how do you open a brokerage account?

You cannot trade or invest in stocks unless you open an account with a stock broker. Since investing in stocks has been much facilitated by the advent of computers and internet, you can easily register your account online with any stock brokerage firm. Before you open an account, you must find out the minimum amount you have to deposit with your broker irrespective of the type of account you opt for from the website of your brokerage firm. Each broker has his own minimum account limit, which may range from $500 to $10,000.

The guiding principle before accepting the minimum amount deposit should be your budget and also the facilities and services that the brokerage offers for a particular level of minimum amount deposit. A comparison-shopping in this respect would prove highly beneficial in long term trading. While it may be true that the less minimum deposit you pay, the less you get in form of services as well, there are some brokerage firms that deliver much more value than the minimum deposit they demand.

A good brokerage firm may demand a minimum deposit for example $ 2,500 but may deliver much more value in terms of lower commissions, as low as $1.50 to $ 3.00 per equity trade, free dividend reinvestment plans and a large number of free trades spread over a long time. They may not even charge you any thing if your account becomes inactive for some time. If you are beginner in stock investing, these benefits can prove to be of immense value in form of risk free investments and savings.

The next step is to choose an account. You can choose an:

1.Individual Account

2.Joint Account

1.Individual Account

As the name suggests, an individual account is an investment account that is opened for one person. You must have reached the age of majority, i.e., you should be 18 years old or above in your state of residence. The age of majority entitles you to full legal rights as an adult. Besides, you must also be a US citizen or a resident alien with a valid social security number. A resident alien is a person who is a non-US citizen but legally resides in the US and also pays the taxes.

2. Joint Account

A joint account is an investment account that is opened for two or more people with the proviso that both people who open accounts should have reached the age of majority in their state of residence. Joint account can either be set up as Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship-JTWROS- --or as Joint Tenants in Common-JTIC.

Opening both kinds of accounts is an easy process. It takes about five minutes to open an account on line. All you need to do is to select the account type you want to open and fill in your personal information.

You also have to read and confirm the subscriber agreements, which include the 'account agreement', 'customer acknowledgment of risk' and 'day trading risk disclosure statement'.

Besides these you are also required to comply with the exchange rules. So you have to read, understand and comply with both the New York Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange data subscriber agreements. You should read the agreement as you scroll it down to the bottom. Read both the sections of the agreement and check both the boxes before you move on.

The next step is to choose your user ID and password. You also have to provide your email id for correspondence. You also need to select one of the four secret questions and provide answer to them. This information is needed to assist you to get your password in case you forget about it.

You have also to provide your personal information including your name, date of birth, residential address, marital status, employment, number of dependents, phone numbers, mother's maiden name, social security number and country of citizenship. You have also to provide your financial information including your employer's name, annual income, net worth and liquid net worth.

The answer to these and a few other simple questions completes the account opening process and you are ready to start investing in stocks and shares immediately thereafter.

The tutorial below will also be useful for you.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Invest-In-The-Sto...

I use SogoTrade.com

They offer cheap stock trading at $1.50 - $3.00.

Some of the features this brokerage offers:

1. $1.50 - $3.00 Online Equity Trades

2. Fast Order Execution

3. Excellent Customer Service

4. Scheduled Investments and Fractional Shares

5. 3 Great Trading Platforms: SogoTrade, SogoElite, Laser

6. Enhanced Online Security and SIPC Protection

7. Powerful Trading Technology

8. No Account Inactivity or Account Maintenance Fees

9. Free Dividend Reinvestments Service

10. Complementary Stock News and Stock Charts

Do some research and you will find the best broker.

1.) Depends on how much you want to trade when you open the account. Figure a minimum of two thousand or so. That is the lowest I recall seeing. 2.) the one with the lowest commissions and fees. 3.) yes you can usually trade currencies with most brokerages. Now, advice is worth only what you pay for it, and this advice is free, but.... I am not really sure that a brokerage account is right for you at this time. Your questions indicate that you are knowledgeable, but still need more education. There are millions that get ripped off by their brokerages because they thought they knew more then they really did. Please do not become one of them. I would recommend two things. First, mutual funds. (Personal favorite, Vanguard) Let the experts pick the stocks, and you enjoy the benefits. And, their site has an excellent learning area. Second, NEVER invest in something that you do not fully understand. And, NEVER invest money that you cannot afford to lose. (Sorry, that was actually three things.)

1

Joint Brokerage Account

Penny stocks don’t cost much money and promise big profits. But trading penny stocks is also a good way to lose money.

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For investors who can’t afford shares of Google or Apple, the potential gains from trades like this are too good to pass up. So penny-stock trading thrives. With a relatively small investment you can make a nice return if the trade works out.

It's the same as opening a checking account, but you put money into it to invest. So it takes the same requirements like banks ask for, and you need assets to transfer into it. Then you say what you want to buy and a broker completes the orders. Go to Schwab.com to open one and learn more. That's how you fill out the application, online.

Easy. Call or check online and open. Most have a minimum amount you have to open an account.

My favorite and easiest for beginners is ING/Sharebuilder. www.sharebuilder.com

No minimum or monthly fees if you get the basic plan.

That's what my friend Nathan Gold uses as the starting point of a stunning 5-step "trade-wave" that he's just added to his already popular website.

http://penny-stock.keysolve.net/

Nathan shows you how that lowly $1000 could potentially grow into an amazing 7-figure retirement nest egg that you simply have to see with your own eyes.

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all you need is money. some have minimums, like 500.