Financial Engines

[Brat]

I gave it a spin via Vanguard. It calculates more income than we spend so that is OK but then I asked for recommendations. Their recommendations do not change risk level (1.01 vs 1.01).

It recommended that I drop DH's IRA % in Wellesley from 96% to 35% and buy GNMA, 500 Index and Total Stock Market. Then it said to sell my tiny % of Oakmark Intl. What the heck, no international?

They recommended for DH's Roth that I sell Vanguard's Mid-Cap Growth and replace it with Int Term Bond fund; mine they significantly decreased V High Dividend and had me buying Vanguard's Total Stock Market, GNMA and Int Term Bond indexes with that $.

After what happened with the bond market a few years ago not having a professional manager hand pick them sends shivers down my spine.

Would you make the changes Financial Engines recommended for no decrease in risk level. FWIW I do like Financial Engines methodology from a mathematicians standpoint.

 

[pb4uski]

I use them via my Vanguard account every so often. Their level of safe spending is more than I would be comfortable with but not by a lot. I have also gone through their investment recommendations and they have never made sense to me so I ignore them, particularly since I'm not a big fan of GNMAs.

 

[LOL!]

I use Financial Engines whenever I want a good laugh. Every result I have seen has been less optimum than something I could do myself. Sometimes the "advice" is downright crazy.

It's almost as if a Disc Jockey is giving the advice (Thanks to aja8888):