What is a Brokerage account and how does it work? | Vanguard (2024)

*See the Vanguard Brokerage services commission and fee schedules for other fees that may apply.

**Earnings on nonqualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state and local income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements. State tax treatment of withdrawals used for i) expenses for tuition in connection with enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary public, private, or religious school, ii) expenses related to apprenticeship programs, or iii) student loan repayments is determined by the state(s) where the taxpayer files state income tax. If you are not a Nevada taxpayer, please consult with a tax advisor.

***Minimum initial investment requirements for most mutual funds range from $1,000 to $100,000 depending on the fund and the share class, but some may be higher. Details are provided in each fund profile.

****A $25 annual account service fee is charged for all Vanguard Brokerage Accounts, as well as for each fund held in a legacy mutual fund-only account by clients with less than $5 million in qualifying Vanguard assets. For brokerage clients, Vanguard Brokerage doesn't charge the fee to clients who elect e-delivery of statements and the annual privacy policy notice; confirmations; reports, prospectuses, and proxy materials; and notices, amendments, and other important account updates. In addition, Vanguard Brokerage doesn't charge the fee to clients with at least $5 million in qualifying Vanguard assets. See the full commission and fee schedules for details on additional exclusions.

†The 5-year holding period for Roth IRAs starts on the earlier of: (1) the date you first contributed directly to the IRA, (2) the date you rolled over a Roth 401(k) or Roth 403(b) to the Roth IRA, or (3) the date you converted a traditional IRA to the Roth IRA. If you're under age 59½ and you have one Roth IRA that holds proceeds from multiple conversions, you're required to keep track of the 5-year holding period for each conversion separately.

††Vanguard received the top rating for ”#1 Most Trusted Financial Companies- ETF/Fund Companies" for 2022 among 11 other ETF and fund companies selected by Investor's Business Daily (IBD). IBD, in partnership with TechnoMetrica, conducted 2 independent polls and surveyed more than 6,500 consumers in June and July 2022. This year's survey was also co-presented by IBD's sister company, MarketWatch. After 2 phases of research, IBD computed the component scores by taking the difference between the percentage of respondents assigning very high or high rating and the percentage who gave a low or very low rating. Based on the results, the associated weightings are as follows: Quality of products and services (19.09%), ethical business practices and values (16.97%), privacy and security of personal data (16.32% weighting), customer service (16.2% weighting), fair prices and fees (14.15% weighting), and company responsiveness to customer needs (12.32% weighting). Additional details about IBD's methodology are available on their website. Although Vanguard compensates IBD for marketing services, IBD's opinions and evaluations are independent and unrelated to the selection for this award.

You must buy and sell Vanguard ETF Shares through Vanguard Brokerage Services (we offer them commission-free) or through another broker (which may charge commissions). See the Vanguard Brokerage Services commission and fee schedules for limits. Vanguard ETF Shares are not redeemable directly with the issuing fund other than in very large aggregations worth millions of dollars. ETFs are subject to market volatility. When buying or selling an ETF, you will pay or receive the current market price, which may be more or less than net asset value.

For more information about Vanguard funds or Vanguard ETFs, obtain a mutual fund or an ETF prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information about a fund are contained in the prospectus; read and consider it carefully before investing.

For more information about The Vanguard 529 College Savings Plan, visitvanguard.com to obtain a Program Description, which includes investmentobjectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other information; read and consider it carefully before investing. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

If you are not a Nevada taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program. Other state benefits may include financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors.

The Vanguard 529 College Savings Plan is a Nevada Trust administered by the office of the Nevada State Treasurer.

The Vanguard Group, Inc., serves as the Investment Manager for The Vanguard 529 College Savings Plan and through its affiliate, Vanguard Marketing Corporation, markets and distributes the Plan. Ascensus Broker Dealer Services, LLC, serves as Program Manager and has overall responsibility for the day-to-day operations. The Plan's portfolios, although they invest in Vanguard mutual funds, are not mutual funds. Investment returns are not guaranteed, and you could lose money by investing in the Plan.

All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest.

Tax rates will vary based on the individual and on changing tax rates. You may wish to consult a tax advisor about your situation.

What is a Brokerage account and how does it work? | Vanguard (2024)

FAQs

What is a Brokerage account and how does it work? | Vanguard? ›

A brokerage account

brokerage account
A securities account, sometimes known as a brokerage account, is an account which holds financial assets such as securities on behalf of an investor with a bank, broker or custodian. Investors and traders typically have a securities account with the broker or bank they use to buy and sell securities.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Securities_account
is a type of account for investing. You can use it to buy and sell different investments like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs. It works by connecting the investor with a brokerage firm, which acts as an intermediary between the investor and the financial markets.

What is a brokerage account and how does it work? ›

A brokerage account is an investment account that allows you to buy and sell a variety of investments, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs. Whether you're setting aside money for the future or saving up for a big purchase, you can use your funds whenever and however you want.

What is a brokerage account quizlet? ›

Brokerage Account. A brokerage account is an account you open with a stockbroker in order to trade stock on a stock exchange. The broker uses the money in the account to buy and sell stock on your behalf when you decide you would like to make a trade.

What is an example of a brokerage account? ›

There are many different types of brokerage accounts. Some common brokerage account examples include cash accounts, margin accounts, and prime brokerages.

How does brokerage work? ›

A brokerage firm acts as an intermediary who makes matches between buyers and sellers of stocks, bonds, and other financial assets. A full-service broker is a broker that provides a large variety of services to its clients including research and advice, retirement planning, and more.

How do you use a brokerage account? ›

How Does a Brokerage Account Work? You deposit cash in a brokerage account and use the funds to purchase investment assets like stocks, bonds, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Brokerage accounts are used for day trading to earn short-term profits, as well as investing for long-term goals.

How safe is your money in a brokerage account? ›

Brokerage accounts are insured by SIPC up to $500,000 but the insurance doesn't cover the payback from your investments. It only covers missing assets if the broker goes down. If customer assets aren't missing, the SIPC insurance isn't needed.

What is a brokerage account and how do you open one? ›

In principle, opening an online brokerage account is as simple as opening a bank account; you sign up and fund the account. However, there is one big difference: A brokerage account lets you start placing trades and investing your money.

What is a brokerage account used for quizizz? ›

What is a brokerage account used for? It's an online portal that allows you to set up appointments with a fund manager. It's the account you use to pay any taxes you owe on money you earned in your investments. It's a type of account used to buy and sell stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.

What does a brokerage account allow you to do in your own words quizlet? ›

explain what a brokerage account allows you to do. An account to buy stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, you can also transfer money in and out of the account, but you also have access to the stock market and other investments. You need to fund the account before you purchase investments.

What is the downside to a brokerage account? ›

Downsides of a standard brokerage account

Since it's a taxable account, you'll have to pay taxes on earnings in your account, including capital gains and dividends.

How do you get money out of a brokerage account? ›

How to Withdraw Money from a Brokerage Account?
  1. Determine the Amount to Withdraw. ...
  2. Choose the Method of Withdrawal. ...
  3. Verify Account Information. ...
  4. Online Withdrawal. ...
  5. Phone Withdrawal. ...
  6. Check Withdrawal. ...
  7. Online Withdrawal Fees. ...
  8. Phone Withdrawal Fees.

How do brokerage accounts make money? ›

How Does a Brokerage Firm Make Money? Generally, brokerages make money by charging various fees and commissions on transactions they facilitate and services they provide. The online broker who offers free stock trades receives fees for other services, plus fees from the exchanges.

Do you have to pay taxes on a brokerage account? ›

But brokerage accounts are also called taxable accounts, because investment income within a brokerage account is subject to capital gains taxes. Retirement accounts (such as IRAs) have a different set of tax and withdrawal rules. They may be better for retirement savings and investing.

Is it smart to have a brokerage account? ›

Under the right circ*mstances, brokerage accounts (or taxable investment accounts) can give your nest egg a bigger boost beyond your tax-advantaged retirement accounts. We always recommend investing in your 401(k) and IRA first because they offer tax benefits that you can't find anywhere else.

Is brokerage cash my money? ›

Brokerage cash is the amount of uninvested cash in your investment account. It's a top-line number, meaning it does not factor in unsettled trades or margin collateral, and so it's possible not all of the cash is available to invest or withdraw.

Why no one should use brokerage accounts? ›

Investors in brokerage accounts that fail due to fraud can be forced to pay back to a SIPC-appointed trustee huge sums, indeed far more than what they contributed to their accounts.

How much money do you need to open a brokerage account? ›

Brokerage account minimums: Many brokers allow you to open an account with $1,000 or less. Some even allow you to open the account without making any deposit at all (though the account might be closed after a few months if you don't add funds).

Do you pay taxes on a brokerage account? ›

The act of opening a brokerage account doesn't mean you'll be on the hook for any additional taxes. But brokerage accounts are also called taxable accounts, because investment income within a brokerage account is subject to capital gains taxes.

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