Can I transfer the securities in my account to another firm?

Yes, and there are no fees to transfer from your Wealthfront account to another broker.

Transfers can be completed when the account information (account type, account owner name, account owner address, etc.) matches on both sides. Depending on whether your new firm is part of the industry-standard ACATS (Automated Customer Account Transfer Service), which is true for the vast majority of brokerage firms, here’s how to transfer your account to another broker: 

ACATS-Eligible Firm

You can transfer in-kind from your Wealthfront Automated Investing Account (including IRAs) or your Wealthfront Stock Investing Account to another broker via the ACATS system. The transfer must be initiated by the receiving firm, so please reach out to them to arrange the transfer. Most likely, they will ask where your account is held (RBC Clearing & Custody - DTC Number 0235) and for your 8Wxxxxxx account number, which can be found by clicking on "Settings" and then the title of your account on the left side of the screen.

Fractional shares will be sold when we receive a request to transfer your account to another firm. This is because no fractional shares transfer via ACATS between any firms, including us. The proceeds from the sale of fractional shares will be sent to the receiving firm after trade settlement.

*Note: We don’t allow in-kind partial transfers of positions from Wealthfront Automated Investing Accounts.

Non ACATS-Eligible Firm

Transferring out a Taxable Account

To transfer a taxable account to a non-ACATS eligible firm, the account would first need to be liquidated and withdrawn to your linked external bank account before subsequently making a cash deposit to your account at the new firm.

For a taxable Automated Investing Account:  log in to the website or mobile app, tap on Transfer money, then follow the prompts for a withdrawal.

For a Stock Investing Account: navigate to your stock portfolio dashboard and tap Sell. Once the trades settle, funds will be swept into your Cash Account.  From there, you can either transfer directly to your brokerage account (if eligible), or withdraw the funds to your external bank.

Withdrawals from investing accounts typically take 2-3 business days to complete. Please note that liquidating securities within a taxable account is a taxable event. We would recommend consulting your tax advisor for more information on how this will impact your tax situation. 

Transferring out an IRA

Please work with your new firm to complete their transfer paperwork and obtain a Medallion Signature Guarantee. If your new firm does not offer a Medallion Signature Guarantee your bank may be able to help. You can upload the completed paperwork through your Wealthfront dashboard by tapping on your name, "Documents", then the “Upload” button. You can also fax the complete paperwork to 800-366-1679.

When we process your request, we will liquidate your positions and send the cash proceeds to your new firm. IRA transfers to non-ACATS eligible firms typically take 2-4 weeks to complete.