Pennsylvannia-based Vanguard Group has introduced new online financial management services via the company's Web site.
The new suite of services provides professional-grade analytical tools, comprehensive account information, new transaction capabilities and an increased level of personal, interactive assistance.
Initially available to Vanguard's Flagship and Voyager clients through a newly designed area of Vanguard.com, investors have the ability to monitor the asset allocation of all or a portion of their investments, including their mix of growth and value stocks, sector weightings, and the credit quality and interest-rate sensitivity of their bond investments.
Users will be able to see a consolidated view of all their household's financial accounts on one screen and be able to add outside financial holdings including investment accounts, bank savings and chequeing accounts and credit card accounts via the site's aggregation feature from Cash Edge.
Investors can view their personal rate of return for their total Vanguard portfolio, or for any subset of their Vanguard investments. They can also compare the current value of their investments to the net amount invested (for the past 5 years for Vanguard mutual fund holdings; 3 years for Vanguard Brokerage Service holdings).
By clicking a new call-back feature, users may gain live help from a Vanguard representative, who can view the same screen simultaneously to address questions, or examine financial analyses.
The new suite is the first in a series of online enhancements to Vanguard's Web site during 2001. The firm plans to roll out these online services to all customers during the third and fourth quarters.