Need recommendation
 

Hi All - I've been using Harris Direct as my brokerage firm for many years (and through many mergers over those years), but I believe I've reached the end of my tether. E-Trade bought Harris late last year, citing Harris' reputation of excellent customer service (which E-Trade intended to keep!) etc etc - well for over 3 weeks now I've been trying to contact someone at E-Trade to get access to my brokerage and MMF accounts, to no avail.

So I'm about to move my accounts over to another institution - can any of you recommend a good solid brokerage company, that believes in low-cost and easy on-line trades, good customer service?

Thanks
Rosalita

Re: Need recommendation
 

They aren't the cheapest (but very competitive), but I have had good experience with Schwab.

Re: Need recommendation
 

I have a brokerage account with fidelity. I get $11 trades I believe. That's for account balances higher than $50,000 or $100,000 (can't remember which).

Re: Need recommendation
 

Welcome to the board, Rosalita.

I've been with Fidelity for just under 20 years. I've been trading stocks on their website since the late '90s.

Never had a problem. Never been patronized or condescended to. The website just keeps getting stronger and offering more features (like trailing % sell stops). The trades just keep getting cheaper & faster. The documentation & communication keeps improving. My dumbest questions are answered as if I was paying them six-figure commission revenues and the trading desk doesn't play waiting games.

It might be worth asking if they'll give you free trades for opening a new account or for having one of us refer you. I bet they're getting a lot of Harris/e-trade alumni this month...

Re: Need recommendation
 

I also use Fidelity and have been very happy with them. Their customer service has been outstanding.

Re: Need recommendation
 

Fidelity man here too. Always been easy to deal with.

Re: Need recommendation
 

I agree. I have funds with Fidelity too. Great company to deal with and the people with whom I have spoken at Fidelity know their stuff.

Re: Need recommendation
 

Fidelity customer too..

Another advantage is that they maintain investor offices in many large cities so you can do a face-to-face if you want to.

Re: Need recommendation
 

Awesome!! Thanks so much everyone. I'll check out Fidelity.

By the way, does anyone know how you get the quotes beneath your name? I'm not to sure how I earned the "dryer sheets" comment .......! Little odd. Did you have a dryer sheet debate on this board?

And final question I promise - I came over from the Motley Fool boards after they were charging and I wasn't using it enough to justify the charge (ie frugal). Are they still charging over there? And is this board just as good? No offense to anyone.

Thanks

Re: Need recommendation
 

"Motley Fool" morphs very quickly to "Mostly Fools."

After a couple of years on this board, some people still impress me with the information and advice they give.

Think of this board as the forum that keeps on giving.

Re: Need recommendation
 

Welcome to the board Rosalita. For answers to the dryer sheet mystery, start here:

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/i...82830#msg82830

Re: Need recommendation
 

Hi Rosalita, I became victim of the E-Trade buyout of HarrisDirect too. What a nightmare? So far, E-Trade has screwed up everything and been impossible to contact.

I'm leaning toward Schwab based on a wide range of advice I've received. But this board seems to be enamored with Fido. I guess I'll check them out too. I have a Fido 401(k) and their service is good enough for that account. :)

Re: Need recommendation
 

SG, I don't think you could go wrong with either, based on the service I have gotten with both Schwab and Fido. I think Schwab offers more comprehensive services (banking offerings, etc.), but if all you want is a competent, reasonably priced broker, then pick the one with offices convenient to you.

Re: Need recommendation
 

Click the Profile button at the top of the page and you can learn how to display all sorts of made up stories interesting facts about yourself.

Re: Need recommendation
 

Hmm .. I am/was with BrownCO , just bought out by E-Trade. Wonder if I can look forward to the same treatment. :'(

Anyone here use Scottrade ? Heard they were a good company also.

Christopher

Re: Need recommendation
 

Motley Fool has lost their way, although their Teenager's Guide to Investing is still pretty good.

Apparently this board is one of the MF's mutinies spinoffs when MF went to subscriptions. So this board (and Intercst's board, and Raddr's board) has the best of what used to be the MF posters.

Re: Need recommendation
 

Hi Chris--

I used to use the "Big Guns"of Wall Street when I bought stock, but their fees were astronomical. I like to deal with live bodies, so I started using Scottrade at one of their offices. Very impressed and very happy. They went above and beyond--and I appreciate great customer service.

Professor

Re: Need recommendation
 

Heck, I appreciate ANY customer service... :-\

Re: Need recommendation
 

I think I get it now - the dryer sheet thing that is. You all have a healthy warped sense of humor. I like that!!

I can't seem to get to the Intercst board - is it down or the link broken?

By the way, I remember Intercst from Motley Fools - is he still fully vested in equities? I loved how he'd been able to retire and eschewed real estate for I believe Dell stock only. Does anyone know if that's still the case.

And Galeno - the former doctor who was living in Costa Rica (or somewhere else in Sth America) who was very helpful and full of ER information. Is he still around and ER'ing?

Rosalita

Re: Need recommendation
 

For the most part, this board is much better - none of the political
garbage that has taken over most of the MF boards. However, the
Fool REIT board is unmatched on the net (IMO) if you are interested
in REITs, mainly due to the contributions of a few highly qualified
individuals (Reitnut, JimLuckett, . . .) and the organizational efforts
of a few others.