Friday, February 11, 2011

Knowing About Stock Brokers -- Just The Facts

By Samuel Ludwig


Almost all of the purchasing and selling on the market is handled by stock brokers for their clientele, who are the backers. Many different sorts of brokerage services are available.

Full-Service Brokers.

"Full-service brokers" offer a range of paths to help clients meet their investment goals. These brokers can give guidance about which stocks to purchase and sell, and frequently have huge research departments that analyze market trends and forecast stock movements, for their clientele.

Such services aren't free, of course. Full-service brokers charge the highest commission rates in the bizz. Your decision whether to utilize a full-service broker will depend upon your level of self-esteem, your understanding of the market, and the quantity of trades you make constantly.

Cut-price brokers.

Speculators who want to save on commission charges typically use cut-price brokers. Brokers in this category charge lower commissions, but they do not offer information or research. Speculators who wish to make their own trading choices, and people who trade frequently depend on cut price brokers for their transactions.

Online Brokers.

Taking the discount concept 1 step further, online brokers are the least expensive way to trade stocks. Both full-service and discount brokers usually offer discounts for orders placed online. Some brokers operate exclusively online, and they offer the best rates of all.

Account Requirements.

Whichever type of broker you choose, your first order of business will be to open an account. Minimum balance requirements vary among brokers, but it is usually between $500 and $1000. If you're shopping for a broker, read the fine print about all the fees involved. You'll find that some brokers charge an annual maintenance fee while others charge fees whenever your account balance falls below a minimum.

Money Or Margin?

Brokerage accounts come in two basic types. The "money account" offers no credit ; when you buy, you pay the full share price. With a "margin account," from an alternative perspective, you should purchase stock on margin, meaning the brokerage will carry some of the price tag. The quantity of margin varies from broker to broker, but the margin must be covered by the price of the client's portfolio.

Any time a portfolio falls below a specified value, the investor will have to add funds or sell some stock. A greater opportunity exists for realizing gains (and losses) with margin accounts, because they allow investors to buy more stock with less cash. Involving greater risk than cash accounts, as they do, margin accounts are not recommended for inexperienced traders.

Selecting The Right Broker For You.

You must rigorously think about your wants as a stockholder before making the selection of a broker. Do you need to receive guidance about which stocks to buy? Are you uncomfortable making trades online? If that is the case you'll be best served by a full-service broker. If you're comfy purchasing online, and you have the data and confidence to make your own trading choices, then you may be far better off with a web cut price broker.

After deciding which type of broker you want, do some comparison-shopping between competitors. Significant cost differences can show up when you factor in all the annual fees and brokerage rates. Estimate how many trades you expect to make in a year, how much cash you can deposit into your account, whether you want to use margin accounts, and which services you need. Armed with this information, you'll be prepared to compare your actual costs for various brokers, and to make an educated choice.




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