Charles Schwab ACAT Transfer Fee Reimbursement
Officially, Charles Schwab does not advertise a standard reimbursement for an account transfer (ACAT) fee charged by another brokerage when you move
a brokerage or IRA account to Schwab. However,
if you open a
Charles Schwab account and then contact customer service to ask about a transfer-fee credit
after moving your account, you may be offered a courtesy reimbursement in some cases, especially for larger accounts.
Free Charles Schwab Account
Open Schwab Account
Charles Schwab ACAT Fee
Charles Schwab charges $50 for a full ACAT account transfer and $0 for a partial transfer. This same ACAT fee also applies to all Charles Schwab IRA accounts (Roth, Traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE).
How to Transfer Stocks to Charles Schwab: Takeaways
• Shares of stock and other eligible securities can be moved into a Charles Schwab brokerage account.
• Schwab does not charge for incoming account transfers.
• Multiple transfer methods are available to move shares of equities into a Schwab account.
Overview of Transferring Stocks to Charles Schwab
Equity shares can be moved easily into a brokerage or investment-advisory account held with Charles Schwab. The company offers several ways to make this type of transfer. Here are the most common:
ACATS Method
The most common method of moving stocks into Schwab is through the Automated Customer Account Transfer Service (ACATS). This fully electronic network is easy to use, and a transfer can include stocks as well as other eligible securities, such as options and mutual funds. Here’s how to get the job done:
Step 1:
To perform an ACATS transfer into Schwab from an outside securities firm, the first task is
to open a Schwab investment account.
It could be either a brokerage or managed account, but not a robo account, because a robo account can only
accept cash.
The receiving account needs to have the same name on it as the delivering account. The two accounts should
also be of the same type. A custodial account can only be transferred into another custodial account, for example. An existing account can be used as long as these two conditions are met. To be clear, a checking or savings account with Schwab Bank cannot be used to receive a transfer of stocks, nor can a futures account held with Schwab.
Step 2:
Once the correct securities account is open, it needs to be set up correctly. This means adding margin trading if a margin balance is coming over from the outgoing firm. It’s also important to add options trading to the account if any derivatives will be moved over along with the equities.
Step 3:
Verify with Schwab that unusual positions, such as over-the-counter (OTC) stocks and foreign equities, can be transferred in. Although Schwab does offer trading in some foreign and OTC assets, it’s best to confirm that these positions will be accepted before starting the transfer.
Step 4:
Although there usually isn’t much to do in this step, you may need to prepare the outgoing account. You may want to pay off any outstanding margin loans, for example. A margin loan can be moved into a margin account at Schwab, however. If you want to keep a stock at the old firm, you can move it into a second account there before beginning the transfer.
Step 5:
Once the outgoing account is ready, it’s time to request the transfer. Log into the Schwab website, click on the Move Money tab, and select Transfer Account. Follow the on-screen prompts to provide the required information, including the name of the outside investment firm and the account number.
On Schwab’s transfer form, it’s possible to move some positions but not all positions. This is called a partial transfer. If you want to move the entire account, you should request a transfer of the entire account.
Once Schwab receives the ACATS request, it will notify the second investment firm, and the two companies will take over the transfer process. For a standard ACATS transfer with no problems, the assets often arrive within several business days to about a week, although timing can vary by account type, asset type, and the delivering firm.
In lieu of the electronic transfer discussed above, this paper transfer form can be filled out and submitted to Schwab.
Transfer from Another Schwab Account
If you have stocks in another Schwab account, they can be moved through an internal transfer to the second Schwab account. In the Move Money window, this time select the link for an online transfer. Here, you’ll be able to move stocks and other securities into the second account quickly. The process is generally much faster than an external brokerage transfer.
Paper Certificates
The external and internal transfers discussed above work for stock certificates that are held in electronic form at the outgoing brokerage firm. This is called “street name.” If you have any actual paper stock certificates, these can be transferred into Schwab by simply dropping them off at a branch location and letting Schwab handle the red tape associated with putting them into street name.
Sell and Repurchase
Last but not least, you can sell the stocks at the old firm, withdraw the cash proceeds, deposit the cash into the new investment account at Schwab, and rebuy the same stocks in the Schwab account. This method does require selling stocks and withdrawing cash, both of which could have tax consequences. Be sure to fully understand what you’re doing before choosing this approach.
Pricing
Schwab does not charge for incoming account transfers. Some investment firms will charge an outgoing ACATS fee, and this could be around $100 in some cases. Selling stocks at an outgoing firm could carry a commission, while Schwab charges $6.95 for online U.S. OTC equity trades.
Written by Alex Bost
Updated on 7/29/2026.
|