All About Ariel Investments
You may be considering investing, but you’re unsure of where to start. With so many different investment options available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Not to worry, we’ve done some research for you. Today we’ll take a look at an investment company that may strike your fancy. Meet: Ariel Investments.
Who Is Ariel Investments?
Ariel Investments was founded in 1983 by John W. Rogers, Jr. The company is based in Chicago, Illinois and claims the title of “largest minority-owned investment firm.” It specializes in small and mid-capitalized stocks based in the United States. With offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Sydney, it is a globally recognized firm.
Currently, John W. Rogers, Jr., serves as the chairman and Co-CEO along with Mellody Hobson, who is also the president of the company. There are 107 people employed by Ariel Investments and the employees and board members own 95% of the company. As of January 2021, the firm holds $15 billion in assets under management.
Types of Accounts
Ariel Investments offers several different types of accounts to investors. If you’re looking to save for retirement, you have the option of choosing either Traditional or Roth IRAs or you can choose to open a SEP IRA if you are self-employed.
You can also select from one of the traditional investment accounts. For general investing, you can open an individual or joint account to serve your all-purpose investment needs. Personal trusts are also available. Want to invest on behalf of a business? Corporate investment accounts are also an option.
Ariel Investments provides options for investing on the behalf of minors as well. With the Coverdell Education Savings Account, you can set aside money for your child for education purposes. This type of account is specifically designed for preparing for the various educational costs that will come down the road. There are two other account types that allow for general investing for minors: the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) and the Uniform Transfers To Minors Act (UTMA).
How Much Does It Cost To Invest?
Pricing for opening an account varies based on the type of account you need. For Investor Class shares, the initial minimum investment is $1,000. If you’re looking to open an Institutional Class (Class I) share, the initial investment is $1 million. Once you’ve established your account, the minimum subsequent investment is $100.
If you’re looking for a more hands-off approach, you should consider Ariel’s Automatic Investment Program. Simply decide how much you’d like to have transferred into your account each month. There is a $50 minimum for any fund you select. You have several funds to choose from: Ariel Fund, Ariel Appreciation Fund, Ariel Focus Fund, Ariel International Fund and Ariel Global Fund. You can find all the details about each different fund here. All you need to do is specify which bank account you’ll be paying from and the money is automatically deposited into your mutual fund account each month.
The Bottom Line
Investing can be a daunting process, especially if you are unfamiliar with the process. Luckily, Ariel Investments makes it easy to choose a fund type and invest with no hassle. This minority-owned investment fund has been going strong since the 1980s—it’s plain to see they won’t be going anywhere any time soon.
To learn more about investing, closing the racial wealth gap, and growing generational wealth for Black and brown families, please visit Financial Joy School and become a part of our financial family.
