I’m trying to figure out what to do with my investments. I currently have:
Edward Jones Brokerage Account: ~$38,000
High-Yield Savings Account (HYSA): ~$42,000
Roth IRA (Fidelity): ~$4,058 (on track to be maxed out)
401(k) from Previous Employer: ~$9,000
I’m starting to think that Edward Jones isn’t the best place for me long-term because of the fees. I’m thinking about transferring my Edward Jones account in-kind to my Fidelity account or maybe just using money from my HYSA to fund my brokerage account.
I’ve been thinking about this for a while but can’t decide. My Roth IRA is close to being maxed out for the year, and I’m not sure if moving the Edward Jones account is the best move. Are there any pros or cons I might not be considering? Thanks a lot for any advice!
Edward Jones is just bad. They’re basically salespeople who take a cut of your profits to pay their salaries and keep up their fancy offices. You should move it as soon as you can.
Avery said:
Edward Jones is just bad. They’re basically salespeople who take a cut of your profits to pay their salaries and keep up their fancy offices. You should move it as soon as you can.
When your broker can afford a penthouse with their commissions, there’s something wrong with how much they’re taking.
I had everything at EJ. Moved it all over to Fidelity about a year ago. It was really easy. Roth account to Roth, Traditional to Traditional, etc. The transfer took about 3 days to show up in my Fidelity accounts.
I was about to set up a SEP IRA last year and talked to an Edward Jones advisor. He was bragging about how much money he made and how many trips he’d been on. That was when I decided to go with Fidelity instead.
@Wilkie
Oh yikes. I can’t say the same for mine. He’s actually a family friend who’s really nice, which is why it’s taken me this long to make the switch.
Blaze said: @Wilkie
Oh yikes. I can’t say the same for mine. He’s actually a family friend who’s really nice, which is why it’s taken me this long to make the switch.
I get that, but securing your future is more important. If he really is your friend, he’ll understand the need to save money by switching.
I need to do this too. I had doubts when one advisor sold me some expensive shares. Now I’m going through each fund to see the fees. I think I’m paying around 0.5-1% in AUM fees.
Just submit the transfer paperwork to Fidelity. Don’t involve Edward Jones at all.
Haha thanks! I actually spoke with a Fidelity rep about a month ago, and they gave me the same advice. I just haven’t pulled the trigger yet. It’s clear from everyone’s responses that I’m making the switch this week.
If you’re invested in mutual funds, check to see if they are front-loaded. These funds take the first 4-5% of earnings for themselves. For example, if the fund makes 10% this year and the load is 4%, you get 6%. I helped a friend move away from them for this reason.