Easy and Fair Pricing
Margin
Our margin rate is Fed Funds plus 6 points. If you have a large margin debit in a well-diversified account, you may be eligible for a lower margin rate. Please contact us at service@choicetrade.com. All margin accounts are subject to a $2,000 minimum equity requirement. Please click here to read our Risk Disclosure for important information regarding daytrading rules. Please see the terms of ChoiceTrade's Margin and Options agreements.
POSITION | INITIAL MARGIN | MAINTENANCE MARGIN |
Long Stock | 1. 50% of the purchase price of marginable securities 2. 100% of the purchase price of non-marginable securities $2000 minimum margin account equity for all margin transactions $100 minimum cash balance required for Bulletin Board and OTC Market Stocks |
1. 30% of the current market value of the long securities positions in marginable securities. 2. 100% of the current market value of the long securities positions in non-marginable securities; See Special Notes below |
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Short Stock | The greater of: 1. 50% of the sale price of marginable securities; or 2. $5.00 per share $2000 minimum margin account equity for all margin transactions |
1. For marginable securities priced $2.50/share and under: $2.50/share 2. For marginable securities priced $2.51 to $5.00 per share: 100%. 3. For marginable securities priced $5.01 and above: greater of 35% or $5.00 per share. See Special Notes below |
Long Calls or Puts | 100% of the cost of the options. | 100% of the current market value of options. |
Short Uncovered Calls | The greater of: 1. 100% of the option proceeds plus 30% of the underlying stock less any amount the option is out-of-the-money; or 2. 100% of the option proceeds plus 15% of the underlying stock $100,000 minimum margin account equity |
The greater of: 1. The current marked-to-market value of the option plus 30% of the underlying stock less any amount the option is out-of-the-money; or 2. The current marked-to-market value of the option plus 15% of the underlying stock |
Short Puts | The greater of: 1. 100% of the option proceeds plus 30% of the underlying stock less any amount the option is out-of-the-money; or 2. 100% of the option proceeds plus 15% of the strike price. $100,000 minimum margin account equity |
The greater of: 1. The current marked-to-market value of the option plus 30% of the underlying stock less any amount the option is out-of-the-money; or 2. The current marked-to-market value of the option plus 15% of the strike price |
Short Covered Calls | None required on short call. | None required on short call. |
Debit Spread | 100% of the net debit | 100% of the current market value of the position. |
Credit Spread Limit Orders |
Value of the difference between the strike prices less the credit to be received $2,000 minimum margin account equity |
The lesser of: 1. Value of the difference between the strike prices of the vertical or; 2. The maintenance margin requirement of the short call or put |
Long Butterflies/ Condors | 100% of cost of butterfly or condor. | 100% of current market value of butterfly or condor. |
Short Butterflies/ Condors | Initial margin requirement of the short vertical of the butterfly or condor. | Maintenance margin requirement of the short vertical of the butterfly or condor. |
Long Straddles/ Strangles | 100% of the cost of the straddle or strangle. | 100% of the current market value of the straddle or strangle. |
Short Straddles/ Strangles | The initial margin requirement for the short put or short call, whichever is greater, plus the premium of the other option; $100,000 minimum margin account equity |
The maintenance margin requirement for the short put or short call, whichever is greater, plus the premium of the other option; |
Long Call or Put Calendar Spreads |
100% of the cost of the calendar spread. | 100% of the current market value of the calendar spread. |
Short Call or Put Calendar Spreads |
Initial margin requirement of short call or put spread; $2,000 minimum margin account equity |
Maintenance margin requirement of short call or put spread; |
Special Notes Concentration: No Position may exceed 180% of account equity. Volatile Stock Requirement: Some stocks deemed to be volatile may be held at a higher requirement. New Issues: Generally, newly issued stocks have a 100% initial and maintenance requirement for the first 30 days of trading Leveraged ETFs: Minimum cash requirement for long positions: 2X ETF (200% Leveraged) = 60% 3X ETF (300% Leveraged) = 90% If price is under $2.50, requirement is 100% Minimum cash requirement for short positions: 2X ETF (200% Leveraged) = 60% 3X ETF (300% Leveraged) = 90% No shorting under $5.00 |
Fees
All brokers have them, but we keep them as low as possible.
Incoming Wire Fee (Domestic and Foreign) |
$0 |
Outgoing Wire Fee (Domestic) |
$35 |
Outgoing Wire Fee (Foreign) |
$60 |
Outgoing ACH Fee (Domestic only - limit 3/month) |
$5 |
Broker-Assist Surcharge | $30 per trade |
Non-U.S. Account Monthly Account Maintenance Fee | $10 |
Incoming ACAT Transfer | $0 |
Outgoing ACAT Transfer | $100 ($35 if rejected by receiving broker) |
Partial ACAT Transfer | $35 |
Monthly Paper Statement | $10 |
Archived Statement Fee | $10 |
Electronic Statement (if elected in lieu of paper) |
$0 |
Paper Confirmation | $1 / trade* |
Electronic Confirmation (if elected in lieu of paper) |
$0 |
Individual Foreign Account Setup Fee (one-time only) | $25 |
Entity Foreign Account Setup Fee (one-time only) | $100 |
Forced Margin/Other Sellout | $60 relevant fees still apply |
Mandatory Corporate Action | $75 |
Voluntary Corporate Action | $100 |
Accounts that close without trading | $25 |
Account Reactivation | $25 |
Inactivity Fee (Individual or Joint Accounts) |
$50 Quarterly Fee is waived if 5 or more trades are performed within the calendar quarter. Fractional share trades do not count. |
Inactivity Fee (Entity Accounts) |
$60 Monthly Fee is waived if 5 or more trades are performed within the month. Fractional share trades do not count. |
Returned Mail | $20 |
Returned Funding (Wires, ACH's, etc.) | $40 |
Foreign Entity Annual Review Fee | $200 |
Worthless Security Write-off Fee | $25 per stock |
Deposit, Delivery, Movement of Securities (and DTC-Ineligible and Related Fees) |
As determined |
NSCC Illiquid Charges, if any, on thinly traded penny stocks | As determined Sub penny OTC stocks with little or no volume are more likely to be susceptible to this fee. |
Hard to Borrow Fee | As determined |
OTC Stock Carrying Fee | $100 per stock monthly† Applies to OTC stock positions of 100,000 shares or more. $20 per stock monthly† Applies to OTC stock positions of less than 100,000 shares. † $60 surcharge per issue non-transferable for more than six years. |
*If you receive at least one paper confirmation in any given month, there will be a minimum monthly fee of $5.00 assessed for confirmations.
PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU OPT FOR ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF THESE DOCUMENTS INSTEAD OF PAPER, YOU WILL NOT INCUR ANY OF THESE CHARGES.