TD Ameritrade

Market activity has led to longer than expected phone wait times. Visit our Top FAQs page for ways you can self-service. 

Get in touch

Call or visit a branch

  • Call us: 800-454-9272

Essential Portfolios

A low-cost automated investing solution

  • Professional portfolio management
  • Comprised of well-diversified ETFs
  • Quick and easy sign-up process
  • $500 minimum (when you set up automatic recurring deposits)*
Get started now

How to get started with Essential Portfolios

clipboard

Answer a few questions about
your target, timeline and
risk tolerance.
multiple charts and graphs

You'll get a portfolio recommendation based on your answers and financial goals.
magnifying glass looking at charts and graphs

We'll monitor your account and automatically rebalance it as necessary.
Essential Portfolios are offered through TD Ameritrade Investment Management, LLC

How Essential Portfolios work

How Essential Portfolios work

Watch our video to learn how innovative technology can match you with a professionally managed portfolio that aligns with your goals.

A low minimum deposit and low advisory fee

Low cost, high value

With a $500 minimum deposit (when you set up automatic recurring deposits)*, and a management fee of 0.30%, Essential Portfolios is a low-cost alternative to traditional advisors. You also have access to our team of Portfolios Specialists who are available to answer any questions you may have.

Professional portfolio management

TD Ameritrade Investment Management automatically rebalances your Essential Portfolio with high quality, non-proprietary ETFs and then continues to monitor and rebalance it when appropriate.

Socially aware investing

When you invest in Essential Portfolios you can opt for a socially responsible portfolio that helps to align your values with your investing objectives. With five socially responsible ETF portfolios available, you can invest to support your beliefs while pursuing your financial goals.

Learn more

Potentially reduce your income tax liability

Tax-loss harvesting is a service available at no additional cost, that will proactively sell off an investment that isn't performing well and replace it with a new position, potentially reducing your taxable income by up to $3,000.

Learn more

Frequently asked questions

Is Essential Portfolios a robo advisor?

Yes. Robo advisor is a term that is commonly applied to low-cost, digital investing solutions such as Essential Portfolios.

Who makes the investment decisions for Essential Portfolios?

Essential Portfolios are managed by the investment professionals at TD Ameritrade Investment Management, LLC, supported by recommendations from Morningstar Investment Management, an award-winning provider of investment advisory services.

How are Essential Portfolios trading decisions made?

Our investment professionals make trading decisions such as adding or removing an investment from your portfolio, or by adjusting exposure to a particular asset class.

Additionally, automatic rebalancing is executed based on rules established by our investment professionals, to keep your portfolio from drifting too far away from the allocation targets that we've established.

What information is used to create a portfolio?

The mix of investments in Essential Portfolios is determined by constant monitoring of financial markets across the globe and designed to invest in those that provide the greatest value.

The ETFs within Essential Portfolios are selected based on their performance track record, portfolio fit, management quality, liquidity, and expense ratios, among other factors. View quarterly performance

How is Essential Portfolios different from a target date fund?

Target date funds are generally designed to grow assets over a specified time frame. Essential Portfolios provides an investment recommendation based on factors such as your risk tolerance, investable assets, investment goal, and personal values, in addition to your time frame. Essential Portfolios also offers features such as tax loss harvesting at no additional cost, which automatically review your portfolio to potentially lower the amount of taxes you may owe.

Do I have to pay commissions for trades in Essential Portfolios?

There are no commissions for any of the trading activity that takes place within Essential Portfolios. Essential Portfolios charges a low annual advisory fee 0.30%.

Will I always have access to my money, or is there a holding period?

There is no holding period for Essential Portfolios. Access to funds not held in cash is subject to trade settlement.

Additional managed portfolio solutions

Selective Portfolioscomputer and people

A broader range of goal oriented portfolios made up of mutual funds and ETFs, based on a range of investment objectives and risk profiles.

 

Learn more

Personalized Portfoliospeople

The highest level of service, featuring tailored advice and portfolio construction that takes your overall financial picture into account.

 

 

Learn more

Let's begin your investment plan by learning more about you.

Get started

Check the background of TD Ameritrade on FINRA's BrokerCheck

  • DOW ()
  • NASDAQ ()
  • S&P 500 ()
TD Ameritrade

Call Us 800-454-9272

AdChoices

Before investing carefully consider the underlying funds’ objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. For a prospectus containing this and other important information about each fund, contact us at 888-310-7921. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

All investments involve risk, including loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. There is no assurance that the investment process will consistently lead to successful investing. Asset allocation and diversification do not eliminate the risk for experiencing investment losses.

ETFs can entail risks similar to direct stock ownership, including market, sector, or industry risks. Some ETFs may involve international risk, currency risk, commodity risk, and interest rate risk. Trading prices may not reflect the net asset value of the underlying securities.

*The minimum initial investment for the Essential Portfolios service for a TD Ameritrade Investing Account is:

i) $500, on the condition that you set up automatic recurring deposits through your TDAIA Account. Recurring deposits are available by electronic bank transfers (ACH). If recurring deposits cease before reaching a $5,000 balance in your TDAIA Account, we will require you to re-authorize recurring deposits or deposit additional money to bring your account up to $5,000. If these conditions are not met, we reserve the right to discontinue our advisory relationship with you and transfer the securities into a like-titled account with TD Ameritrade; or

ii) $5,000; or

iii)$100,000 for corporate/business accounts.

Advisory services are provided by TD Ameritrade Investment Management, LLC (“TD Ameritrade Investment Management”), a registered investment advisor. Brokerage services provided by TD Ameritrade, Inc. TD Ameritrade Investment Management provides discretionary advisory services for a fee. Risks applicable to any portfolio are those associated with its underlying securities. For more information, please see the Disclosure Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A) .

Morningstar Investment Management LLC is a registered investment adviser and subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar Investment Management LLC provides consulting services to TD Ameritrade Investment Management LLC (‘TD Ameritrade Investment Management’) by providing recommendations to TD Ameritrade Investment Management regarding asset allocation targets and selection of securities; however, TD Ameritrade Investment Management retains the discretion to accept, modify or reject Morningstar Investment Management LLC’s recommendations. Morningstar Investment Management LLC selects securities from the universe of investments made available through TD Ameritrade. In performing its services, Morningstar Investment Management LLC may engage the services of its affiliate, Morningstar Investment Services LLC, a registered investment adviser and subsidiary of Morningstar Investment Management LLC. Neither Morningstar Investment Management LLC nor Morningstar Investment Services is acting in the capacity of advisor to TD Ameritrade Investment Management’s clients. Asset Allocation target allocations are subject to change without notice. Morningstar Investment Management LLC establishes the allocations using its proprietary asset classifications. If alternative classification methods are used, the allocations may not meet the asset allocation targets. The Morningstar name and logo are registered marks of Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar Investment Management LLC is not affiliated with TD Ameritrade Investment Management or TD Ameritrade.

TD Ameritrade Investment Management, LLC (“TDAIM”) and its affiliates do not provide tax advice. We suggest you consult with a tax-planning professional with regard to your personal circumstances as to whether the TDAIM tax- loss harvesting feature is appropriate for you. This feature generally would be more beneficial to investors in higher tax brackets and high-tax states.

The tax-loss harvesting feature is currently only available with the TDAIM ETF-based portfolios in taxable TD Ameritrade Investing Accounts. Tax-loss harvesting is not appropriate for all investors. Investing in securities involves risk of loss that the client should be prepared to bear. TDAIM does not represent or guarantee that the objectives of the tax-loss harvesting feature will be met. The performance of the replacement securities purchased through the TDAIM tax-loss harvesting feature may be better or worse than the performance of the securities that are sold for tax-loss harvesting purposes. TDAIM only reviews each account that is managed by it individually to help ensure that your account does not violate the “wash sale” rule. When you enroll in the tax-loss harvesting feature, the enrollment is on an account basis and does not apply to other TDAIM portfolios you may have. Each eligible TDAIM portfolio must be enrolled separately in the TLH feature. Accordingly, you are responsible for monitoring your brokerage accounts and your spouse’s brokerage accounts at TD Ameritrade or elsewhere to ensure that transactions in the same security or a substantially similar security do not create a wash sale. The wash sale rule postpones losses on a sale, if replacement shares are bought around the same time.

Prior to enrolling in the tax-loss harvesting feature, please read TDAIM’s whitepaper and see the TDAIM Disclosure Brochure (Form ADV Part 2A)

Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple, Inc.

This is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where we are not authorized to do business or where such offer or solicitation would be contrary to the local laws and regulations of that jurisdiction, including, but not limited to persons residing in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UK, and the countries of the European Union.

Brokerage services provided by TD Ameritrade, Inc., member FINRA/ SIPC. TD Ameritrade is a trademark jointly owned by TD Ameritrade IP Company, Inc. and The Toronto-Dominion Bank. © 2020 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. All rights reserved.