Who needs a traditional brokerage firm anymore?

[RandySF]

Planning up for retirement? Groups like Vanguard and T. Rowe Price make it simple to set up IRA's. Playing the stock market? There are many do-it-yourself sights with low, flat fees and tools to do your own research. My elderly dad goes the traditional border who, while a nice guy I can trust, charges a 7% commission. Now, my dad is old-school who still checks his investments in the newspaper. And of course the 1-percenters need help managing so many assets. But the rest of us? We should be able to do it on our own.