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For the fourth year, we’re pleased to present the winners of our annual Readers’ Choice Awards. In a survey we conducted on Kiplinger.com in January and February, more than 4,200 readers rated the financial products and services they use in 13 categories, from credit cards and banks to brokers, wealth managers and annuity providers. The results here offer valuable insight into the everyday experiences that Kiplinger readers have with their financial providers.
Respondents made their judgments on such criteria as their interactions with customer service, the likelihood they would recommend the product or service to others, and their overall satisfaction with it. They also had the option to leave comments about their providers, and we have shared some of them here (remarks may be lightly edited for length and clarity).
For each category, we’ve listed an overall winner that earned the highest total score as well as other providers that earned above-average ratings for the various criteria that readers assessed. Our thanks to all of you who participated in the survey.
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Kiplinger Readers’ Choice Awards 2026: IRA Providers
Savers enjoy tax benefits when they use an IRA to stash away money for retirement. We asked readers to rate their IRA provider on the investment choices available, the strength of customer service, how likely they are to recommend it to others and their overall satisfaction with it.
OVERALL WINNER: UBS
Outstanding for:
- Investment choices
- Customer service
- Most recommended
- Overall satisfaction
Readers are satisfied all around with their IRAs from UBS, which also took the top spot for its wealth management services. “My portfolio continues to grow even in uncertain economic times,” says one reader.
You can work with the firm, founded more than 160 years ago, online or through branches in more than 50 countries.
Fidelity Investments
Outstanding for:
- Investment choices
- Most recommended
- Overall satisfaction
Fidelity is a reader favorite for IRAs and other accounts, thanks in part to its responsive assistance.
One respondent says, “I’m very pleased with the investment options and telephone help provided over the last 35 or so years.” You can manage your accounts yourself or get assistance through Fidelity’s advisory services.
Raymond James
Outstanding for:
- Customer service
- Overall satisfaction
One reader cites “excellent advice, service and performance for 40 years” as the reason they’ve remained loyal to Raymond James.
The firm, which also received honors in the brokerage and wealth management categories, has more than 3,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada for those who want in-person assistance.
Ameriprise
Outstanding for:
With more than 10,000 advisers, Ameriprise offers its clients wealth and retirement-planning solutions, including IRAs. The firm takes a hands-on approach, through one-on-one coaching and regular meetings, to ensure that you’re confident with your choices and on course to achieve your goals.
Charles Schwab
Outstanding for:
Readers point to easy-to-use tools and exceptional investment choices as standout features of Schwab as an IRA provider.
One remarked, “Very user-friendly mobile app and website, great selection of funds available for investment,” and another highlighted its selection of low-cost index funds in particular. Schwab is also among readers’ top broker picks, and its internet banking services beat the rest.
E*Trade from Morgan Stanley
Outstanding for:
E*Trade, a robust online trading platform, offers a digital IRA selector tool to help you choose the type of account that meets your needs, and its representatives stand ready to assist. “Representatives were especially helpful when I moved all my accounts and set up my IRAs,” says one reader.
LPL Financial
Outstanding for:
Wealth-management firm LPL Financial offers IRAs through its network of 32,000 financial advisers, who serve eight million Americans. You can work with LPL’s professionals virtually or meet with them in person to plan your retirement strategy.
Vanguard
Outstanding for:
Vanguard offers plenty of resources for do-it-yourself investors as well as low-cost advice for those who want a perspective from a professional.
One reader recommends Vanguard’s IRAs thanks to an “exceptional ETF lineup and low expense ratios.” Another expressed appreciation for the firm’s wide selection of funds, adding, “I trust them with my investments. I like their website. Excellent customer service. I have encouraged four family members to open retirement accounts at Vanguard.”
Kiplinger Readers’ Choice Awards Categories
How Readers Chose the Winners
Kiplinger readers were invited to take the Readers’ Choice Awards survey on Kiplinger.com between January 22 and February 19, 2026. The survey asked respondents to choose the financial product or service that they most frequently use in 13 categories: brokerage firms, wealth managers, IRA providers, cash-back credit cards, travel rewards credit cards, airline credit card rewards programs, national banks, internet banks, annuity providers, homeowners insurers, auto insurers, tax software and peer-to-peer payment services.
We asked readers to rate each provider they selected on a scale of one to 10 based on a few criteria. In many categories, readers rated the strength of customer service, how likely they would be to recommend the product or service to others, and how satisfied they are overall with the provider. In some categories, we included more nuanced criteria. With wealth management firms, we asked respondents to rate the trustworthiness of a firm’s advisers and the quality of its financial advice and retirement-planning services. For IRA providers, respondents assessed the mix of investment choices available to them. For peer-to-peer payment apps and tax software, respondents evaluated ease of use, and for auto and home insurance companies, readers judged the competitiveness of rates and strength of the claims experience.
We calculated an average (mean) score for each criterion with each provider. We also calculated an overall mean score for all providers for each criterion we asked readers to judge. We compared individual provider mean scores with the overall mean, and the three highest-scoring providers that had a score above the overall mean won an “outstanding” accolade; in cases of a tie, more than three providers are named, and if fewer than three qualifying providers achieved an above-average score, only those providers are named “outstanding.” In each category, providers are generally listed in descending order by the number of criteria for which they received the “outstanding” designation — so a product or company that is deemed “outstanding” in three areas, for example, is listed before a provider with one or two “outstanding” awards.
To choose an overall winner in each category, we added together the mean scores for each criterion rated for each product or service. The provider with the highest total score in each category took the prize for overall winner.
