Primerica IRA Overview
Primerica is known as a multi-level marketing company that sells insurance and financial services. Clients are served through representatives who are well-informed and ensure you leave meetings knowledgeable and confident about your financial future. This approach helps people who aren't familiar with finance understand their investments better.
The Primerica IRA Account
Primerica offers many customer service options in case you have questions about your account. It's crucial to be able to speak with someone when you need help. Their website is very user-friendly, allowing you to check transaction details, account balances, investment allocations, fund pricing, view tax documents, and carry out financial transactions.
Their eServices feature is also excellent, providing notifications for all account activities, making it easy to keep track of everything online. The quarterly statements from Primerica are detailed yet simple to understand, which is particularly valuable for those without a financial background.
Portfolio Information
Primerica invests exclusively in mutual funds selected by Lockwood Advisors from specific mutual fund families. To help you meet your investment goals, the firm offers ten different asset allocation models developed by Lockwood. Asset allocation involves spreading your investments across various asset categories to maximize returns and minimize risk.
Each client's investments are aligned with one of these ten models, which vary from conservative to aggressive. The most conservative options include the Freedom 20 Portfolio and Freedom 20 Tax Aware Portfolio, while the Freedom 100 Aggressive Equity Portfolio is the most aggressive.
Fund Pricing Information
Fund pricing is straightforward and updated daily on the Primerica website under the Fund Information section. They provide the Net Asset Value (NAV) of the funds, which is the price at which shares can be redeemed. Changes in NAV are also reported so you can track the daily value of your investments. The year-to-date return rate is also listed.
Primerica Account Fees and Cost
The fee structure for a Primerica IRA is detailed in the information packet you receive when opening an account. Here's what you can expect in terms of costs:
Annual Advisory Fee – this is based on how often you use their advisory service. The Program is a mutual fund wrap-fee program. “Wrap-fee” means that you will pay a single, annual fee (assessed monthly in arrears) for the services provided by the Program, as opposed to purchasing and paying for the services separately. The fee schedule given is listed below.
|
Average Daily Assets |
Program Fee (Maximum) |
|---|
| First $250,000 |
2.24% |
| $250K - $500K |
2.21% |
| $500K - $1MM |
2.02% |
| $1MM - $3MM |
1.88% |
| $3MM - $5MM |
1.7% |
| $5M - $10M |
1.55% |
Primerica Retirement Plan Account Fees - Primerica IRAs have a custodial fee of up to $50 per year, which is paid to PFS Investments Inc. for serving as the IRS-approved custodian.
Closed Account Fee - There is a $95 termination fee applied when an account is fully withdrawn.
Returned PAC Purchase Fee – Each failed automatic contribution returned by the bank may incur a fee of up to $30.
Find a Financial Advisor
If you are looking for a professional money management service in your area, you can
find a Financial Advisor on the Wiser Advisor
(or read
Wiser Advisor review).
Visit Wiser Advisor
Primerica IRA Pros
The account value has increased by a few hundred dollars in just a few months. The website is user-friendly, making it easy to monitor your investments. Financial advice is readily available via phone, and they offer additional services like insurance, which is convenient when managing everything through one broker.
Primerica IRA Cons
Primerica operates as a multi-level marketing (MLM) company, which can have a negative reputation as a pyramid scheme. While my representative was knowledgeable, this might not be the case with all of them. Also, their fees are relatively high compared to other brokers.
Primerica IRA Review Summary
You could consider a lower-fee broker like
Charles Schwab if you want to save for your future without high fees. My overall experience over the last few months has been profitable. A longer-term review might provide a better analysis of fees and service changes. Other than a minor issue during the initial rollover, my experience has been positive.
Updated on 6/25/2025.
Arthur Chachuna is a professional personal finance blogger, and the owner of Brokerage-Review.com.
He has been an avid investor for 25 years, and has a background in both applied math and programming.
|