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Vanguard IRAs Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 4.9 / 5 (Excellent)
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The Vanguard Group, headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1975 and is a privately-owned investment advisor. The company currently has more than 20 million investors in approximately 170 countries, with US $5.3 trillion in assets under management. Vanguard is the largest provider of mutual funds in the world and the second largest provider of ETFs.
 
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How is Vanguard rated?

Breakdown

0.0/5
IRA Types
0.0/5
Investment Options
5.0/5
Account Features
5.0/5
Fees and Discounts
5.0/5
Reputation & Customer Support

Overall Rating: 4.9 / 5 (Excellent)

Vanguard offers consumers an array of IRAs to choose from, including traditional and Roth, which are best suited for individuals, and SEP and SIMPLE IRAs, which are designed for small businesses. Consumers can open, fund, and manage their accounts online or through the company’s mobile app, which is highly convenient, especially for those with busy schedules. Additionally, the company’s IRAs offer a lot of flexibility when it comes to investments, since consumers can choose to invest in an “all-in-one” fund or customize their portfolios with mutual funds and ETFs of their choosing.

One of the main benefits of opening an IRA with Vanguard, is that the company has some of the lowest fees in the industry, with no sales commissions, and consumers can open an IRA account with just $1,000.

Vanguard offers customer support via phone, email, and through social media, and customer support is available from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. EST on weekdays.

Vanguard Account Features

Account Features - 5 / 5

Vanguard has a great variety of IRA products for individuals and small business owners. The company offers traditional, Roth, spousal, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs, among others, and consumers can open an account with as little as $1,000. However, it should be noted that most Vanguard mutual funds require a minimum investment of $3,000 and ETFs have a minimum initial investment equivalent to the price of 1 share.

With Vanguard, consumers can choose to invest in an “all-in-one” Target Retirement Fund, which is a broadly diversified portfolio that automatically rebalances itself to become more conservative as the person approaches retirement age, or they can build their own customized portfolios by choosing their own mutual funds and ETFs. Vanguard also allows consumers to invest in non-Vanguard mutual funds and ETFs, and in individual stocks and bonds, among other securities.

Consumers can fund their accounts by making direct contributions through check or electronic transfer, rolling over an old employer plan into their IRA, or by rolling over an existing IRA from another company to Vanguard. Additionally, automatic investing is also available for those who want to set up recurring contributions to their IRAs.
Types of IRAs
Rollover IRA
Roth IRA
Traditional IRA
SEP IRA
SIMPLE IRA
Spousal IRA
Self-Directed IRA
Account Minimum
$1,000
Mobile App
Yes

Investment Options

Mutual Funds
Index Funds
Stocks
Bonds
Money Market Accounts
CDs
ETFs
Options

Advisors

Consumers with an account balance of $50,000 or more can partner up with an advisor for 0.30% of their total assets under management.

Online Experience

The company’s website is easy to navigate and has a complete section explaining the different IRAs, its advantages, types of investments offered, and fees, among many other useful topics. The website also has a variety of calculators to help consumers create a retirement plan.

Consumers can open, fund, personalize their investment portfolios and manage their IRAs through Vanguard’s website, or through the company’s mobile app, which is available for iOS, Android and Amazon devices.

Vanguard Fees and Penalties

Fees and Discounts - 5 / 5

Vanguard offers an average fund expense ratio that is 82% less than the industry average, and the company’s funds don’t have commissions. However, the company does have a $20 annual account service fee on all balances under $10,000, which can be waived by signing up for electronic communications.

Consumers who have an account balance of $50,000 or more, can subscribe to get financial advisory for 0.30% of their total assets under management. Additionally, the company’s funds and ETFs are serviced at an additional cost, so we encourage consumers to check out each IRA prospectus for more information regarding these fees
Management Fee
$20 annual service fee for accounts under $10,000

Vanguard Financial Strength and Reputation

Reputation & Customer Support - 5 / 5

The Vanguard Group, simply known as Vanguard, is a renowned company, with US $5.3 trillion in assets under management and more than 20 million investors worldwide. The company has been rated A by the BBB, with 101 complaints in the last three years, of which 13 appear to have been resolved. However, it should be noted that most of the complaints are regarding the company’s slow customer service, not its products. Additionally, there appears to not be any complaints filed against it with the CFPB, and no regulatory actions filed against it on FINRA, which is great for a company of its size.

Vanguard offers customer support via phone, email and through social media, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. EST.
Year Founded
1975
FDIC Member
Yes
SIPC Membership
Yes
BBB Rating
A
Consumer Financial Protection Board (CFPB) Complaints
0
Date Collected
2018-12-26
Live Help 24/7
No
Customer Support Hours
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. EST

Contact Methods

Phone
Email
Chat
Social Media
Text

Company Profile

Full Name
Vanguard IRAs
Company Website
https://investor.vanguard.com/home/
Headquarters
100 Vanguard Boulevard V26, Malvern, PA, 19355

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