Typically, I hear people say Vanguard is better than a robo-advisor because you can do it yourself and save money with the lower fees. While intermediate term funds can lose money in a given year, they are reasonably stable. Fortunately, we have better ways to invest for the short-term. About Returns on Investment Investing is a complicated process. For example, you could invest in a 5-year CD , but decide to withdraw your money after the first year.