What is the Vanguard Retirement Investment Program?
Our investment-only service opens the door for you to offer Vanguard funds.
How the service works
With the Vanguard Retirement Investment Program (VRIP), you'll have one pooled account where you can add more than 100 Vanguard funds and other investments to your existing plan (if the plan allows). Your current third-party administrator or trustee will continue to manage recordkeeping and other day-to-day activities for your plan.
The program can be used to enhance any employer-sponsored retirement plan. You must already have a plan document in place before you enroll.
You can also contribute to and manage your investments completely online.
Who should invest
- Small-business owners who already offer a retirement investment program.
- Employers looking for a simple, cost-effective way to supplement an existing retirement plan.
- Employers who have or are forming a retirement plan that permits investment-only accounts at different providers.
With the VRIP, you can add more than 100 Vanguard mutual funds, including many from our low-cost Admiral™ share class. You can also add Vanguard ETFs®, mutual funds and ETFs (exchange-traded funds) from other companies, individual stocks, CDs (certificates of deposit), and bonds.
- Vanguard sets up one account (a "pooled" account) for each fund your plan holds. The investment assets of all participants will be combined in each account. Your plan administrator keeps track of the contributions.
- Participants can view account balances, perform transactions, take advantage of planning tools, and learn about investing on our website.
- We offer several ways for plan trustees and authorized representatives to move money between Vanguard accounts, including recurring, scheduled, and on-demand transactions
- Trustees or their agents may request withdrawals online, by phone, or by mail.
- There are no fees to set up or maintain the VRIP.
- The average Vanguard ETF and mutual fund expense ratio is 83% less than the industry average.*
- Some Vanguard funds have purchase or redemption fees. View each fund's profile for fees and minimums.
- The minimum initial investment is the minimum balance required for each Vanguard fund you choose—$3,000 for most funds.
- View our commission & fee schedules
Ready to get started?
If you're new to Vanguard, give us a call.
800-992-7188
Are you a Vanguard client looking for a small-business plan? Set up your new plan today.
Ready to get started?
If you're new to Vanguard, give us a call.
800-992-7188
Are you a Vanguard client looking for a small-business plan? Set up your new plan today.
Move your plan to Vanguard
Consider moving the small-business plan you hold elsewhere to Vanguard. You can enjoy high-quality, low-cost funds and reliable service for your portfolio.
*Vanguard average ETF and mutual fund expense ratio: 0.08%. Industry average ETF and mutual fund expense ratio: 0.47%. All averages are asset-weighted. Industry average excludes Vanguard. Sources: Vanguard and Morningstar, Inc., as of December 31, 2022. View ETF performance.
For more information about Vanguard mutual 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 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 schedule 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.