Vanguard customer service?

[redsox04]

I am thinking of opening a Vangard Roth IRA and investing in a target retirement fund. It sounds like their fees are low and they're pretty trusted. But I've also read some negative things about their customer service. I've read in some other forums that Vanguard advisors are inexperienced and rude, that it's hard to get access to your money, that "safe" investments tank unexpectedly, etc. Have any of you Vanguard fans experienced this?

[kork13]

Not at all. I haven't exactly heard rave reviews, but no bad ones either. Most people who say anything about Vanguard simply comment on their broad offerings and low-cost funds.

Vanguard's customer service reps rather deftly handled the transfer of both my Roth IRA and taxable investments from a different investment company (switched to Vanguard last October). Very easy, very courteous/helpful, and the entire process went smoothly.

I manage my Vanguard account online, so all I have to do to move money around is make a few clicks and say "go".

As for the rest, I can't really speak to. I haven't used their advisors yet, and "tanking" investments are mostly a function of market conditions, so not sure what to tell you there...

[kv968]

Well this is very timely seeing that I just literally got done opening a brokerage account at Vanguard.

I've also read that the reps were rude and not the best at times but I've talked to them a couple of times and they seemed ok. Granted I wasn't asking for any investing advice or anything intricate like that but they gave me the answers I was looking for and that's good enough for me. I'm hoping to not have to deal with them much anyway.

[Gina23]

Vanguard's customer service reps rather deftly handled the transfer of both my Roth IRA and taxable investments from a different investment company (switched to Vanguard last October). Very easy, very courteous/helpful, and the entire process went smoothly.

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[YLTL_Dan]

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I actually went through some painful transfers because my 401k provider messed up the Roth 401k/401k transfer. The Vanguard reps were awesome and helped get it all cleaned up. I don't use their advisers though.

[scubatim84]

I am thinking of opening a Vangard Roth IRA and investing in a target retirement fund. It sounds like their fees are low and they're pretty trusted. But I've also read some negative things about their customer service. I've read in some other forums that Vanguard advisors are inexperienced and rude, that it's hard to get access to your money, that "safe" investments tank unexpectedly, etc. Have any of you Vanguard fans experienced this?

I've never heard of this actually and I have Vanguard for both my Individual 401k as well as my after-tax mutual fund account. I do most stuff with their online banking myself, but when I do have to talk to Vanguard, they've always been helpful whether its been through account messages or over the phone.

Not at all. I haven't exactly heard rave reviews, but no bad ones either. Most people who say anything about Vanguard simply comment on their broad offerings and low-cost funds.

Vanguard's customer service reps rather deftly handled the transfer of both my Roth IRA and taxable investments from a different investment company (switched to Vanguard last October). Very easy, very courteous/helpful, and the entire process went smoothly.

I manage my Vanguard account online, so all I have to do to move money around is make a few clicks and say "go".

As for the rest, I can't really speak to. I haven't used their advisors yet, and "tanking" investments are mostly a function of market conditions, so not sure what to tell you there...

This. Of course Vanguard's index funds are still subject to market risk and they may suddenly tank in value along with every other fund. Still, the whole point of an index fund is not to avoid risk or losses, since that's impossible, but to minimize them.