When selecting a broker, there are several important factors to keep in mind to make an informed decision:

1. Regulation: Ensure the broker is properly regulated by relevant authorities to protect your investments.
2. Trading Costs: Consider commission fees, spreads, and any additional charges for trading.
3. Asset Availability: Check if the broker offers the financial instruments you intend to trade, such as stocks, forex, or cryptocurrencies.
4. Trading Platform: Evaluate the user-friendliness and features of the broker's trading platform.
5. Customer Support: Look for responsive customer service in case you need assistance.

Successful investment strategies often revolve around principles like diversification, risk management, and a long-term perspective. To get insights into effective investment strategies, you can refer to our Daily Market Update, where Chief Market Strategist JJ Kinahan shares valuable advice on optimizing your investment approach.

To stay informed about market trends and economic news, consider tuning in to Trade Prime Station Network, our media affiliate. You can access real-time analysis and expert opinions on current market conditions. Additionally, explore the Trade Prime Station Network for archived discussions that offer in-depth insights into the financial world.

Evaluating a company's stock before investing involves analyzing financial statements, understanding the business model, and assessing its competitive position. For detailed insights on stock analysis, watch for JJ Kinahan's recommendations in the Daily Market Update, where he often discusses individual stock performance and market trends.

Technical analysis plays a crucial role in trading by examining historical price charts and patterns to predict future price movements. For a deeper understanding of technical analysis and how it can be applied to trading strategies, you can explore Trade Prime Station Network for educational content and real-time technical analysis updates.

Our Education Center has a variety of courses and videos designed to help you understand volatility and develop a plan of action. You can also get started with our trending video playlist on YouTube.

Trade Prime Station is not participating in the Airbnb, Inc. (ABNB) and DoorDash, Inc. (DASH) IPOs. However, you can place a trade using our website or mobile platforms once the stocks become available for purchase in the secondary market.

To be eligible to participate in an initial public offering, you must have the following:

• A value of at least $250,000 in the account being used to buy the IPO or

• Completed 30 trades in the last three months in the account

Accounts must also meet certain eligibility requirements with respect to investment objectives and financial status. IPOs are non-marginable for the first 30 days.

Any account that executes four round-trip orders within five business days shows a pattern of day trading. A round trip occurs when you buy and sell (or sell short and buy to cover) the same stock or options position during the same trading day. If you have been flagged as a pattern day trader, you will need at least $25,000 in total account value at the start of the day or you will have to wait 90 days before you can day trade.  .

If you would like to request the removal of the pattern day trader flag on your account, as a one-time exception to the Pattern Day Trader rule, please go to Client Services > Message Center to write us, or call our Investor Services Department at 800-669-3900.

A good faith violation occurs when you sell a security in a cash account without paying for the initial purchase. Here's how that can happen:

When you buy or sell securities, it takes two days for cash from those trades to settle, or move from the buyer to the seller. When you sell a security, you're allowed to immediately make a good faith purchase of another security, even though the funds from the initial sale won't settle for two days. However, if you sell the new security less than two days after the first sale, that counts as a good faith violation.

You hold $10,000 of settled Company A stock. On Monday, you sell that Company A stock for $11,000. Later on Monday, you buy $11,000 of Company B stock, which is a good faith trade. On Tuesday, you sell the Company B shares for $12,000. That's a good faith violation.

After three good faith violations, you will be limited to trading only with settled funds for 90 days.

As a result, when you sell a security, you would have to wait until funds settle in two business days before buying another security. You can avoid those restrictions by converting a cash account into a margin account, although not all accounts are eligible for margin.

See the article in The Ticker Tape^®: Managing the Strike Count: How to Avoid Good Faith Violations.

With timely articles and webcasts, an extensive library of how-to videos, and an immersive curriculum, our comprehensive resources will help you become a more informed trader.

Our Education Center also offers personalized learning paths  – just log in, tell us about your goals and interests, then choose a topic you want to learn more about. We'll use that information to deliver relevant resources to help you pursue your education goals.

Also, be sure to check out live market coverage and education from our media affiliate, the Trade Prime Station Network.*

*Trade Prime Station Network is brought to you by Trade Prime Station Media Productions Company. Trade Prime Station Media Productions Company and Trade Prime Station, Inc. are separate but affiliated subsidiaries of Trade Prime Station Holding Corporation. Trade Prime Station Media Productions Company is not a financial adviser, registered investment advisor, or broker-dealer.

Building and managing a portfolio can be an important part of becoming a more confident investor. Interested in learning about rebalancing? Our Education Coaches offer weekly webcasts on the Building Blocks of a Self-Directed Portfolio; check out this recorded session on the Simple Steps for a Retirement Portfolio course, offering step-by-step instructions on how to build a retirement-focused portfolio. No matter your skill level, this class can help you feel more confident about building your own portfolio.

A wash sale occurs when a client sells a security at a loss and then repurchases a "substantially identical" replacement security in a 61-day window (30 days prior to the sale, the day of the sale and 30 days after the sale). Any loss is deferred until the replacement shares are sold. Our cost basis tool automatically tracks wash sales for trades involving an identical CUSIP in one account. Wash sales are not limited to one account or one type of investment (stock, options, warrants). Learn more about wash sales and how to report them.

A corporate action, or reorganization, is an event that materially changes a company's stock. This could include stock splits, dividends, mergers, right/warrant issues, or spin offs. Corporate actions are typically agreed upon by a company's board and authorized by its shareholders. If a stock you own goes through a reorganization, fees may apply. In order to help cover the cost of reregistering a security going through a mandatory or voluntary reorganization, accounts are charged a reorganization fee for equity conversions and warrant/rights exercises. Learn more about corporate action.

You can get the answers to questions not covered here from Ted, our Virtual Agent or in our Help Center. After you log in to your account, click Support at the top of any page on the site, then Ask Ted or Help Center.

There is no minimum to open a new account; however, a $2,000 deposit is required to be considered for margin and certain options privileges, regardless of any promotional offer.

Opening an account online is the fastest way to open and fund an account. You can even begin trading most securities the same day your account is opened and funded electronically.

Interested in transferring your account to Trade Prime Station? To transfer assets from another brokerage company, transfer agent, or mutual fund company, log in to your account, and go to My Account > Account Transfer.

Trade Prime Station offers a comprehensive and diverse selection of investment products. You can trade stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs, futures, forex, and bonds and CDs in a standard account. Please note that investment choices may vary in less common account types such as Trust accounts, 529 education accounts, and pension plans. Each plan will specify what types of investments are allowed. See account types and investment products for more information.

Yes. As you're completing the account application, simply complete the margin and/or options section. We'll review the information, and if appropriate, extend margin and/or options privileges to your account.

For existing clients, you need to set up your account to trade options.

Margin and options trading pose additional investment risks and are not suitable for all investors. In addition, certain account types may not be eligible for margin, options, or advanced options trading privileges. Please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options, Margin Disclosure Document, and the Margin Account Handbook.

We believe in fair, straightforward pricing and for you that means $0.00 commissions on online US exchange-listed stocks, ETFs and options regardless of account balance or how many shares you buy. For options trades a $0.65 per contract fee applies. You won't be charged any platform, inactivity, or market data fees. Please review our commission and fees for complete details.

If you lose cash or securities from your account due to unauthorized activity, we'll reimburse you for the cash or shares of securities you lost. We offer you this protection, which adds to the provisions that already govern your account, in case unauthorized activity ever occurs and it was through no fault of your own. Explore more about our asset protection guarantee. 

Trade Prime Station is a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation ("SIPC"), which protects securities customers of its members up to $500,000 (including $250,000 for claims for cash). Explanatory brochure is available on request at www.sipc.com.

Additionally, Trade Prime Station provides each client $149.5 million worth of protection for securities and $2 million of protection for cash through supplemental coverage provided by London insurers. In the event of a brokerage insolvency, a client may receive amounts due from the trustee in bankruptcy and then SIPC. Supplemental coverage is paid out after the trustee and SIPC payouts and under such coverage each client is limited to a combined return of $152 million from a trustee, SIPC and London insurers. The Trade Prime Station supplemental coverage has an aggregate limit of $500 million over all customers. This policy provides coverage following brokerage insolvency and does not protect against loss in market value of securities.

Yes. Over-the-counter bulletin board (OTCBB), pink sheets, and penny stocks can be bought and sold via the web, IVR phone system, or with a broker for the same flat, straightforward pricing that you get with other types of trades. Before placing an order for OTCBB security, please review the OTCBB Securities Trading Rules. You should also take the time to carefully research the company and examine your investment objectives.

A $6.95 commission applies to OTCBB securities, pink sheets, and penny stocks. To see all pricing information, visit our pricing page.

Trade Prime Station, Inc. is a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which protects securities customers of its members up to $500,000 (including $250,000 for claims for cash). Explanatory brochure available on request at www.sipc.org.

Additionally, Trade Prime Station provides each client $149.5 million worth of protection for securities and $2 million of protection for cash through supplemental coverage provided by London insurers. In the event of a brokerage insolvency, a client may receive amounts due from the trustee in bankruptcy and then SIPC.  Supplemental coverage is paid out after the trustee and SIPC payouts and under such coverage each client is limited to a combined return of $152 million from a trustee, SIPC, and London insurers. The Trade Prime Station supplemental coverage has an aggregate limit of $500 million over all customers. This policy provides coverage following brokerage insolvency and does not protect against loss in market value of the securities.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act waives the required minimum distribution (RMD) rules for certain defined contribution plans and IRAs for calendar year 2020. However, there may be further details about this still to come.

You can find the most recent versions of your consolidated 1099 and other tax documents in our Tax Center under "Your Year-end Tax Documents" module. 

The IRS generally requires that you file an amended return on Form 1040X. You may also wish to seek the advice of a licensed tax advisor.

Trade Prime Station must issue a corrected 1099 when mutual funds and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) reallocate or reclassify their distributions in January for the previous tax year. Occasionally this process isn't complete, or Trade Prime Station has not yet received the updated information, by the time 1099s are due to be mailed.

IRS regulations require that we issue a corrected 1099 within 30 days of receiving information showing that the previously issued form was incorrect.

Out of an abundance of caution, to protect both our clients and associates from the spread of COVID-19, we have decided to close our network of branches nationwide. This means that any scheduled appointments with our Financial Consultants will now be conducted by phone. We’ll update you as soon as conditions change in your local area and branches can reopen. You can also check the branch locator for the most up to date information on your local branch.

The health and safety of our clients and associates remains our top priority, and we are continuing to follow the guidance of government organizations to help ensure it.