American Association of Individual Investors
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 362976274
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2016–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024
- Location
- Chicago, IL, USA
- Phone
- 3122800170
- Rating
- 68
- Verdict
- SUPPORTED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Financial Institutions
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $5,894,187
- Expenses
- $5,777,543
- Assets
- $1,332,942
- Liabilities
- $13,932,568
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
12 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- JOHN BAJKOWSKI (PRESIDENT)
Highest reported compensation
- JOHN BAJKOWSKI (PRESIDENT): $207,443 total reported compensation
- CHARLES ROTBLUT (VP EDITOR): $202,875 total reported compensation
- NICK POWELL (IT DIRECTOR): $182,935 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
The american association of individual investors is an independent nonprofit corporation formed in 1978 for the purpose of assisting individuals in becoming effective managers of their own assets through programs of education information and research.
What it reported doing in 2024
SUBSCRIPTIONS: The American Association of Individual Investors AAII offers subscription programs focusing on delivering comprehensive investment education information and research tools. These programs empower members to make informed decisions and enhance their financial literacy. Stock Investor Pro software enables users to perform fundamental stock analysis and screening on over 6,500 publicly traded companies. This tool also provides educational resources on investment screening and selection techniques. In addition to Stock Investor Pro AAII offers a diverse range of subscription services tailored to meet the specific needs of its members. Dividend Investing Growth Investing Stock Superstars Report and VMQ Stocks websites and corresponding newsletters educate investors and provide information and research on stock analysis portfolio construction and management practices. The A+ Investor offers a comprehensive suite of resources that guide users in effectively discovering researching and tracking various investments enhancing members financial literacy and investment acumen. Retirement Investing educates individuals on retirement savings transitioning into retirement and managing finances during retirement. The Platinum subscription package combines the benefits of Dividend Investing Growth Investing Stock Superstars Report VMQ Stocks Retirement Investing and A+ Investor services into a single offering. By consolidating these services the Platinum subscription ensures that members have access to a diverse range of resources to support their investment strategies and retirement planning goals. This comprehensive package underscores AAIIs dedication to providing members with the tools and information they need to achieve long-term financial success and security.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Other-operating. 97% of the money available for current operations came from other operating revenue.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
The verdict
SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of total spending goes to programs and program spending has declined or grown slowly.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 53
- Transparency & Controls: 84
- Accountability: 100
- Sustainability: 23
- Growth: 0
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 59.6%; rating input score 60
- Program expense ratio: 57.6%; rating input score 58
- Fundraising efficiency: Limited
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
- Compensation committee: Pass
- Independent consultant: Missing
- Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
- Written employment contract: Pass
- Compensation survey or study: Pass
- Board or committee approval: Pass
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: Limited
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: Pass
- Other executive compensation review process: Pass
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Pass
- Independent financial-statement audit: Pass
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 2%; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.23; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 10.45; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 22.8%; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: -8.3% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: -1.9% per year; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: -21.2% per year; rating input score 0; 1st percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 59.6% of revenue deployed · 57.6% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 3 of 3 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
- Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $3.3M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $207K · 12 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
- Highest-paid contractors: 3 contractors listed · $604K reported
- Consistency: 45 of 45 current checks pass
- Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
- Filing history: 6 filing years from 2016 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 8 filed money-flow records
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- Review — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 58/100.
- High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
- High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 41/100.
- High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 7/100.
- High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
- High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 0/100.
- High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 10/100.