CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--An innovator in online financial services, TradeKing Group announced today the formation of a new subsidiary: TradeKing Advisors. TradeKing Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment advisor that offers professionally managed investment portfolios online at an affordable price. TradeKing co-founder and long-time president and COO Richard J. Hagen, Jr. will take on the role of president and CEO of TradeKing Advisors, which will launch its offering for independent investors seeking professional advice this summer.
Trusted, Value-based Advisory
TradeKing Advisors intends to offer a new level of value in advisory services with portfolios designed and monitored by the experts at Ibbotson Associates, Inc, a registered investment adviser and part of Morningstar’s Investment Management group. TradeKing Advisors will actively manage and rebalance client accounts as necessary to keep portfolios in line with Ibbotson’s target allocations. This caliber of portfolio management, once reserved only for the wealthiest investors, will now be available through TradeKing Advisors to investors with balances as low as $10,000.
“We’ve seen through our brokerage business that while many people are very good at self-directed investing and managing their own investments, others struggle,” said Hagen. “Many just don’t have the time or expertise to navigate the market’s fluctuations themselves. Others, particularly younger investors, haven’t had the kind of assets needed to get the attention of a top portfolio manager. TradeKing Advisors will attempt to solve that disconnect by making professionally managed portfolios accessible to more people at all stages of their life at an affordable price.”
TradeKing Group CEO Don Montanaro added, “What TradeKing did for online trading, TradeKing Advisors intends to do for online advisory services. We aim to make managed investing simpler and fairer for all investors, while adding a level of trusted customer service one would never expect from an online offering. It’s the natural next step for our brand and for many of the investors we serve.”
Simple and Affordable Portfolio Management
To invest in a TradeKing Advisor portfolio(s), existing TradeKing clients follow this simple online process:
- Answer eight questions online to gauge their risk tolerance and investment time horizon,
- Select one of the recommended model portfolios designed by Ibbotson composed of exchange traded products (ETPs),
- Set up and fund an account online,
- Let TradeKing Advisors monitor and automatically rebalance their portfolio when needed to keep in synch with their target asset allocation.
TradeKing Advisors will offer two groups of portfolios: the Core and the Momentum groups. Each will contain five portfolios that range from conservative to aggressive, and allocate to a variety of asset classes using a combination of historical and current market data involving risk, return and correlation. The fee for Core portfolios is 0.75% of the account balance annually with a $10,000 minimum balance. The fee for Momentum portfolios is 1.00% of the account balance annually with a $25,000 minimum balance. For clients with account balances over $250,000 the fees for each portfolio are reduced by .25%. These fees represent a significant reduction from current fees charged for comparable expertise, management and diversification.
Leadership in Service
Over the course of TradeKing’s eight-year history, the firm has been recognized consistently by independent industry publications such as Barron’s and SmartMoney for its exceptional customer service. Under Hagen’s leadership, TradeKing Advisors is poised to deliver that same client-first mindset. The firm will offer a dedicated team of professionals with proven credentials in investment advisory services to help guide and assist clients whenever needed.
“Service is a very key differentiator for us,” added Hagen. “Most of the new, smaller online advisory offerings don’t have the luxury, or the skill set for that matter, to offer support to clients when they need it and through whatever channel they choose. Fast, friendly and knowledgeable service is something that’s part of the TradeKing DNA; we do it extremely well and will offer it to TradeKing Advisor clients from day one.”
About TradeKing Advisors, Inc.
Portfolios are offered through TradeKing Advisors, Inc. (TradeKing Advisors), an SEC-registered investment advisor. TradeKing Advisors has chosen Ibbotson Associates, Inc., an SEC-registered investment advisor and wholly owned subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc., to provide asset allocation, portfolio construction and monitoring services for the TradeKing Advisors portfolios. Ibbotson Associates is not acting in the capacity of an investment advisor to individual investors. The Morningstar name and logo are registered marks of Morningstar, Inc. Ibbotson Associates is not affiliated with TradeKing Advisors.
About Ibbotson Associates
Ibbotson Associates, Inc. is a registered investment advisor and wholly owned subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc. It is part of the Morningstar Investment Management group, which creates custom investment solutions that combine award-winning research and global resources with proprietary Morningstar data. With approximately $164 billion in assets under advisement and management as of March 31, 2014, the Morningstar Investment Management group provides comprehensive retirement, investment advisory, and portfolio management services for financial institutions, plan sponsors, and advisors around the world.
About TradeKing Group, Inc.
TradeKing Group, Inc. (www.tradeking.com) consists of companies that provide online brokerage services, social communities for investors, investor education and more. Its subsidiary, TradeKing, LLC, is a nationally licensed online broker/dealer dedicated to empowering the independent, self- directed investor. It offers simple, low fees ($4.95 per trade for both equity and option trades with $0.65 per options contract).1 The TradeKing platform features powerful online equity, options, ETF, mutual fund and fixed-income trading tools accompanied by a rich set of news, research and analysis capabilities.
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1. $4.95 for online equity and option trades, add 65 cents per option contract. TradeKing charges an additional $0.35 per contract on certain index products where the exchange charges fees. See our FAQ for details. TradeKing adds $0.01 per share on the entire order for stocks priced less than $2.00. See our Commissions and Fees page for commissions on broker-assisted trades, low-priced stocks, option spreads, and other securities.
TradeKing Group, Inc. is not a broker/dealer. Ibbotson Associates, Inc. is not an affiliate of TradeKing Group, Inc.
All investments involve risk, which may include the loss of income payments as well as some or all principal invested. Asset allocation and diversification does not necessarily eliminate the risk of experiencing investment loss. TradeKing Advisors does not warrant or guarantee its process will lead to success. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risks applicable to any portfolio are those associated with its underlying securities. Please see the TradeKing Advisors Disclosure Brochure for further information. Before you invest, you should carefully review and consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of each exchange-traded product (ETP) that are to be used within TradeKing Advisors’ portfolios. ETP trading prices may not necessarily reflect the net asset value of the underlying securities. You are able to review and download ETP product descriptions via the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) website at http://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/webusers.htm#.U0me6lcVDM0
Please refer to Form ADV Part 2A for detailed information pertaining to the following topics: Pricing and Fees – Item 5; Investment Strategy and Risks – Item 8.
This is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where we are not authorized to conduct investment advisory business. Brokerage accounts are serviced by TradeKing, LLC and advisory client account assets are custodied with Apex Clearing Corporation, Members FINRA and SIPC. TradeKing Advisors and TradeKing, LLC are wholly owned subsidiaries of TradeKing Group, Inc.
TradeKing Securities was ranked #1 in Customer Service in the SmartMoney June 2008 and June 2010 Broker Survey; awarded the highest five star rating in Customer Service and Trading Tools in the June 2009 and June 2010 Broker Survey; ranked #1 in Customer Service in the June 2011 Broker Survey and June 2012 Broker Survey; named overall #1 Discount Broker in the August 2007 Broker Survey; and overall #1 Discount Broker in the August 2006 Broker Survey. These surveys are based on the following categories: Commissions and Fees, Mutual Funds & Investment Products, Banking Services, Trading Tools, Research, and Customer Service. SmartMoney is a registered trademark of SmartMoney, a joint publishing venture between Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and Hearstsm Partnership. TradeKing received 4 out of 5 stars in Barron's 12th (March 2007), 13th (March 2008), 14th (March 2009), 15th (March 2010), 16th (March 2011), 17th (March 2012), and 18th (March 2013) annual rankings of the Best Online Brokers based on Trade Technology, Usability, Mobile, Range of Offerings, Research Amenities, Portfolio Analysis & Reports, Customer Service & Education, and Costs. Rated among the "Best for Options Traders" 2008-13. Ranked #1 in usability in the March 2011 Barron's survey. Rated among the "Best for Long Term Investing" 2011-12 Barron's Survey. In comments accompanying the March 2008 rankings, Barron's stated that "TradeKing's site features new, slick tools that focus on finding and executing options strategies." Barron's is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company © 2013. Documentation supporting TradeKing's service and tools awards and claims are also available upon request by calling 877-495-5464 or via email at service@tradeking.com
Please visit https://www.tradeking.com/education/disclosures to learn about risks associated with investing.
© 2014 TradeKing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Securities offered through TradeKing, LLC, member FINRA and SIPC
