GuidelineReviews of guideline.com

Poor options for portfolio management; very limited choices for someone who wants to be more hands on with managing their portfolio.

I am a part time employee of a small business. I recently received an email that I was automatically enrolled in my company’s 401k plan with Guideline even though my company does not offer a plan to part time employees. Red flag #1. Within the email it stated the start date (read again…. automatically enrolled like it or not) but, I could opt out. So, I contact my employer who verifies that they don’t provide this to part timers, for me to go ahead and opt out and they’d contact the FA to figure out how to stop this from happening in the future. I click into the email to read more on how to opt out. I follow the directions to Guideline’s website. To my surprise, I cannot proceed to opt out unless I create a 401k account. Red flag #2. Read that again…. I was forced by a 401k provider to create a 401k account in order to opt out. So, I fill out screen after screen of information only to finally land at an option where I can opt out. I think I’m done, but no, I am not. Now I have a zero dollar 401k account sitting out there doing nothing but providing a company with an avenue to solicit me for funds that they forced me into that I cannot close. Why you ask? Because, they are conveniently required to send you monthly emails from their “record keeper” for each 401k account. This is a shady tactic to ensure they get the ability to solicit you over and over to contribute funds within that monthly email. Red flag #3. Their requirement to open an account, apparently, supersedes the company I work for as the Guideline representative explained, although my employer does not offer a 401k to part time employees, Guideline offers it to everyone that has a W2. It doesn’t matter if you make $10 or $100,000, if you get a W2, you are forced to have an account with Guideline….. even to opt out. So, they also believe they get to tell business owners how to run their businesses. Red flag #4. I am now multiple emails and phone calls into Guideline telling them, verbally & in writing, that I don’t want a zero dollar opt out forced 401k account sitting out there and for them to delete it. They refuse. Red flag #5. Do not be fooled, they are over reaching, force employees into their system, unresponsive and downright horrific. They have so much of my information….. information that is just hanging out there in cyberland….. none of which you can control because you can’t delete it.

Hard to review something so early. Have no idea only been using Guideline very recently and already you are sending emails for us to review. WAY TOO SOON all I would say in review is that it is quite annoying to get this now. My time is limited and i don't have time for this. That's just being very honest.

Easy to setup and understand. A good smooth experience.

Fast and helpful!

I was brand new to 401k's and they made it very simple and easy to use. every step of the way was explained and offered options. I am very happy with guideline.

Guideline is very basic in its abilities to actually track and monitor your investments over time. It will show you the all-time change, but doesn't really have any graphs, quarterly breakdown, or YTD dashboards. The participant fees are higher than some of its competitors and and functionality is pretty limited.

Easy to implement. Love the integration with our payroll carrier Gusto. Onboarding employees was simple and intuitive.