How to Open a Fidelity Brokerage Account Step by Step

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To open a Fidelity brokerage account, you'll need to create an account online or by phone. This process typically takes around 10 minutes to complete.

Start by visiting the Fidelity website at fidelity.com and clicking on the "Open an Account" button. You can also call Fidelity at 800-343-3548 to open an account over the phone.

You'll need to provide some basic information, including your name, address, and Social Security number. This is to verify your identity and ensure that you're eligible to open a brokerage account.

Fidelity offers a variety of account types, including individual and joint accounts, as well as custodial and retirement accounts.

Gathering Requirements

To open a Fidelity brokerage account, you'll need to gather the necessary information and documents. This includes your name, address, date of birth, and social security number. You'll also need to share details about your employment, income, and investment experience.

Having copies of identification documents and proof of address on hand is crucial for a smooth application process. This will help you provide the required information accurately and efficiently. Fidelity's customer service team is available to guide you if you need help during this process.

Maintaining account security during the application process is also essential, so be sure to use secure and verified transfer methods when transferring funds.

Gather Required Documents

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It's essential to have copies of identification documents on hand when applying for a Fidelity brokerage account.

You'll need to provide personal information such as your name, address, date of birth, and social security number.

Remember to have proof of address readily available.

Using secure and verified transfer methods is highly recommended to maintain account security during fund transfers.

Age Requirement

To open a Fidelity brokerage account, you'll need to meet the designated age threshold, which is a crucial requirement.

Meeting this age requirement allows you to customize your account preferences and tailor your account to match your financial goals.

Having a clear understanding of your financial objectives is essential for making informed investment decisions.

By meeting the age requirement, you'll also be able to choose investment options that suit your risk tolerance and time horizon.

Staying informed through timely updates is also a benefit of meeting the age requirement, enabling you to adjust your investment strategies in alignment with your evolving financial objectives.

This customization feature ensures that your account details are protected and confidential, reinforcing Fidelity's commitment to safeguarding client data.

Curious to learn more? Check out: Age to Open Brokerage Account

Choosing a Type

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Choosing a type of Fidelity brokerage account is crucial as it determines the features, investment products, and account restrictions that may apply.

Fidelity offers various types of accounts, including Individual, Joint, Custodial, and Trust accounts, each catering to distinct investment needs and preferences.

You can choose from a Fidelity Cash Management Account, which offers easy access to cash and comes with a debit card for ATM withdrawals, or a Fidelity Traditional IRA, designed for retirement savings with potential tax benefits.

Here are the main types of Fidelity brokerage accounts:

What Is an Fidelity Brokerage Account

An Fidelity Brokerage Account is a personal investment platform that allows you to track account history, monitor transactions, and manage account balances effectively.

You can easily access detailed reports on your investment activities, which helps you analyze your transaction history and make informed decisions.

Individuals can ensure their portfolio aligns with their financial goals and risk tolerance by reviewing transactions regularly.

Maintaining optimal account balances through timely adjustments and reallocation of assets helps maximize potential returns and minimize risks.

This account feature empowers investors to take control of their financial future with confidence and precision.

Choosing a Type

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Opening a Fidelity brokerage account can be a strategic step towards achieving your investment goals, offering an array of benefits and opportunities.

With a Fidelity brokerage account, individuals gain access to a vast selection of investment products, ranging from stocks and ETFs to mutual funds and bonds, allowing for diversification and customization of their portfolio.

You can invest as much or as little as you want through a brokerage account, with no contribution limits.

The investment selection available within a brokerage account is typically broader than you might find in other investment accounts, like a retirement account.

Fidelity's powerful trading website puts you in control, with mobile trading applications helping you keep up with the market and your portfolio.

One of the main choices you need to make when opening a brokerage account is what type of account to use.

Here are some common types of brokerage accounts:

Don't start by asking, "What should I invest in?" Instead, start by asking, "What am I investing for?" Many people start off by investing for retirement.

A different take: Start Investing

Choose a Type

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Fidelity offers various types of brokerage accounts, including Individual, Joint, Custodial, and Trust accounts, each catering to distinct investment needs and preferences.

Individual accounts are ideal for single investors looking to manage their own investments, offering flexibility and control over investment decisions.

Joint accounts are suited for couples or business partners who want to pool resources and manage investments together.

Custodial accounts are designed for minors, allowing a designated adult to manage investments on their behalf.

To start investing, ask yourself what you're investing for, rather than what to invest in. This helps you focus on your goals, such as retirement.

There are simple choices like all-in-one funds and robo advisors that can make investing easier.

Fidelity offers a range of investment products, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs, across various account types.

Each type of Fidelity brokerage account caters to different investor needs and preferences, with features such as easy access to cash or tax benefits.

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Here's a quick rundown of the main types of Fidelity accounts:

Opening a Fidelity brokerage account can help you achieve your investment goals, offering access to a vast selection of investment products and account management tools.

With a Fidelity brokerage account, you can track your investments, analyze performance, and make informed decisions with confidence.

Opening the Account

To open a Fidelity brokerage account, you'll need to satisfy the account minimum requirements. This will give you access to a world of investing tools and resources.

Familiarizing yourself with Fidelity's diverse trading tools, such as stock screeners, research reports, and charting capabilities, can help you make well-informed trading decisions. These tools can be a game-changer for novice investors.

By combining these resources with Fidelity's investment education materials, you can navigate the world of investing with greater clarity and strategic prowess, ultimately enhancing your knowledge and confidence in managing your investments effectively.

Complete the Application

To complete the application, you'll need to meet the account minimum requirements. Once you've satisfied those, you can start exploring the diverse trading tools offered by Fidelity.

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Fidelity provides a range of tools to help you make informed trading decisions, including stock screeners and research reports. These can be a huge help in navigating the world of investing.

Take advantage of the investment education materials provided by Fidelity to enhance your knowledge and confidence in managing your investments effectively. By combining these resources, you can gain the clarity and strategic prowess needed to succeed in investing.

Verify Your Identity

To open a Fidelity brokerage account, you'll need to verify your identity through a series of strict procedures. This ensures compliance with regulatory requirements and prevents fraudulent activities.

Identity verification is necessary to comply with regulatory requirements and protect your retirement funds. It's a crucial step in the account opening process.

By confirming your identity, Fidelity ensures that only authorized individuals can access and manage your account, protecting your hard-earned savings. This is essential for securing your retirement savings.

Setting up investment alerts enables you to closely monitor your investments and receive timely updates on any significant changes in your portfolio. This empowers you to make informed decisions about your investments.

Managing the Account

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You can access and manage your Fidelity brokerage account through multiple channels, including the online trading platform, dedicated account support, and user-friendly mobile app.

The online trading platform provides a comprehensive interface for executing trades, accessing market research, and tracking investments in real-time.

With the mobile app, you can conveniently manage your accounts on-the-go, enabling quick access to portfolio information, trade execution, and market alerts from your smartphone or tablet.

A Joint Brokerage Account with Fidelity allows multiple account holders to access a consolidated account summary, view joint account activity, and assess shared account positions collaboratively.

This feature simplifies the process of managing investments with partners or family members by providing a comprehensive overview of all transactions and holdings within the shared account.

Worth a look: App like Robinhood

Joint

Managing a joint account can be a breeze with the right tools. A Joint Brokerage Account with Fidelity allows multiple account holders to access a consolidated account summary.

This feature simplifies the process of managing investments with partners or family members. It provides a comprehensive overview of all transactions and holdings within the shared account.

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You can track joint account activities in real-time, staying informed about any changes or decisions made within the account. This level of transparency is a game-changer for collaborative wealth management.

Monitoring shared account positions enables efficient collaboration in making informed investment decisions collectively. It's based on the current portfolio status, making it easier to make smart choices together.

With a Joint Brokerage Account, you can foster a more productive and coordinated approach to wealth management for all parties involved.

Access and Manage

You can access and manage your Fidelity brokerage account through multiple channels, including the online trading platform, dedicated account support, and user-friendly mobile app.

The online trading platform provides a comprehensive interface for executing trades, accessing market research, and tracking investments in real-time.

With the mobile app, users can conveniently manage their accounts on-the-go, enabling quick access to portfolio information, trade execution, and market alerts from their smartphones or tablets.

For another approach, see: What Is Webull App

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A Joint Brokerage Account with Fidelity allows multiple account holders to access a consolidated account summary, view joint account activity, and assess shared account positions collaboratively.

This feature simplifies the process of managing investments with partners or family members by providing a comprehensive overview of all transactions and holdings within the shared account.

You can stay connected to every aspect of the financial world and trade anytime, anywhere with the Fidelity Mobile app.

System availability and response times may be subject to market conditions.

The mobile app allows you to manage your portfolio and watch lists, research, and trade stocks, ETFs, options, and more from your mobile device.

Intriguing read: Currency Carry Trade Etf

Key Takeaways

To manage your account effectively, it's essential to start by understanding your investment goals. This means asking yourself, "What am I investing for?" rather than "What should I invest in?" Many people start off by investing for retirement.

Here are the main choices you need to make when setting up your account:

  • What type of account to use
  • How much money to invest
  • What to invest it in

Choosing investments can be overwhelming, but there are simple options available. All-in-one funds and robo advisors can make the process easier, allowing you to get started with investing without feeling overwhelmed.

Investing and Fees

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Opening a Fidelity brokerage account is a great way to start investing, and understanding the fees associated with it is essential. Fidelity brokerage accounts entail certain fees and commissions, including trading fees that vary based on the type of investment product being traded.

Trading fees can range from a flat fee to a percentage of the trade value, so it's essential to review the specific fees associated with each investment product. You can also expect account maintenance charges, such as annual fees and inactivity fees for dormant accounts.

Here are some key fees to consider:

Fortunately, Fidelity offers some free services, including $0 commission for online US stock, ETF, and option trades, and competitive margin rates as low as 8.25%.

Investments and Services

When I'm looking to invest, I want to know I have a wide range of options available to me. Fidelity offers a vast selection of investment choices, including 3,700+ no transaction fee/load mutual funds from Fidelity and other companies.

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You can invest in stocks, with access to domestic and international options, and even trade ETFs commission-free online. There are 28 ETFs from Fidelity, 329 from iShares, and 146 from other industry leaders available.

Options trading is also available, including equity, ETF, and index options, with weekly expirations. If you're looking for a more stable investment, Fidelity offers 30,000+ investment-grade bonds and other fixed income securities.

Investing in precious metals is also an option, with access to gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. If you're interested in learning more about Fidelity's investment choices, you can view details on their website.

Fidelity's account features also make it easy to manage your investments, with margin borrowing for leverage and short-selling strategies, and international investing in 25 markets and 16 currencies.

Fees and Commissions

Fees and Commissions can add up quickly, so it's essential to understand what you're paying for. Fidelity brokerage accounts come with certain fees and commissions associated with trading, account maintenance, and specific account services.

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Trading fees with Fidelity vary based on the type of investment product being traded, and can range from a flat fee to a percentage of the trade value. This means you'll need to consider the costs when making investment decisions.

Fidelity offers $0 commission for online US stock, ETF, and option trades, which is a significant advantage. This can save you money on trading fees, especially for frequent traders.

However, there may be additional costs, such as transaction fees for certain mutual funds or transfer fees for moving assets to or from your account. These fees can add up over time, so it's crucial to factor them into your investment strategy.

Here's a breakdown of Fidelity's fees and pricing:

Remember, understanding the fees and commissions associated with your investment account is crucial for making informed decisions. By being aware of these costs, you can make more informed choices and achieve your long-term financial goals.

Fund Your Account

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Funding your Fidelity brokerage account is a straightforward process. You can set up an electronic transfer to move money directly from your bank account to the broker.

To get started, you'll need to link your bank account to your brokerage account. This will allow you to send money from your bank to your brokerage account to add more funds. Money deposited through an electronic transfer should be available in your brokerage account within a few days.

You can also send money from your brokerage account back to your bank if you ever need the money for something else. This is a convenient feature that gives you flexibility with your finances.

Meeting the minimum deposit requirement is a fundamental step in the account opening process. It ensures account protection and enables access to the account dashboard, where you can monitor your investment performance.

The minimum deposit requirement grants access to a range of account protection benefits, including insurance on cash balances and securities in case of brokerage firm failure. This provides peace of mind and security for your investments.

You can start by depositing a chunk of money, and then add to that when you're ready. There are no minimums to open an IRA or brokerage account with Fidelity, so you can begin investing with any amount you choose.

Recommended read: Redeeming Us Treasury Bonds

Select a Broker

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Opening a brokerage account is a crucial step in investing, and you have several options to choose from. You can open an account with an online broker like Charles Schwab or Fidelity Investments, which typically have no account minimums and offer commission-free trading on stocks and ETFs.

These online brokers are a great option for most people because they are affordable and easy to use. You can also consider opening an account with a full-service broker, which will give you a financial professional who oversees your account.

Full-service brokers, however, typically work with higher-net-worth clients and may charge hefty commissions for placing trades. If you prefer a more hands-off approach, you can also consider a robo-advisor like Betterment or Wealthfront, which can build diversified portfolios for you based on your risk tolerance and financial goals.

Robo-advisors usually have low account minimums and fees that are much less than those of a human financial advisor. Bankrate's AdvisorMatch can also connect you to a CFP professional to help you achieve your financial goals.

On a similar theme: 401k Robo Advisor

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do you need to open a Fidelity brokerage account?

No minimum balance is required to open a Fidelity brokerage account. You can start investing with any amount.

Is a Fidelity brokerage account free?

Yes, Fidelity brokerage accounts have zero account minimums and zero account fees, but other expenses may still apply. Check Fidelity's website for details on potential charges.

Adrian Fritsch-Johns

Senior Assigning Editor

Adrian Fritsch-Johns is a seasoned Assigning Editor with a keen eye for compelling content. With a strong background in editorial management, Adrian has a proven track record of identifying and developing high-quality article ideas. In his current role, Adrian has successfully assigned and edited articles on a wide range of topics, including personal finance and customer service.

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