1. Are there any advantages or disadvantages to making your spouse a joint owner rather than a beneficiary?
2. Are there any advantages or disadvantages to keeping ETF holdings and individual stock holdings in separate accounts at the same brokerage?
I have six taxable brokerage accounts total, at three different brokerages (Chase, Citi, and E-Trade), opened to receive a cash bonus by depositing X amount of money and leaving it there for 90 days. Three are in my name, and three are in my wife's name. Now that the 90 days has passed, my stocks and one ETF are consolidated into a single account at E-Trade.
The last time I looked into making some or all of the accounts joint accounts, it seemed like a lot of paperwork, so I decided against doing so. I'm revisiting the question as I get my finances ready for a new year. Hence, Question 1.
Any thoughts on either question?