Get the basics

What is a brokerage account?

A brokerage account lets you buy a variety of investment assets—like mutual funds, stocks, ETFs, bonds and more.

A brokerage account is generally less restrictive than an IRA or retirement account; there is no contribution limit and you can withdraw your money at any time for any reason. However, brokerage accounts are often not tax-advantaged—you may have to pay taxes on any earnings you receive.

Brokerage options

What we offer

Buy stocks, exchange traded funds (ETFs) and options online or with the TIAA mobile app for $0 per trade.1Opens dialog

  • No cost or minimum to open an account
  • No maintenance fees
  • Over 4,000 No Transaction Fee Mutual Funds

What you get with TIAA Brokerage

Featured Investment Options

Lifestyle

Conservative, aggressive or in-between, our Lifestyle funds provide instant diversification2 within a single solution.3

Responsible investment4

These funds offer competitive returns while promoting economic development, a healthier environment and a positive impact in society.

Lifecycle

Pick the fund with a year closest to when you plan to retire. It will automatically adjust to become more conservative over time.3

Account Benefits

Our experienced professionals can help you clarify your goals and learn about investing.

Research and screening tools to help you find investments.

We can manage your portfolio for you based on your personal needs and goals.5

Investments

Ways to use a TIAA Brokerage account

You can hold different types of investments within a brokerage account, depending on whether you want to prepare for retirement or invest for another goal. Brokerage investments can include:

Mutual funds A collection of investments in a single fund 
TIAA Brokerage Mutual Fund Families Opens pdf
CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSITS (CDS) A savings account that holds a deposit for a set period of time in exchange for a higher interest rate
EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (ETFS) Different types of investments that are bundled together to trade on various stock exchanges
Stocks An investment that represents a share of ownership in a company
Bonds A loan made by an investor to a borrower, usually in exchange for a fixed interest payment

A brokerage account gives you plenty of choices, but it's just one of many types of investing accounts available through TIAA.

How it works

How to open up a brokerage account

It only takes a few minutes to open a brokerage account online.

1. Answer a few questions 

2. Submit the online application

 3. Fund your account

4. Research investments

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Help me choose

Need help deciding which route to go?

How does an account work?

  • Start with a lump sum of money in your account or add to it over time.
  • FundOpens dialog through a variety of methods.
  • Find investments to help you meet your financial goal(s) on your own or with support from your advisor.

What kind of investments can I buy or sell?

  • Stocks
  • Bonds
  • Mutual funds
  • ETFs (Exchange-traded funds)
  • CDs (Certificates of Deposit)

What kind of mutual funds can I buy?

  • Over 10,000 funds from TIAA, Nuveen and other firms
  • Lifestyle and Lifecycle (target date) funds
  • Indexed or actively managed

Who can use a brokerage account?

  • Anyone, as long you're an adult and a U.S. resident.

Where can I find a TIAA Brokerage form?

  • Visit our TIAA Brokerage Forms page or give us a call at (800) 842-2252, Weekdays 8:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m. ET.

Does TIAA Brokerage have a mobile app?

  • Yes, you are able to view account balances, review activities, obtain a quote, place a trade, and more.
  • Visit our TIAA Mobile page for more details.

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Contact us

Get in touch

We're here to help.

weekdays, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. (ET).

800-842-2252

Contact TIAA

1 There is no account fee to own a TIAA brokerage account; however, brokerage transaction fees may apply. In addition, investors are subject to the underlying funds' portfolio management fees and expenses.

2 Diversification is a technique to help reduce risk. It is not guaranteed to protect against loss.

3 As with all mutual funds, the principal value of a Lifecycle fund or Target Date fund isn't guaranteed at any time and will fluctuate with market changes. The target date approximates when investors may plan to start making withdrawals. However, you are not required to withdraw the funds at that target date. After the target date has been reached, some of your money may be merged into a fund with a more stable asset allocation. Lifecycle funds and Target Date funds share the risks associated with the types of securities held by each of the underlying funds in which they invest. In addition to the fees and expenses associated with the Lifecycle funds and Target Date funds, there is exposure to the fees and expenses associated with the underlying mutual funds. Be sure to reassess goals regularly and if your situation has changed, you may want to choose another Lifecycle fund or Target Date fund that more closely matches your new risk profile.

4 Responsible investing incorporates Environmental Social Governance (ESG) factors that may affect exposure to issuers, sectors, industries, limiting the type and number of investment opportunities available, which could result in excluding investments that perform well.

5 TIAA-CREF managed account services provide discretionary investment management services for a fee. Certain securities may not be suitable for all investors. TIAA-CREF managed account services are offered through TIAA-CREF Advice and Planning Services and TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC , a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, and the Private Asset Management offered by TIAA, FSB, a federal savings bank.

There are inherent risks in investing in securities. Investment products may be subject to market and other risk factors. See the applicable product literature for details. It is possible to lose money by investing in securities.

TIAA Brokerage, a division of TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, Member FINRAOpens in a new window and SIPC Opens in a new window, distributes securities. Brokerage accounts are carried by Pershing, LLC, a subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, Member FINRA, NYSE, SIPC.

Advisory services are provided by Advice & Planning Services, a division of TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser.

This material is for informational or educational purposes only and does not constitute fiduciary investment advice under ERISA, a securities recommendation under all securities laws, or an insurance product recommendation under state insurance laws or regulations. This material does not take into account any specific objectives or circumstances of any particular investor, or suggest any specific course of action. Investment decisions should be made based on the investor's own objectives and circumstances.

 

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