Robo-investment advisers make move into retirement accounts

Robo-investment advisers are on the march.

A leading company, Betterment, rolled out a Priceline-like program this week that syncs customers’ retirement accounts.

Betterment, which oversees $3.7 billion in customer funds, has been engaged in a price race to the bottom with competitors like WealthFront and Charles Schwab. Such advisers automatically invest in low-cost exchange-traded funds.

The new service links up to accounts with financial behemoths like Fidelity, ETrade, Wells Fargo and others, and will raise flags if that account charges a comparably high amount to manage a customer’s investments.

“Beyond just seeing it, you should be able to better manage your money because it’s all in one place,” said Betterment Chief Executive Jon Stein.

Betterment, whose assets have increased by about $700 million since November, has seen its fastest growth from clients 55 and older, Stein said.