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E-Trade

When looking at financial brokerage firms, BetterTrades students often find that E-Trade provides excellent value and ease of use when trading online.

Fifteen years ago, E-Trade blazed a trail by offering trading services as an online brokerage firm. However, E-Trade has actually been in existence since 1982, much longer than other discount brokerage firms. Traders can feel confident and reassured by E-Trade’s 25 years of experience compared to other financial brokerage firms.

E-Trade has maintained its position as one of the top equity brokerage firms by offering a variety of financial services:

• Trading - Stock and options trading with basic and advanced online trading tools.



• Global trading - Diversify by trading globally and educate yourself with progressive research tools.



• Mutual funds - Access to over 7,000 mutual funds, plus every exchange-traded funds (ETF) sold.



• Banking - Open both a savings account (with a generous annual percentage rate and no minimum balance) and a checking account (that offers online bill payment).



• Credit cards - E-Trade's credit card gives reward points for every dollar spent.

If you decide to use E-Trade as your online brokerage firm, you'll pay $6.99-$9.99 per stock and options trade (plus only 75¢ per options contract). You'll also have access to E-Trade branches nationwide, plus free research from independent firms. Through E-Trade, you can also get help from financial advisors and dedicated active trader service, which includes assistance over the phone, online, or in person.

One of the top concerns that traders have with discount brokerage firms is that they might not offer strong security. Not so with E-Trade. The E-Trade securities you own are SIPC protected, and any bank accounts are covered by FDIC insurance. In addition, E-Trade guarantees all of your E-Trade assets and transactions with its own protection guarantee.

As for ease of use, you can view all of your E-Trade accounts and assets on one page and quickly transfer to and from any institution. When it's time to pick a stock, mutual fund, or ETF, you can create custom screens to view only those securities that fit your specific needs and criteria.

You can't buy and sell stocks without a brokerage firm or an online trading account. Brokerage firms like E-Trade, Fidelity, OptionsHouse and Scottrade are all reputable firms that offer a trading platform and additional information about stocks. Their range of price and services may vary, so it's important to shop around to ensure the brokerage firm you choose will match your needs.