VANGUARD SITUATIONAL ADVISOR™

Frequently asked questions

Learning the basics

Situational Advisor is an advice-only service that connects you with a financial advisor when you need one. You can set up a point-in-time consultation to get help with any financial situation—from buying a home to planning for retirement, and everything in between. We’ll give you advice that you can put into action.

No. A financial advisor can answer questions and provide financial advice during your consultation. But it will be up to you to put the recommendations into action.

Generally, you’ll need at least $500 in your employer-sponsored retirement plan account to be eligible for Situational Advisor. But that minimum balance requirement may be waived if your employer pays the full cost of a Situational Advisor consultation for you.

 

You must also:

 

  • Be in a retirement plan that offers Situational Advisor.
  • Be a resident of the U.S. or Puerto Rico, or have an APO/FPO/DPO mailing address.
  • Not be a company insider or control person.
  • Not be enrolled in Vanguard Personal Advisor.

Note: Other eligibility restrictions may apply.

Understanding fees

The cost of a consultation with an advisor is $250. But your employer may cover some or all of that cost for you. If you’re charged a fee, it will be deducted from your retirement plan account after your consultation. You’ll never have to pay anything out of pocket.

The fee covers a 45-minute phone consultation with a professional financial advisor. Your advisor will answer your questions, provide advice, and give solid next steps you can take to reach your goals.

Most Situational Advisor consultations are resolved after one session. But if you need a little more help, your advisor may provide a comprehensive financial plan at no added cost to you. Or you may want to consider one of our other advice services that provide ongoing money management.

Exploring all your options

Situational Advisor may be right for you if:

 

  • You have complex financial questions you want to run by an advisor.
  • You want a second opinion, or just want peace of mind that you’re making the right moves with your money.
  • You’d like to discuss specific investment options with an advisor.
  • You want help figuring out how much you should be saving or how much you can spend in retirement.
  • You have a new financial goal you’d like help with—like paying for a wedding, taking a dream vacation, or starting a new business.
  • You want to manage your money yourself—but would like a little guidance.

Yes! Situational Advisor is our advice-only service that connects you with a financial advisor when you need one. But you may also be eligible for these advice and money management services:

 

  • Vanguard Digital Advisor®. This high-tech advice and money management service is available entirely online. Just fill out an online profile and tell us about your financial goals. Then, we’ll create a custom plan and manage your money to help you reach those goals. You can access your plan and update your goals online anytime.
  • Vanguard Personal Advisor®. This premium advice and money management service combines digital advice with a human touch. Our advisors will listen to you and help you identify your goals. Then they’ll build a plan just for you and manage your money to keep you on track. And if you have questions or want to make changes, our advisors are always ready to help. This service is available to investors with at least $250,000 in their retirement account.1

Take a look at a side-by-side comparison of all our services.

Yes. You can still speak with an advisor while Digital Advisor manages your money.

 

Digital Advisor is our high-tech money management service—available entirely online. But somewhere along life’s path, you may face some unexpected financial turbulence. Or maybe a new financial goal pops up that you’d like a little more guidance with.

 

That’s when you could benefit from a Situational Advisor consultation. You’ll get the personal advice you need—when you need it.

Got questions about your money?

Just tell us a little about your goals and what you want to talk about. Then, make an appointment to speak with an advisor.
Let's get started
Whenever you invest, there's a chance you could lose the money.

1To be eligible for Personal Advisor, you must have one of the following:

  • $250,000 or more in your employer-sponsored retirement plan at Vanguard.
  • $50,000 or more in IRAs and taxable accounts—owned individually or as joint tenants with rights of survivorship—at Vanguard.
  • $250,000 total among your employer-sponsored retirement plan, IRAs, and taxable accounts—owned individually or as joint tenants with rights of survivorship—at Vanguard.

Vanguard Digital Advisor's and Vanguard Personal Advisor’s services are provided solely by Vanguard Advisers, Inc. (VAI), a registered investment advisor. Please review the Vanguard Digital Advisor and Personal Advisor brochure for important details about these services. Vanguard Digital Advisor’s and Personal Advisor's financial planning tools provide projections and goal forecasts, which are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results, and are not guarantees of future results.

Vanguard Situational Advisor is provided by Vanguard Advisers, Inc. (VAI), a registered investment advisor. Eligibility restrictions may apply.