Menu burger Close thin Facebook Twitter Google plus Linked in Reddit Email arrow-right-sm arrow-right
Loading
Tap on the profile icon to edit
your financial details.

Edward Jones Financial Advisor Review

Your Details Done
by Updated

This review was produced by SmartAsset based on publicly available information. The named firm and its financial professionals have not reviewed, approved, or endorsed this review and are not responsible for its accuracy. Review content is produced by SmartAsset independently of any business relationships that might exist between SmartAsset and the named firm and its financial professionals, and firms and financial professionals having business relationships with SmartAsset receive no special treatment or consideration in SmartAsset’s reviews. This page contains links to SmartAsset’s financial advisor matching tool, which may or may not match you with the firm mentioned in this review or its financial professionals.

Edward Jones is a St. Louis, Missouri-based full-service investment firm and one of the most recognizable names in its industry. Providing a wide range of investment advisory services, brokerage services and other products in the U.S. and through its affiliate in Canada, Edward Jones is a one-stop shop for those looking for personalized guidance and face-to-face interaction.

Its more than 19,000 advisors serve millions of clients with a total of nearly $600 billion in client assets under management. With 50,000 associates and a branch presence in 68% of U.S. counties, the firm has a wide footprint across the country and aims to help its clients achieve what is most important to them financially. While the firm's fees may seem steep when compared to several discount brokers or robo-advisors on the market today, some may find the wide range of services and personalized approach of their financial advisors worth the money.

Edward Jones Background

Founded in 1922 in downtown St. Louis, Edward Jones has grown from a single office into a nationwide, full-service brokerage firm with branches all across the U.S., as well as in Canada through an affiliate. The firm works with millions of clients, and it operates more offices than any other investment firm in the U.S. Founded by Edward D. Jones himself, the firm has seen six different managing partners, including the current managing partner, Penny Pennington.

Edward Jones Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes

Edward Jones works with individuals as well as business owners and their employees. It also provides business services to individuals who are self-employed. The firm manages assets for individuals with and without high net worth, as well as pension and profit sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations and other partnerships, investment clubs and limited liability companies.

The minimum account size will depend on the type of advisory program you open an account through. For instance, the Guided Solutions Flex Account has a minimum of $25,000, but the Guided Solution Fund Account only has a minimum of $5,000.

Edward Jones Account Options

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, college savings account and more.

If you’re interested in wealth management services, Edward Jones has four main options:

  • Guided Solutions: For clients who prefer to be more hands-on with their investing, this option allows you to manage investments with the help of an advisor’s guidance.
  • Advisory Solutions: This option leaves daily decision-making to the advisor and is better for those who’d rather not deal with the details.
  • Client Consultation Group: With this option, a group of specialized Edward Jones professionals will assist your advisor in developing your wealth management plan.
  • Estate Planning and Trust Services: The trust services program is used by clients to develop and manage a lasting legacy and also assist with more present financial needs.

Edward Jones Investment Philosophy

Edward Jones selects stocks, bonds, CDs, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and Unit Investment Trusts (UITs) for its clients based on a buy-and-hold philosophy. In other words, the firm prioritizes reliable, long-term growth over short-term plays.

Fees Under Edward Jones

The fees you pay will depend on the type of program you choose and the products you purchase. When using investment advisory services like the Guided Solutions and Advisory Solutions programs, your fee rate will be based on the value of the assets in your account, as well as the program you select and the unique fee structure for the given program. The higher the asset value of your account, the lower the fee percentage. For up-to-date overviews of Edward Jones' fee structures, you can visit the firm's website.

Fees for the Guided Solutions and Advisory Solutions Programs
Value of Assets in Account Annual Fee Rate
First $250,000 1.35%
Next $250,000 1.30%
Next $500,000 1.25%
Next $1,500,000 1.00%
Next $2,500,000 0.80%
Next $5,000,000 0.60%
Over $10,000,000 0.50%

In addition to the above fees, clients using the Advisory Solutions Program may also be charged a portfolio strategy fee and/or an SMA manager fee. Below is a breakdown of the portfolio strategy fee for the Advisory Solutions Program:

Portfolio Strategy Fee for the Advisory Solutions Program
Value of Assets in Account Annual Fee Rate for Advisory Solutions Fund Models Annual Fee Rate for Advisory Solutions UMA Models
First $250,000 0.09% 0.19%
Next $250,000 0.09% 0.19%
Next $500,000 0.08% 0.18%
Next $1,500,000 0.07% 0.17%
Next $2,500,000 0.06% 0.12%
Next $5,000,000 0.05% 0.09%
Over $10,000,000 0.05% 0.09%

Edward Jones account holders may also be subject to SMA manager fees. The rates for these charges vary from 0.15% to 0.40%.

The following table breaks down estimated base advisory fees for Edward Jones' Guided Solutions and Advisory Solutions programs:

*Estimated investment management fees do not include brokerage, custodial, third-party manager or other fees, which can vary in amount. They also do not include the aforementioned portfolio strategy or SMA manager fee rates.
Estimated Advisory Fees for Edward Jones Guided Solutions and Advisory Solutions Programs*
Your Assets Fee Amounts
$500K $6,625
$1MM $12,875
$5MM $47,875
$10MM $77,875

Awards and Recognitions

Edward Jones has been named to Fortune Magazine's 2023 list of the World's Most Admired Companies, a recognition of the most respected and reputable companies.

(2023 Fortune World's Most Admired Companies list, published February 2023, in partnership with Korn Ferry, data as of November 2022. Compensation provided by Edward Jones for using, not obtaining, the rating.)

Brokerage Partnerships

As mentioned previously, Edward Jones receives revenue sharing payments from virtually every mutual fund, 529 program and annuity that it purchases on behalf of their clients.

What to Watch Out for

Edward Jones has multiple disclosures reported on its Form ADV. In 2004, Edward Jones paid $75 million to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as part of a settlement after it was alleged that the firm failed to disclose revenue sharing payments it received from a group of mutual fund families.

If you have a brokerage account with Edward Jones and your portfolio includes mutual funds, Edward Jones likely is receiving revenue sharing for those products and therefore has a conflict of interest. The same is true if you’re in a 529 plan or you’ve purchased an annuity. Edward Jones does not receive revenue sharing payments for assets within investment advisory programs like Guided Solutions and Advisory Solutions.

Opening an Account With Edward Jones

To open an account, you can visit the Edward Jones website to find an advisor close to you and schedule an appointment. At the first appointment, your advisor will ask you a series of questions to determine what’s most important to you in your investing. From there, your advisor will develop a tailored strategy that takes into account your risk tolerance and your investing goals.

The firm has multiple branch locations in the U.S. and Canada. Edward Jones has its headquarters in Des Peres, Missouri, just outside of St. Louis.

All information is accurate as of the writing of this article.

SmartAsset's Tips for Finding Financial Advice

  • Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have free introductory calls with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
  • If you find that you don’t have quite enough money to meet the account minimums of many traditional advisors, then you may be interested in a robo-advisor. Robo-advisors use automated algorithms to manage your investments according to your investor profile.

How Long $1mm Lasts in Retirement

SmartAsset's interactive map highlights places where $1 million will last the longest in retirement. Zoom between states and the national map to see the top spots in each region. Also, scroll over any city to learn about the cost of living in retirement for that location.

Least
Most
Rank City Housing Expenses Food Expenses Healthcare Expenses Utilities Expenses Transportation Expenses

Methodology We analyzed data on average expenditures for seniors, cost of living and investment returns to determine how many years of retirement a $1 million nest egg would cover in cities across America.

First, we looked at data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on the average annual expenditures of seniors. We then applied cost of living data from the Council for Community and Economic Research to adjust those national average spending levels based on the costs of each expense category (housing, food, healthcare, utilities, transportation and other) in each city. Using this data, SmartAsset calculated the average cost of living for retirees in the largest U.S. cities.

We assumed the $1 million would grow at a real return (interest minus inflation) of 2%. Then, we divided $1 million by the sum of each of those annual numbers to determine how long $1 million would cover retirement expenses in each of the cities in our study. Cities where $1 million lasted the longest ranked the highest in the study.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Council for Community and Economic Research