Merrill Edge Investments Review – 5 Things that You Should Know Before Joining

Most people who know anything about the financial industry are quite familiar with the name Merrill. They have been around for many, many years. Now, they have joined another very well-known company in the financial world, Bank of America. In 2008, Merrill Lynch officially became part of the Bank of America family of companies.

The combination of the two financial powerhouses created a formidable partnership that benefited its customers. Whether you are a beginner to investing or a seasoned pro, you will benefit from what Merrill Edge Investments brings to the table. Thanks to technology advancements and the Internet, online investing makes it extremely easy for beginners to get started and be successful quickly.

For this article, we put together some very valuable information about Merrill Edge which includes things you really should know before joining them. We also included some pros and cons to consider as well.

5 Things that You Should Know about Merrill Edge Investments Before Becoming a Member

  1. Merrill Edge offers three different types of investing – Merrill Edge realizes that not all investors are the same. For this reason, they have put together three different types of investment programs. You can choose their Self-Directed Investing, Merrill Guided Investing, and Personal Guidance. Each one offers Merrill Edge members unique features and functionalities to ensure a top-notch experience.
  2. Offers its high balance investors access to its rewards program – Rewards programs are extremely popular in the financial world and Merrill Edge has some very robust rewards programs available to some of its members. If you are a high-volume investor and your account balance is at least $20,000.00, you qualify for the lower level rewards program. With four different rewards levels, Gold, Platinum, Platinum Honors, and Diamond.
  3. It has ties to Bank of America – Bank of America is the second largest US banking and financial institution. Merrill Edge became part of Bank of Ameirca when Merrill Lynch was acquired in 2008 during financial crisis. Being part of the second largest financial institution also means that Merrill Edge has access to Bank of America’s customer base.
  4. Access to BofA’s Global Research – Being part of the family that includes the second largest bank and financial institution also means that Merrill Edge has full access to Bank of America’s Global Research. This puts Merrill Edge’s members in a much better position when it comes to making investment decisions.
  5. Merrill Edge Market Pro Trading Platforms – Merrill Edge has multiple online trading platforms, that can be either used on a desktop computer or a mobile device. Merrill Edge’s Market Pro is a powerful trading platform that puts your account data at your fingertips. Using an easy-to-navigate dashboard, tools, and research, making trades is simple and easy.
Pros and Cons

Pros of using Merrill Edge Investments

  • All members have full access to high-quality research data
  • Zero account minimum needed to get started
  • No commission on stock trades, options trades, or ETF Trades

Cons of using Merrill Edge Investments

  • Does not offer cryptocurrencies or crypto products
  • Doesn’t offer fractional shares or Forex Trading
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E*Trade Review – 5 Things that You Should Know Before Joining

The Internet and technology have brought out a new generation of investors these days. The stock market has been a place that traditional investors for more than 100 years put their money. Now, thanks to technology, it is easier than ever for beginners and casual investors to get in on the action.

Whether you want to invest from the comfort of your living room or from the palm of your hand using your mobile phone. Thanks to investment brokers like E*Trade, you can download their software platform to your home computer or directly to your mobile phone.

E*Trade is currently one of the more popular online stock brokerage companies on the Internet. They are able to offer investors at all levels who are looking for a way to be successful at stock investing.

5 things that You Should Know about E*Trade Before Becoming a Member

  1. Oldest Online Trading Brokerage Firm – E*Trade was the first online brokerage firm online and now that they have joined forces with and became a part of the financial powerhouse Morgan Stanley, you cannot det much better than that. Having many years of experience in the stock market gives E*Trade a distinct advantage when it comes to offering its members access to its many services.
  2. Zero Commission Trading – E*Trade recently dropped its long-standing policy of charging commision on trades. They now offer all of its account holders commission-free trades like many of its competitors. You will have choices of stocks, options, and mutual funds without having to pay commissions to E*Trade. There are also thousands of mutual funds that also can be traded without commissions.
  3. Multiple Trading Platforms – E*Trade offers all of its members multiple trading platforms via desktop,  a powerful web portal, and mobile apps. Using the basic E*Trade mobile app or the E*Trade Power App on your Apple iPhone or Google Android phone to make your stock trades. E*Trade also has a powerful desktop trading software program that puts your account dashboard at your fingertips.
  4. No Account Minimum to Get Started – Along with zero commissions, E*Trade also offers all of its members zero minimum balance to get started. This makes it much easier for beginners or casual investors to get started with a smaller upfront investment.
  5. Free Research and Data Analysis – E*Trade gives all of its members access to valuable financial research and data analysis. By using any of the powerful trading platforms you will have full access to all of the research E*Trade has to offer. Using the dashboard that on your computer desktop application, E*Trade mobile app, or web portal.

Pros and Cons

Pros of using E*Trade when investing

  • E*Trade offers investing opportunities for all levels of investors from beginners to advanced
  • Has powerful desktop, web portal, and mobile trading platforms
  • Useful research from a number ways from webinars and analytics
  • Many different forms of securities available for trading

Cons of using E*Trade when investing

  • Trading system is not as easy to navigate
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TD Ameritrade Review – 5 Things that You Should Know Before Joining

TD Ameritrade is one of the most well-known investment brokers in the world. They have been helping investors of all levels for more than 40-years. TD Ameritrade was the first investment broker to offer investors discounted commission options after the SEC ended the practice of fixed-rate brokerage.

Online investing has been on the rise for many years and as more and more younger investors get involved. Companies like TD Ameritrade, make it easier for beginner investors to get involved in the stock market. They offer their members many benefits for setting up an account including no account minimum.

For this article, we put together some valuable information and we hope that you can use it. Hopefully, it will allow you to make an informed decision on whether TD Ameritrade is right for you.

5 Things that You Should Know about TD Ameritrade Before Becoming a Member

  1. Offers several powerful trading platforms – TD Ameritrade investment offers all of its member’s several choices when it comes to its trading platforms. The Thinkorswim® trading platforms are available in both desktop and mobile versions. Each platform puts all of the power of TD Ameritrade at your fingertips. The dashboard displays account information including trade status and access to research.
  2. Numerous Trading Options are Available – As a member of TD Ameritrade, you have access to several different types of investment products. Using any combination of the products you can build a very diversified portfolio. Whether you prefer stocks, mutual funds, Forex, and ETF trades, you will be sure to find all of the choices you need. 
  3. Free Research is Available to All Members – Research is an important part of investing and all TD Ameritrade has access to all the research for free. There are many different well-known online sources for financial news and data. All of the trading platforms from TD Ameritrade include access to 15 different sources, including Reuters and Morningstar.
  4. Does Not Offer Fractional Share Investing – While TD Ameritrade offers a wide range of trading options, it does not offer its members access to fractional share investing. Other leading brokerage companies allow their members to use fractional shares (dollar amounts, instead of price per share), this could easily be seen as a negative and scare some investors away.
  5. No Account Minimum to Get Started – One of the reasons that TD Ameritrade is a very popular brokerage company with beginner stock market investors is because they don’t have an account minimum. You don’t have to deposit or add a specific amount of money to your account to become a member. You can get started with as little or as much as you want.

Pros and Cons

Pros of using TD Ameritrade for investing

  • Multiple trading platforms, including mobile, desktop, and web portal
  • Offers thousands of no-commission stocks and ETF trades available
  • Free 3-rd party research
  • Offers access to Forex and futures trading

Cons of using TD Ameritrade for investing

  • No access to direct cryptocurrency trading
  • Doesn’t allow fractional share trading
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