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J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Review

Plan and invest for retirement with commission-free trading

J.P. Morgan
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J.P. Morgan
J.P. Morgan
Michael Graw
Jan. 26, 2024
6 min read
Michael Graw
J.P. Morgan Summary
J.P. Morgan self-directed investing accounts offer commission-free trading on stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds. You can get up to $700 as a bonus when you open a new account. The investing app includes retirement calculators and access to certified financial planners. You can also invest automatically with a robo-advisor. These features make J.P. Morgan great for retirement investing.

Pros

  • Commission-free trading on stocks, ETFs, options, and more
  • Robo-advisor with four portfolio options
  • Financial planning tools, including access to human advisors

Cons

  • Limited support for active trading
  • Stock research features are very basic

J.P. Morgan at a glance

9.2
Editorial score

Years in Business

200+ years
10.0

Minimum Investment

No minimum requirement
10.0

Diversification

Stocks, ETFs, fixed income, mutual funds, and options
9.0

Customer Service

Support via phone only
7.0

Online Experience

Highly informative website with a clear breakdown of offerings
10.0

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Overview

J.P. Morgan Wealth Management is the investing branch of banking giant JPMorgan Chase. The bank’s history dates to 1799, and it is today the largest bank in the US.

J.P. Morgan Wealth Management offers various investing and financial planning services, including self-directed investment accounts, wealth advisors, annuities, life insurance, and estate planning. We’ll focus on the self-directed investing service, which offers individual brokerage accounts and individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

What is J.P. Morgan self-directed investing?

J.P. Morgan self-directed investing offers individual brokerage accounts and IRAs (traditional and Roth) with commission-free trading on stocks, exchange traded funds (ETFs), options, and more. These accounts are designed for individual investors who want to choose their investments and plan out their financial future.

J.P. Morgan stands out for its financial planning tools. Investors can create milestones and calculate how much they must invest for retirement. They can also set up meetings with a financial advisor or create automated portfolios using a robo-advisor. An interactive quiz helps you define your goals and plan to reach them.

These tools make J.P. Morgan especially good for retirement investors.

Suitable For?

J.P. Morgan self-directed investing accounts are most suitable for retirement investors. Investors can build a custom portfolio with no trade commissions and monitor performance using the platform’s tools. Even better, retirement investors can use calculators, milestones, and goal-planning features to determine how much they need to invest and ensure their financial plan remains on track.

J.P. Morgan is also suitable for investors who want access to human financial advisors. You can schedule a meeting with a fiduciary financial planner directly through the J.P. Morgan mobile app.

Investors who want help choosing investments can also use J.P. Morgan’s robo-advisor. You can select from four automated portfolios based on your financial goals and risk tolerance. These portfolios are designed so that you can contribute money, then forget about it and leave it to grow.

J.P. Morgan’s self-directed investing accounts are designed for investors, not traders. While active trading is permitted, there are no technical charts and very limited order management tools to help you control risk while trading. In addition, advanced investors will find that J.P. Morgan offers few resources for researching individual stocks.

Features/Highlights

Commission-free trading

You can trade stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and fixed-income investments like bonds commission-free at J.P. Morgan. There are also no account fees, so you won’t pay anything to invest unless you use J.P. Morgan’s advisory services.

Automated portfolios

J.P. Morgan offers a robo-advisor with four portfolio options ranging from conservative to aggressive. The portfolios invest in US and international stocks, corporate bonds, and treasuries. J.P. Morgan doesn’t provide information about the past performance of its automated portfolios.

The portfolios rebalance automatically and don’t require intervention to keep your investments on track. You can set up scheduled contributions to make progress toward your financial goals.

The robo-advisor charges a fee of 0.35% of your account balance. 

Financial planning

J.P. Morgan offers a wide range of financial planning tools, including retirement calculators and visualizations that show your current account balance trajectory compared to your goal trajectory. The app also offers a quiz you can use to determine your financial goals and set up milestones for goals like retirement, buying a home, or paying for your child’s education.

If you want to speak with a human financial planner, you can schedule a meeting from the J.P. Morgan app. Human advisors charge a fee of 0.4%-0.6% of your account balance.

Investing tools

J.P. Morgan offers a limited set of tools to help you find investments. A stock screener allows you to search for stocks based on performance, financial health, earnings, valuation metrics like price-to-earnings ratio, and more. There are additional screeners for ETFs and mutual funds.

You can also set up watchlists to monitor stocks that you’re considering adding to your portfolio. J.P. Morgan provides a buy or sell analyst rating for most stocks and displays the percent difference between a stock’s current price and analysts’ price target.

Product Choices and Terms

J.P. Morgan offers individual brokerage accounts and traditional and Roth IRAs. There’s no minimum deposit required to open an account and no fee to open or maintain an account. Additional account types, such as 529 education plans, are available from J.P. Morgan Wealth Management but not as self-directed investment accounts.

Trading on stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds is commission-free. You’ll pay a $0.65 per contract regulatory fee when trading options.

If you use J.P. Morgan’s robo-advisor, you must invest a minimum of $500 and pay an advisory fee of 0.35% on your account balance. Human advisors require a minimum account balance of $25,000 and charge a fee of 0.4%-0.6%, depending on your account balance. Your first six months with a human advisor are free.

Stocks & ETFs

$0

Options

$0 + $0.65 regulatory fee

Mutual funds 

$0

Bonds and treasuries

$0

Robo-advisor

0.35%

Personal advisors

0.4%-0.6% (free for first 6 months)

$700 welcome offer

J.P. Morgan offers new customers who open a self-directed investing account up to $700 in bonus cash. You must open and fund your account by April 12, 2024, to claim the bonus.

The amount of bonus cash you receive depends on how much money you deposit in your account:

  • $5,000-$24,999: $50 bonus

  • $25,000-$99,999: $150 bonus

  • $100,000-$249,999: $325 bonus

  • $250,000 or more: $700 bonus

You must maintain the funds in your account for 90 days from opening to receive the bonus.

How to Get Started with J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing

You can open a self-directed investing account with J.P. Morgan online or visit a Chase bank.

To open an account online, first choose the account type you want. You’ll then need to provide detailed personal information, including your name, date of birth, contact information, social security number, and driver’s license or passport number. I found this process takes around five minutes.

J.P. Morgan will open your account instantly in most cases, and you can connect to your bank account to make your first deposit. Deposited funds may take two to three days to reach your account.

Once your account is funded, you can make your first investments. Search for any stock, ETF, or other investment product and enter an order to add it to your portfolio.

Is there a J.P. Morgan app?

J.P. Morgan has a free mobile app for iOS and Android. You can use the app to monitor your account balance, place trades, set up watchlists, screen for stocks, and more. You can also make deposits and transfers from the app.

The J.P. Morgan app also gives you access to the broker’s financial planning tools. You can view progress towards milestones or schedule an appointment with a financial planner.

You can also access your J.P. Morgan investing accounts and place trades through the Chase banking app. The Chase app lets you fully manage your bank and investment accounts if you have a Chase bank account.

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How Safe Is It?

JPMorgan Chase is the largest bank in the US, and its asset and wealth management branches have more than $3.2 trillion in assets under management. The company has acted to preserve financial stability in the US during periods of turmoil, including during the 2008 financial crisis and the 2023 Silicon Valley Bank collapse.

JPMorgan Chase has an A rating from the Better Business Bureau and an AA- financial stability rating from the Fitch Ratings.

Help & Support

J.P. Morgan Wealth Management customers receive 24/7 phone support through Chase Bank. You can also visit any Chase bank branch for help. I called and was connected to an agent in less than two minutes.

The Chase website has an online help center, but there’s limited information there about investment accounts.

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing At A Glance

J.P. Morgan self-directed investing is an excellent choice for retirement investors and other long-term investors. This broker offers commission-free trading and access to outstanding financial planning tools. You can automate your investing with a robo-advisor or get help meeting your financial goals from a certified financial planner.

J.P. Morgan falls short for active traders and advanced investors since it offers limited research and analysis tools. However, the lack of these tools makes the platform easier to use for the majority of investors. Overall, J.P. Morgan self-directed investing is worthwhile for anyone looking to invest for retirement.

Physical Address

JPMorgan Chase & Co., 270 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017

FAQs

What is the minimum deposit for a J.P. Morgan investing account?

You can open a J.P. Morgan self-directed investing account with no minimum deposit. For a limited time, J.P. Morgan offers bonus cash to investors who deposit at least $5,000. You must make a minimum deposit of $500 to invest in J.P. Morgan’s automated portfolios.

Does J.P. Morgan investing have an account fee?

There is no fee to open or maintain a J.P. Morgan self-directed investing account. You can trade commission-free. If you invest in J.P. Morgan’s automated portfolios, you’ll pay a management fee of 0.35% of your account balance.

Are J.P. Morgan financial planners fiduciaries?

Yes, all certified financial planners at J.P. Morgan are fiduciaries. This means they have a legal duty to act in your best interest rather than sell you investment products that make the most money for J.P. Morgan.


INVESTMENT AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS ARE: NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE

Michael Graw
Written by
Michael Graw
Michael Graw is a Bellingham, Washington-based writer focusing on finance, tech, and science. His work has been featured in print magazines and high-impact websites. He writes for BestMoney and enjoys helping readers make sense of the options on the market.‎
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