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More broker lists Brokers which peg their margin rates to the published "Broker Call" rate, in order of increasing margin rate:(Most of the brokers have a sliding scale, depending on the size of your margin debt. I have listed the highest rate. You can find the current Broker Call Rate here.) NetVest,
1.800.961-1500
Products: Stocks, options, bonds, mutual funds, IPOs, precious metals, CDs
Market Orders: $14.00
Limit Orders: $19.00
Mutual Funds: $29 for no-load funds.
Options: $20/trade+$1.50/contract
Minimum to Open: Unknown
Inactivity Fee: $50.00/year. "No inactivity fee will be assessed if there is at least 1 (one) revenue-producing trade during the calander year."
Some Other Fees: ACAT Out:$50.00. "Any StockCross account transferring out or closing before year-end will also be charged the $30 maintenance fee.".
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+0.25%
Extras: Dividend reinvestment. No maintenance fees for IRAs if the IRA account maintains a balance of $10000 or has 2 transactions/year.
Notes: "A Division of StockCross Financial Services"
User Comments:
Rates Updated: February 3, 2010 Placetrade Financial,
1-800-50-PLACE, 919-719-7200
Products: Stocks, options, bonds, mutual funds, IPOs
Market Orders: $10.95, except for penny stocks
Limit Orders: $14.95, except for penny stocks
Mutual Funds: $29.95 for no-load funds. Also has load funds and NTF funds.
Options: $1.50/contract, $19.95 minimum
Minimum to Open: $5000
Inactivity Fee: $0.00
Some Other Fees: Tender Fee:$25.00 ($50.00 "Less than 48 Hours"). DTC Out:$50.00/security. ACAT Out:$75.00.
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+0.50%.
Extras: Dividend reinvestment. No setup fees or maintenance fees for IRAs, although there is a termination fee.
Notes: Clears through Penson Financial Services.
User Comments:
Rates Updated: February 3, 2010 Investrade Discount Securities,
1.800.498-7120
Products: Stocks, options, mutual funds, bonds
Market Orders: $7.95
Limit Orders: $11.95
Mutual Funds: $15.00 for no-load funds.
Options: $1.50/contract, $14.95 minimum
Minimum to Open: $2000, $5000 for international accounts
Inactivity Fee: $0.00
Some Other Fees: Tender Fee:$25.00 ($50.00 "Less than 48 Hours"). DTC Out:$25.00/security. ACAT Out:$50.00.
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+1.50%
Extras: No setup fees or maintenance fees for IRAs. Dividend reinvestment. Streaming real-time quotes for active traders. Foreign currency conversions. Cash management accounts including checking, credit card, and bill payment. Customer-directed routing for broker-executed trades, which have a surcharge. Foreign accounts accepted.
Notes: "A division of Regal Securities, Inc." Clears through Penson Financial Services. Has a "processing fee" for pink sheet and bulletin board stocks.
User Comments: "I shorted QQQQ; had 70% of the short value in my account in cash, i.e. after adding the short sale proceeds I had 170%. IDS charged me margin interest on the other 30% and paid no interest on the big pile of cash in my account. What a rip-off!"(June 13, 2007) "I've had an account with Investrade for nine years. Early on they made an egregious error, and three free trades in compensation hardly made up for an ultimate cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Other than that, until they recently switched clearing firms, I've been happy with them. Their clearing firm leaves something to be desired. It sometimes reports day-ending balances tardily. In fact, in either July or August, they didn't post new balances for a week in the midst of stunning sell-offs, and for two days a client couldn't even obtain correct balances over the phone."(September 23, 2007)
Rates Updated: February 3, 2010 Cititrade,
1.888-663-CITI (2484)
Products: Stocks, bonds, options, mutual funds
Market Orders: $24.95
Limit Orders: $24.95
Mutual Funds: "$29.95 or 20% of principal, whichever is less" on no-load funds
Options: "$29.60 per trade + $0.56/contract + 0.28% of principal"
Minimum to Open: $2000
Inactivity Fee: Unknown
Some Other Fees:
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+1.50%
Extras: Dividend reinvestment. CitiOne Account includes checking and Cititrade Card. Seem to be no setup fees or maintenance fees for IRAs.
Notes: The site seems to be closed, with Citi providing online brokerage service only to Smith Barney full-service customers. "[A]fter May 25, 2007, you will no longer be able to access your brokerage account or trade on-line through www.mycititrade.com.... You can also contact (800)-846-5200 or (212)-820-2380 for further information."
User Comments: "I am not a US citizen or resident, and I had three requirements: a. cash management (debit card, linked accounts), b. the ability to buy mutual funds, and c. facilities for communication in Spanish.... Cititrade has all three.(July 10, 2006)"
Rates Updated: April 18, 2004 Trading Direct,
1.800.925-8566
Products: Stocks, bonds, mutual funds
Market Orders: $10.95
Limit Orders: $10.95
Mutual Funds: $21.95. NTF funds available.
Options: $9.95/trade+$1.00/contract
Minimum to Open: $0; $2000 for margin accounts
Inactivity Fee: $60 on accounts with no trades for that trading year, with exceptions.
Some Other Fees: Tender Fee:$30.00. DTC Out:$20.00/security. ACAT Out:$65.00.
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+1.75%
Extras: Seem to be no setup fees or maintenance fees for IRAs. Dividend reinvestment is available for an extra charge. Accepts foreign accounts, including non-resident aliens. Valet accounts available for a fee.
Notes: A division of York Securities. Clears through Ridge Clearing and Outsourcing. No money market sweep accounts, and very low interest on credit balances.
User Comments:
Rates Updated: February 3, 2010 Muriel Siebert and Co., Inc.,
1.800.872-0444, 1.800.872-0711
Products: Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, IPOs
Market Orders: $14.95
Limit Orders: $14.95
Mutual Funds: $35.00 for no-load funds; also has NTF funds
Options: From table, based on option price
Minimum to Open: $0
Inactivity Fee: Unknown
Some Other Fees:
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+2.0%
Extras: Accepts funding by EFT, after the customer is approved. Free checking and debit card. Much independent research. Dividend reinvestment. A user reports that Siebert has no communications facilities for Spanish-speakers.
User Comments: "I have had nothing but good results from Muriel Siebert, particularly the SiebertNet transactions. I find them very efficient, very helpful those times that I had to call them, and the experience has been very positive. Sure, I could have saved a few dollars on trades, but to me it is worth the investment of a few dollars to have the satisfaction that the Muriel Siebert company has given me. I highly recommend Siebert!"(April 23, 2007) "I canceled my Muriel Siebert account in 2006,... fed up with their execrable customer service (despite their reputation). Always being handed off to someone else, being cut off, representatives who did not actually listen, etc. There were two final straws. On two consecutive [phone] calls asking for substantial ACH transfers from Siebert to my bank account, they transferred the wrong amount (same rep both calls). They record calls, so they reviewed the recordings and corrected their mistakes, but the mistakes were inexcusable. The last straw was being unable to get through to their margin department after repeated phone calls. I was so desperate to leave Siebert that I gave up a quarter-point benefit below their lowest stated margin interest, [which] I had negotiated."(September 23, 2007)
Rates Updated: February 3, 2010 PNC Investments,
1 800-762-6111
Products: Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, CDs, annuities
Market Orders: $18.00
Limit Orders: $20.00
Mutual Funds: $25.00 for no-load funds. NTF funds available.
Options: $25.00/trade+$2.00/contract
Minimum to Open: $2000
Inactivity Fee: $20.00/year, unless 1 trade in that year. Exemptions for fee-based accounts, "fundvest position of $10,000 or more", and in many other cases.
Some Other Fees:
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+2.00%
Extras: Also has fee-based accounts and full-service advisory accounts with online trading. Full cash management services for VIP accounts, free check writing for other accounts, dividend reinvestment.
Notes: Formerly Peremel and Co., then Mercantile Brokerage Services.
User Comments:
Rates Updated: May 9, 2006 OptionsHouse,
877-653-2500, 312-362-2510
Products: Stocks, options, no-load mutual funds, "U.S. treasury bonds and listed corporate bonds"
Market Orders: $2.95
Limit Orders: $2.95
Mutual Funds: $9.95
Options: $8.50/trade+$0.15/contract+$$0.004/contract "Options Regulatory Fee"
Minimum to Open: $1000. $2000 for margin trading.
Inactivity Fee: $0.00
Some Other Fees: ACAT Out:$50.00.
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+2.45%.
Extras: Check writing available. Debit cards are available at a fee for certain accounts.
Notes: OptionsHouse seems to be a division of PEAK6 Investments, LP. "At this time we are unable to accept foreign accounts." They seem to have some unusual fees, such as a worthless security fee and a "FINRA Trading Activity Fee".
User Comments: "[N]o 1040 support with Gainskeeper or another tool. This makes it very difficult to track trades when it comes to tax time.... [T]heir website doesn't show margin equity used per position. (I was at TD Ameritrade and their site shows this much clearly and is more helpful)."(September 9, 2008) "Options House is OK for margin accounts, but is horrible for cash accounts (e.g. IRAs). I had a margin account with them and it was very satisfactory. Accordingly, I opened an IRA account with the firm. One attractive feature of Options House IRAs is that you can buy calls and puts and write covered calls. However, they have a perverse implementation of free ride for cash accounts. With every other broker, if you sell stock A on Monday in a cash account, you can buy stock B the same day with the proceeds. The only restriction is that you can't sell stock B until Thur. With Options House, if you sell stock A on Monday, you cannot buy stock B with these proceeds until Thur. [A user has reported that Just2Trade has the same policy; it appears that Muriel Siebert also does. ed.] Options House staff admits that this is not consistent with the free ride rule, but that is their policy."(November 14, 2009)
Rates Updated: December 24, 2009 AOS, Inc.,
800.569-3330, 312.253-0385
Products: Stocks, options, stock futures
Market Orders: $0.015/share ($14.50 minimum)
Limit Orders: $0.015/share ($14.50 minimum)
Options: $1.50/contract ($14.50 minimum)
Minimum to Open: $2000 (minimum balance)
Inactivity Fee: $30.00 if no activity in account for 1 year
Some Other Fees: ACAT Out:$50.00.
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+2.50%
Extras: Also has direct access trading platform with different conditions, private client services, checks and debit cards. Foreign accounts accepted, including "most foreign residents"; Canadian accounts are among those not accepted.
Notes: Formerly American Option Services. Ordinary securities on ordinary platforms clear through Terra Nova Trading, L.L.C. Their home page says that they also offer mutual funds, but I can find no reference to the relevant commissions or conditions.
User Comments:
Rates Updated: February 5, 2010 Seaport Securities Corp.,
1-800-SEAPORT, (212) 482-8689
Products: Stocks, options, bonds, mutual funds
Market Orders: $14.95. There seems to be a $1.00 "postage and handling" fee in addition.
Limit Orders: $14.95. There seems to be a $1.00 "postage and handling" fee in addition.
Mutual Funds: $35 on no-load funds. No NTF funds.
Options: $25.00/trade+$2.00/contract
Minimum to Open: $0
Inactivity Fee: $50/year, if there have been no trades between July 1 and June 30.
Some Other Fees: Tender Fee:$25.00. ACAT Out:$60.00.
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+2.50%
Extras: Dividend reinvestment. For-fee "Check writing privileges."
Notes: Clears through Ridge Clearing and Outsourcing. Seems to have no research.
User Comments:
Rates Updated: October 1, 2007 JH Darbie and Co.,
800.606-8844, 212.269-7271
Products: Stocks, bonds, options, mutual funds, CDs, cash management, asset management
Market Orders: $14.95
Limit Orders: $19.95
Mutual Funds: $25.00 on no-load funds
Options: $37.50 minimum, which includes 5 contracts. $2.00 for each additional contract.
Minimum to Open: $0
Inactivity Fee: $0?
Some Other Fees: Tender Fee:$50.00. DTC Out:$25.00/security. ACAT Out:$50.00.
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+2.50%?
Extras: Checking accounts, accepts deposit by electronic check. Full service also available. Dividend reinvestment. ACH transfers (at least out, and I assume also in); both the setup request and the transfers are initiated by telephone, not online.
Notes: Clears through Penson Financial. I've had an account there for about 8 years, and I'm more than satisfied. Personal service, but very little research. Real-time quotes only late in the order entry process.
User Comments:
Rates Updated: February 3, 2010 Wall Street Access,
800.925-5781
Products: Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options
Market Orders: $19.95+$1.50
Limit Orders: $19.95+$1.50
Mutual Funds: $50 for no-load funds+$1.50
Options: $1.35/contract ($19.95 minimum)+$1.50
Minimum to Open: Unknown
Inactivity Fee: Unknown
Some Other Fees:
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+2.625%
Extras: Seem to be no setup fees or maintenance fees for IRAs. Foreign accounts accepted, including non-resident aliens.
Notes: For active traders. Clears through Pershing LLC. They actively solicit "soft dollar" arrangements. The way they express their margin rate and their commissions (omitting the $1.50 "postage and handling" fee on all transactions) makes me suspicious.
User Comments:
Rates Updated: April 19, 2004 LowTrades,
(202) 466-6890, (800) 597-8767
Products: Mutual funds, domestic and foreign stocks, options. (No online orders for funds or international stocks.)
Market Orders: $4.95
Limit Orders: $4.95
Mutual Funds: $25.00
Options: $4.95/trade+0.60/contract
Minimum to Open: $500; $2000 for margin account. There is officially no minimum for a cash account, but there is a monthly "trading desk fee" for accounts with less than $500 in equity.
Inactivity Fee: $50/year, charged twice a year, unless one makes two trades a year, one in each of the 6-month charge periods.
Some Other Fees: Tender Fee:$40.00. DTC Out:$30.00 "per request". ACAT Out:$50.00.
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+3.00%
Extras: Foreign accounts: "Applications are accepted from all countries outside the United States, excluding Canada." Free checking, online bill payment, and some other cash management services. ACH transfers.
Notes: Thanks to Doug L. for the update. "A division of Success Trade Securities, Inc." Clears through Penson Financial Services.
User Comments:
Rates Updated: February 3, 2010 MyTradz.com,
1.877-MyTradz (698-7239), 1.419.878-1900
Products: Stocks, options, mutual funds
Market Orders: $7.95
Limit Orders: $7.95
Mutual Funds: $30.00
Options: $14.95/trade+$1.95/contract
Minimum to Open: $200. Margin accounts must maintain a $2000 balance.
Inactivity Fee: $0.00
Some Other Fees: Tender Fee:$10.00. DTC Out:$25.00/security. ACAT Out:$50.00.
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+3.00%
Extras: Electronic check deposit. Online account opening.
Notes: "a division of Online Brokerage Services, Inc." Canadian citizens are accepted only if they reside outside of Canada.
User Comments:
Rates Updated: October 1, 2007 MarkeTrade.com,
1-888-353-6676, 1-415-901-0311
Products: stocks, foreign stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs, options, futures
Market Orders: $9.95
Limit Orders: $11.95
Mutual Funds: $25.00
Options: $1.50/contract+$10.00/trade
Minimum to Open: $200. $2000 for margin accounts.
Inactivity Fee: Seems to be $0.00.
Some Other Fees: Tender Fee:$15. DTC Out:$10.00/security. ACAT Out:$50.00.
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+3.00%
Extras: Also has Chinese version of site, and promises bilingual (Chinese) telephone representatives. Free checking for US residents, paid debit card. Foreign residents are accepted, but if they want checking, they pay a yearly fee.
Notes: Direct access and Web-based trading platforms with different conditions. Has an annual charge for sending you your 1099s! Clears through Penson Financial Services.
User Comments:
Rates Updated: January 31, 2008 Terra Nova Trading,
800.228.4216, 1.312.827.3663
Products: stocks, futures, options, mutual funds, forex, alternative investments
Market Orders: $7.50
Limit Orders: $7.50
Mutual Funds: Unknown, telephone only
Options: $1.25/contract+$7.50/trade
Minimum to Open: $5000
Inactivity Fee: $50.00, "applicable to accounts under $100 [!] in equity and inactive for over 12 months"
Some Other Fees: Tender Fee:"Variable". DTC Out:$15.00/stock. ACAT Out:$50.00.
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+3.50%
Extras: Free checking, paid debit card. Foreign residents accepted.
Notes: Also a direct access broker.
User Comments:
Rates Updated: January 30, 2008 WR Hambrecht and Company,
1.800.673-6476, 610.725-1150
Products: Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, IPOs, private equity investments
Market Orders: $9.00
Limit Orders: $9.00
Mutual Funds: $50.00 on no-load funds. NTF funds available.
Options: $30.00/trade+$1.75/contract
Minimum to Open: $2000
Inactivity Fee: $25.00/year with less than 1 trade per year
Some Other Fees: DTC Out:$60.00 "per occurrence". ACAT Out:$75.00.
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+3.75%
Extras: Check writing. Dividend reinvestment for dividends over $2.00. Debit cards. Full service brokerage. Extensive in-house research, also available for free to the general public. They promise equitable IPO distribution through an auction system.
Notes: "This site is for U.S. investors only."
User Comments:
Rates Updated: February 4, 2010 optionsXpress,
1.888.280-8020, 312.629-5455
Products: Options, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, futures
Market Orders: $14.95
Limit Orders: $14.95
Mutual Funds: $14.95, even on load funds
Options: Variable, according to table on site. $14.95/trade minimum
Minimum to Open: $0, $2000 for margin account
Inactivity Fee: $0.00
Some Other Fees:
Maximum Margin Rate: Broker Call+4.25%
Extras: Free checking, online chat to customer service, message boards, automatic trading. Includes many interactive tools. "Yes, upon our review and at our discretion we accept unsolicited accounts from non-U.S. residents.... Although our account opening process is geared toward opening accounts for persons with a U. S. domestic address, we will review and open foreign accounts." A user identifying herself as a "foreigner" said on August 25, 2009: "Offers foreigner accounts, although they don't offer mutual funds for foreigners. I actually pay $16.95, not $14.95, per order (stock trade)."
Notes: Specializes in options (obviously), including complicated trades.
User Comments: "OptionsXpress... has a less than satisfactory level of service. They are slow to respond to queries, [and] when they respond it is usually some "pablum" type of answer such as: 'We are looking into it, maybe at a future date, we are considering it'. They have a hard time saying yes [or] no or giving a timeframe for concrete action. They told me when I reached a certain level of option contracts traded that I would get a discount. When I reached that level, they reneged. I have over $300,000 cash in the account. I receive 2% interest in their money market fund. They told me they are looking at alternatives : pablum! I would recommend that anyone look elsewhere for a broker. I am in the process of evaluating different brokers to make a move in the near future."(November 12, 2006)
Rates Updated: August 25, 2009 |