TD Ameritrade/Schwab

3,269 Views | 11 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by Brian Earl Spilner
Lake08
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Had TD but starting tomorrow it will be Schwab. Has anyone used both before? I've gotten very comfortable with TD, so not real happy. I just buy stocks then write calls, so I am pretty simple
txaggie_08
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AG
Lake08 said:

Had TD but starting tomorrow it will be Schwab. Has anyone used both before? I've gotten very comfortable with TD, so not real happy. I just buy stocks then write calls, so I am pretty simple

Only experience I had with TD Ameritrade was a financial advisor that used them but my account was through advisorclient.com.

I've had Schwab most of my professional career through different jobs over the years with retirement accounts and stock grants, as well as brokerage accounts. It's probably just because I'm most familiar with it, but I really like Schwab.
frankm01
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My changeover from TD to Schwab happened in September. The Schwab website and mobile apps are fairly easy to navigate and are close enough to TDs to not cause me too many problems. Since this is my retirement account, I am only allowed to trade and write covered calls. It just took a few days to get used to the format.

If you use ThinkorSwim as I do for charting, it is still active. Schwab's StreetSmartedge platform has all kinds of customizable tiles and may be as good at TOS, but I haven't had the time nor inclination to mess with it.

Bottom line, I think you'll be ok.
ktownag08
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AG
TOS still works exactly as it did under TD Ameritrade. Just use your Schwab login info.
MyNameIsJeff
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AG
I'd been through several changes with them over the years. Scottrade to TD to Schwab. No issues with any of their sites, but I finally transferred my last account with Schwab to Fidelity where we have all our other stuff.
I bleed maroon
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AG
I have been a Schwab customer since the early 90s, and am very familiar with their processes and most of their trading platforms. I used StreetSmart and SS Edge for several years, but it started being balky on various platforms (currently won't load at all). After using nothing but their actual website for trading for a few years, I have started with ThinkOrSwim, as I have heard good things overall.

Some observations:
  • Schwab is very solid overall. I have an assigned rep (no extra cost), which makes issues pretty easy to resolve. The biggest downside of them vs. some others is that several years ago, they discontinued sweep accounts, so you must manually invest your excess cash.
  • ThinkOrSwim gets pretty high marks, and while there is a learning curve, it is pretty logical. I can't believe the web version doesn't allow you to resubmit expired orders, but I confirmed this with a phone rep. I am not sure if the standalone desktop version is better, but it seemed clunkier to me (open to opinions?).
  • I also haven't figured out how to place trailing stops on TOS Web. Anyone know how?
  • I still use Schwab.com for research, mainly because I know where to find everything quickly. Anyone use TOS for fundamentals research and analysis (other than charting and technicals)?
Brian Earl Spilner
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AG
Do people recommend the thinkorswim mobile app for trading, over the Schwab app?

I don't really need much, the only think I'd like that Schwab doesn't have is allowing for bracket orders.
Definitely Not A Cop
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AG
For trading, charting, etc, absolutely. For general investing? Definitely up to the user. I like to be able to customize, and TOS gives more options than Schwab from my first real look at the platform this morning.
MAS444
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AG
I already have seperate Schwab accounts with online login credentials, but keep getting emails from them to set up my login credentials for my former TD Ameritrade account. Has anyone been down this road? Surely I can merge the new former TD Ameritrade accounts into my current Schwab login, right?

Edit/update - apparently TDA only had my first and last name and Schwab has my first-last-middle...so the names were off and the account didn't merge. I had to send in a "name change form" even though I'm not changings my name. Frustrating.
Brian Earl Spilner
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AG
Well I enabled my Schwab brokerage and roth accounts for thinkorswim, to get the process started.

The one thing I was disappointed to read is that thinkorswim does not allow for adjusting cost basis methodology on your orders, which is a big thing I use on Schwab in order to sell my lots in a particular order.

Though I suppose it really doesn't matter in the end. I keep track of it on excel, so as long I continue to keep track of my gains/losses on there, I won't worry too much what my new cost basis shows on thinkorswim.

The thing I'm really hoping for is to be able to fully replace Trading View with thinkorswim. I currently use TV to chart out all my limits, set alerts, and as my daily charts. I believe tos should be able to replace all this functionality.
H-town ag
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Email from Schwab ... retiring StreetSmart Edge:

Brian Earl Spilner
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Spent some time yesterday watching all those tutorial videos that Schwab dropped on their youtube channel.

Now just playing around with thinkorswim web and mobile while my accounts get approved for trading.

Really like how intuitive and simple it is to place bracket orders ("one cancels the other"), and how you can simply drag them up or down in the chart to update the stop/limit.

This is basically combining three apps in one for me. (Schwab for placing orders, Yahoo for tracking my G/L, and TradingView for charts.)

Makes my trading way more streamlined. (And I don't consider myself a super active day trader, more of a swing trader.)
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