E*TRADE Group Inc. Thursday inked a deal with DirectAdvice.com to bring personalized financial planning tools and advice its offering lineup.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The companies expect the migration to be completed by the end of the first quarter.
DirectAdvice.com offers independent investors a system by which the user can create a specific financial plan. The service aims to assist investors in reaching financial goals, such as retirement or tuition planning.
Through the deal, E*TRADE (EGRP) expects to gain an edge in personal service compared to similar brokerage sites, propelling the company’s image beyond stock trading by tapping into personal control over tax, savings and investment planning.
The addition of the service will also provide further education, such as information on IRAs and portfolio diversification, to investors at the site.
“DirectAdvice.com sees E*TRADE as a valued partner who places the power
directly in the hands of individual investors,” said Brian L.
Hollander, president of DirectAdvice.com. “The combination of DirectAdvice.com’s financial planning service and
E*TRADE’s wealth of investor information will benefit individuals who are
interested in controlling their financial future.”
The online brokerage has taken a special interest in the financial strategies of the little guy recently, teaming with financial services software leader Intuit Inc. (INTU) last month to bring customers the new E*TRADE Tax Center, which offers information and tools that help simplify the tax planning process.