What happens to my investments if Vanguard becomes insolvent? (2024)

FAQs

What happens to my investments if Vanguard becomes insolvent? ›

If Vanguard ever did go bankrupt, the funds would not be affected and would simply hire another firm to provide these services.

Insurance coverage

Money market funds and other securities held in the Vanguard Brokerage Account are eligible for SIPC coverage. Securities in your brokerage account are protected up to $500,000. To learn more, visit the SIPC's website. Up to $250,000 by FDIC insurance.

First, the chances of Vanguard failing are miniscule. That said, let's talk about brokerage accounts for a minute. Brokerage accounts are not backed by the FDIC but by the Securities Investor Protection Corp (SIPC), which protects accounts up to $500,000.

All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) is a nonprofit organization that protects stocks, bonds, and other securities in case a brokerage firm goes bankrupt and assets are missing. The SIPC will cover up to $500,000 in securities, including a $250,000 limit for cash held in a brokerage account.

When the market cratered, investors withdrew $16.4 billion from Vanguard's index mutual funds. What accounts for remaining index mutual fund outflows? Johnson says it could be clients pulling out money because they're retiring, or because they're negatively affected by the pandemic.

About Vanguard

Vanguard's mission is to "take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success."6 It prides itself on its stability, transparency, low costs, and risk management.

The securities that underlie the funds are held by a custodian, not by Vanguard. Vanguard is paid by the funds to provide administration and other services. If Vanguard ever did go bankrupt, the funds would not be affected and would simply hire another firm to provide these services.

Rest easy knowing the cash in your Vanguard Cash Plus bank sweep is eligible for FDIC coverage up to $1.25 million for individual accounts and $2.5 million for joint accounts. You can keep all your money in the bank sweep or diversify into 5 available Vanguard money market funds (each with a $3,000 minimum investment).

Is Vanguard a safe company to invest with? Yes, Vanguard is a very reputable broker with a long track record, dating from 1975. It is overseen by the Securities and Exchange Commission and FINRA, both of which are independent regulatory agencies.

Is it safe to keep more than $500,000 in a brokerage account? ›

They must also have a certain amount of liquidity on hand, thus allowing them to cover funds in these cases. What this means is that even if you have more than $500,000 in one brokerage account, chances are high that you won't lose any of your money even if the broker is forced into liquidation.

Is Charles Schwab better than Vanguard? After testing 18 of the best online brokers, our analysis finds that Charles Schwab (96.6%) is better than Vanguard (80.3%).

Vanguard Brokerage Services® (VBS) will aggregate and allocate Bank Sweep deposits to Program Banks across Vanguard Cash Plus and Vanguard Brokerage Accounts with like registrations to offer maximum FDIC coverage up to $1.25 million for individual accounts and $2.5 million for joint accounts when at least 5 program ...

In the unlikely event that we become insolvent, your money and investments would be returned to you as quickly as possible, or transferred to another provider. This is because your money and investments are held separately from our own.

Your money is ring-fenced in the unlikely event that we became insolvent. Clients are also covered by the Financial Service Compensation Scheme (FSCS). For further details, go to FSCS or you can discuss this with us. You can see our current and previous cash interest rates in the table below.

Brokerage accounts hold investments such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, which aren't insured by the FDIC. Vanguard accounts are protected by Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) insurance. This insurance covers up to $500,000 in securities and up to $250,000 in cash if the firm fails.

On the Plan Options page (link below), select "Withdraw cash" to receive all your money in one payment or "Set up retirement plan paychecks" to receive it in parts over time.