Where is your S&S ISA?

[Puddleclucks]

I'm looking to open one, and dear lord my head is hurting trying to compare fees etc.

I'm probably looking to invest in a few ready made funds, I've no great ideas about trading for myself (although I do have some money in free trade that I play about with).

I was all set on Vanguard but understand they've just increased their fees hugely.

Ay advice much appreciated.

I use Invest Engine. Fees are 0.15% for a stocks and shares ISA.

Hargreaves Lansdown

Invest Engine - in a Global Equity index tracker accumulation ETF, and a smaller percentage in a money market fund.

... I forgot to say my portfolio has a TER (total expense ratio) of 0.07%.

The platform with the cheapest fees depends on how much you invest or plan to invest. There are also trading fees to consider if you plan to buy/sell frequently. There are other considerations too, but fees are important. There are some good comparisons on youtube (Chris Palmer takes this seriously), but choose a recent one because things change all the time.

Oh, and also what you plan to invest in. E.g. many distinguish between etf and unit trusts .

Trading212.

I put the max 20k in this year - into the S&S ISA but it's really easy to move the money between the Cash ISA and the S&S ISA if you want to put some in the Cash ISA first.

I'm still deciding what shares to buy - I'm sticking to index funds ATM - mainly Vanguard - all listed on the LSE so no currency conversion costs - it could all go in S&P500 (VUAG) but I've put lesser amounts of money in a few other index funds - VERG, VFEG - it's a balancing act.

A key thing is to put the money in and leave it - don't keep watching it go up and down a few percent - even falls of 10% or 20% aren't generally anything to worry about imho - the S&P500 fell 25% in about March 2020 due to COVID restrictions around the world - but recovered to it's original value in about 6 months - that was a pretty dramatic period - industries world wide were stopping production and shipping - it's hard to imagine anything that significant happening again BUT you never know - there's never "no risk". I wouldn't be inclined to get in to "day trading" where you waste so much time watching share prices go up and down and start selling and buying and incurring costs - just pick something you believe in and leave it.

Go on YouTube - there is a lot of channels to help you understand and decide
e.g. Chris Palmer

and Toby Newbatt has a lot of videos worth watching imho I subscribe to about half a dozen channels.

I've seen Invest Engine frequently recommended in many of these videos - along with Interactive Investor, Vanguard and Trading 212 - there isn't one best app for everyone - we all have different needs.

I'm looking for a SIPP ATM to transfer in from another pension fund but I need a drawdown facility to minimise by tax so... YT is going to help me decide - it would have been Invest Engine but they don't offer drawdown so it looks like it might be Vanguard although it's not the cheapest.

I have two. Invest Engine has gone up 19% over 3 years. Wealthify has gone up 9% in 5 years.

That's without any of my own cash adding to the increase. I believe you should keep them open for at least 5 years.

I’m with Vanguard but they introduced higher fees recently so I’m moving to trading212 and planning to invest in the same funds

@Numista interactive investor do drawdown and I think can cheaper than Vanguard depending on how big your pot is. Also I think Vanguard only sell their own funds.

9 percent in 5 years? If that's correct then surely a cash ISA would perform much better in recent years? Unless you mean 9 percent PA.

Trading 212 for cash and AJ Bell for S&S,

Interactive investor for S&S ISA and SIPP

T212 for cash ISA

Dodl (AJ Bell) for LISA

Look at fees (account management and fund/ETF) , products offered (not many offer LISA for eg) and fund options before choosing. Money to the Masses is good on this, and the Reddit U.K. finance forum.

I can’t fault Hargreaves Landsdown for my Sipp. Not the absolute cheapest platform but very user friendly and fast service.
I sold some funds, asked for £5600 to be crystalised, so £1400 tax free cash and £4200 taxable and to draw £350 a month ( from April) last Thursday and it’s already been actioned. I’ll get the TFC in a few days.

I’m using my spare personal allowance to get cash out of my Sipp tax free and into my ISAs for the next 5-6 years. Then I won’t pay any tax at 67 in 2033 ( unless the State pension becomes taxable, which it will if they don’t raise the personal allowance). 😡

Invested in a spread of funds with Hargreaves Lansdowne, and doing exceptionally well, I'm pleased to say.

I’ve doubled the value of my investments in 6 years but I’m not stupid enough to think it will carry on like this, I’m fully aware that the invested part of my pension and ISA could drop 20-40% in a crash.

That’s why I have an amount equal to 4 years income in a short term money market fund, as does DH in his pension.

He’s retiring in 2027 and so am I, given that he employs me part time, just enough to get my missing 4 years of NI, plus saving himself a couple of thousand ££s in tax.

I gave up on Wealthify, for reasons like that.

Easy to transfer to Vanguard though.

AJ Bell, in all honesty I used to work for them and had free trading, after I left I kept it open and have been very happy with the service ongoing

I have a spread of investments but have had excellent returns on my aj bell adventurous growth fund on both my own investments and dc JISA

Are the ones mentioned here funds you manage yourself? I would like to put my money there on a monthly basis and forget about it for the next 10 years

Just set up a direct debit, pick a cheap passive global index fund and leave it to grow.
I use Fidelity Index World ( no emerging markets) and HSBC Ftse All World index ( includes emerging markets).
Both cost 0.10% to hold.

FiW grew 71% over the last 5 years and
HSBC grew 67%.

Has anyone moved from Vanguard due to the fees?

I've been with vanguard for a number of years and have been happy with them. I worked out that the fee increase would cost me around an extra £30 a year, so I'm not planning to move at the minute. I also have kid's junior ISAs with them and their fees aren't increasing.

I moved from Vanguard because of the fees. I only had about £5000 in there and moved it to Investengine.

Thanks all,

Vanguard