Deciding Between a Margin Account and a Cash Account: Which Option Suits You Best?

by | Sep 7, 2023 | Fidelity IRA | 34 comments




Do you have a margin account or a cash account? Tim Bohen is covering the pros and cons of each kind to help you decide which is best for you.

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Cash accounts allow you to trade with the amount of money you put into your brokerage account. For example, if you put $1000 in a cash account, your buying power is $1000. A major benefit of using a cash account is that it frees traders from the pattern day trader (PDT) rule.

If you have a cash account, you are not limited to three trades in a rolling five-day period like you are with a margin account. However, most brokers have different settlement periods so they may not settle your cash for a few days.

Most day traders use a margin account because it allows you to buy more stock than you can afford with the cash in your account. Margin accounts also allow traders to short sell.

Different brokers offer different loan leverages for margin accounts. Many brokers will have 2:1, 3:1, or 4:1 leverage. If you’re using a broker that’s giving you more than 4:1 leverage, you might wanna be cautious using that broker.

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For example, if you’ve got 4:1 leverage, you can buy 4,000 chairs of a $1 stock with only $1,000 in your account. It’s tempting to be able to trade way bigger positions with a margin account.

But remember, margin is a double-sided blade. Margin accounts magnify winners, but it magnifies losers as well. Margin accounts are highly recommended to day traders, especially if you’re looking to short and trade momentum stocks.

Always have a trade plan, and cut your losses quickly.

#StocksToTrade #MarginAccount #CashAccount
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Margin Account vs Cash Account: Which is Right for You?

When it comes to investing in the stock market, there are two types of accounts that investors can choose from: margin accounts and cash accounts. Both options offer their own advantages and disadvantages, and it’s important for investors to understand the differences between the two in order to make an informed decision about which is the right option for them.

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A cash account is the most straightforward type of investment account. With a cash account, you can only purchase stocks and other securities using the cash that you have deposited into the account. This means that you are limited to the amount of money you have available, and cannot borrow funds from the broker to make additional investments. While this may seem restrictive, it does have its benefits.

One of the main advantages of a cash account is that there is no risk of margin calls. A margin call occurs when the value of securities in a margin account falls below a certain threshold, requiring the investor to deposit additional funds to cover the losses. Since cash accounts do not allow borrowing, there is no possibility of a margin call. This can be a comforting factor for more conservative investors looking to minimize risk.

Additionally, cash accounts are not subject to interest charges. Margin accounts, on the other hand, allow investors to borrow money from the broker to make larger investments. While this can potentially magnify profits, it also comes with the risk of interest charges. If an investor chooses to use margin for their investments, they will be required to pay interest on the borrowed amount, which can eat into potential gains.

Despite these advantages, cash accounts may not be suitable for all investors. One major drawback of cash accounts is the limitation on leverage. Leverage is a strategy where investors use borrowed funds to increase their potential returns. By not having access to the additional capital that a margin account provides, investors may miss out on potential growth opportunities. This is especially true for experienced traders who are comfortable with taking on higher levels of risk.

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Margin accounts, on the other hand, offer more flexibility and potential for higher returns. With a margin account, investors can leverage their investments, amplifying potential gains. This means that even with a smaller amount of cash, investors can access a larger pool of funds to invest, potentially leading to greater profits. However, it is important to note that leveraging also increases the risk of losses, as investors will be responsible for repaying both the borrowed funds and any interest charges.

Furthermore, margin accounts require the investor to meet certain criteria, including maintaining a minimum balance and passing credit checks. These requirements can make opening a margin account more challenging for some individuals.

In conclusion, the choice between a margin account and a cash account ultimately depends on an investor’s risk tolerance, financial situation, and investment goals. Cash accounts are ideal for conservative investors who prefer to avoid borrowing and want to minimize risk. On the other hand, margin accounts can be a suitable option for those with a higher risk tolerance and the desire to leverage their investments for potentially higher returns. It is crucial to thoroughly educate yourself on the implications of both account types and consult with a financial advisor before making a decision.

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34 Comments

  1. StocksToTrade

    Do you use a cash account or a margin? Just real quick, comment cash or margin. I want to know what most of you are using!

  2. david doten

    after 25k there is no pdt restrictions on your margin account. make it happen!

  3. Allpoints Surveyor

    I’ve had a margin account on Robinhood for several years of Buy and Hold. I love it for instant funding from my checking account and instant proceeds from sales (and never used it for leverage). I just opened a cash account with TD Ameritrade to get around the Pattern Day Trading law and I hate the 3 day delay in funding (especially because it’s coming out of a TD Bank account). I also hate waiting 3 days before I can re-invest the proceeds from any stock sales. I’ll probably convert it to a margin account and limit myself to 6 day trades per week max (3 on each account) and concentrate on Swing Trades.

  4. BananaRam

    I'm looking for more clarity on shorting stock on margin.
    If you're shorting a stock using a stoploss with say, 1% risk ( 1% of 1:3 leverage, $3000). Isn't the risk limited to $300 if the stop is hit?

  5. francis nwabuike

    What's the best leverage a beginner trader can use?

  6. Movimiento FIRE

    Thank you for helping me take a decision. I will start with a cash account once im done with paper trading.

  7. Khaled mohammed

    i hope you understood, my point to make many trades aday ( sell and buy many times , but using my money ) i need the margin to trade many times during day

  8. Khaled mohammed

    I'm happy to follow you , my question is , my account is margin and i have 35 k $ , so can i use for example 10 k to trade ( buy and sell many times a day ) does margin mean that i use broker money ) so if i lost stocks , do i use my money or use broker money , ? but as i know i only use 10k , but if i use the while 35 k , am i still in safe area of margin , my point i want to trade with my money only , i do not want to use broker money , also will broker take intrest ? sorry many questions

  9. Nightcloud

    I made both started with cash account

  10. Jubei Odom

    Cash account currently

  11. Gustavo Godoy

    PMCC require a margin account or can be done on cash account?

  12. Dean Vella

    I have a margin account. I funded it with cash and never borrowed more than what I had contributed to the account. My positions all paid in cash by me have gone down with the market. My broker is charging me interest plus they claim I owe them for 70% of the portfolio value. Does that sound right to you?

  13. mike b

    I needed a margin account to sell covered calls and other options plays. I rarely use leverage or actively day trade. In light of recent crashes of banks and exchanges (SVB, FTX, etc), does a margin account open me to additional risks over a cash only account during bank runs and failures of my brokerage firm (fungibility of account assets, FDIC applicability, etc)? PS I use Fidelity. Thanks!

  14. Barbara Hummel

    I use a margin account. Always get out of losing trades quickly so I don’t lose it all. 6:27

  15. Jake

    Hi Tim, great video as usual. I have a Scheab Cash Brokerage Account. Apaet from oit being comission free, Schwab requires 2 days for a trade to settle. What I do to trade everyday is to use half of my account total each day. For example, if my account is $8K on Sunday, and my "settled" funds are also the $8K, on Monday I will only use $4K of the $8K. This enables me to still trade on Tuesdaywith the remaining$4K of the $8K. On Wednesday, the $4K I used on Monday, plus whatever gain or loss on Monday, has settled and I can use that $4K from Monday again now on Wednesday. The same applies to the $4K I used on Tueday, those funds settle and are available Thursday. In turn and lastly, Fridays settled funds are from the funds I used Wednesday. Hopefully this helps. It works for me and Schwab doesn't get to make money off of me.

  16. Mind Over Matter

    The broker I use takes a percentage of my cash account and retains it as a margin, so I can't trade the full account. Not sure why they are doing this. I have £900 in the account but can only trade £600 of the £900.

  17. Filip Mlađen

    you answered all my questions i had about this topic. Thank you a lot! great job!

  18. Mark Litwin

    Do not forget about one of ten miracles of the world! That is about the power of compounding!

  19. Serwan Sheran

    Great clarification! You're better than hundreds of customer service representatives who I talked to them and they couldn't`t clarify the margin and cash accounts as you did!

  20. Aaron Pullano

    You have such a great channel Tim. Thanks for all your videos.

  21. Andrew Stout

    I currently use a cash account.

  22. Anand Maharaj

    I am using a margin account to do my trading.

  23. David

    A friend of mine recently told me that I don't have to sell my stocks to trade futures in Interactive Brokers because it serves as security. This is true?

  24. Chris Butler

    Thanks for the info Tim. My Question : Can I buy a vertical call or put with a cash account?

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