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*Note: Depending on your user access level, and if you have an advisor who can access your account, some of the functions described here may not be available to you, or may be performed by your advisor.

How do I create a new Folio?

To create a new Folio:

  1. Go your Accounts page
  2. In the menu located next to the account, select Create a New Folio
  3. Choose one of the following categories: Ready-to-go Folio, Build-your-own Folio
  4. Follow the detailed instructions provided for your selected category

How do I close a Folio?

Follow these steps to close a Folio:

  1. Sell all of the Folio’s holdings.
  2. Once the order has been executed, click on the Settings tab.
  3. Scroll down to your Account Information section and select Settings next to the Folio name.

Reasons you may not be able to close a Folio

  • You must sell or transfer all holdings out of a Folio before closing it. If a security cannot be sold because it is not trading, you will not be able to close the Folio until the security begins trading again.
  • You must cancel any auto buys/sells set up for the Folio before closing it. To close an auto buy/sell click on the Accounts link then select Set up Auto Buy/Sell in the drop-down box next to the Folio’s name.
  • If you transferred a security out of your Folio that is awaiting a corporate action such as a dividend or stock split, you will not be able to close the Folio until the corporate action has completed. If this situation applies to you, you will be informed when you try to close the Folio. We will ask you to call customer support for more information and to arrange to have additional Folio fees that may apply waived.

How do I trade within an existing Folio?

To trade within an existing Folio:

  1. Go to your Accounts page
  2. In the menu located next to the Folio, select Place a Window Order or Place a Market/Limit Order
  3. If you are placing a Window Order select one of the different trading options, and follow the instructions that follow (detailed information and examples are provided for each trade type, on the respective pages)
  4. If you are placing a Market/Limit Order modify the terms of the order you want to change
  5. Select Preview Order to review the trade
  6. Select Place Order to complete modifying the Folio

What securities can I trade here?

You can trade almost all securities listed on the major U.S. equity exchanges and more than 1,000 mutual funds and ETFs. We also offer exchange-listed Fixed Income ETFs and many Closed-end Bond Funds, as well as a series of unique FDIC Insured Cash Investment Products (FDIC.Sweep, FDIC.CASH and FDIC.PLUS)

Click here to view a complete list of securities

What types of securities are not available to trade?

We do not currently offer foreign listed securities, Over The Counter (OTC), Pink Sheet, Bulletin Board or Fixed Income securities, nor do we offer options or foreign currency trading.

Do you offer margin?

We do not currently offer margin accounts.

How do I create an Automatic Buy/Sell for a Folio?

To create an Automatic Buy/Sell for a Folio:

  1. Go to your Accounts page
  2. In the menu located next to the Folio, select Set up Auto Buy/Sell
  3. Review the information provided for an Automatic Buy/Sell, then select Create Auto Buy/Sell
  4. Enter the amount of the Auto Buy/Sell
  5. Select the type of Automatic Buy/Sell
  6. Decide which day of the Month the Automatic Buy/Sell will occur on, then select Continue
  7. Review and select Save Auto Buy/Sell to complete the Automatic Buy/Sell creation

Do you provide market data?

We provide market data and research through QuoteMedia. QuoteMedia provides charts, company financials, company news, filings, earnings information, etc., all of which can be found on our Market Research page. The quote data displayed by QuoteMedia is delayed 15 minutes unless otherwise indicated

How does a Stock Split affect my account?

On the effective date of the split, the newly adjusted share price and number of shares will be displayed on your Holdings page. However, please be aware that the Day’s Gain value will not be updated until the following business day.

How long do I have to hold a stock to get a dividend payment?

When a company declares a dividend, it sets a record date, which is the date by which you must be owners of the company’s stock in order to receive a dividend payment.

How can I view my estimated capital gains and losses as I am placing a trade?

You can view estimated gains and losses as you are placing a trade (in a taxable account) on the Preview Order page. Select the Tax Lot Details button to see estimated short and long-term capital gains for each security.

Note: Open tax lots may not accurately estimate unrealized gains or losses due to the 20 minute delays in price reporting and the fact that an actual transaction has not yet occurred.

How can I verify the cancellation of an order?

Take the following steps to verify the cancellation of an order:

  1. Click on Accounts.
  2. Select View Order Status in the drop-down box next to the account the order was placed for.
  3. You will go to the Order Status page.
  4. If the order was successfully cancelled, the word Cancelled will appear in the Status field to the left of the order number.
  5. If the order was not cancelled, you can try to cancel it again as long as “cancel” or “try to cancel” appears under the date on the left side of the screen.
  6. If you are watching the Order Status page to see if a cancellation worked, be sure to click the Refresh button periodically on your Internet browser so the cancellation verification will appear as it occurs.

What are my chances for canceling an order?

Your success in canceling an order varies depending on whether you’ve placed a window trade or a direct trade.

  • Window trades: If you cancel a window trade well before the close of the window, your chances for success are very good. As the window draws to a close, your chances for success lessen.
  • Direct trades: Your chances for canceling a direct trade are slim since direct trades are sent to a market for execution immediately.

If your order was successfully cancelled, the Order Status page will show the word “Cancelled” next to the order number, or you receive an email from us stating that the order was cancelled. If you are watching the Order Status page to see if the cancellation worked, be sure to hit the Refresh button periodically on your Internet browser so that cancellation information will show up on your page.

How do I cancel or modify an order?

Follow these steps to cancel or modify an order:

  1. Select Order Status from dropdown on the Accounts page.
  2. Find the order and select Cancel or Modify.
    • This order is not cancelled until the word “cancelled” appears next to the order number on the Order Status page.
    • If the window is about to close, you may not be able to cancel the order.
    • If you modify the order when the window is about to close, you may miss the window. If so, the order will be placed in the next window.

What is an Order Routing Report?

An order routing report displays the market center your orders were routed to for execution. A market center can be a market maker, which is a company that buys and sells securities from its inventory, or an exchange, such as the New York Stock Exchange. The market center we list is the initial market center we routed an order to. It may not be the actual center that executed the order. For example, we may send an order to a market maker who then sends it to an exchange to be executed.

If any of your window orders were matched with another customer’s orders, they will not be displayed in your order routing report. Those trades are executed internally, between the bid and ask price, which gives you better prices on your buys and sells.

An order routing report does not list execution information, such as the price or time of your execution.

The following information will be displayed for each security:

  • Date and time an order was routed to a market center
  • Name and symbol of each security
  • Share amount
  • Market center that received the order

What are Mutual Fund Redemption Fees?

At the request of many clients, Folio Financial, Inc.’s expanded mutual fund universe now includes funds that may impose a redemption fee on certain transactions. A redemption fee is charged when an investor buys a mutual fund and then sells all or part of their shares before a specified period of time, usually ranging from 30 or 90 days, but sometimes longer.

Typically, fund companies impose redemption fees to discourage market timers or other active traders from moving in and out of a fund to the possible detriment of long-term shareholders. Folio Financial, Inc. does not benefit if a redemption fee is charged. Redemption fees are generally credited back into the fund, benefiting those remaining fund holders.

Redemption fees vary in amount, but usually range from 0.5% to 2% of the amount being sold that is subject to the redemption fee. For example, on February 1st, an investor buys $5000 of Fund A, which carries a 1%, 90-day redemption fee. On March 1st , $3000 of Fund A is sold,and on December 1st, an additional $2000 of the same fund is sold. The March 1st sale is subject to the 1% redemption fee, as it was sold prior to the 90-day redemption period for the fund. However, the December sale is not subject to a redemption fee. In this example, the sale on March 1st, is charged a redemption fee of $30 (1% of $3,000). Normally, the $30 redemption fee will be subtracted from the client’s sales proceeds.

Why do you show me Window Trades executed this month?

What does the trade total tell me?

The trade total displays the number of securities you have traded through a window so far this month. It does not include the current order since those trades have not yet been executed.

Why do we display the trade total?

In the extraordinarily unlikely event that you have one or a combination of trading strategies where the total number of securities you trade in windows exceeds the incredibly high threshold of 2,000 in a calendar month we will charge a fifty cent ($0.50) fee for each additional security trade in a trading window over 2,000 in a calendar month which is more than most customers need or want.

We display the total number of security trades to remind that you are close to exceeding the high threshold for a calendar month.

Most U.S. listed stocks, ADRs and ETFs are available in trading windows.
We do not support most Pink Sheet, Bulletin Board or debt securities.

Why do you show me Direct Trades executed this month?

What does the trade total tell me?

The trade total displays the number of direct trades that have been executed in your account so far this month. It does not include the current order since it has not yet been executed.

Why do we display the trade total?

Depending on your pricing plan, you may receive a specified number of commission-free or reduced-fee direct trades each month. After you have placed this number of trades, you will be charged the regular commission amount. We display the trade total so you will be reminded if you are approaching your commission-free or reduced-fee trade limit for the month.

What are Private Securities?

Privately held securities are not traded on open markets such as NYSE or NASDAQ. There may be extra charges imposed for processing non-window transactions, transfers or corporate actions for these securities. Please note that values shown for such securities will be displayed as either the last price we were provided or N/A and will not reflect a current or reliable value because these securities may not be priced regularly or the 3rd party pricing sources we use may not have updated the price.

Risks of Trading Low-Price or Low-Volume Securities

Please be advised that there are risks associated with the trading of low price or low volume securities, including but not limited to wide variance of execution price, delay in execution, and the possibility of partial or no execution. As a result of these risks, you may lose part or all of your investment.

In addition, there may be a delay in posting securities executions to any account with open orders for low price or low volume securities. By placing orders for low price or low volume securities, you assume responsibility for the above risks and acknowledge that Folio Financial, Inc. is not responsible for any losses or liabilities that may occur as a result of these risks.

What is an Automatic Buy/Sell?

Automatic Buy/Sell allows you to invest or remove a specific amount of money in a Folio each month. You decide how much money to invest or remove and when the transaction will occur. You can set up as many Automatic Buy/Sell orders as you want for each Folio. Automatic Buy/Sell is a great way to maintain a disciplined investing schedule.

We offer several ways to setup an Automatic Buy/Sell each month. Keep in mind that each security in your Folio makes up a percentage, or weight, in a Folio.

  • Buy at Current Weights: Will buy more of each security at its current weight in the Folio at the time the order is placed.
  • Buy at Target Weights: Will buy more of each security at its target weight in the Folio.
  • Buy Rebalance: Will buy the securities that will bring the Folio closer to its target weights, without selling any securities.
  • Sell at Current Weights: Will sell each security at its weight in the Folio at the time the order is placed.
  • Sell Rebalance: Will sell the securities that will bring the Folio closer to its target weights, without buying any securities.

After setting up an Automatic Buy/Sell, you can modify or delete it by selecting Automatic Buy/Sell on the Accounts page.

If you do not have enough unallocated cash in your account for your Buy Order, we will skip the request for the month and try again the following month

If you do not have enough securities in the Folio for your Sell order, we will process the order as a Sell All order.

How can I ensure I have enough cash to make an Automatic Buy?

Setting up an electronic funds transfer (EFT) is a good way to ensure you have enough cash to support your Automatic Buys. EFTs typically take 2–3 business days, so we suggest your setup your monthly EFT at least five days prior to your Automatic Buy day.

Select Set up EFT from the Transfer Money part of the Accounts page to get started.