Just an update on the broker-dealer side. Without going into specifics, I tried multiple avenues (including some help from large accounts at TDA who also will be fund investors) to create some negotiation on initial pricing to launch the fund on the Ameritrade platform, but all of it is a dead end. Since there is no leeway on their end, I would post as highly doubtful that the fund will be listing there in 2011.
If the fund has a good year of growth in assets in 2011, I'll deploy profits into getting launched on Ameritrade in 2012 but as outlined last week, there have been many items not in the original launch budget (Vanguard, Schwab-Scottrade, many more states than I originally anticipated that I need to list in) that have come up over the past few months, so getting on every broker platform (ex Fidelity) is impossible right now.
As always direct account with the mutual fund itself is an option.
To review the list off top of head right these are the names we'll be applying for approval (again no guarantee but we *should* be on all these)
Etrade
Vanguard NTF
Scottrade
Schwab TF
USAA
Any platform that has Penson Financial as b/d (a lot of smaller brokers use this firm for their back end)
Any platform that has Pershing as b/d
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On the negative side
Fidelity - cost
Wells Fargo - not taking any new funds
Ameritrade - cost
No answer (a month+ of requests)
Bank of America
Interactive Brokers
Still Asking
T Rowe Price
TIAA CREF
Merrill Lynch - might be same as Bank of America as BAC bought Merrill in 2008, not sure though
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There are multiple 'one offs' that people have asked which I've tried to address directly via email if I have an answer; if no answer - it means they have not responded to our queries.
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