Finhabits Launches Digital Investment Advisor

While poor financial practices burden all working Americans, some communities are disproportionately affected. Retirement savings, for example, are a key indicator of financial health, but many minorities — 74 percent of Latino families and 59 percent of African-American families — don’t have a retirement account, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

“I see technology as the great equalizer that’ll help our country close the wealth gap among minority communities,” said Carlos Garcia, founder/CEO of Finhabits, and an MIT alumnus with over 14 years of experience in the financial industry. “Our mission is to make investing more inclusive so anyone can reach their financial goals,” Garcia adds.

Finhabits approaches investing with simple, repeatable actions that help people develop smart habits. More importantly, Finhabits makes it easy for anyone to build wealth for their future, at a very low cost, today:

• Easy as can be. No complex paperwork means users can set up an account in minutes, all from the convenience of their smartphone or computer.
• Quality investments. The platform recommends each user a customized and diversified portfolio of high-quality index funds from Vanguard and BlackRock.
• Smart habits. Users can invest as little as $5 a week. Timely reminders help reinforce those habits and ensure investors stay on track.
• Clear fees. Fees are both low and transparent — $1 per month for accounts under $2,500 or 0.50% annual fee for balances over $2,500. There are no commissions for buying or selling investments.

Finhabits is a full stack technology solution developed in-house by a team of financial experts, engineers and designers in New York City. Last June, Finhabits began engaging investors in select cities and proved that people in large diverse communities embrace the service.