BETTERMENT* Charge (What It Is + Is It Legit?)

When Betterment processes its robo-advisor management fees, the charge appears on your bank statement as BETTERMENT* because payment networks truncate and format merchant names to fit within the character limits imposed by card processing systems, with the asterisk acting as a delimiter that separates the merchant name from any additional transaction reference data. Betterment typically appends account or transaction identifiers after the asterisk, which helps their billing system match the charge to your specific investment account. If you see BETTERMENT* followed by a string of numbers or letters, this is simply how Betterment's payment processor communicates fee transactions through the Visa or Mastercard network rather than a sign of an unauthorized charge.

No, this is a legitimate charge from Betterment. However, if you did not authorize this charge or cancelled your subscription, you may be eligible for a refund.

Frequently Asked Questions