How to Withdraw Money From a Brokerage Account | The Motley Fool (2024)

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No matter what you're investing for, there comes a time when you need to withdraw money from a brokerage account. This may be a bit different than what you're used to. Unlike with a bank account, taking money out of this type of investment account can sometimes involve extra steps. The main reason is that your money is presumably invested and not available as cash.

Fortunately, it's not too difficult to get the hang of this process. Once you learn how to withdraw money from a brokerage account, you'll be able to access your money when you need it.

How to withdraw money from a brokerage account

When you want to withdraw money from brokerage account, here's how:

  1. Log in to your account on your broker's site.
  2. Go to the transfers page. Where you find this option depends on the broker you use, but it's usually on the main navigation bar.
  3. Choose the amount and the withdrawal method. You can transfer the money to a bank account, wire it, or request a physical check. Most brokers, even the best online brokers that don't have many fees, do charge fees for wire transfers. This type of transfer is faster than a standard electronic funds transfer.

You can only withdraw cash from your brokerage account. If you want to withdraw more than you have available as cash, you'll need to sell stocks or other investments first.

Keep in mind that after you sell stocks, you must wait for the trade to settle before you can withdraw money from your brokerage account. This typically takes two business days. After your trade has settled, you can follow the withdrawal process above to get your cash.

One final thing to note is that if you have a margin account, your broker might let you take cash out before your trades settle. However, you could be charged margin interest for the period of time between when you submit the request to withdraw money from a brokerage account and when the settled funds reach your account. Always check with your broker before doing an automated withdrawal to ensure you won't get hit with interest charges or other fees by jumping the gun.

RELATED: What Taxes Do I Pay on Selling Stock?

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Withdrawing money from retirement accounts

If you've opened an individual retirement account (IRA) with your broker and you want to make a withdrawal, there are additional rules you need to know.

Withdrawals from retirement accounts have brokerage taxes that withdrawals from regular brokerage accounts don't. If you take money out of a traditional IRA or 401(k) account, you have to pay income tax on the amount of your withdrawal. You'll add the withdrawal to your taxable income when preparing your tax return, and then you must pay the resulting taxes, which will depend on your tax bracket.

What's more, those who are younger than 59½ often have to pay early withdrawal penalties, which is why it's not recommended to tap into your retirement savings. The federal government charges early withdrawal penalties equal to 10% of the withdrawal. Your state may also charge a penalty of its own. Fortunately, there are some exceptions. It may be possible to avoid a penalty if your withdrawal is for any of the following:

  • Purchasing your first home
  • Paying for educational expenses
  • Paying for medical expenses
  • Supporting yourself because of a disability

The way taxes and penalties are handled depend on the broker. Some require you to withhold these from the amount you withdraw, which means you'd need to take out more money to end up with the amount you want. Others let you decide if you want to withhold anything. If not, then you're responsible for paying any applicable taxes and penalties when filing your tax return.

LEARN MORE: Are Brokerage Accounts Taxable?

Plan ahead for a smooth withdrawal process

It's not quite as fast or easy to withdraw money from a brokerage account as it is to get money out of your bank account. If you need to make any trades, those will take a couple days to settle. You'll also need to wait for the funds to transfer to your bank account after you make the withdrawal, unless you pay extra to wire the money.

What this means is that it's best to give yourself some time to withdraw money from a brokerage account. You'll be able to get a hold of your money, but it's not a process that you can rush.

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FAQs

  • Yes, you can pull money out of a brokerage account with a bank account transfer, a wire transfer, or by requesting a check. You can only withdraw cash, so if you want to withdraw more than your cash balance, you'll need to sell investments first.

  • It generally takes one to three business days for an ACH transfer to a bank account, less than 24 hours for a wire transfer, and seven to 10 days for a check.

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How to Withdraw Money From a Brokerage Account | The Motley Fool (79)

By:Lyle Daly

Writer

Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

How to Withdraw Money From a Brokerage Account | The Motley Fool (80)

How to Withdraw Money From a Brokerage Account | The Motley Fool (81)Fact CheckedEric McWhinnie

Eric McWhinnie has been writing and editing digital content since 2010. He specializes in personal finance and investing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance.

How to Withdraw Money From a Brokerage Account  | The Motley Fool (2024)

FAQs

How do I withdraw money from my brokerage account? ›

Can you pull money out of a brokerage account? Yes, you can pull money out of a brokerage account with a bank account transfer, a wire transfer, or by requesting a check. You can only withdraw cash, so if you want to withdraw more than your cash balance, you'll need to sell investments first.

Can you take money out of a brokerage account without paying taxes? ›

How Are Brokerage Accounts Taxed? When you earn money in a taxable brokerage account, you must pay taxes on that money in the year it's received, not when you withdraw it from the account. These earnings can come from realized capital gains, dividends or interest.

How hard is it to transfer a brokerage account? ›

You just fill out the form to transfer the brokerage account. The brokers handle the rest. They'll let you know if there are any issues that need your attention, but in most cases, transfers are routine, and happen quickly.

How do I withdraw money from my trading account? ›

Log in to your trading account via your stockbroker's trading app or website. Navigate to the fund section and check for available funds. Two options are available: one for adding funds and one for withdrawing funds. Based on your total balance, you can withdraw or sell equity if needed.

What is the penalty for cashing out brokerage account? ›

A brokerage account is an investment account from which you can purchase investments such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds. You can add money to a brokerage account like a bank account and then buy investments. Brokerage accounts have no contribution limits or early withdrawal penalties.

How long does it take brokerage cash to become withdrawable? ›

Proceeds from selling a stock or security will settle in your brokerage account 2 business days after the sale. Once the proceeds from your sales have settled, they will be available to withdraw.

How much tax do you pay on brokerage withdrawals? ›

Distributions of assets held for over a year in a taxable brokerage account, on the other hand, may be subject to the lower long-term capital gains rates, which range from 0% to 20% (though higher earners may be subject to an additional 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax).

Why no one should use brokerage accounts? ›

If the value of your investments drops too far, you might struggle to repay the money you owe the brokerage. Should your account be sent to collections, it could damage your credit score. You can avoid this risk by opening a cash account, which doesn't involve borrowing money.

Do brokerage accounts report to IRS? ›

Most investors are individuals and hold these securities for a substantial period of time. Sales of these securities result in capital gains and losses that must be reported on Schedule D (Form 1040), Capital Gains and Losses and on Form 8949, Sales and Other Dispositions of Capital Assets as appropriate.

How long does it take to transfer money from brokerage to bank? ›

Transfers with a brokerage account are typically completed within one to three business days.

How can I avoid brokerage transfer fees? ›

Fortunately, transaction fees are easily avoided by selecting a broker that offers a list of no-transaction-fee mutual funds — most do. Many funds on this list will be from the broker itself, but other mutual fund companies often pay brokers to offer their funds to customers without a transaction cost.

Does transferring brokerage accounts affect taxes? ›

If you're transferring a standard taxable brokerage account (as opposed to a retirement account like an IRA) and you sell off your assets, you'll pay taxes on any profits you've earned. Your brokerages may charge you trading fees for shuffling investments around.

Why can't I withdraw money from my brokerage account? ›

You may have a sufficiently large account balance, but most of that could be invested in securities or be in the process of settling. Before attempting a withdrawal from your investment account, you should always check to make sure you have enough available cash.

Can I transfer money from trading account to bank account? ›

Funds cannot be transferred from your Demat account to your bank account directly. All transfers to your bank account can be made using the trading account, which acts as an interface between your Demat account and bank. 2. Remember that only the amount earned upon the sale of securities can be encashed.

When should I withdraw from my trading account? ›

Trading profits should still be withdrawn regularly but not with the intention to cover all of your bills. A good exercise is to pick the smallest fixed monthly expense you have and withdraw enough profit to cover that each month.

What is brokerage cash and why can't I withdraw it? ›

Brokerage cash reflects the total amount of cash in the account before subtracting things like unsettled trades or collateral for a margin loan. So if you see a large sum of brokerage cash in your account, be aware that this amount may not all be available for reinvestment or withdrawal.

How do I withdraw money from my Fidelity brokerage account? ›

To locate the Withdraw Funds section on the Fidelity platform, look for the main menu or sidebar options. Typically, it is under the Account or Banking tab. Once you click on Withdraw Funds, you will be guided to enter the withdrawal amount and select your preferred withdrawal method.

Do you have access to your money in a brokerage account? ›

Can You Withdraw Money from a Brokerage Account? Yes. You can withdraw money at any time. Fees may apply, and taxes will be levied if money is withdrawn from an individual retirement account (IRA).

Should I pull my money out of the stock market? ›

Key Takeaways. While holding or moving to cash might feel good mentally and help avoid short-term stock market volatility, it is unlikely to be wise over the long term. Once you cash out a stock that's dropped in price, you move from a paper loss to an actual loss.

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