Fidelity vs. Vanguard for Taxable Account

[orthodoc2018]

My wife and I have our Roth IRAs at Fidelity (for no particular reason) and I just opened up a Fidelity HSA.  Going to start funding a taxable account as well - wondering if for convenience sake it's worth staying at Fidelity or if people think there's enough benefit to doing it at Vanguard instead.

Also, if Vanguard is superior, is it easy to move our Roths from Fidelity to Vanguard?

Thanks!

[Peds]

Its easy to move Roths.

If you want Fidelity funds, stay at Fidelity.

If you want Vanguard funds, move to Vanguard.

[VagabondMD]

They are more competitive than ever. If you are going to do a plain vanilla index fund portfolio, the differences are negligible...unless you cannot make the $3000 account min at Vanguard.

I have taxable accounts at both (and lots of retirement accounts, UTMAs, etc. at Fidelity.

I prefer the functionality, look, and tools on the Fidelity site, but others no doubt prefer those at Vanguard. A lot of it is about to what you grow accustomed.

[Bmac]

6 of one . . .

It just comes down to convenience and personal preference.

[Larry Ragman]

Although I do like having all my accounts in one view, at least at Vanguard it is possible to import the status of the Fidelity accounts. Not sure about Fidelity.

[Peds]

i will say Vanguard has the better muni funds. thats a deal breaker for me at least.

[Zaphod]

Are you limited in purchasing any other companies funds with one or the other? Unless thats the case I just dont understand the concern of who your custodian is beyond personal preference. I can buy whatever fund I want with whoever issuer in all my accounts as far as I know.

Dont over think it.

[Zzyzx]

Peds wrote:

i will say Vanguard has the better muni funds. thats a deal breaker for me at least.

Click to expand...

I've had both and prefer vanguard.  if you are in need of tax exempt funds, both fed and state, then vanguard for sure.  tax loss harvesting is easier with vanguard as well.  the taxes on vanguard's fund are usually more favorable than fidelity

[Sajimone]

I have both fidelity (wifes roth, work 403, kids) and vanguard (my roth, business 401, taxable) accounts. Vanguard seems more user friendly, intuitive and easy to manage accounts. It’s probably me.. but i always to have minor difficulties when i navigate into the fidelity accounts? Otherwise both have very good inexpensive funds.

[MaxPower]

Does Fidelity have the option of doing ACH transfers into the taxable account? I know that Vanguard does. For my wife’s i401k at Fidelity we have to mail in a check or go by a physical
office to drop the check off. What is this, the 1980s?

[orthodoc2018]

Thanks for all the replies. I’ll probably just stick with Fidelity at this point!

Maxpower - is this really true for i401ks??? For our Roths we definitely can do this and also have deposited checks to the account via mobile deposit on my phone.

[Zzyzx]

MaxPower wrote:

Does Fidelity have the option of doing ACH transfers into the taxable account? I know that Vanguard does. For my wife’s i401k at Fidelity we have to mail in a check or go by a physical
office to drop the check off. What is this, the 1980s?

Click to expand...

I have always been able to use ACH transfers for roth, sep, i401k, & taxable at fidelity...

[Peds]

MaxPower wrote:

Does Fidelity have the option of doing ACH transfers into the taxable account? I know that Vanguard does. For my wife’s i401k at Fidelity we have to mail in a check or go by a physical
office to drop the check off. What is this, the 1980s?

Click to expand...

You have to set it up you know......

[VagabondMD]

MaxPower wrote:

Does Fidelity have the option of doing ACH transfers into the taxable account? I know that Vanguard does. For my wife’s i401k at Fidelity we have to mail in a check or go by a physical
office to drop the check off. What is this, the 1980s?

Click to expand...

I send a check into the i401K, too. They recommended to me, over the phone, to do it this way in order to have a paper trail that confirms that it is an employer contribution, rather than an employee contribution. It seems so 1980's, but that's what I do.

I have been ACH'ing into my Fidelity taxable account for around 20 years.

[Zaphod]

Vagabond MD wrote:

MaxPower wrote:

Does Fidelity have the option of doing ACH transfers into the taxable account? I know that Vanguard does. For my wife’s i401k at Fidelity we have to mail in a check or go by a physical
office to drop the check off. What is this, the 1980s?

Click to expand…

I send a check into the i401K, too. They recommended to me, over the phone, to do it this way in order to have a paper trail that confirms that it is an employer contribution, rather than an employee contribution. It seems so 1980’s, but that’s what I do.

I have been ACH’ing into my Fidelity taxable account for around 20 years.

Click to expand...

I do the same with my Merrill Edge account, but they have a different website for those contributions.