move funds to vanguard

[kongmen]

I've been with ameratrade for a long time and I am pleased with there service but I've been bitten by the index bug and will be buying only vanguard index funds any reason why I shouldn't just pack up and move to vanguard?

Thanks for any replies.

 

[kz]

I switched our accounts to Vanguard over a yr ago and am extremely satisfied with their services. From my experience I would tell you to go ahead with your plans.

 

[Maenad]

We've used Vanguard for years and really like it. It's almost too easy to invest. Go for it.

 

[kongmen]

One concern I have is what there site looks like when a member (I'm not yet a member). I know my employee sponsored 457 plan site is very limited in it's market data etc. Amaratrade is very market data friendly.

 

[frank2009]

I've been with Vanguard for over 20 years and am very happy with performance, price and service. If you're saying that you want to liquidate your holdings and move the money to Vanguard, if the money is in a taxable account (not an IRA for example), chances are you will have a tax bill if you've held your Ameritrade account for any length of time.

 

[pb4uski]

I've been with Vanguard for over 20 years and am very happy with performance, price and service. If you're saying that you want to liquidate your holdings and move the money to Vanguard, if the money is in a taxable account (not an IRA for example), chances are you will have a tax bill if you've held your Ameritrade account for any length of time.

While you may have a tax bill if you sell, you may be able to do an in-kind transfer of the shares you own in your Ameritrade accounts to similar accounts at Vanguard which would not be a taxable event since you will not have sold the shares, just changed the custodian of the shares.

 

[Ready]

I was with Fidelity for 20 years and after reading all the great reviews on Vanguard I went ahead and moved the majority of my money there to invest in index funds. It was only after I did so that I realized that Fidelity had a Spartan line of funds with the same index funds and comparable expense ratios. Had I known that I'm not sure I would have bothered.

Before you make the move, have you checked to see if comparable funds might be available at Ameritrade? Often times people think they need to move to Vanguard to get low cost index funds. While they were the pioneers, virtually every brokerage firm now offers them to stay competitive.

 

[frank2009]

While you may have a tax bill if you sell, you may be able to do an in-kind transfer of the shares you own in your Ameritrade accounts to similar accounts at Vanguard which would not be a taxable event since you will not have sold the shares, just changed the custodian of the shares.

You learn something new every day! Thank you!

 

[target2019]

One concern I have is what there site looks like when a member (I'm not yet a member). I know my employee sponsored 457 plan site is very limited in it's market data etc. Amaratrade is very market data friendly.

I don't have a brokerage there. But I just logged in to see what things look like if I research a stock. You get the data you need, but it may not be to your liking if you traded a lot at Ameritrade. Keep in mind that Vanguard is mostly about index funds and ETFs, so the customer interface may not be to trader dan's liking.

 

[kongmen]

Most everthing in the ameratrade account is in vanguard funds anyway I would just be moving from one broker to another. I do have some stocks but I don't plan on selling anything just yet. Ameratrade does allow dollar cost averaging into vg funds for free but charges $50 to buy a fund or put in a lump sum. I would like the freedom to put in extra cash as I see fit (market time )

Ready. Ameratrade is a brokerage only not a mutual fund company there are no ameratrade funds that I'm aware of.

 

[In-control]

You learn something new every day! Thank you!

That is what I did between Fidelity and Vanguard. VG facilitated the process and it was easy!!!!

 

[NW-Bound]

Regarding transferring shares between brokerages, I have found that they now also transfer info on the purchase history of the shares. That is, the new broker "knows" of the basis of your shares and the purchase date, so that he can do proper reporting to the IRS when you sell.

It was not like that when I did a transfer more than 10 years ago.

 

[kongmen]

I've done some checking and found out that ameratrade offers no transaction fee mutual funds and etfs but all of the index mutual funds are high expense ratios. The etfs seem to have reasonable expense ratios. In order to be able to purchase these etfs you must enroll in there no transaction fee program (they say so they will know not to charge me when I buy) so I enrolled.

Does anyone else have experience with this type of setup?

I know very little about etfs although index investor guru's seem ok with them.

 

[seraphim]

Kong man

Set up an account with a 0 balance and look the site over, though I'm not sure what you're looking for. VG provides all the info and analysis I generally need, though I also use Morningstars free XRay analysis.

VG will also track outside investments if you add them to their tracker.

If the transfer will not cause you any losses, I'd recommend VG. Call them and set up an account online, telling them you will transfer funds at a later date. There's no cost

 

[RetireAge50]

I also have mostly vanguard funds in my Td ameritrade account. I have thought of moving but hesitate as I have in the past done covered calls and purchased individual stocks so may want to maintain a regular brokerage account.

 

[pb4uski]

I also have mostly vanguard funds in my Td ameritrade account. I have thought of moving but hesitate as I have in the past done covered calls and purchased individual stocks so may want to maintain a regular brokerage account.

No reason to hesitate. Vanguard offers brokerage accounts as well through Vanguard Brokerage Services. All my Vanguard accounts show up on my Vanguard webpage and get included in any analyses I run using the Vanguard website.

Or you could keep your existing brokerage account if you wish and then define it at Vanguard and Vanguard will pull the current information from it to analyze your AA or whatever. I do this with my old DC plan.

 

[Midpack]

One concern I have is what there site looks like when a member (I'm not yet a member). I know my employee sponsored 457 plan site is very limited in it's market data etc. Amaratrade is very market data friendly.

I don't think the Vanguard site will look any different as a member. However, there are some services that will bring up a login screen, so you won't be able to see them. I'd suggest you go play around with the site now, and tell us what you don't see that you would like. You can see individual stock info, screeners, etc. - though Vanguard may not be as slick as TDA.

Once you've looked, tell us what's missing from your POV. I am sure Vanguard account holders here would look for you and report back, I'd be happy to do it (within reason).

After years of active stock trading, we switched from Fidelity to Vanguard in 1995 for index funds like some others. At the time, Fidelity did not have comparable Spartan index funds for as many asset classes and costs were slightly higher, since lowered. We have been very happy with Vanguard.

 

[LOL!]

... and etfs but all of the index mutual funds are high expense ratios. The etfs seem to have reasonable expense ratios. In order to be able to purchase these etfs you must enroll in there no transaction fee program (they say so they will know not to charge me when I buy) so I enrolled.

Does anyone else have experience with this type of setup?

I know very little about etfs although index investor guru's seem ok with them.

I am signed up for this at TDAmeritrade. I use Vanguard ETFs at TDAmeritrade without paying any commissions. Be aware that you will pay a commission if you sell a position held only 30 days.

If one is used to buying and selling stocks, then ETFs will not cause any problems. However, folks who have only dealt with mutual funds before seem to get anxiety attacks when dealing with ETFs. For example, one should not place an order for an ETF while the market is closed, but with a mutual fund that is no problem.

 

[kongmen]

I think I will stay with ameratrade and buy some idex etfs. The only thing that gives me a small amount of concern is that if there enroll able program ends say 10 years from now I would have to pay a small trading fee to get out of the etfs.

 

[LOL!]

In that case, you can transfer-in-kind your assets to Vanguard. OTOH, how many transactions would be you be making a year? I think I am up to 2 transactions a year now.

 

[mickeyd]

I've been with ameratrade for a long time and I am pleased with there service but I've been bitten by the index bug and will be buying only vanguard index funds any reason why I shouldn't just pack up and move to vanguard?

Thanks for any replies.

!00% of my investable assets have been @ VG for many years. I enjoy the super low expense ratios that all of their funds offer.

Pack your bags.