Morgan Stanley Funds: A Guide To Investing

Morgan Stanley offers a range of investment opportunities, from self-directed brokerage accounts to dedicated financial advisors. For those looking to invest in Morgan Stanley funds, there are several options to consider. One option is to open an E*TRADE brokerage account, which allows individuals to invest their money themselves without paying commissions. E*TRADE offers an easy-to-use website and a range of investing options, including stocks, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Another option is Core Portfolios, an automated digital investing platform where individuals provide information about their goals and risk tolerance, and Morgan Stanley builds and manages a diversified portfolio for them. For those seeking personalized planning and investing guidance, Morgan Stanley Virtual Advisor offers phone access to experienced financial advisors. Finally, for ongoing comprehensive financial planning and investment advice, individuals can choose to work with a dedicated Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor, which requires a minimum investment.

E*TRADE brokerage accounts

E*TRADE is now part of Morgan Stanley, and offers a range of brokerage accounts to help you take control of your financial future.

Brokerage Accounts

E*TRADE offers a variety of brokerage accounts to suit different investors and traders. You can open an account in about 10 minutes, and there are no account minimums or maintenance fees. You can enjoy $0 commissions for online US-listed stock, ETF, mutual fund, and options trades.

Investment Choices

E*TRADE offers a full range of investment choices, including stocks, options, ETFs, and mutual funds. You can also access timely research and analysis, as well as powerful trading tools.

Trading Platforms

Placing a trade is easy with E*TRADE's online and mobile platforms. For more advanced traders, Power E*TRADE is an innovative platform built by traders, offering a range of powerful features.

Morgan Stanley Equity Research

As part of the merger with Morgan Stanley, E*TRADE customers can access fully integrated Morgan Stanley equity research and a broader array of investment choices.

Automated Investment Management

For a low annual advisory fee of 0.30% and a $500 minimum, you can get a diversified portfolio that is monitored and managed by E*TRADE.

Premium Savings Account

The Premium Savings Account offers rates 9x the national average, plus FDIC protection up to $500,000.

Retirement Accounts

E*TRADE offers a range of retirement accounts, including Roth and Traditional IRAs, and the ability to roll over your old 401(k) plan assets into an IRA.

Education Savings

You can save on a tax-deferred basis for a child's education, with tax-free withdrawals for qualified educational expenses such as tuition and books.

Small Business Retirement

E*TRADE offers retirement plans for small businesses, including the Traditional and Roth Individual 401(k).

To get started with an E*TRADE brokerage account, simply choose the type of account you want and complete the online application process.

Core Portfolios

First, you answer a few simple questions about your goals, how much risk you can handle, and other investing preferences. Then, Morgan Stanley uses algorithms to recommend a portfolio of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that are hand-picked by their experienced investment team. They monitor and manage your investments going forward, taking care to automatically realign them with your risk preferences. You can also personalize your managed account by choosing an additional investment strategy to include, like socially responsible or smart beta ETFs.

The fees and minimums for Core Portfolios are as follows: you pay an annual advisory fee as low as $1.50 or 0.30% of account balances. All you need is a $500 minimum investment to get started. Keep in mind, the advisory fee does not cover underlying management fees and expenses of any mutual fund or ETF investment held in the portfolio.

To open a Core Portfolio account, get started by answering a five-minute questionnaire about your investing goals and risk tolerance, and then fund your account(s).

Morgan Stanley Virtual Advisor

The process starts with meaningful goal planning. You can partner with a Financial Advisor to define your goals and develop a personalized strategy to help build your personal wealth. Over time, your portfolio will be adapted based on your goals and priorities.

The Virtual Advisor gives you access to a broad range of financial products, portfolio management tools, and research to help you stay informed and on top of market trends. The service also includes portfolio reviews to ensure your investment strategy is on the right track.

The Morgan Stanley Virtual Advisor Knowledge Center provides educational resources and market perspectives to help you understand the financial implications of life's big milestones and prepare for your financial future.

With 88 years of experience, Morgan Stanley has helped clients through shifting markets and understanding emerging technologies. Their broad perspectives, combined with technology-enabled insights, offer informed guidance to help optimize your strategies and keep you on track towards your goals.

Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor

A Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor is a trained professional with the resources and experience to help you navigate a path forward through whatever the market has in store.

The process of working with a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor starts with a personalized plan. Your advisor will get to know you and tailor a plan for your goals, whether that be retirement, college, tax efficiency, philanthropy, or managing generational wealth.

Next, your advisor will implement your plan with a customized investment strategy to help you achieve your unique goals. They have access to market intelligence from Morgan Stanley's highly regarded team of analysts, strategists, and economists, as well as a full spectrum of comprehensive resources, many of which are exclusive to Morgan Stanley.

Your advisor will keep you informed with periodic portfolio updates and market commentary, and you'll be able to track your investment accounts 24/7 online and through the Morgan Stanley mobile app.

Finally, you will have the opportunity to meet regularly with your advisor to discuss important life changes, review your portfolio, and address complex needs such as estate planning and liquidity events.

Morgan Stanley offers a range of programs to develop their financial advisors, including the Wealth Management Financial Advisor Associate Program, a rigorous 36-month training program, and the Private Wealth Advisor Associate Program, which provides candidates with the tools and strategies needed to provide highly individualized financial services to ultra-high-net-worth clients.

Mutual funds

There are thousands of mutual funds offered by more than 300 fund companies, and they generally fall into three categories in terms of their investment objectives: money market funds, income funds, and growth funds. Money market funds seek the safety of the principal amount by investing in high-quality, short-term securities such as bank certificates of deposit (CDs) and US Treasury bills. Income funds invest in debt securities, which offer periodic income payments. Growth funds, on the other hand, invest in the common stock of public companies and are more volatile than the other two types.

It is important to remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future results, and there is always a possibility of losing money when investing in mutual funds. Therefore, it is crucial to carefully consider a mutual fund's investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before investing.

Frequently asked questions