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 flexible, general investing accounts are useful for goals like a new home, wedding, or emergency fund. You can hold mutual funds, ETFs (exchange-traded funds), stocks, bonds, and more.
Cash Plus Account
An alternative to the traditional savings account, Cash Plus is a cash management account that offers a competitive yield on your short-term savings.
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 dollars, so 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 retirement, even if one doesn’t have earned income.
Traditional IRAs
These accounts enable you to save and invest for retirement with potential tax benefits, such as tax-deductible contributions and tax-deferred growth.
Trust accounts
These accounts are set up to hold and manage assets on behalf of someone else, ensuring 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 dollars, so 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 dollars, so you can withdraw your money tax-free in retirement. Unlike traditional IRAs you can withdraw your Roth contributions anytime without penalties.
Brokerage accounts
These flexible, general investing accounts are useful for goals like a new home, wedding, or emergency fund. You can hold mutual funds, ETFs (exchange-traded funds), stocks, bonds, and 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 dollars, so you can withdraw your money tax-free in retirement. Unlike traditional IRAs you can withdraw your Roth contributions anytime without penalties.1
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 retirement, even if one doesn’t have earned income.
Traditional IRAs
These accounts enable you to save and invest for retirement with potential tax benefits, such as tax-deductible contributions and tax-deferred growth.
403(b) services
Roth IRAs are funded with post-tax dollars, so you can withdraw your money tax-free in retirement. Unlike traditional IRAs you can withdraw your Roth contributions anytime without penalties.
Cash Plus Account
An alternative to the traditional savings account, Cash Plus is a cash management account that offers a competitive yield on your short-term savings.
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 dollars, so 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 else, ensuring 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 dollars, so 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 open, try 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 goal, you'll be able to find an account that matches your needs.
Investors often save for retirement, future education, emergency funds, and 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 funds, ETFs (exchange-traded funds), stocks, bonds, and 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 account, but 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 minimum, but 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 $1, regardless 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 management, administration, marketing, and 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 tax, or 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 June 30, 2025, 6 of 6 Vanguard money market funds, 75 of 102 Vanguard bond funds, 21 of 23 Vanguard balanced funds, and 171 of 193 Vanguard stock funds—for a total of 273 of 324 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 performance, which is not a guarantee of future results, and that all investments are subject to risks. For the most recent performance, visit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.
For more information about Vanguard funds or ETFs, visit vanguard.com to obtain a 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.
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 ETF, you will pay or receive the current market price, which may be more or less than net asset value.
All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest.
Vanguard's advice services are provided by Vanguard Advisers, Inc. ("VAI"), a registered investment advisor, or by Vanguard National Trust Company ("VNTC"), a federally chartered, limited-purpose trust company.
The services provided to clients will vary based upon the service selected, including management, fees, eligibility, and 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 Group, Inc., and affiliates of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Neither VAI, VNTC, nor its affiliates guarantee profits or protection from losses.