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FDIC-Insured - Backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.

Manage your own investments with ease.

Take control of your investing with a full range of tools, resources, and support. 

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What is self-directed investing?

Self-directed investing involves managing and making investment decisions on your own. You have full control over your portfolio, along with the freedom to choose the best investment strategies for your financial goals and risk tolerance.

Trade easily and confidently.

Anywhere trading.

Place trades on Schwab.com, with our mobile app,1 or using the thinkorswim® suite (desktop, web, and mobile).

Helpful trading features.

Manage investments with our watchlists, alerts, and All-In-One Trade Ticket®.

Choice of investments.

Access and trade a wide range of investment products like stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, and options.

Use helpful guides and tools to choose what to invest in.

Choose what to invest in with help from our free Personalized Portfolio Builder tool.

  • Determine your fund preference, risk profile, and initial investment.
  • Choose from ETFs or mutual funds.
  • No minimum investment required.

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Track and evaluate your performance to plan your next move.

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Portfolio Checkup

Compare your investment allocation to benchmarks.

Already a client? Check your portfolio now.

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Portfolio Performance

Track your gains and losses over time. 

Already a client? See your performance now.

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Complimentary Plan

Check your progress against your goals. 

Already a client? Review your progress now.

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Why choose Schwab for self-directed investing?

$0 online listed equity commissions and low costs4

Powerful platforms and tools

Robust education and research

Account flexibility

Trusted brand and satisfaction guarantee

Connect with knowledgeable support teams when and how you need to.

Get 24/7/365 live support, and call or chat anytime.

Call 1(800) 258-0044

Connect with specialized support teams for help with fixed income, options, and more.

Call 800-435-4000

Access more than 400 physical branches.

Find a local branch

Get in-depth education and timely expert perspectives.

Enjoy best-in-class education combined with Schwab experts' timely market commentary and perspectives on investing, trading, and personal finance. We have courses, articles, videos, webcasts, and podcasts to help you invest and manage confidently.

Explore our latest market commentary and discover in-depth education, including workshops and courses on investing and trading.

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Get started.

Ready to invest on your own? Follow these five simple steps.

Open a self-directed brokerage or IRA account today.

Take the first step toward building your portfolio with Schwab. With no account minimum. 

Fund your account.

Once you link your bank account, you can start transferring funds to your Schwab account. 

Use Schwab research and tools.

Our experts break down market news to provide practical insights and ideas you can use. 

Choose your investments.

Need help choosing? Try our free Personalized Portfolio Builder tool. 

Monitor and manage your portfolio.

Track and evaluate your performance to plan your next move. 

More ways for you to invest with us.

How you work with us is completely up to you. Manage your own investments, use our automated investing, work with a financial professional, or tap into a little bit of everything.

Common questions about self-directed investing.

Self-directed investing means that the account holder(s) chooses their own investments, how much to invest, as well as when to buy and sell them.

That's a question of personal preference. In our experience, self-directed investing is best for people who enjoy taking charge of their finances, researching investments, and making their own decisions, especially with a long-term, buy-and-hold mindset.

We also find that many Schwab clients like to mix and match, with some accounts that are self-directed and some accounts that are professionally advised.

And remember: Self-directed investing doesn't mean you're completely on your own. If you choose to self-direct at Schwab, you can access perspectives from the Schwab Center for Financial Research, Schwab Financial Consultants, and our knowledgeable specialists to inform and help guide you—but ultimately, you still get to make all the calls.

Many of Schwab's most popular accounts can be self-directed, including individual and joint brokerage accounts as well as Roth and traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). Clients can also self-direct 529 College Savings Plan accounts, education savings accounts, custodial accounts, trust accounts, and certain small business retirement accounts—including individual 401(k)s, SEP IRAs, and Simple IRAs. Some employer-sponsored 401(k) plans allow participants to open a Schwab Personal Choice Retirement Account® to gain more control over their retirement investments.

Absolutely! Roth and traditional IRAs are some of our most popular self-directed accounts. In addition, Schwab supports self-directed investing on rollover, inherited, and custodial IRAs. Many small business retirement accounts (individual 401(k)s, SEP IRAs, and Simple IRAs) can also be self-directed.

Start managing your investments with ease.

All of this plus $0 online listed stock and ETF trades4 and no account or trade minimums.

See all our pricing benefits

1. Requires a wireless signal or mobile connection. System availability and response times are subject to market conditions and your mobile connection limitations. Functionality may vary by operating system and/or device.

Orders received outside normal market hours will be entered the next trading day.

Access to Electronic Services may be limited or unavailable during periods of peak demand, market volatility, systems upgrade, maintenance, or for other reasons.

2. Schwab Equity Ratings and the general buy/hold/sell guidance are not personal recommendations for any particular investor or client and do not take into account the financial, investment or other objectives or needs of, and may not be suitable for, any particular investor or client. Investors and clients should consider Schwab Equity Ratings as only a single factor in making their investment decision while taking into account the current market environment. Schwab Equity Ratings® and Schwab Equity Ratings International® are provided by Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc., dba Schwab Asset Management® , a registered investment adviser and an affiliate of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. ("Schwab"). Schwab Asset Management and Schwab are separate entities and subsidiaries of The Charles Schwab Corporation.

3. Please read the Schwab Investing Themes™ Terms and Conditions. Quotes may be delayed. Please check a real-time quote for current information.

Data provided by multiple sources, including third parties. While Schwab believes such third-party information is reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy, timeliness, or completeness. Investment Research for Schwab Investing Themes™ is provided by Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc. ("CSIM"). CSIM is an affiliate of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. ("Schwab"). Both CSIM and Schwab are separate entities and subsidiaries of The Charles Schwab Corporation. Schwab Investing Themes is for informational purposes only; it is not intended to be investment advice (including fiduciary advice as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act or the Internal Revenue Code) or a recommendation of any stock.

Investing in stocks can be volatile and involves risk, including loss of principal. Consider your individual circumstances prior to investing. Past performance is no indication or guarantee of future results. The Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS®) was developed by S&P Dow Jones Indices, an independent international financial data and investment services company and a leading provider of global equity indices, and MSCI, a premier independent provider of global indices and benchmark-related products and services and has been licensed for use by Schwab. Orders placed online through Schwab Investing Themes will have $0 commission. However, the standard online $0 commission does not apply to restricted stock transactions. Industry fees, American Depositary Receipt (ADR) fees, and foreign transaction fees still apply. See the Charles Schwab Pricing Guide for Individual Investors for full fee and commission schedules. 

4. Standard online $0 commission does not apply to over-the-counter (OTC) equities, transaction-fee mutual funds, futures, fixed-income investments, or trades placed directly on a foreign exchange or in the Canadian market. Options trades will be subject to the standard $0.65 per-contract fee. Service charges apply for trades placed through a broker ($25) or by automated phone ($5). Industry fees, ADR fees, and Stock Borrow fees still apply. See the Charles Schwab Pricing Guide for Individual Investors for full fee and commission schedules.

Options carry a high level of risk and are not suitable for all investors. Certain requirements must be met to trade options through Schwab. Please read the Options Disclosure Document titled "Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options" before considering any option transaction.