Anyone with experience of TIAA-CREF brokerage

[nun]

I have a retail mutual fund account with TIAA-CREF, but now I see that they have a brokerage account
too that would give me some more flexability. Does anyone have one of these, if so what do you
think of it?

 

[nun]

Well looks like not too many folks use TIAA-CREF. So I suppose the best thing is to ask what you guys think of the fees as compared to Vanguard and Fidelity. Here are the TIAA -CREF fees

http://www.tiaa-cref.org/brokerage/comm_sched.htm

I'd mostly be buying TIAA-CREF funds many some EFTs and a few CDs

 

[yakers]

Well looks like not too many folks use TIAA-CREF.

TC is very popular with the teachers and some other folks. I consider them a good company, its just that you are specifically asking about brokerage services and although I know a lot of folks who have mutual funds with TC I know of no one who uses them for brokerage services.

 

[nun]

TC is very popular with the teachers and some other folks. I consider them a good company, its just that you are specifically asking about brokerage services and although I know a lot of folks who have mutual funds with TC I know of no one who uses them for brokerage services.

Yes I'm in academia so I have some retirement accounts with them and to try to rationalize
my investing I moved funds from invesco and janus to them when they started selling
retail mutual funds. Now they are offering brokerage accounts. I was on the point of moving
to Fidelity or Vanguard to get the better features and range of investments their accounts offer, but if the TIAA-CREF brokerage has similar fees I'd probably just stay with them. I think the fees are comparable with Vanguard, but I couldn't find numbers for Fidelity.

 

[brewer12345]

nun, their prices are a little higher than what I pay at Schwab (not the lowest cost there either), but for the amount you will probably be trading it may not make much difference over the long run, especially since it will be more convenient to have everything in one place.

TIAA-CREF is a good company andyou would have the certainty of knowing that there is no way they will ever collapse, pretty much no matter what happens (well, maybe in the case of a big meteor strike that causes a mass extnction wave).

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Nun,

I have been with TIAA-CREF for decades through 3 universities. They have always been reliable and decent, but their fund choices are limited and I have had to use other companies for various other retirement plans.

Given that I'd like to consolidate as I get closer to FIRE, I don't think they have the breadth -- even with brokerage services -- to meet my needs.

 

[nun]

Nun,

I have been with TIAA-CREF for decades through 3 universities. They have always been reliable and decent, but their fund choices are limited and I have had to use other companies for various other retirement plans.

Given that I'd like to consolidate as I get closer to FIRE, I don't think they have the breadth -- even with brokerage services -- to meet my needs.

When I first started with TIAA-CREF, 18 years ago, I was also worried about the small number of funds they offered, but for someone new to investing it was actually quite useful, stuck most money into a domestic index fund, put some in an international fund and spiced it with a tad of a bond fund and just stuck with it. The end result is pretty good, but now that I'm a bit more knowledgeable I was looking for more funds and features. It seems just as I think about moving TIAA offers just a bit more. Their fees are low and as I'll be using the account for buying TIAA funds and CDS and maybe the odd ETF I think I'll give it a try. Its either that of jump ship for Vanguard.