Brokerage and Bank Accounts

Schwab’s Service for Investors Seeking Thrifty Advice Raises Eyebrows

Whether the service, called Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, is truly free — or is just intended to seem that way — is a matter of debate.

By TARA SIEGEL BERNARD

Charles Schwab to Offer Free Advisory Service for Online Investments

The brokerage firm is moving to compete with companies like Wealthfront and Betterment that put customers into low-cost exchange-traded funds.

By RON LIEBER

Inexpensive Advice for Index and Exchange-Traded Fund Investments

These companies offer help picking and rebalancing index and exchange-traded funds or similar investments, and none charge more than about 0.5 percent of your assets each year for the privilege.

Brokers Fight Rule to Favor Best Interests of Customers

The financial industry is fiercely fighting a change in a pension law that would require more finance professionals to act as fiduciaries for their customers.

By TARA SIEGEL BERNARD

Growth in Options Trading Helps Brokers but Not Small Investors

Brokerage firms say that options, traditionally used by professional traders, can be profitable for ordinary investors, but this does not square with many investors’ experiences.

By NATHANIEL POPPER