Bright futures start with smart investments

retirement path

Our mix of experience and software can help put you on the right path to retirement.

  • Minimize fees

  • Diversify broadly

  • Play the long game

Our investment philosophy

These three simple, time-tested principles help guide the investment decisions we make. When paired with our software and expertise, these principles help people invest in their future with confidence.

Start investing with a guide

We’ve created 6 different managed investment portfolios so you can select the one that aligns with your age and risk tolerance. Each portfolio is diversified with low-cost funds and has an average expense ratio under 0.07%1.

1

Take our questionnaire

to assess your risk tolerance and saving timeline.

2

Select a managed portfolio

or create a custom one from a collection of low-cost funds.

3

Stay on track for retirement

— we’ll automatically rebalance your portfolio over time.

Learn more about our portfolios
Investing dashboard visual
Investing dashboard visual

Up to 6x less in fees

Fees can have a big impact on retirement savings, especially when compounded over time. The industry-average fee charged by 401(k) providers is 1.37%2.

With an account fee of 0.15%, the estimated total cost for an active participant investing in one of Guideline’s managed portfolios can be under 0.22%—that’s up to 6x less than the industry average4.

See the other fees we don’t charge

Your investments are our fiduciary responsibility

As fiduciaries, we are legally (and morally) obligated to ensure that every investment decision we make is in your best interest. Our investment committee takes this responsibility very seriously, regularly reviewing strategies and performance.

  • 3(38) investment management fiduciary on all plans

  • Registered investment advisor (RIA) with the SEC

Learn more about our investment philosophy

Investment committee

  • Jeff Rosenberger portrait

    Jeff Rosenberger

    Chief Operating Officer

  • Qian Liu portrait

    Qian Liu

    Chief Data Officer

  • Liz Mastrobattisto portrait

    Liz Mastrobattisto

    Chief Compliance Officer

A guiding hand on your road to retirement

Whether you’re a first-time saver or experienced investor, our educational webinars and investing resources can help you invest with confidence.

Invest in your team and business.
Open a 401(k) in minutes.

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Let’s get started

Frequently asked questions

Do you offer target date funds?

We do not at this time. We keep fees low by building the portfolios ourselves, while providing the flexibility to choose investments that serve a shorter or longer term investment strategy. Read more here

Can I trade individual stocks?

No, Guideline does not accommodate for outside brokerages and trading of individual stocks. Participants will be able to choose their investment options from our Fund Menu or select from one of our Managed Portfolios.

Does Guideline provide investment advice?

As a robo-advisor, once a 401(k) plan participant completes a simple questionnaire, Guideline recommends one of our six professionally managed portfolios composed of mutual funds via our proprietary software. Guideline does not provide individual investment advice.

Are my employees able to pick where to invest their funds?

Yes, each eligible employee will have access to their own personal Guideline dashboard, where they will be able to view the details of their retirement savings and choose how to invest.

When setting up their Guideline 401(k) account, they will be asked to complete a questionnaire which will then suggest one of six Guideline Managed Portfolios to them, ranging from conservative to aggressive. Alternatively, they can choose to build their own portfolio from our fund menu. They can change their deferral amounts and investment choices at any time.

Investment advisory services for Guideline’s 401(k) (when 3(38) fiduciary services are appointed) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. References to “Guideline” “we” or “our” on this page specifically refer to Guideline Investments, LLC. For more information regarding investment advisory fees and services, see Guideline’s ADV 2A Brochure and Form CRS.

  • 1
    The estimated total AUM fee of 0.22% combines the average fund fees for Guideline’s managed portfolios of 0.07% with an assumed account fee of 0.15%. Alternative account fee pricing is available, ranging from 0.15% to 0.35%. Contact Sales at hello@guideline.com to learn more about exclusive pricing options available in Enterprise tier. This information is provided for illustrative purposes only and the actual total AUM fees will vary based on the portfolio and/or funds selected. Guideline’s managed portfolios have blended expense ratios ranging from 0.067% to 0.069% of assets under management. Expense ratios for custom portfolios will vary. These expense ratios are subject to change by and paid to the fund(s). View full fund lineup. The assumed annual account fee applied to assets under management is deducted on a monthly basis. See our Form ADV 2A Brochure for more information regarding fees.
  • 2
    This information is provided for illustrative purposes only, and is not intended to be taken as investment or tax advice. Consult a qualified tax and financial advisor to determine the appropriate investment strategy for you. The average investment expense of plan assets for 401(k) plans with 25 participants and $250,000 in assets is 1.37% of assets, according to the 24th Edition of the 401k Averages Book, with data updated through September 30, 2023, and is inclusive of investment management fees, fund expense ratios, 12b-1 fees, sub-transfer agent fees, contract charges, wrap and advisor fees or any other asset based charges. Guideline’s managed portfolios have blended expense ratios ranging from 0.067% to 0.069% of assets under management. When combined with an assumed account fee of 0.15%, the estimated total AUM fees for one of Guideline’s managed portfolios can be under 0.22%. Alternative account fee pricing is available ranging from 0.15% to 0.35%. Contact Sales at hello@guideline.com to learn more about exclusive pricing options available in the Enterprise tier. See our Form ADV 2A Brochure for more information regarding fees. Expense ratios for custom portfolios will vary. These expense ratios are subject to change by and paid to the fund(s). View full fund lineup.
  • 3

    Investment advisory services for Guideline’s 401(k) product (when 3(38) fiduciary services are appointed) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. An assumed annual account fee of 0.15% is applied to assets under management and is deducted on a monthly basis. It’s calculated at 1/12 of the annual stated rate (0.15%) based on the account balance on the last day of each month. Alternative account fee pricing is available, ranging from 0.15% to 0.35%. Contact Sales at hello@guideline.com to learn more about exclusive pricing options available in Enterprise tier. See the Form ADV 2A Brochure for more information regarding this fee.

  • 4

    This information is provided for illustrative purposes only, and is not intended to be construed as investment or tax advice. We recommend that you consult a qualified tax and financial advisor to determine the appropriate investment strategy for you. Guideline makes no guarantees with regard to investment performance, as investing involves risk and your investments may lose value.

Guideline.com is owned and operated by Guideline, Inc. This website contains content from Guideline, Inc. and its affiliates, each a separate entity with different regulatory marketing requirements and standards. References to "our" or "we" on this website refer solely to Guideline RK, LLC unless otherwise specifically stated.

The information in this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be an offer, recommendation, investment advice, legal or tax advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any security. By using this website, you agree to Guideline, Inc.’s Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions of Use. Neither Guideline, Inc. nor its subsidiaries, are responsible for information provided by third parties. Information included herein from third parties is believed to be reliable however Guideline, Inc. does not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of that information.

Guideline, Inc. is a technology company that provides an integrated platform to companies who seek to work with 1) Guideline RK, LLC ("Guideline") and/or 2) Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser ("RIA"), both of which are wholly owned by Guideline Holdings, LLC. Guideline Holdings, LLC is wholly owned by Guideline, Inc. Neither Guideline, Inc. nor Guideline Holdings, LLC or Guideline RK, LLC is involved in securities activities and is not registered with the SEC or FINRA. Neither Guideline, Inc., nor any of its affiliates, is a bank.

Investment advisory services for Guideline’s 401(k) (when 3(38) fiduciary services are selected) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. For more information regarding fees and services, see Guideline Investments, LLC’s ADV 2A Brochure and Form CRS. References throughout this website to investment advisory services including but not limited to: investments offered, portfolios, managed portfolios, investment philosophy, assets under management (AUM), annual account fees expressed as a percentage of AUM, suitability questionnaire, 3(38) investment advisory management fiduciary services, robo-advisory services, and investment advice, unless otherwise specifically stated, are services provided by Guideline Investments, LLC. Investing involves risk and may lose money, including loss of principal. Investing is not guaranteed and past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. The investment options offered by Guideline Investments, LLC are not FDIC insured.

Recordkeeping services for Guideline’s 401(k) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline RK, LLC. 3(16) plan administration services are also offered by Guideline RK, LLC and only made available to clients who utilize an eligible payroll provider. For more information on Guideline’s pricing, see here. Guideline uses a third-party to provide custodial services. Custodial fees are paid by Guideline.

Any graphs, charts, and other visual aids (collectively referred to as "image(s)") are provided for information purposes only. None of these images can of themselves be used to make investment decisions. No representation is made that these will assist any person in making investment decisions and no image can capture all factors and variables required in making such decisions.

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