If you’re not reinvesting dividends, you can have them paid out automatically to your bank account. See how to set it up in Fidelity and Merrill Edge.
Online Investment Management: Wealthfront, Betterment, Personal Capital
Review online investment management services by Wealthfront, Betterment, and Personal Capital. How do these compare with a target date fund from Vanguard?
Clearing Firm: Your Broker’s Broker
You learn so many things if you pay close attention. On my recent brokerage account switch from Wells Fargo to TD Ameritrade, I noticed this in my transaction history: Transfer of security from First Clearing Who’s First Clearing? I thought I was transferring from Wells Fargo Advisors. It turns out that my account had been […]
Brokerage Account Closeout Fee Tax Deductible Or Not?
By moving my brokerage account from Wells Fargo to TD Ameritrade, I earned a signup bonus from TD Ameritrade, but I also had to pay a $95 account closeout fee to Wells Fargo. I could’ve left the minimum amount necessary to keep the Wells Fargo account open and free, but because the signup bonus more […]
Brokerage Account Signup Bonus Taxable Or Not?
I’m following the lead from my own post Huge Bonus Offers From Brokers: Fidelity, Schwab, TD Ameritrade, ETrade, Merrill Edge. Although I’m satisfied with the service of WellsTrade brokerage account provided by Wells Fargo Advisors, the huge bonus offered by its competitors is just too good to pass up. I moved my brokerage account from […]
1099 Tax Form Packages From Vanguard, Fidelity, Wells Fargo, and E*Trade
I’m done with my taxes. I mailed the returns last week. With taxable investments and selling stocks from vested RSUs and ESPP purchases, it can get complicated. Any help from the mutual fund companies and brokerage firms would be welcome. In this post I will review the 1099 packages I received from different companies — […]
Which Broker? You Don’t Need One
When people start investing outside their 401k or 403b plan for the first time, their very first question is often "Which broker?" The answer should be "You don’t need one." Vanguard is a great choice for beginning investors (and seasoned investors!), but Vanguard is not a broker. It’s a mutual fund company. Vanguard has a […]