In pursuit of low trading commissions, many investors can pay very little attention to other fees, which brokerage
firms charge to compensate for their low pricing. These fees can be much higher than trading commissions and add up fast,
thus potentially decreasing earnings. Account transfer fee, otherwise known as ACAT, is one of the brokerage's fees that investors should be aware of.
The ACAT fee can be as high as $125.
Account transfer fee is charged when an account transfer from one brokerage firm to another
is initiated by an investor. Both full and partial account transfer can incur fees. The account transfer fee
is charged to the investor by his current broker. The good news is that the new broker can sometimes cover investor's transfer charges by offering
special offers for reimbursing account transfer fees. It's always a good idea to ask a broker if they would cover your transfer out charges.
Ally Invest offers the most generous ACAT reimbursement promotion. The broker reimburses up to $150 in fees for transferring
an account from other brokerage firm.
Finally, if you plan an account transfer, beware of the account closing fee some brokerages charge. Some firms might have
no ACAT fees, yet they might have almost identical or even higher fees for account closure.
1 - per account for Fidelity IRAs (excluding SIMPLE IRAs), Fidelity Retirement Plan (Keogh) Accounts.
2 - IRA closing/termination fee.
3 - A $2,500 minimum equity balance must remain in the account; otherwise the $75 full transfer fee will apply.
4 - Transfer a security through the Direct Registration Service (DRS).