Charles Schwab

101 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94104 Toll-free: 888-245-6864 Email: Located at the web site Slogan: "Schwab gives Active Traders an edge in today's markets."

General Description: Schwab is the largest brokerage of them all and therefore has the resources to offer one of the most advanced information retrieval systems and technology available complete with the very latest news, research and investment information concisely analyzed and tailored to fit your trading needs. With 374 branches all over the country, Schwab is everywhere. Their commissions tend to run a little high but that hasn't stopped them from leading the online trading market with a 33% share (according to a report from Piper Jaffray Cos. Inc.).

Features: Schwab has it all: stock, stock options, mutual funds, bonds, treasuries, stock screening, portfolio management and everything from tax planning to college funds.

Options: Beginning April 2005, traders who make any combination of 30 or more equity and options trades a quarter, or who have assets of more than $1 million, pay 95 cents a contract, down from $1.40 per contract. The trade commission stays $9.95 a trade.

Equities: $9.95 flat for 30 or more trades and $9.95 - $19.95 (depending on household balances) for 29 or fewer trades. http://www.schwabat.com/Commissions/Commissions.aspx

Account Minimum: $10,000 Schwab One® Account

Quotes: No Charge

Miscellaneous: Multi-lingual services: Schwab has several service centers for non-English speaking investor, Life Insurance, CDs and Money Markets. Schwab has experienced several system failures- alternate contacts through channels: schwab.com, Telebroker®, live broker, and local branch broker.