Frequently Asked Questions
We've rounded up the most frequently asked questions about Allio, the personalized macro investing app.
What is Allio?
Allio is a macro investing app that empowers strategic investors to thrive in evolving markets.
We offer a unique blend of macro investing options tailored to your lifestyle and financial goals.
Choose one of our fully managed strategic portfolios for hassle-free investing, handled by our team of experts.
Prefer more control? Allio’s dynamic macro portfolio option puts the power in your hands with over 4,700 stocks and ETFs, fractional shares, robust technical analysis, and real-time price execution.
Either way, Allio’s expert team manages your portfolio— reinvesting dividends and automatically rebalancing to keep your portfolio aligned with your investment goals.
How does Allio work?
Our team has worked to create the most intuitive and user-friendly financial app on the market. Here’s how it works:
Getting started. After downloading the app, you’ll be prompted to set up a client profile with your name and email address.
Portfolio options. Next, we’ll ask what you’d like to do with Allio. Are you interested in saving for a short-term goal, investing for the long-term, or are you interested in investing with your values in mind with impact funds? Based on your answer, we’ll ask you a series of questions to determine your identity (it’s a legal thing), and then help you create the ideal portfolio based on your financial goals, investing time horizon, and risk tolerance.
Fund your account. Now you’ll have the chance to add money to your account. You can choose to save and invest with round ups, one-time deposits, or recurring deposits.
Connect all of your financial accounts (optional). Once you set up your Allio account you'll have the ability to connect all of your financial accounts to create your own personal balance sheet and track your net worth. See more about the Net Worth Tracker.
Is Allio safe?
You bet. You can feel confident saving and investing with Allio.
Allio (as Allio Advisors LLC) is a registered investment advisor (RIA) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As an RIA, Allio has a fiduciary duty, which means we are obligated to act in our client's best financial interest.
Brokerage accounts on Allio are powered by Alpaca Securities LLC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC. Alpaca Securities LLC also serves as a qualified custodian for advisory assets of clients of Allio Advisors LLC. For more information, see the Alpaca Securities LLC disclosures and the Alpaca Securities listing at FINRA's BrokerCheck.
Securities in your account are protected up to $500,000 through Alpaca Securities, LLC, a member of the Securities Investment Protection Corporation (SIPC). For more information please visit sipc.org.
Keeping your money safe is our highest priority. We protect your account with:
State-of-the-art security measures designed to meet or exceed industry standards.
256-bit data encryption
Multi-factor authentication
Allio uses Plaid, the leader in frictionless financial account linking, to verify your identity and connect your bank account securely through the Plaid OAuth protocols. We do not and never will store your online banking credentials.
How much does Allio cost?
Allio starts at just $1 a month! Here’s how our pricing works:
Core Portfolio - $1/month
If your goal is building long-term wealth, our Core Portfolio has you covered. Guided by data, decades of cumulative Wall Street experience, and an understanding of how markets work, your Core Portfolio is crafted with highly sophisticated investment strategies. Built with full-scale optimization, our goal is to limit downside risk and improve portfolio performance.
Unlimited Savings Goals - $1/month
Save for a car, an emergency fund, concert tickets, a down payment, your next vacation, or anything else you want to fund. With Allio, you can set as many goals as you'd like and we’ll build your portfolio(s) based on when you need the money, and your risk tolerance.
Holistic Account View - $1/month (first month free)
Never wonder how much money you have again! No more spreadsheets. No more accessing multiple accounts just to check your balance. With Holistic Account view, you’ll be able to see ALL your accounts in one spot, so you can easily track your net worth.
Allio Impact Funds - $1 each/month
Invest for a better world with Allio's proprietary impact investment funds. Constructed using a combination of AI and manual analysis, these portfolios help you support companies that align with your values. Choose from Clean Energy, Made in America, Social Justice & Equity, Animal Welfare, Cancer Research, Access to Education, and Water Conservation.
Tax Optimization - coming soon
It’s your money. Let us help you keep more of it. Allio can deploy advanced automatic tax harvesting tailored to your individual economic situation. Whether your personal financial situation merits tax-loss harvesting or tax-gain harvesting, Allio can deploy the strategy that best fits your needs.
Account Balances Over $10,000 - all fees waived
If your account balance is over $10,000 we’ll waive your monthly fees. That’s right; your management and advisory fee will be zero, nada, zip, zilch — totally free. Enjoy a core portfolio, unlimited goals, holistic account view, and tax optimization, all on us.
Always included with Allio:
One-time deposits
Recurring deposits
Automatic round ups (with or without multipliers)
Expert-crafted portfolios updated regularly to reflect market conditions
Diversified global macro portfolios to help you mitigate risk and build long-term wealth
The portfolio management & services fee is billed directly from your linked checking account. The fee will recur until your Allio account is closed, or you remove a service or portfolio type.
How do I save for a goal?
When you set up your Allio account, we’ll give you the option to invest for a goal. You can save for a vacation, rainy day fund, gift, down payment, security deposit, or a custom goal.
You'll input the amount of the goal and then we'll ask if you want to take more risk to potentially achieve the goal faster. How you answer will determine the portfolio we put you in—with the lowest risk portfolios constructed with absolute minimal risk (think Tips, short-term treasuries, etc.).
We give you an estimation of when you can expect to achieve your goal based on proprietary data forecasting from our expert investment team.
When you achieve the goal, we'll give you the option of withdrawing the money or keeping it saved until you want to withdraw. If you withdraw, we'll ask which goal you want to save for next.
Our goal portfolios currently have a yield of up to 5.14%*!
*as of 7/14/2023. This is the current yield-to-maturity and is subject to change, sometimes daily.
How do I invest for the long term?
When you set up your Allio account, we’ll give you the option to invest for the long term.
We'll ask when you'll need the money (less than a year, 1-5 years, 5-10 years, over 10 years). Then you'll get the standard questions about risk tolerance to determine the allowable level of volatility.
Then we'll analyze your responses to determine the composition of your macro portfolio.
Unlike other robo-advisors, Allio Finance gives you a truly diversified investment portfolio that goes beyond just stocks and bonds to also include Commodities, Precious Metals, Smart Beta, Real Estate, Emerging Markets, and even Crypto (opt-in only).
Learn more about Allio's investment philosophy and differentiated full-scale optimization technology.
Does Allio have high-yield savings accounts?
With Allio’s high-yield portfolio, your can automatically save for goals and watch your money grow with a 5.14%* yield.
Allio’s high-yield portfolios consist of stable short-term assets—primarily Treasury Bill funds, and government and corporate bonds—and have a yield of up to 5.10%*. High-yield savings accounts are savings products that have a yield of around 4%.
The securities in your high-yield portfolio are protected up to $500,000 through Alpaca Securities, LLC, a member of the Securities Investment Protection Corporation (SIPC). For more information please visit sipc.org.
*as of 7/14/2023. This is the current yield-to-maturity and is subject to change, sometimes daily.
What is impact investing?
At Allio, we believe you don’t have to sacrifice your values to maximize your financial returns, which is why we’ve created proprietary impact investing baskets, so you can feel good about supporting causes you’re passionate about.
Allio clients can choose to invest in Clean Energy, Social Justice & Equity, Made in America, Cancer Research, Water Conservation, Access to Education, and Animal Welfare.
Allio’s impact investment options are constructed using a combination of AI and manual analysis to create custom indices that best reflect each value.
How does the round ups feature work?
Using Allio’s round ups feature, you’ll have the opportunity to fund your account with just your spare change.
Here’s how it works: when you’re choosing how you’d like to fund your portfolio, we’ll ask if you’d like to use round ups. If you opt in, whenever you make a purchase with your linked account, Allio will automatically save your spare change to your Allio account. So, for example, if that burrito you bought at lunch was $6.50, you just added $0.50 to your Allio account.
You can also choose to 2x or 3x your round-ups with our round ups multiplier feature. So your $6.50 burrito could yield $1.00 or $1.50 saved to your account.
Once the amount saved hits $10.00 we’ll invest it for you.
Enabling round ups is a fantastic way to enable small, passive savings to help you reach your financial goals.
How does tax optimization work?
Allio deploys advanced automatic tax harvesting tailored to your individual economic situation.
Based on your personal financial situation, Allio can utilize tax-loss harvesting strategies designed to reduce your tax bill and help you keep more of your money.
Tax-loss harvesting is a tax management strategy that involves selling a selection of losing investments each year to offset realized capital gains. Typically, the strategy also involves replacing those losing positions with similar investments so that the overall composition of your portfolio remains virtually the same. This allows you to enjoy a reduction in taxes without needing to sacrifice your overall investment strategy or target asset allocation.
Tax-loss harvesting doesn’t make sense for everyone, which is why Allio can also utilize tax-gain harvesting strategies. Tax-gain harvesting is a tax management strategy that involves selling assets in order to realize a capital gain. This will trigger capital gains taxes in the year in which the asset is sold.
Tax-gain harvesting makes the most sense when you find yourself in a lower tax bracket than you expect you will be in in the future. This is why tax-gain harvesting can be a powerful tool for younger investors who are in the earlier stages of their career.
How can I keep track of my net worth?
Never wonder how much money you have again. With Allio, you can easily keep an eye on your financial progress with our Net Worth Tracker. Think of it as your own personal balance sheet in the palm of your hand.
See all of your assets and liabilities in one spot by connecting your bank accounts to see cash on hand, any investment portfolios you may have, any credit cards, as well as loans.
Can I select my own stocks or ETFs?
This feature is coming soon (Q2 2024)!
Currently, our portfolios are 100% automated — created for our clients by our expert team based on their financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment time horizon. See our Investment Process for more info.
Can I invest in crypto?
You can opt-in to including crypto as a part of your investment portfolio. Crypto exposure is provided through ETFs, which invest in crypto futures.
What alternative investments are available in Allio’s macro portfolios?
Allio’s macro portfolios are constructed using a combination of traditional asset classes (stocks and bonds), as well as alternative investments including real estate, emerging markets, crypto, and gold.
Does Allio show me the funds I’m invested in?
You bet. Unlike some other fintech apps, Allio is all about transparency. Whether you have a Core or Goal portfolio, you can always see exactly what your money is invested in. Just tap Details on the homescreen and you’ll see the categories you’re invested in. To dig in further, tap each category to see the specific fund(s) and a more granular breakdown.
Allio’s investment engine creates highly sophisticated institutional-grade portfolios. But what exactly does that mean?
The term institutional-grade refers to the level of complexity involved in portfolio construction. Traditionally, investing using these techniques has only been available to qualified investors and financial institutions.
At Allio, we’re making institutional-grade portfolios available to everyone. Here’s what goes into our portfolio construction:
We use a range of empirically-validated forecasting techniques across asset classes, complemented by machine learning.
We incorporate signals based on the current secular market regime.
We understand that correlations between asset classes are not static. We use probabilistic correlations in our portfolio construction.
We use a diligent distributional measure of risk which allows us to subject our prospective portfolios to various downside scenarios in an effort to make them more resilient should those scenarios play out. (This type of downside risk modeling is highly advanced and very atypical in the robo-advisor space.) Our goal is to achieve a high degree of risk-return efficiency, rather than focusing on a single metric such as return.
We strive to use the most liquid, lowest cost ETFs for each exposure in our portfolios.
We incorporate tactical information in our portfolios to complement our strategic tilts.
We use a multi-asset approach to gain exposure to broader markets — our portfolio construction goes well beyond basic stocks and bonds to also include alternative assets such as real estate, emerging markets, energy, crypto, and gold.
Automated tax-loss harvesting is incorporated into all accounts.
Learn more about Allio’s investment process and investment philosophy.
Do I have to be an accredited investor to use Allio?
No. Both non-accredited investors and accredited investors can start investing with Allio or leverage the round up feature for passive savings.
Which devices does Allio run on?
Allio is available in the Apple App Store for iOS devices (i.e. iPhones) and in the Google Play Store for Android devices.
Who can sign up for an account?
Any U.S. Citizen over the age of 18 years of age can set up an Allio account.
What is the minimum investment to open an account?
Our clients can start investing with as little as $10. And, when you opt-in to Allio’s round up feature, we’ll save your spare change and invest it for you once you hit $10.
How do I transfer or withdraw funds from Allio?
Here’s how to withdraw funds:
After you’ve signed into your account, tap the Transfer button and select ‘Withdraw’
Select the portfolio (Core or Goal) you’d like to withdraw funds from
Select the ‘Withdraw’ option
The FROM and TO fields will be pre-populated
Enter the dollar amount you’d like to withdraw
Tap 'Continue' to review your withdrawal
If you’re satisfied with the details tap ‘Initiate Transfer’
You will see the new pending withdrawal at the bottom of the Transfer page
There are a couple of things to keep in mind about withdrawals.
Timing
It can take anywhere from 3-9 business days for withdrawals to transfer to your external account.
Non-cash withdrawal requests placed before 11am PT on a market day typically will be processed the same day. If your request was made after 11am PT on a market day, Allio will sell shares the following day that markets are open.
Investments
If the markets are down, non-cash withdrawals will liquidate shares and lock in any losses.
Tax Implications
Non-cash withdrawal requests are sell orders. There are possible tax implications if you withdraw. You can find more information on www.irs.gov, or by consulting with a tax professional.
Need help?
If you have questions or need any help please reach out to support@alliofinance.com and our team will get back to you shortly.
This website is operated by Allio Advisors LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser.
Investments in securities: Not FDIC Insured • No Bank Guarantee • May Lose Value. Investing in securities involves risks, and there is always the potential of losing money when you invest in securities. Before investing, consider your investment objectives and Allio's charges and expenses. Allio's internet-based advisory services are designed to assist clients in achieving discrete financial goals. They are not intended to provide comprehensive tax advice or financial planning with respect to every aspect of a client's financial situation and do not incorporate specific investments that clients hold elsewhere. For more details, see our Form CRS,Asset "Form CRS", published Form ADV Part 2AAsset "ADV 2A", published , and other disclosures. Past performance does not guarantee future results, and the likelihood of investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature. Not an offer, solicitation of an offer, or advice to buy or sell securities in jurisdictions where Allio Advisors is not registered.