Choose the right type of investment account
Most investment accounts are designed with certain goals in mind. Check out your options and select the right investment account for your needs.
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- Trading
- Retirement
- Savings
- Education
- Custodial
Brokerage accounts
These flexiblegeneral investing accounts are useful for goals like a new homeweddingor emergency fund. You can hold mutual fundsETFs (exchange-traded funds)stocksbondsand more.
Cash Plus Account
This alternative to a traditional savings account offers a competitive yield on your short-term savings. Get an additional 0.25% boost on top of our base APY now through April 302026. The APY will vary and may change at any time.
Organization accounts
An organization account offers trading and investment features that can help your business work toward its financial goals.
Roth IRAs
Roth IRAs are funded with post-tax dollarsso you can withdraw your money tax-free in retirement. Unlike traditional IRAs you can withdraw your Roth contributions anytime without penalties.1
Small business
Take advantage of retirement plans designed for small businesses. Choose from a SEP-IRA (Simplified Employee Pension) or an Individual 401(k).
Spousal IRAs
These accounts let a working spouse contribute to an IRA on behalf of a non-working spouse. This helps both people save for retirementeven if one doesn’t have earned income.
Traditional IRAs
These accounts enable you to save and invest for retirement with potential tax benefitssuch as tax-deductible contributions and tax-deferred growth.
Trust accounts
These accounts are set up to hold and manage assets on behalf of someone elseensuring the funds are used for their intended purpose.
UGMA/UTMA
Gift money to a minor without limiting it to education. A Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) or Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) account is owned by a minor but managed by you until they become an adult.
403(b) services
Roth IRAs are funded with post-tax dollarsso you can withdraw your money tax-free in retirement. Unlike traditional IRAs you can withdraw your Roth contributions anytime without penalties.
529 accounts
Roth IRAs are funded with post-tax dollarsso you can withdraw your money tax-free in retirement. Unlike traditional IRAs you can withdraw your Roth contributions anytime without penalties.
Brokerage accounts
These flexiblegeneral investing accounts are useful for goals like a new homeweddingor emergency fund. You can hold mutual fundsETFs (exchange-traded funds)stocksbondsand more.
Organization accounts
An organization account offers trading and investment features that can help your business work toward its financial goals.
Roth IRAs
Roth IRAs are funded with post-tax dollarsso you can withdraw your money tax-free in retirement. Unlike traditional IRAs you can withdraw your Roth contributions anytime without penalties.1
Small business
Take advantage of retirement plans designed for small businesses. Choose from a SEP-IRA (Simplified Employee Pension) or an Individual 401(k).
Spousal IRAs
These accounts let a working spouse contribute to an IRA on behalf of a non-working spouse. This helps both people save for retirementeven if one doesn’t have earned income.
Traditional IRAs
These accounts enable you to save and invest for retirement with potential tax benefitssuch as tax-deductible contributions and tax-deferred growth.
403(b) services
Roth IRAs are funded with post-tax dollarsso you can withdraw your money tax-free in retirement. Unlike traditional IRAs you can withdraw your Roth contributions anytime without penalties.
Cash Plus Account
This alternative to a traditional savings account offers a competitive yield on your short-term savings. Get an additional 0.25% boost on top of our base APY now through April 302026. The APY will vary and may change at any time.
UGMA/UTMA
Gift money to a minor without limiting it to education. A Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) or Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) account is owned by a minor but managed by you until they become an adult.
529 accounts
Roth IRAs are funded with post-tax dollarsso you can withdraw your money tax-free in retirement. Unlike traditional IRAs you can withdraw your Roth contributions anytime without penalties.
Trust accounts
These accounts are set up to hold and manage assets on behalf of someone elseensuring the funds are used for their intended purpose.
UGMA/UTMA
Gift money to a minor without limiting it to education. A Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) or Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) account is owned by a minor but managed by you until they become an adult.
529 accounts
Roth IRAs are funded with post-tax dollarsso you can withdraw your money tax-free in retirement. Unlike traditional IRAs you can withdraw your Roth contributions anytime without penalties.
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Frequently asked questions
It depends on your goal. Each account type aligns with a different savings objective. If you know your savings goal but don't know which account to opentry our quick-start tool to see which account fits your needs.
Most accounts are suitable for beginners; you just have to know your investing goal. Once you know your goalyou'll be able to find an account that matches your needs.
Investors often save for retirementfuture educationemergency fundsand other general savings goals like a car or a home.
Think of your account as a container in which you can store different investment products such as mutual fundsETFs (exchange-traded funds)stocksbondsand more. The first step is understanding what kind of account you need.
You'll want to start mapping out an investment plan and consider which investments you want to hold in your account.
No. We don't charge a fee to open an account. There's a $25 annual fee for each brokerage and mutual fund-only accountbut you can easily avoid this fee.
You won’t pay a commission to buy or sell Vanguard mutual funds or ETFs online in your Vanguard Brokerage Account.
Most Vanguard mutual funds have a $3,000 minimumbut you can invest in any Vanguard Target Retirement Fund or Vanguard STAR® Fund with as little as $1,000. (Some funds have minimums greater than $3,000 to protect the funds from short-term trading activity.)
You can buy a Vanguard ETF® for a little as $1regardless of the ETF's share price. All stocks and non-Vanguard ETFs must be bought in whole shares.
An expense ratio reflects how much a mutual fund or ETF pays for portfolio managementadministrationmarketingand distribution. It’s calculated by dividing the fund's operational expenses by its average net assets.
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1Withdrawals from a Roth IRA are generally tax-free if you are over age 59½ and have held the account for at least five years; withdrawals of earnings taken prior to age 59½ or five years may be subject to ordinary income tax or a 10% federal penalty taxor both. (A separate five-year period applies for each conversion and begins on the first day of the year in which the conversion contribution is made.)
2For the ten-year period ended December 3120256 of 6 Vanguard money market funds72 of 104 Vanguard bond funds21 of 23 Vanguard balanced fundsand 176 of 193 Vanguard stock funds—for a total of 275 of 326 Vanguard funds—outperformed their peer group averages. Results will vary for other time periods. Only funds with a minimum ten-year history were included in the comparison. (Source: LSEG Lipper.) Note that the competitive performance data shown represent past performancewhich is not a guarantee of future resultsand that all investments are subject to risks. For the most recent performancevisit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.
For more information about Vanguard funds or ETFsvisit vanguard.com to obtain a prospectus orif availablea summary prospectus. Investment objectivesriskschargesexpensesand other important information about a fund are contained in the prospectus; read and consider it carefully before investing.
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 full details. 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 ETFyou will pay or receive the current market pricewhich may be more or less than net asset value.
All investing is subject to riskincluding the possible loss of the money you invest.
Vanguard's advice services are provided by Vanguard AdvisersInc. ("VAI")a registered investment advisoror by Vanguard National Trust Company ("VNTC")a federally charteredlimited-purpose trust company.
The services provided to clients will vary based upon the service selectedincluding managementfeeseligibilityand access to an advisor. Find VAI's Form CRS and each program's advisory brochure here for an overview.
VAI and VNTC are subsidiaries of The Vanguard GroupInc.and affiliates of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Neither VAIVNTCnor its affiliates guarantee profits or protection from losses.