Everything you need to know before you invest.

CleverAlpha Asset Management, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser (CRD 301620) — a robo-advisor — that manages your investments using a systematic, rules-based algorithm. We build globally diversified portfolios with low-fee ETFs, monitor your portfolio daily, and systematically rebalance to keep your asset allocation on target.

An algorithmic investment plan focused on low-cost investments and rules-based asset allocation aligned with your stated risk tolerance and investment objective uses a rules-based approach designed to target risk-adjusted returns aligned with your stated objectives — at a fraction of what traditional advisors charge. CleverAlpha delivers daily AI-driven insights, time-weighted-return analysis, and tax-aware asset location at just 0.25% per year, while most traditional advisors charge 1—2%.

Nope. There is no minimum deposit to open an advisory account. Accounts under $5,000 are simply charged a flat $1/month minimum fee.

Click "Get Started" to complete our 100% digital onboarding. Identity verification and electronic signing are completed in minutes, and your advisory account is established directly at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. No paperwork, no wet signatures, no mailing delays.

No. CleverAlpha is an investment adviser, not a lender. We perform standard Customer Identification Program (CIP) verification as required by federal law and FINRA/SEC regulations — that's it. It has zero impact on your credit score.

No. CleverAlpha only operates within the United States. All clients must have a permanent U.S. residential address, a valid U.S. Social Security Number or ITIN, and fund their account from a U.S.-based bank account.

CleverAlpha charges an annual investment management fee of 25 basis points (0.25%) — just $25 per year per $10,000 invested. Accounts under $5,000 pay a flat $1/month minimum fee.

As an independent SEC-registered investment adviser (CRD# 301620), we act as a fiduciary. We receive $0 in trading commissions, $0 in custodial markups, and $0 in 12b-1 mutual fund kickbacks.

Nope. None. Zero. There are no account opening fees, no annual maintenance fees, and no account closing or cancellation fees charged by CleverAlpha.

Typical traditional financial advisors charge 1.00%—2.00% of AUM — often $1,000—$2,000+ per year per $100,000 invested. At 0.25%, CleverAlpha charges a fraction of that ($250 per year per $100,000). Over 10 to 30 years, compounding the difference in fees can translate to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in preserved portfolio wealth.

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) carry their own internal management expense ratios, which are deducted directly by the fund sponsor (such as Vanguard or iShares), separate from CleverAlpha's 0.25% advisory fee.

CleverAlpha’s algorithm specifically screens the ETF universe to select ultra-low-cost, institutional-grade index funds (often averaging 0.03%—0.08%), minimizing total drag on your net returns.

We primarily invest in low-fee, highly liquid ETFs — globally diversified across U.S. equities, international equities, emerging markets, government and corporate fixed income, real estate (REITs), commodities, and cash equivalents. We select index funds with broad market exposure and minimal tracking error.

Absolutely. CleverAlpha lets you set your investment objective and risk profile (from Conservative to Aggressive Growth). You declare your time horizon and financial goals; our rules-based engine maps those parameters to the appropriate target asset allocation.

Your portfolio is monitored daily. When market movements cause individual asset classes to drift beyond predefined tolerance bands from your target allocation, the algorithm systematically triggers rebalancing trades to bring your portfolio back into balance. There is no limit to the number of rebalances — all are included in your 0.25% fee with zero trading commissions.

Asset location is the strategic placement of specific investments across taxable and tax-advantaged accounts to minimize tax friction. For example, tax-inefficient assets (like taxable bonds or dividend-heavy funds) are prioritized inside tax-deferred accounts (like IRAs), while tax-efficient index equities reside in taxable brokerage accounts. This optimization enhances net compound returns without altering your overarching risk profile.

The Portfolio Allocation Model is an interactive educational tool that demonstrates exactly how CleverAlpha builds portfolios. Adjust your time horizon (1—25 years) and risk tolerance (Low to High), and the engine dynamically maps your inputs to a diversified ETF allocation spanning up to 35 asset classes in real time — completely free, no account required.

Up to 35 distinct ETF asset classes organized into four core pillars: Equity (U.S. large, mid, small cap across value, blend, growth; international developed; emerging markets), Fixed Income (Treasuries, investment-grade corporate, high yield, TIPS, municipal bonds across short, intermediate, and long durations), Real Assets (domestic and global REITs, commodities, gold), and Cash Equivalents.

Yes. As your stated investment time horizon shortens, our algorithm systematically adjusts your target mix along an algorithmic glide path — gradually reducing equity volatility exposure and increasing fixed income and capital preservation assets. This process is systematic, rules-based, and objective.

You can log in at any time to request a partial or full withdrawal. Funds are liquidated according to your portfolio rules and transferred via electronic ACH directly back to your linked checking or savings account. You retain full ownership and liquidity of your funds at all times.

CleverAlpha supports standard retail investment advisory accounts custodied at Charles Schwab:

• Taxable Brokerage: Individual and Joint Tenancy accounts.
• Traditional IRA: Pre-tax retirement contributions (up to $7,000 for 2026, or $8,000 if 50+).
• Roth IRA: After-tax contributions with tax-free qualified growth and withdrawals.
• Rollover IRA: Consolidation for previous employer 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plans.
• SEP IRA: Simplified Employee Pension for self-employed individuals and small business owners (up to 25% of compensation, capped at $71,000 for 2026).
• Trust Accounts: Revocable and irrevocable living trusts.

Note on 529s & Trump Accounts: CleverAlpha does not open or sponsor 529 plans or Trump accounts. We provide standalone educational calculators and analysis tools for families evaluating those accounts independently.

Rolling over an old 401(k) into a Rollover IRA allows you to consolidate scattered retirement balances, eliminate legacy plan administrative fees, and access a broader selection of low-cost ETFs. Rollovers executed directly custodian-to-custodian avoid immediate taxes and penalties.

We offer an educational Rollover Decision Support Tool to help you compare fee structures, investment choices, and loan features before deciding.

Tax deductibility for Traditional IRAs and contribution eligibility for Roth IRAs are mathematically dictated by your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) from your tax return (Form 1040 Line 11) and your workplace retirement coverage status.

For 2026, if you are covered by an employer plan, the Traditional IRA tax deduction phases out between $79,000—$89,000 for Single filers and $126,000—$146,000 for Married Filing Jointly. For Roth IRAs, direct contributions phase out between $150,000—$165,000 (Single) and $240,000—$250,000 (MFJ). Our educational tools calculate the exact fraction eligible for pre-tax deduction vs Roth routing.

When a household’s income exceeds the annual Roth IRA phase-out threshold ($165k Single / $250k MFJ in 2026), IRS rules prohibit direct Roth contributions. However, under tax law, anyone with earned income can make a non-deductible contribution to a Traditional IRA (reported on IRS Form 8606) and subsequently convert that balance to a Roth IRA.

Because after-tax basis was contributed, the conversion is generally non-taxable (subject to the IRS pro-rata rule if other pre-tax IRA assets exist). This two-step process allows high earners to participate in tax-free compounding.

Yes. Under IRC § 219(c) (Spousal IRA rules), if a married couple files a joint federal return (MFJ), the working spouse’s earned income can be used to fund an IRA for the non-working spouse, up to the annual limit ($7,000 in 2026, or $8,000 if age 50 or older).

The account must be titled individually in the non-working spouse's name, effectively doubling the household’s tax-advantaged annual retirement savings capacity to $14,000 ($16,000 if both are 50+).

Form 1040 Line 2b reports taxable ordinary interest earned from standard bank accounts and certificates of deposit. Because bank interest is taxed at ordinary federal rates (up to 37%) plus state income tax, holding excessive cash in commercial banks can result in high tax erosion.

Tax-aware cash management considers alternatives such as U.S. Treasury money market funds or short-term T-bills, whose yields are strictly exempt from state and local income taxes under federal law (31 U.S.C. § 3124), allowing investors in high-tax states to retain more after-tax yield.

Families commonly evaluate several structures for minor children:

• UGMA / UTMA Custodial Accounts: Taxable brokerage accounts managed by an adult custodian until the child reaches legal age of majority. Available through our standard Schwab custody.
• Custodial Roth IRA: Available if the minor has verifiable earned income (W-2 or self-employment). Contributions compound tax-free.
• 529 College Savings Plans: State-sponsored education plans. (CleverAlpha provides educational analysis but does not sell or open 529 plans.)
• Trump Accounts (IRC § 530A): Tax-advantaged accounts featuring a $1,000 federal seed for 2025–2028 births, plus Dell Foundation ($250) and employer matches under IRC § 128. Held exclusively by Treasury trustee custodians. (Educational Gift Finder and calculator provided; CleverAlpha does not custody these accounts.)

Trump Accounts are tax-advantaged investment accounts established under IRC Section 530A for eligible U.S. children under age 18. Key parameters include:

• Federal Seed Deposit: $1,000 one-time pilot contribution strictly for eligible U.S. citizen children born between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2028.
• Philanthropic Gifts: The Dell Foundation has pledged $6.25 billion ($250 per child) for the 2016–2024 cohort in ZIP codes with median family income ≤$150,000; the Brad Gerstner Foundation provides $250 for Indiana children born 2023–2024.
• Employer Matches: Over 60 corporations offer matching contributions up to $2,500 tax-free per employee under IRC § 128.
• Contribution Ceiling: Up to $5,000 per year from all sources combined.

Important Compliance Notice: CleverAlpha does not open, underwrite, or custody Trump Accounts. Under federal rules, Trump Accounts are opened exclusively through U.S. Treasury-sanctioned trustee custodians (such as BNY Mellon) via trumpaccounts.gov and IRS Form 4547. We provide an interactive Trump Account Gift & Eligibility Finder and Compound Growth Calculator so families can screen opportunities and model long-term outcomes.

529 College Savings Plans are municipal fund securities established by individual states under IRC § 529. Contributions are after-tax federally, but over 30 states offer state income tax deductions or credits. Earnings grow tax-free and qualified withdrawals for higher education and K-12 tuition are tax-exempt. Additionally, SECURE 2.0 allows up to $35,000 of unused 529 funds to roll over into a Roth IRA under specific conditions.

Important Notice: CleverAlpha does not sell, open, or administer 529 plans. We provide our free 529 College Savings Analyzer strictly as an educational comparison tool for families evaluating state tax benefits.

Our AI platform provides objective, educational analysis and portfolio monitoring:

• Daily Portfolio Deconstruction: Analyzes underlying ETF asset classes, fee exposure, and factor risks.
• Tax Efficiency Scoring: Analyzes asset location opportunities across your linked account registrations.
• Time-Weighted Return Explanations: Explains how macroeconomic factors, interest rate movements, and market volatility influenced your holdings.

Yes. CleverAlpha operates under strict fiduciary data privacy standards. All data evaluated by analytical models is stripped of personally identifiable information (PII) such as Social Security Numbers, names, and physical addresses. We never sell client data, and your data is never used to train third-party public AI models.

All client investment assets are held directly in your name at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., an independent qualified custodian and registered broker-dealer.

CleverAlpha is an investment adviser acting under a Limited Power of Attorney (LPOA). CleverAlpha never holds custody of your funds and cannot make third-party withdrawals or transfers. You maintain 24/7 direct access to your accounts via Schwab.com.

Yes. Because your accounts are held at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., they are protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) up to $500,000 (including up to $250,000 for cash claims). Additionally, Schwab provides "excess SIPC" coverage through Lloyd's of London underwriters.

Note: SIPC protects against the financial failure of the custodian broker-dealer, not against normal market fluctuation or investment losses.

You can independently verify CleverAlpha Asset Management LLC's registration on the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) database at adviserinfo.sec.gov using our firm CRD #301620. You can view our Form ADV Part 1 and Part 2A brochure detailing our investment methodology, fee schedules, and business practices.

No. Through the ACATS (Automated Customer Account Transfer Service) network, your existing stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds transfer in-kind directly into Charles Schwab. Liquidating holdings is not required to move your account, avoiding unnecessary taxable capital gains. Once settled, our algorithm evaluates tax-loss harvesting and rebalancing opportunities tax-sensitively.

Standard electronic ACATS transfers from firms like Fidelity, Vanguard, or Morgan Stanley typically complete within 5 to 8 business days. During the transfer process, your assets remain safely held at your existing brokerage until delivery to Charles Schwab settles automatically.

No. If you already custody accounts at Charles Schwab, you do not need to execute an ACATS transfer, move cash, or change your account numbers. You simply authorize CleverAlpha as your designated RIA under a Limited Power of Attorney (LPOA). Your assets remain in-place with zero disruption, and CleverAlpha begins algorithmic portfolio management seamlessly.