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Can You Owe Money on Stocks?

What happens if stocks go negative, will you owe money on that stock?

By Adam LevyUpdated Aug 11, 2025 at 2:26 PM | Fact-checked by Parker Hicks

Key Points

  • Using margin accounts increases your risk of owing money if stock prices fall.
  • Cash accounts limit loss to the invested amount; margin accounts can exceed this.
  • Margin calls require adding funds if account value falls below required levels.

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