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4 Signs It's Time to Switch Brokerages in 2021

by Christy Bieber | Dec. 20, 2020

The Ascent is reader-supported: we may earn a commission from offers on this page. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures our experts’ opinions aren’t influenced by compensation.

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Image source: Getty Images

Should you change to a different brokerage firm in the new year?

Investing your money can help you build wealth, but you want to pick the right place to put your dollars. That doesn't just mean picking the right assets, but also the best brokerage firm to facilitate the investing process.

There's a huge number of different brokers out there, each offering their own unique features. Unfortunately, far too many people just stick with the one they started with and don't take the time to compare all their options. If this sounds like it might be your situation, be on the lookout for these four signs that it's time to switch brokers in 2021.

1. You're still paying commissions

Traditionally, brokers charged commission to buy and sell stocks. However, virtually all good discount online brokers have done away with this unnecessary fee that eats into your returns.

If you still have to pay to make investments, this is a major sign that it's time to make a change. Many brokerage firms don't charge fees for trading -- including well-established big-name players -- so there's no excuse for paying commission fees.

The Ascent's picks for the best online stock brokers

The Ascent's picks for the best online stock brokers

Find the best stock broker for you among these top picks. Whether you're looking for a special sign-up offer, outstanding customer support, $0 commissions, intuitive mobile apps, or more, you'll find a stock broker to fit your trading needs.

See the picks

2. You have limited investment options

You shouldn't be limited in your investment choices because your broker is too restrictive in the options available to you.

You should be able to buy stocks on U.S. exchanges, obviously, but you may also want a brokerage firm offering a good mix of ETFs, mutual funds, and options. Fractional shares may also be a great addition to your portfolio as they open the door to buying stock in companies with high share prices. And some brokerages even offer the option to add alternative investments to your portfolio, such as cryptocurrency.

If you find yourself wishing your brokerage had more investment choices, make a change so your efforts to build your portfolio aren't limited by its shortcomings.

3. The mobile experience is lacking

Being able to manage your portfolio from your phone or tablet can be especially important as you may want to make trades when you aren't on your laptop or computer. If your brokerage has a mobile app that's very limited or that's hard to navigate, this alone may be reason to find a different one that makes account management easy from any device.

4. Your brokerage doesn't offer all the account types you need

There are many investment account types you could put your money into, including taxable brokerage accounts, Solo 401(k)s, 529 savings accounts, various types of IRAs, and custodial accounts, among others.

Not all brokers offer access to all of these account types. While you could spread your money across different brokers, that just makes it harder to manage everything -- and to make sure your portfolio remains diversified.

If you find yourself unable to open one of the accounts you desire with your current broker, think about switching to one that makes it easy for you to keep all your investments in the same place.

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The start of a new year is a great time to look into alternatives and find a brokerage that's a better fit if one or more of these problems applies to you. Take action soon, so you don't find yourself ending 2021 with the same dissatisfying broker you were working with at the start of the year.

Using the wrong broker could cost you serious money

Over the long term, there's been no better way to grow your wealth than investing in the stock market. But using the wrong broker could make a big dent in your investing returns. Our experts have ranked and reviewed the top online stock brokers - simply click here to see the results and learn how to take advantage of the free trades and cash bonuses that our top-rated brokers are offering.

About the Author

Christy Bieber
Christy Bieber icon-button-linkedin-2x

Christy Bieber is a personal finance and legal writer with more than a decade of experience. Her work has been featured on major outlets including MSN Money, CNBC, and USA Today.

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The Ascent is reader-supported: we may earn a commission from offers on this page. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures our experts’ opinions aren’t influenced by compensation.

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