 800,000 Latino small businesses. The retirement plans are designed to offer both minority-owned businesses and their workers an understandable and affordable option. The plans will be bilingual to best suit everyone.
Note: Though the CEO had minorities on his mind when he founded his company, it’s not a requirement that you consider yourself a minority when investing with Finhabits. The platform will grow as more and more people realize that lowering barriers to entry and supporting minority-owned businesses is healthy for the financial sector.
Finhabits invests your money in low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with companies such as Vanguard and BlackRock. These funds charge you, on average, 0.12% per year. In addition to the fund fee, accounts under $2,500 will incur a fee of $1 per month, while accounts above $2,500 will charge 0.5% of your investment amount per year.
You may also be charged miscellaneous fees for items such as physical copies of account statements. Once you sign up, you can check out Finhabits’ advisory agreement for full fee details.
Finhabits texts customers every week to remind them to save. Finhabits’ app, blogs and text-messaging service explain simple financial concepts (including the all-powerful compound interest chart), reinforcing the “need to save” mantra that many of Finhabits’ clients have just gotten around to learning.
Finhabits website and marketing materials are geared toward making investing a habit, which is why all of its tools and website focus on the habitual part of investing for the long term. Training users to make wise choices, save money and invest is just one way that these habits can make their way into communities, help families and even teach children how to manage their money.
According to its website, Finhabits is an SEC Registered Investment Advisor and offers bank-level security including a 256-bit SSL encrypted connection on its website. In addition, your money is held in accounts insured up to $500,000 by SIPC.
Prepped for newbie investors, FinHabits’ website is filled with FAQs. You can reach out to support@finhabits.com for more information or you can also call 1-800-492-1175 for more information or to get started.
It’s a snap to get started. Walk through Finhabits’ processes with three steps:
- Select your goal. (You can choose to invest in general or save for retirement.)
- Schedule your contributions.
- Finhabits will make your investment plan.
No matter what you’re saving, Finhabits offers 2 handy calculators. You’ll be able to plug in your age, weekly deposit, risk level and initial amount. A calculator will be able to show you how much retirement savings you’ll have once you hit retirement age.
If you’re interested in saving money, you’ll be able to plug in the amount you’d like to save, and how much you can contribute every week, and the calculator will tell you how long it’ll take to get there.
Next, you’ll establish your contributions (don’t worry, you can always change the amount later) by adding in your name, date of birth, gender, phone number, marital status, and address. Finhabits will know how to work with you even better once you answer some questions about employment, income, tax filing status, net worth, and investing experience.
Next, you’ll select your portfolio with Finhabits’ help. They’ll recommend what they think is best based on your age and risk tolerance.
Lastly, you’ll connect your bank and enter your Social Security number.
Finhabits also has partnerships with credit unions, including Neighborhood Federal Credit Union, which serves New York City's predominantly Latino neighborhoods of West Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood. Finhabits has taken an admirable stab at getting everyone on board the “investing is fun” train.
In general, micro-investing has opened so many doors for individuals, especially those who assume that they need a lot of money to invest (it's just not true!) If you’re one of those individuals, remember, that it only takes $5 a week and a small commitment to make a lot of money compound in your favor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Finhabits and other similar services?
Finhabits is a financial firm that believes technology can simplify the way people invest or save for retirement. It offers personalized investments without physical branches for a more efficient service at better prices.
What does investing with Finhabits really mean?
Investing with Finhabits means participating in the stock and bond markets. That includes buying a small piece of a large company and lending money to governments. As Finhabits investments grow, they pay interest to the investors. (Some people also call earned interest a dividend).
User Reviews
Jesus
I invest weekly to invest for my retirement.
Leo Chalupa
Great investment company. Highly responsive with excellent customer service
William Pulido
Is garbage
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About Melissa Brock
Melissa Brock is a versatile freelance writer and financial editor, recognized for her expertise in higher education, personal finance, and investing. With over a decade of experience in online content creation, Melissa has established herself as a trusted source for insightful financial advice and educational resources. Her writing prowess extends to diverse topics, including trading, cryptocurrency, and college savings. Melissa’s commitment to empowering readers with practical knowledge and actionable insights is evident in her contributions to various reputable platforms. As a dedicated financial editor, she meticulously covers the complexities of personal finance, ensuring readers have the tools they need to make informed decisions. Melissa’s work exemplifies her passion for educating and informing audiences on matters of financial literacy and investment strategies.