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Consolidate investments into Vanguard?

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  • Consolidate investments into Vanguard?

    So I currently have three investment accounts:
    401k rollover into an IRA at Rollover Systems (they worked with my old workplace) - ~$6,500
    Wachovia/Wells Fargo investments ~$11,000
    RothIRA with USAA - I'm happy with this where it is, I think, but would consider also moving it if that was a better alternative (currently in a 2040 target fund, ~$8,300)
    TIAA-CERF with my university (I'm a grad student) - I don't really know how this account works and there's almost nothing there.

    My questions are:
    1. Should I move everything, or at least the first two, into Vanguard instead of being spread out?
    2. Should I (or can I) move the misc investments into the IRA (at least up to $5k/year)?

    I would like to make it easier to keep track of my investments, as well as easier to add to them, if money ever becomes extra beyond the Roth. I would also like to improve the cost ratio for the accounts, and ideally put them into long term investments, as I consider all of these for "retirement"/"long term >20 years" and thus I don't want to deal with buying and selling ETFs, index funds, etc.

    So here are my options:
    A) leave them alone where they are
    B) move the WF and Rollover Systems accounts to Vanguard/Fidelity/Whatever, leave the Roth at USAA
    C) move everything to Vanguard/Fidelity/Whatever

    What do you think? Anything I haven't thought of? As grad students, it's very hard for my DH and I to save up much beyond the Roth max but the easier it would be to add more, the higher a chance that I could contribute to other investments (I know not to the other IRA, but that's maybe an argument to keep them separate?)

    Thanks!

  • #2
    You can move everything to Vanguard if you'd like. It would definitely make it easier to track everything and you'd get one statement with all of your accounts together. Their website is also excellent and very easy to navigate and easy to make transactions.

    I wouldn't move just to put everything in one place if you are happy with the investments you currently own - performance, expense ratios, etc. Vanguard is one of the best as far as expenses are concerned so you may improve performance by trimming expenses.

    As for question #2, you could use money that is not currently in a retirement account to fund your Roth each year. And if it was all in one place, that would be simple on the website. Just keep in mind that depending on where the Wells Fargo money is invested, there could be tax implications from selling those holdings to move them to Vanguard.
    Steve

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