Maya didn't want to spend her weekends looking at charts. She opted for Betterment . She answered a few questions about her goals, and the "robo-advisor" built a diversified portfolio for her. For Maya, the best place was one that managed the rebalancing and tax-loss harvesting automatically while she focused on her career.

The "best" place to buy an IRA depends on whether you want a hands-off experience or total control, but for most people, the journey usually leads to one of three major "neighborhoods": the , the Robo-Advisors , or the Banking Giants . The Tale of Three Investors

Sam already did his banking in one app and wanted his retirement there, too. He chose SoFi for its "one-stop-shop" feel and free access to financial planners. Alternatively, his friend Sarah went to Vanguard , the "old guard" of the industry, because she valued their unique client-owned structure and legendary reputation for long-term indexing. Where to Start Your Story

Vanguard remains the gold standard for low-cost mutual funds.

Explore Betterment or Wealthfront .