Contributor, Benzinga
November 4, 2021
Edward Jones
Overall Rating:
securely through Edward Jones's website

Edward Jones (EJ) is a wealth management firm that offers a diverse range of investments and organizes financial, tax and legal strategies. It charges commissions as well as trading, management and administrative fees. 

You can invest in a diverse range of assets to diversify your portfolio and find the best solutions for you. When you’re ready, your EJ advisor will work with you to pick high-quality investments that help you get closer to the financial future you envision. The diverse products and quality in-person service make investment decisions simpler whether you’re planning your retirement or building your legacy.

Pros
  • Dedicated, in-person support from local financial advisors
  • Wide variety of financial planning services offered
  • Serves individuals, pension plans and other business entities
  • Minimum account size as low as $5,000 minimum
Cons
  • High fees
  • No active trading
  • Discourages certain investments
  • Potential to churn accounts

Edward Jones Ratings at a Glance

Customer Service
Pricing
Mobile App
User Benefits
User Experience
Overall

Financial Services from Edward Jones

Edward Jones offers a range of investment products, and its financial advisers support customers who wish to invest in financial assets ranging from stocks, bonds, CDs and other fixed income assets. You can diversify your portfolio with mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as well as unit investment trusts. 

One of EJ’s strong suits is that its financial advisors are well-ranked and can help you identify the right set of assets to achieve your investment goals. Some investment advisors have been recognized by Forbes in the 2021 Best-in-State Wealth Advisors. 

Edward Jones supports many types of accounts that range from flex- to fund-guided solutions accounts. The flex account offers a hands-on approach, account alerts and a wide range of investments for a minimum investment of $25,000. 

The fund account allows you to work with your advisor to pick from a comprehensive range of suitable mutual funds and ETFs if you open a fund account with a minimum deposit of $5,000. Mutual funds and ETFs contain a variety of investments, allowing you to diversify your portfolio. The program fee starts at 1.35% and is tiered with lower costs for higher levels of invested assets.

The company offers retirement accounts, brokerage accounts, 529 plans, cash and credit options. The retirement accounts allow you to choose what is most ideal for your retirement goals with 401(k) rollovers when you change jobs or retire that give you a range of investment choices. 

Edward Jones Customer Service

Edward Jones maintains traditional face-to-face advising among a sea of robo advisors. You interact with a full-service advisor. 

At EJ, you receive a high level of service, and you can trust your advisor to take care of management while you enjoy hands-off investing. Keep in mind, however, that full service comes with a price tag.

Edward Jones Pricing

EJ fees vary by account size. For your first retirement account with Edward Jones, you'll pay a $40 yearly charge and $20 for additional IRAs. This fee is waived for account balances over $250,000. 

Dividend reinvestment and dollar-cost averaging fees are also applied to retirement funds. The transparent pricing warrants a 5-star rating as individuals know what they will be paying well in advance.

Edward Jones Mobile App

The mobile app has a clean look and feel and is easy-to-navigate. It allows you to see a snapshot of your accounts and goals, which is good if you want to check how your assets are performing or are busy and want a quick update. 

The mobile app gets a 5-star rating; it empowers you to track progress toward goals, connects your accounts and communicates with the Edward Jones team. One of the best features is the speedy navigation between screens. 

Edward Jones User Benefits

Edward Jones gets a 5-star rating for offering a range of services across a number of asset investing amounts between $5,000 and $25,000. You benefit from expert advice as you balance your risk-reward profile. 

Edward Jones User Experience

The website is easy to use as every category of its service is clearly explained and accessible from the drop-down menu. User experience on both the app and website as well as access to financial advisors means that Edward Jones provides a seamless service. 

The app was built with the user in mind and enables you to search and access whatever feature you need at a moment's notice. The intuitive and easy-to-navigate website gets a 5-star rating. 

Edward Jones vs. Competitors

Today’s investment options offer better, lower-cost options than Edward Jones. Robo advisors manage your money for a fraction of the fees. Specifically, firms like Betterment or Wealthfront are more than suitable for individuals who don't have complex investment portfolios. 

Edward Jones offers a $0 commission on mutual funds, unlike Vanguard; E*TRADE, which is owned by Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS); and TD Ameritrade, which is owned by Charles Schwab Corp. (NYSE: SCHW) that charge $20, $19.95 and $49.99, respectively. Conversely, Edward Jones charges a maintenance fee of up to $300 (0.50% to 1.50%), while E*TRADE and TD Ameritrade charge $0. 

Edward Jones Overall

Edward Jones gets a 5-star overall rating for a solid website and mobile application and service that caters to a range of asset classes and an investment strategy that prioritizes amounts ranging from $5,000 to $500,000.  

As a full-service firm, Edward Jones has a wide variety of options when it comes to accounts. You can have a regular taxable brokerage account, traditional IRA, Roth IRA, 401(k), custodial account and college savings account.

In short, 4 main options cater to any investor and allow you to benefit from a mix of on-time delivery, access to advisors and a range of investment strategies. 

  • For clients who prefer to be more hands-on with their investing, the guided solution is ideal.
  • Advisory Solutions leaves daily decision-making to the advisor and is good for busy professionals who do not have time to work with an advisor through every decision. 
  • Under the client consultation group, you can leverage expert views for your wealth management plan.
  • The trust services program helps you manage a lasting legacy and also assists with current financial needs.

Edward Jones Tutorial

If you would like to know more about Edward Jones, check out its YouTube tutorial. Edward Jones has been helping customers in good and bad markets since 1922, and its solid grasp of investing and range of options make it a potentially useful service for investors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q

How much money do you need to invest with Edward Jones?

A

The minimum account size depends on the type of account you open. For instance, the Guided Solutions Flex Account has a minimum of $25,000, but the Guided Solution Fund Account only requires $5,000. The firm provides wealth management and financial planning services for amounts above $25,000.

Q

What exactly does Edward Jones do?

A

Edward Jones provides a wide range of investment advisory services, brokerage services and other products. Edward Jones is a 1-stop shop if you’re looking for personalized guidance and face-to-face interaction.

User Reviews

Douglas Knudson

How do you use this product to boost your finances?

Personable approach with my advisor. His background in finance and banking creates a level of trust with his management toward my financial goals.

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Henri Kouam

About Henri Kouam

Henri Kouam is an economist and machine learning enthusiast. He currently builds Machine Learning models to help clients across Europe forecast a range of asset classes such as cryptocurrencies while working with, the Nkafu Policy Institute, an African-based think tank to help inform economic policy. He equally works as a consultant for NY-based ”Global Wonks”, where he has named wonk of the week twice due to his actionable intelligence on North America.