Accounts eligible for ACATS transfers to Betterment

Betterment can electronically transfer many types of assets, including ETFs, cash, mutual funds, and individual stocks, as long as they are held in an ACATS-eligible account. To determine if your account qualifies for an ACATS transfer, we check if it meets the following criteria:


Account Requirements:

  • Held by a provider that supports ACATS transfers.
  • Classified as an ACAT-eligible brokerage account by your current provider.

Please note that legacy mutual fund accounts, annuities, and employer-sponsored plans (e.g., 401(k) or pension plans) cannot be transferred via ACATS.

Additionally, the account must contain investments that Betterment can transfer in-kind.

Minimum Transfer Amounts:

  • For connected accounts: Automated transfers are supported for balances over $5,000.
  • For non-connected accounts: Automated transfers are supported for balances over $10,000.

Important: Not all account types or providers support ACATS transfers.


Accounts Eligible for Instant, Paperless ACATS Transfers

Betterment allows paperless ACATS transfers for individual taxable and IRA accounts that are connected to your Betterment account. You can initiate these transfers directly through Betterment with just a click.

  • Connect your account instantly by viewing your Connect Accounts in Settings section.
  • Minimum for connected accounts: $5,000 or more.

Exceptions:
We also support ACATS transfers for joint accounts, trust accounts, and inherited IRAs. However, these transfers require assistance from our transfer specialists and cannot be done through the website at this time.

  •  To start a manual transfer, see our FAQ or contact one of our transfer specialists for assistance.