Money Pickle Review: Pros And Cons

Money Pickle is a financial advisor matching service.

The relationship between you and your financial advisor can be critical to your long-term financial success. Unfortunately, too many investors are matched with the wrong type of advisor, for various reasons. Perhaps you found an advisor through a friend, or based on a hunch. 

Money Pickle believes that finding a financial advisor matched to your unique situation should be a convenient, quick, and free process. The use modern technology to match individual investors with trusted financial advisors. We explain how the Money Pickle process works in this full review. 

What Is Money Pickle? 

Money Pickle is an online platform that connects individuals with vetted financial advisors. These advisors must be comfortable with providing high-quality financial advice via Money Pickle’s 1:1 video conference format, and the advisor is responsible to cover the costs. Advisors benefit from the opportunity to meet with prospective clients. There is no obligation for the individual to become a client of the advisor.

What Does It Offer?

Money Pickle uses technology to match individuals with vetted advisors at no cost to the investor. Here’s a closer look at how the process works. 

Matching Survey

The process to find a matched advisor begins with a short quiz, which you can access from Money Pickle’s website homepage. You’ll be asked for some basic information, such as your age (from a range), the financial topics that matter the most to you, e.g., General finance, retirement, investments, estate planning, etc., your annual income, the types of investments you currently hold, and your approximate portfolio size. You’ll also be asked whether you prefer to receive a consultation via video chat or phone call. 

Appointment Scheduling

Once you’ve completed the initial survey and provided your email and phone number, you’ll be given an opportunity to book a preferred appointment time on Money Pickle’s secure online calendar. To help you find the best possible match, Money Pickle will ask a few more qualifying questions. For example, they’ll want to know what type of investor you consider yourself to be: Conservative, Moderate, or Aggressive, if you’re looking for a one-time meeting or a long-term relationship, and whether you would like to discuss Estate Planning in your meeting. They’ll also ask for your Zip Code, in case there is a qualified advisor located nearby. 

How Does Money Pickle Match Individuals With Advisors

According to Money Pickle, the company only matches clients with fiduciary financial advisors. A fiduciary advisor is legally bound to act in the best interests of their clients. Furthermore, all advisors must be considered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to have a clean industry history, a Series 65 or Series 66 Registration, and at least 5 years of experience. 

When looking for a match, Money Pickle considers your stated amount of assets and your location and willingness to work with a remote advisor. For example, if your investable assets are $150,000, you won’t be matched to an advisor who only works with clients who have over $1 million to invest. 

Important Note: Remember that advisors are paying Money Pickle for access. And Money Pickle discloses on its website that the more money an advisor pays them, the more likely they are to appear in the results page when you’re searching for a match. That said, all advisors are vetted, regardless of their advertising budget. 

Are There Any Fees?

There is no cost to the individual for using Money Pickle’s services to find an advisor, nor are there any fees for the initial video or phone call consultation. Money Pickle’s costs are covered by the advisors, who use their advertising dollars to find potential clients via Money Pickle’s platform. 

Only when you decide to establish an ongoing relationship with an advisor (separate from Money Pickle) will you then be required to pay fees (to the advisor). Remember that there is no obligation to continue with an advisor after the free consultation. 

There are several other services that match clients with vetted-financial advisors. Two of the most recognizable Money Pickle alternatives are WiserAdvisor and Smartasset. 

WiserAdvisor offers an advisor matching service, along with several financial calculators and educational tools. The company is more established than Money Pickle, having been in business since 1998. Like Money Pickle,  it connects you with vetted financial advisors after you complete a simple form. There is no cost to use its matching service. If you would rather browse through a larger pool of advisors, you can browse WiserAdvisor’s online directory. The company has a solid TrustPilot rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, with over 300 reviews.

Smartasset is an online resource that connects millions of Americans to helpful financial tools and calculators. It also offers an advisor matching service, which is free to use. Smartasset works with Fee-only and Fee-based advisors who have been throroughly vetted. While some advisors may have minimum investment requirements if you choose to pursue an ongoing relationship, there is no investment minimum to use Smartasset’s matching services. 

How Do I Open An Account?

Money Pickle makes it easy to begin their matchmaking process. As mentioned, you can connect to a short online quiz from its website homepage. Once that’s completed, you’ll be given an opportunity to book a video or phone appointment at a time that’s convenient for you via Money Pickle’s secure online calendar. Once you’ve completed your free consultation, there is no obligation to continue working with your advisor. 

Is It Safe And Secure?

Yes. Money Pickle’s website is fully encrypted, and the company employs best industry practices to keep your information confidential. While you are sharing some personal information with them, such as your name and email address, it’s a free service, so Money Pickle isn’t storing any credit card or bank account details. 

How Do I Contact Money Pickle?

You can fill out a contact form on Money Pickle’s website, email cam@moneypickle, or call or text to 1(248) 520-8333. There is a chat feature on the website, with an estimated response time of a few minutes. I reached out to them on a Saturday, and was asked to provide my email address so that they could reply to my question at a later time. 

Is It Worth It?

Many people need the assistance of a financial advisor, but are unsure where to turn or don’t meet the portfolio qualifications many advisors require. If you’re struggling to find quality financial advice, Money Pickle’s free service may be the answer. Its user-interface is incredibly easy to use, and there is no obligation to continue working with your advisor beyond the initial consultation. 

Money Pickle is probably not for you if you’re uncomfortable with virtual meetings, and they cannot match you with an advisor in your local area. Also, remember that Money Pickle is being paid by the advisors they are recommending on their platform. 

Check out Money Pickle here >>