How to Cancel Vanguard Account in 2026 (Close + Transfer Investments)

Updated 2026-03-03 · 7 min read

Vanguard Account Types

• Individual/Joint Brokerage: Taxable investment account — ETFs, mutual funds, stocks, bonds
• Traditional/Roth IRA: Retirement accounts with tax advantages
• SEP IRA/Solo 401(k): Self-employed retirement accounts
• 529 Plan: Education savings (state-specific tax benefits)
• Vanguard Digital Advisor: Robo-advisor — 0.20% annual fee ($3,000 minimum)
• Vanguard Personal Advisor: Human advisors — 0.30% annual fee ($50,000 minimum)

Option 1: Transfer via ACATS (Recommended)

Move your investments to another broker without selling. Your Vanguard funds transfer as-is — no capital gains taxes triggered.

1. Open an account at Fidelity, Schwab, or your broker of choice
2. Contact the new broker to initiate ACATS transfer — they handle the paperwork
3. Provide your Vanguard account number
4. Transfer takes 5-7 business days
5. Vanguard charges $0 for outgoing ACATS transfers as of 2024
6. Call 1-877-662-7447 to close the empty account afterward

Convert Mutual Funds to ETFs (Before Transferring)

1. Log into vanguard.com → Transact → Convert to ETF
2. Select the mutual fund to convert (e.g., VTSAX → VTI)
3. Conversion is tax-free — Vanguard's unique patent allows this
4. Processing takes 1-3 business days
5. Once converted, initiate ACATS transfer to your new broker

Common conversions: VTSAX → VTI, VTIAX → VXUS, VBTLX → BND, VFIAX → VOO

Option 2: Sell Everything and Withdraw

1. Log into vanguard.com
2. Sell all positions — mutual funds process at end-of-day NAV, ETFs sell immediately
3. Wait for settlement (T+1 for ETFs/stocks, T+1 for mutual funds)
4. Withdraw cash via ACH to your bank (1-3 business days)
5. Call 1-877-662-7447 to close the account

Close Vanguard IRA

• Trustee-to-trustee transfer (best): Direct transfer to new IRA — no taxes, no penalties, no 60-day deadline
• Indirect rollover: Vanguard sends you a check — you have 60 days to deposit at new broker. Risky.
• Distribution/cash out: 10% penalty if under 59½ plus income taxes. Last resort only.
• Call 1-877-662-7447 to initiate

Cancel Vanguard Digital Advisor

1. Log into vanguard.com → My Accounts
2. Select your Digital Advisor account
3. Click Manage → Unenroll
4. Investments move to a self-managed brokerage account
5. The 0.20% advisory fee stops immediately
6. No cancellation penalty

Cancel Vanguard Personal Advisor

1. Contact your assigned advisor or call 1-877-662-7447
2. Request unenrollment from Personal Advisor Services
3. The 0.30% annual fee stops at end of billing period
4. Investments convert to a self-managed brokerage account
5. You keep all the same holdings — just without the management

Why People Leave Vanguard

• Website UX: Vanguard's interface is notoriously dated and slow. They're rebuilding it, but it's still behind competitors.
• Customer service wait times: Phone hold times can exceed 30+ minutes during market hours
• No fractional shares: Can't buy partial ETF shares (Fidelity and Schwab both offer this)
• Limited trading tools: Not built for active traders — no advanced charting or options analysis
• Account minimums: Digital Advisor requires $3,000, Personal Advisor $50,000

Alternatives to Vanguard

• Fidelity: Best overall replacement — zero-expense-ratio funds (FZROX), better app, fractional shares, no minimums. You can still buy VTI/VOO/BND with $0 commissions.
• Charles Schwab: Excellent service, thinkorswim for active trading, free checking with ATM rebates
• M1 Finance: Best for automated pie-based investing — set allocations and auto-invest
• Wealthfront: Best robo-advisor if you want to leave Vanguard Digital Advisor — tax-loss harvesting included

Bottom line: Vanguard built the index fund revolution, and their funds are still best-in-class. But you don't need a Vanguard account to own Vanguard funds. Transfer VTI, VXUS, and BND to Fidelity or Schwab for a better experience with the same investments.