Charles Schwab

 Corporation, based originally in San Francisco, was founded in 1971 by Charles Schwab. The firm began discount brokerage on May 1, 1975. An investor can implement the precepts advocated in the Bogleheads investment philosophy by choosing index products available on the Schwab platform.

Indexing at Schwab
Schwab manages its own index mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs). As a broker, Schwab provides access to other firm's index funds (usually subject to transaction fees unless the fund is a part of the no-transaction-fee network). All ETF's and individual stocks are commission free.

Schwab index mutual funds
Charles Schwab manages eight index stock mutual funds, with low  expense ratios ranging from 2 to 6 basis points:

The Schwab 1000, Schwab Small Cap, and Schwab International index mutual funds are benchmarked to proprietary benchmarks created by Schwab. The total market index is benchmarked to the Dow Jones Total Market Index.


 * Schwab also provides access to RAFI fundamental index funds.


 * Schwab manages a TIPS (Treasury Inflation Protected Security) fund (SWRSX), three indexed bond funds, a total bond market index fund (SWLBX), a short-term bond fund (SWBDX), intermediate-term bond fund (SWIIX), as well as a GNMA and world bond fund.Expense ratios for the two bond index funds are 4 basis points.


 * Schwab also manages tax-free bond funds: A national Tax-Free Bond Fund (SWNTX) and the California Tax-Free Bond Fund (SWCAX)

Schwab exchange traded funds
Schwab offers a growing selection of low cost ETFs (expense ratios range from 3 to 13 basis points), which can be traded with no commissions at Schwab. Schwab manages intermediate-term investment grade and treasury bond index ETFs (short-term; intermediate term; TIPs), US stock market ETFs (broad; large; growth; value; mid; and small) benchmarked to Dow Jones indices, a US REIT index (Dow Jones sector index) and international index ETFs (developed large; developed small; emerging markets) benchmarked to FTSE indices. The table below provides individual ETF expense ratios.

Vanguard funds at Schwab
Vanguard mutual funds can be purchased at Schwab's mutual fund supermarket, One Source, with a transaction fee of $49.95 for on-line trades. Vanguard ETFs are more cost efficient, since they can be purchased commission free. Schwab has also eliminated charges for on-line stock trades.

Treasury bonds at Schwab
Schwab charges no commissions for on-line treasury bond purchases for both auction purchases and purchases made on the secondary markets. Treasury securities include treasury bills, treasury notes, treasury bonds, and TIPs.

Minimum investment:
 * Treasury Bills, Notes, Bonds, and TIPs - $1,000