Vanguard Flagship Tier still active?

[sailor266]

It appears to me, a longtime Flagship member that Vanguard now has decided to no longer provide a dedicated account rep, then we were informed that a group of dedicated reps would be able to assist Flagship Customers. Now, I was just informed by Vanguard that they no longer even have a dedicated Flagship phone number. I called them Monday on a serious issue, after being on hold a long time I ended up with a rep in their Philippine call center,
So, messaged Vanguard and asked for the Flagship phone number so I could reach a experienced rep more quickly, their response was "We currently have no dedicated Flagship phone number" So can someone enlighten me what purpose the Flagship level still serves?

[xenial]

Flagship still appears to exist (barely). My pdf statements say "Vanguard Flagship Services®" near the top right of each page, but I no longer see mention of Flagship on my personal account web pages. In any case the tier seems to be of no practical significance anymore.

[exodusNH]

It appears to me, a longtime Flagship member that Vanguard now has decided to no longer provide a dedicated account rep, then we were informed that a group of dedicated reps would be able to assist Flagship Customers. Now, I was just informed by Vanguard that they no longer even have a dedicated Flagship phone number. I called them Monday on a serious issue, after being on hold a long time I ended up with a rep in their Philippine call center,
So, messaged Vanguard and asked for the Flagship phone number so I could reach a experienced rep more quickly, their response was "We currently have no dedicated Flagship phone number" So can someone enlighten me what purpose the Flagship level still serves?

Bragging rights.

Maybe you get free paper statements.

[Kaintucke]

If anyone is aware of any benefit to "Flagship" status, please post it; all advantages seem to me to have disappeared.

[exodusing]

There's still a Flagship web page: https://investor.vanguard.com/client-benefits/flagship. It links to https://investor.vanguard.com/wealth-management.

[Kaintucke]

"Maybe you get free paper statements."

I used to get an annual statement on paper. Vanguard stopped providing it.

[Conch55]

It appears to me, a longtime Flagship member that Vanguard now has decided to no longer provide a dedicated account rep, then we were informed that a group of dedicated reps would be able to assist Flagship Customers. Now, I was just informed by Vanguard that they no longer even have a dedicated Flagship phone number. I called them Monday on a serious issue, after being on hold a long time I ended up with a rep in their Philippine call center,
So, messaged Vanguard and asked for the Flagship phone number so I could reach a experienced rep more quickly, their response was "We currently have no dedicated Flagship phone number" So can someone enlighten me what purpose the Flagship level still serves?

The Vanguard statements I download still include a Flagship phone number although I have never called it and don't know if it provides a useful service. Most recent statement download was last month (Oct 2023). I transitioned to the brokerage platform this year if that makes a difference.

[rob]

Did you get the instructions for the secret handshake yet.... I think that's all that is left.

[backpacker61]

If anyone is aware of any benefit to "Flagship" status, please post it; all advantages seem to me to have disappeared.

Free wire transfers.

[jebmke]

"Maybe you get free paper statements."

I used to get an annual statement on paper. Vanguard stopped providing it.

maybe someone else received it. This year I have received brokers statements misdelivered to my house three times -- all different people. Not Vanguard.

[sailor266]

It appears to me, a longtime Flagship member that Vanguard now has decided to no longer provide a dedicated account rep, then we were informed that a group of dedicated reps would be able to assist Flagship Customers. Now, I was just informed by Vanguard that they no longer even have a dedicated Flagship phone number. I called them Monday on a serious issue, after being on hold a long time I ended up with a rep in their Philippine call center,
So, messaged Vanguard and asked for the Flagship phone number so I could reach a experienced rep more quickly, their response was "We currently have no dedicated Flagship phone number" So can someone enlighten me what purpose the Flagship level still serves?

The Vanguard statements I download still include a Flagship phone number although I have never called it and don't know if it provides a useful service. Most recent statement download was last month (Oct 2023). I transitioned to the brokerage platform this year if that makes a difference.

Unfortunately this is the number I called and ended up in a long hold then at a Philippine Call center, Its basically their common phone number for everyone.

[anon_investor]

It appears to me, a longtime Flagship member that Vanguard now has decided to no longer provide a dedicated account rep, then we were informed that a group of dedicated reps would be able to assist Flagship Customers. Now, I was just informed by Vanguard that they no longer even have a dedicated Flagship phone number. I called them Monday on a serious issue, after being on hold a long time I ended up with a rep in their Philippine call center,
So, messaged Vanguard and asked for the Flagship phone number so I could reach a experienced rep more quickly, their response was "We currently have no dedicated Flagship phone number" So can someone enlighten me what purpose the Flagship level still serves?

The Vanguard statements I download still include a Flagship phone number although I have never called it and don't know if it provides a useful service. Most recent statement download was last month (Oct 2023). I transitioned to the brokerage platform this year if that makes a difference.

Unfortunately this is the number I called and ended up in a long hold then at a Philippine Call center, Its basically their common phone number for everyone.

I think the old "Flagship" status at $1 million is no more. I think you need $5 million to get the equivalent benefits of the old "Flagship" status.

[student]

Joke: The new name of Vanguard Flagship Tier is called Schwab.

I am only half joking. If you only have ETFs, transfer them to other brokerage to get its hopefully better customer service, while you still have Vanguard's low-cost ETFs. If you have mutual funds, transfer them to Chase Self Directed Investing, they take most Vanguard mutual fund where you can buy and sell with no fee. You will even be eligible for its Private Client banking service with no fee if you have at least $150k. There is a downside, for t-bills, you can only get them in secondary market...

[billaster]

Unfortunately this is the number I called and ended up in a long hold then at a Philippine Call center, Its basically their common phone number for everyone.

Do you know for a fact that Vanguard has a call center in the Philippines? Can you document that?

[TimeRunner]

That ship has sailed.

...sorry, couldn't resist.

[Kaintucke]

" Do you know for a fact that Vanguard has a call center in the Philippines? Can you document that? "

On more than one occasion I've asked reps where they were and been told Manila, Philippines.They seemed interested in my travel experiences there.

[Parthenon]

If anyone is aware of any benefit to "Flagship" status, please post it; all advantages seem to me to have disappeared.

Free wire transfers.

Don't count on it! Early one month they did one for me; later that month they rejected one to the same bank and person.
Ed

[billaster]

" Do you know for a fact that Vanguard has a call center in the Philippines? Can you document that? "

On more than one occasion I've asked reps where they were and been told Manila, Philippines.They seemed interested in my travel experiences there.

It's possible that you may have been connected to a call screener that will forward you to the appropriate Vanguard service representative. All Vanguard service reps have to pass the Series 7 qualification exam.

But I am skeptical.

[Kaintucke]

"It's possible that you may have been connected to a call screener that will forward you to the appropriate Vanguard service representative."

They weren't call screeners. Briefly, I have had multiple conversations with reps, and due to incorrect instructions their supervisors, in the "maintenance" area about transitioning minor's accounts from the mutual fund to the brokerage platform. Reps and supervisors in this "maintenance" area were Philippinos. In sum, the "appropriate Vanguard service representative" was in the Philippines.

[DesertGator]

The Flagship Tier exists and means absolutely nothing. Zilch. Zero. There is no real, tangible, meaningful benefit to having it vs the Tier below.

I know because I filed a FINRA complaint against Vanguard regarding their advertising of the benefit, and failing to grant it. I received a nice letter from Vanguard apologizing for the "oversight". By then, the actual benefits of the tier were either eliminated or moot.

[billaster]

So you are talking about tech support, not a Vanguard client service representative. Client service representatives are Series 7 qualified.

[tetractys]

The last time I checked, flagship status allowed access to some closed funds.

[anon_investor]

The last time I checked, flagship status allowed access to some closed funds.

Which are all actively managed... I think I have 50 free trades are year, not very useful when ETFs are commission free, I guess useful if I wanted to buy transaction fee mutual funds.

[anon_investor]

Joke: The new name of Vanguard Flagship Tier is called Schwab.

I am only half joking. If you only have ETFs, transfer them to other brokerage to get its hopefully better customer service, while you still have Vanguard's low-cost ETFs. If you have mutual funds, transfer them to Chase Self Directed Investing, they take most Vanguard mutual fund where you can buy and sell with no fee. You will even be eligible for its Private Client banking service with no fee if you have at least $150k. There is a downside, for t-bills, you can only get them in secondary market...

Chase Self Directed Investing does not offer SpecID for mutual funds, only average cost basis, so not great for a taxable account if you want to do tax loss harvesting.

I would recommend Fidelity for someone thinking of moving on from Vanguard but still wants Vanguard ETFs. Fidelity offers fractional ETF investing (meaning you can buy ETFs by dollar amount) and they just rolled out to some clients (soon to all) automated ETF investing by dollar amount (my account has this available).

[tetractys]

The last time I checked, flagship status allowed access to some closed funds.

Which are all actively managed... I think I have 50 free trades are year, not very useful when ETFs are commission free, I guess useful if I wanted to buy transaction fee mutual funds.

I just went online and checked. Didn’t see the closed fund offer this time, and noted all that’s visible is a phone number to call and ask. To me it looks like more bait for paid advisor services.

[student]

Joke: The new name of Vanguard Flagship Tier is called Schwab.

I am only half joking. If you only have ETFs, transfer them to other brokerage to get its hopefully better customer service, while you still have Vanguard's low-cost ETFs. If you have mutual funds, transfer them to Chase Self Directed Investing, they take most Vanguard mutual fund where you can buy and sell with no fee. You will even be eligible for its Private Client banking service with no fee if you have at least $150k. There is a downside, for t-bills, you can only get them in secondary market...

Chase Self Directed Investing does not offer SpecID for mutual funds, only average cost basis, so not great for a taxable account if you want to do tax loss harvesting.

I would recommend Fidelity for someone thinking of moving on from Vanguard but still wants Vanguard ETFs. Fidelity offers fractional ETF investing (meaning you can buy ETFs by dollar amount) and they just rolled out to some clients (soon to all) automated ETF investing by dollar amount (my account has this available).

I thought someone said that Chase allows SpecID after a transfer but one has to call them and it could only be done within a certain time frame. Personally I did transfer my Vanguard account to Chase because they take Vanguard's mutual funds. Those were purchased a long time again before I moved to ETFs, so average cost is fine by me. I thought I did see specific shares after the transfer but then I lost them after a period of time. All of these are just from memory and I am not confident that I remember them correctly.

I would also put Fidelity and Schwab above Chase for the list of potential brokers to transfer to. I only suggested Chase if OP has mutual funds. I suppose if this is the case, OP can also first covert to ETFs first for those eligible before transferring.

[TipsQuestions]

A million dollar customer at Vanguard that was worth $2,500/year 20 years ago is worth probably $250/year today, account for inflation and lower ERs.

[fetch5482]

Transferred my ~$1.7m accounts from VG to Fidelity a couple years ago. Couldn't be happier. I buy Vanguard ETFs, but get far superior service and perks at Fidelity - including a TurboTax Premier each year. Call wait times are seconds, and I can always call my assigned rep for personalized services. My Fidelity rep meets me once a year to go over my finances, tries to upsell me direct investing or some other thing, I politely decline and then they don't bother me for the rest of the year.

[Tubes]

I called this week and got overseas. She transferred me stateside after realizing she could not answer my question.

People are having a hard time absorbing the fact that VG has offshored.

VG has also is phasing out the Flagship reps (under 5M), adding to confusion here as they were not all dropped at once. People report they still have "their guy". Don't worry, one day you won't.

[yankees60]

It appears to me, a longtime Flagship member that Vanguard now has decided to no longer provide a dedicated account rep, then we were informed that a group of dedicated reps would be able to assist Flagship Customers. Now, I was just informed by Vanguard that they no longer even have a dedicated Flagship phone number. I called them Monday on a serious issue, after being on hold a long time I ended up with a rep in their Philippine call center,
So, messaged Vanguard and asked for the Flagship phone number so I could reach a experienced rep more quickly, their response was "We currently have no dedicated Flagship phone number" So can someone enlighten me what purpose the Flagship level still serves?

I think that by the time of Covid it may have been gone?

[yankees60]

It appears to me, a longtime Flagship member that Vanguard now has decided to no longer provide a dedicated account rep, then we were informed that a group of dedicated reps would be able to assist Flagship Customers. Now, I was just informed by Vanguard that they no longer even have a dedicated Flagship phone number. I called them Monday on a serious issue, after being on hold a long time I ended up with a rep in their Philippine call center,
So, messaged Vanguard and asked for the Flagship phone number so I could reach a experienced rep more quickly, their response was "We currently have no dedicated Flagship phone number" So can someone enlighten me what purpose the Flagship level still serves?

Bragging rights.

Maybe you get free paper statements.

Definitely NOT!

[yankees60]

"Maybe you get free paper statements."

I used to get an annual statement on paper. Vanguard stopped providing it.

My understanding was that you had to actively make the decision to switch from paper to paperless, i.e., it was not automatically done on Vanguard's part.

[yankees60]

It appears to me, a longtime Flagship member that Vanguard now has decided to no longer provide a dedicated account rep, then we were informed that a group of dedicated reps would be able to assist Flagship Customers. Now, I was just informed by Vanguard that they no longer even have a dedicated Flagship phone number. I called them Monday on a serious issue, after being on hold a long time I ended up with a rep in their Philippine call center,
So, messaged Vanguard and asked for the Flagship phone number so I could reach a experienced rep more quickly, their response was "We currently have no dedicated Flagship phone number" So can someone enlighten me what purpose the Flagship level still serves?

The Vanguard statements I download still include a Flagship phone number although I have never called it and don't know if it provides a useful service. Most recent statement download was last month (Oct 2023). I transitioned to the brokerage platform this year if that makes a difference.

Unfortunately this is the number I called and ended up in a long hold then at a Philippine Call center, Its basically their common phone number for everyone.

I think the old "Flagship" status at $1 million is no more. I think you need $5 million to get the equivalent benefits of the old "Flagship" status.

That appears to be the reality.

[psteinx]

"Maybe you get free paper statements."

I used to get an annual statement on paper. Vanguard stopped providing it.

My understanding was that you had to actively make the decision to switch from paper to paperless, i.e., it was not automatically done on Vanguard's part.

They hit me with the nag screen for paperless everytime I login. Last ~3 months or so, across MANY logins. Permanent nonsense? Maybe. For a couple months they were also nagging me, less obtrusively, about their ~4% bank-like account, which seems pretty "meh" to me. I think that nagging has stopped.

We're Flagship Select, I think, and theoretically have an assigned advisor. Had one for ~10+ years who was great. Got a new one a year or two back - have had few issues needing interaction, but stumbled into two tax issues last month. Sent message to rep, unanswered. Sent another message a week later ("hey did you get the first?") - unanswered. Again 2 weeks after the original, finally got a "working on it" type response. Not great.

[beyou]

If anyone is aware of any benefit to "Flagship" status, please post it; all advantages seem to me to have disappeared.

Free wire transfers.

I do see that I can send secure messages to the "Flagship Support Group", but I suspect this is just a legacy thing that they have not revised.
When I have sent secure messages, have waited a long time for junior incompetent responses.
I no longer see any other indication of Flagship status on the site.

Funny enough, the only tangible perk I can see is that if you trade non-Vanguard open end funds, that normally have a transaction fee,
you can make 25 annual fee-free trades if you are in the Flagship range of 1-5MM

https://investor.vanguard.com/client-be ... ommissions

Funny part is that they are rewarding you only for keeping $ in a competitor's product. Keeping $ in a Vanguard fund allows you to also buy non-vanguard funds more economically. Doesn't that seem ridiculous ?

I have gone all ETF and many of my ETFs are now non-Vanguard (which are commission free for everybody).
So while I technically qualify for Flagship, I am moving in the opposite direction ever since I was strong armed to "transition" to the new brokerage platform. Before I had all Vanguard open-end funds, now I have a mixture of BlackRock Ishares, Schwab and Vanguard ETFs, probably cutting Vanguard fees by more than half since the transition. They keep making decisions that are against their own interests.

That said, I am not so unhappy, I rarely call Vanguard, and when I do, I call the direct team involved and bypass the general support line.
I have recorded who to call for various needs over last couple of years so I can try and bypass their general support line.
But given my all ETF portfolio now, would be easy to move, except the fact that I have many accounts and would be a pain setting up so many new accounts anywhere else. We have 3 trusts, 5 IRAs and and legacy taxable accounts with historical data. I do not look forward to opening 8 new accounts and waiting for 8 ACAT transfers at another broker. But if I end up needing to talk to incompetent customer service often, I will be moving to Fidelity. There is a branch walking distance from my house, would be convenient once the move is done.

[Pacific]

Unfortunately this is the number I called and ended up in a long hold then at a Philippine Call center, Its basically their common phone number for everyone.

Do you know for a fact that Vanguard has a call center in the Philippines? Can you document that?

It does.

[Pacific]

" Do you know for a fact that Vanguard has a call center in the Philippines? Can you document that? "

On more than one occasion I've asked reps where they were and been told Manila, Philippines.They seemed interested in my travel experiences there.

It's possible that you may have been connected to a call screener that will forward you to the appropriate Vanguard service representative. All Vanguard service reps have to pass the Series 7 qualification exam.

But I am skeptical.

These are not call screeners. I was joking with them because my daughter, who lives less than a mile from where this rep was located in Makati, would often call Vanguard's U.S. number which was answered by a Vanguard rep in the PI. Almost every Vanguard rep that I have reached in the PI is overly polite ("sir") but that is normal. Actually, most Vanguard reps are very polite no matter where they are located.

Edit to add that the only complaint I have is the times when you can hear about 10 other people in the background also talking to clients which makes it tough to hear.

[ee_guy]

Is household statement a perk or is it available to everyone?

[jebmke]

"Maybe you get free paper statements."

I used to get an annual statement on paper. Vanguard stopped providing it.

My understanding was that you had to actively make the decision to switch from paper to paperless, i.e., it was not automatically done on Vanguard's part.

They hit me with the nag screen for paperless everytime I login. Last ~3 months or so, across MANY logins. Permanent nonsense? Maybe. For a couple months they were also nagging me, less obtrusively, about their ~4% bank-like account, which seems pretty "meh" to me. I think that nagging has stopped.

We're Flagship Select, I think, and theoretically have an assigned advisor. Had one for ~10+ years who was great. Got a new one a year or two back - have had few issues needing interaction, but stumbled into two tax issues last month. Sent message to rep, unanswered. Sent another message a week later ("hey did you get the first?") - unanswered. Again 2 weeks after the original, finally got a "working on it" type response. Not great.

Vanguard is not where I’d go (nor any broker) on tax issues except for tax reporting (e.g. 1099s). Internally there is a group responsible for tax reporting. In the past I have simply asked my rep to connect me to them.

[jebmke]

Is household statement a perk or is it available to everyone?

Good question. I don’t know but we have had it for 30 years.

[exodusing]

I was speaking to a Vanguard rep this morning and asked if they were moving away from the Flagship branding. He said they were - nothing of substance is changing as a result, but they are moving away from the term.

[Prokofiev]

I just lost my personal Flagship rep this week. Sent me an Email saying my needs would now be handled by a Flagship
Support team. Seems to me that they were ALWAYS handled by a team for the last 30 years. I was never able to call
and talk with my rep for a problem. Always "not available" and someone else would handle it No great loss . . .

[sailor266]

Unfortunately this is the number I called and ended up in a long hold then at a Philippine Call center, Its basically their common phone number for everyone.

Do you know for a fact that Vanguard has a call center in the Philippines? Can you document that?

It does.

I asked the rep, who spoke broken English where he was located and he was honest and said the Philippines

[BolderBoy]

Is household statement a perk or is it available to everyone?

Available to anyone I think. When I get notified that statements are ready, I logon to VG, go to 'statements' and see they are provided as individual account statements and one "household statement" that contains them all.

[HomerJ]

Couldn't we once get a single free consult as part of Flagship Tier?

Does that still exist at Vanguard anywhere? My wife would love for "a professional" to go over our portfolio and reassure her that we are doing as well I tell her we are doing.

But she doesn't want to pay for it...

[Super Hans]

What a shame that by the time I saved enough money to throw around, Vanguard lost the HMS Vanguard and Flagship branding! Scudder is gone, the State Street clipper is foundering, and I don't have a family office ready for the Northern Trust anchor. At least banks trip over themselves for the "mass affluent," and there are a lot of bonus opportunities to game (while Fidelity provides a solid backbone).

[rob]

Couldn't we once get a single free consult as part of Flagship Tier?

Once up a time... in a place far far away...

I don't know if it exists today but I would bet that would be rolled into the PAS stuff.

[Kaintucke]

" Couldn't we once get a single free consult as part of Flagship Tier? "

Some years ago you could get a free consultation/portfolio review annually with a Vanguard CFP at the Flagship level. A few years ago an experienced rep told me they got rid of this because few clients altered their portfolios based on the review.

[bertilak]

I just noticed (because I just looked) that in the upper left corner where it used to say "flagship" it now says "Personal investors."

I guess the party's over.

[Soaker]

The last time I checked, flagship status allowed access to some closed funds.

Which are all actively managed... I think I have 50 free trades are year, not very useful when ETFs are commission free, I guess useful if I wanted to buy transaction fee mutual funds.

I do have one Dodge & Cox fund held in the Vanguard brokerage account. Commission is $0 for the first 25 trades per year, which is about 23 more than I need, vs. $20 per trade if I weren't Flagship.