Staring at investment accounts can be overwhelming to say the least. With so many different accounts to monitor, it’s hard not to wonder if you’re doing everything correctly. And financial advisors are expensive. So, what’s an investment-minded person to do?
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Well, there is an alternative. Instead of paying for spendy financial advice, I fed all my numbers into ChatGPT and asked for a brutally honest review. And, well, the AI didn’t disappoint.
Here’s what ChatGPT told me about my $469,306 investment portfolio and the specific changes I need to make.
ChatGPT started with the basics. My total portfolio sits at $469,306, which sounds impressive until you dig into the details. It gave me a “retirement score” of 83 out of 150, which falls into the “good” category. So, not terrible, but definitely room for improvement.
The projected numbers were a wake-up call. Based on my current trajectory, ChatGPT estimates I’ll have about $3,479 in monthly retirement income, but I’ll actually need around $4,191 per month. That leaves me about $712 short every single month in retirement.
That gap hit me hard. We’re talking about nearly $8,500 per year that I won’t have when I stop working. ChatGPT made it clear this isn’t just a minor adjustment; this is a real problem that needed fixing now.
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ChatGPT didn’t mince words about how my employer 401(k) was “very low” compared to my other accounts. However, this wasn’t surprising news as I recently started a new job and it hasn’t had time to grow yet.
That said, it was a solid reminder to make sure the 401(k) took full advantage of my employer match. My employer offers to match my contributions at 50% of up to 7% of my salary. I was pretty sure I was already taking full advantage, but I went through and double-checked. ChatGPT recommended I contribute 10%-15% of my income and reminded me that the contribution limit for 2025 is $23,500. Armed with that information, I decided on a 10% contribution, and my 401(k) is now perfectly set up and ready to go.
Here’s where ChatGPT gave me some good news. My traditional and Roth IRAs total about $306,000, which it called “excellent.” The mix between traditional ($214,380) and Roth ($92,001) gives me good tax diversification for retirement.
ChatGPT recommended I keep maxing out the annual Roth IRA contributions ($7,000 if you’re under age 50, or $8,000 if you’re 50 or older). Side note here, it should be mentioned that ChatGPT got this information incorrect. It told me that it’s $7,000 if you’re over age 50. Thus proving that whatever info you get from AI, should be double checked.
I’m already maxing out my $7,000 Roth IRA, and it also suggested something I hadn’t considered: gradually converting some traditional IRA money to Roth during lower income years. The strategy actually makes sense. By paying taxes now on smaller conversions, I could reduce the tax bomb when required minimum distributions kick in later.
When I gave ChatGPT more details. My age with medium risk tolerance and wanting to retire at 65, it got specific about how my money should be divided up.
The recommended breakdown was different from what I expected:
40%-45% U.S. stocks for core growth
15%-20% international stocks for diversification
25%-30% bonds for stability and income
0%-5% cash for emergency reserves
5%-10% alternative assets like REITs if available
ChatGPT was clear that with around 25 years until retirement, I have enough time to take growth-oriented risks while managing volatility. The mix leans more toward stocks than I thought it would, but the reasoning made sense.
This was the tough part. To close that monthly shortfall in retirement, ChatGPT calculated I need roughly $215,000 to $250,000 more saved by age 65, assuming a 4% withdrawal rate.
Breaking that down, I need to save an additional $550-$700 per month starting now. That’s not pocket change, but it’s also not impossible if I make some adjustments.
ChatGPT suggested using Roth IRAs or taxable brokerage accounts once I max out the tax-deferred options. The key is consistency; that extra $600 per month needs to happen every month, not just when I remember or have extra cash.
One recommendation caught me off guard: treating my HSA like a stealth retirement account. ChatGPT pointed out that if my HSA allows investing, I should put most of it in growth investments and let it grow tax-free for future health expenses.
The strategy is to keep about a year’s worth of out-of-pocket maximum in cash, then invest the rest. Since healthcare costs typically increase in retirement, this is a real tool as it becomes a powerful tax-free bucket for a major expense category.
ChatGPT laid out a clear priority list that I can actually follow:
High priority: Increase my 401(k) contributions immediately, especially to capture any employer match I’m missing.
Medium priority: Rebalance my portfolio to match the recommended asset allocation and explore Roth conversions during lower income years.
Ongoing: Increase my overall savings rate to close that monthly income gap and consider working with a financial planner for more personalized strategies.
The biggest surprise was how specific and actionable the feedback was. To be very honest, I expected generic advice about diversification, saving more and blah blah blah. Instead, ChatGPT gave me exact dollar amounts, specific percentages and a clear timeline for implementation. I now have an actionable plan and goals. Now I just have to do it. Too bad the AI can’t do that part for me!
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I Let ChatGPT Review My Investment Portfolio: Here’s What It Told Me To Change
