Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. opens self-directed brokerage and retirement accounts for U.S. customers through schwab.com. The form is longer than a typical phone app because Schwab asks about account type, experience, and how you will fund the account.
After the account is open, Schwab support for an existing account is handled by phone or by a secure message once you are logged in. A message sent to Northline is not delivered to Schwab.
The application asks for an investment profile. Answer it honestly. It is not a promise of a particular return, and Schwab can ask follow-up questions before the account opens.
What to have ready
- Legal name, date of birth, citizenship, U.S. address, phone, and email.
- Social Security number, provided only on Schwab’s application.
- Employment status, employer, income, and net worth ranges.
- Whether you or a household member works for a broker-dealer or is a control person of a public company.
- A funding choice: bank transfer, wire, check, or a transfer from another brokerage.
Create the account
- 01
Choose the account type on schwab.com
Use Open an Account and pick individual brokerage, joint, traditional IRA, Roth IRA, or another type you qualify for. The type is difficult to undo later, so decide before you submit.
- 02
Complete identity and employment
Enter your legal details and Social Security number on Schwab’s form. Disclose industry affiliations when asked. Those questions come from brokerage rules, not from Northline.
- 03
Complete the investment profile
Schwab asks about goals, horizon, risk, and experience. These answers describe you. They are not a portfolio Northline builds for you.
- 04
Sign and choose funding
E-sign the agreements. You can often fund by ACH after approval, send a wire, mail a check, or request an account transfer from another firm. Bank-to-broker transfers commonly take one to three business days.
- 05
Secure the login
When Schwab approves the account, turn on extra sign-in protection and store the account number somewhere private. Schwab, not Northline, decides if more documents are required.
How to invest once the account is funded
- 01
Log in and open Trade
On the Schwab site or app, open the trade ticket for the brokerage account you mean to use. Retirement accounts and taxable accounts are separate.
- 02
Enter the symbol and action
Type the ticker, choose Buy, and select market or limit. A market order can fill at a price that differs from the last sale, especially in fast markets or with thinly traded securities.
- 03
Set quantity and review
Use dollars or shares as the ticket allows. Read the preview, including commissions or fees if any are shown, then place the order. Confirm the fill under Order Status.
- 04
Use research as background
Schwab publishes screeners and education inside the account. Those tools are Schwab’s. Northline does not tell you which symbol to buy.
How to reach Charles Schwab and open a ticket
The steps below create a case with Charles Schwab. They are not the same as a Northline support ticket. Use Charles Schwab when the money or the login is theirs. Use Northline when you want the path explained first.
- 01
Call the published line or log in
For a person, Schwab publishes 800-435-4000. Have your account number ready only when you are speaking with Schwab. Do not email that number or the account number to any other site.
- 02
Open the message center
Log in at Schwab and look for Message Center, Support, or Contact. Choose a secure message for anything that is not urgent, such as a document request or a question about a completed transfer.
- 03
Write a complete case
Include the date, the last four digits of the account if the form asks, what you expected, and what happened. Ask for a case or reference number and keep it.
- 04
Use a branch for identity issues
If a phone representative asks you to visit a Schwab branch with identification, that request should come from Schwab during a call you placed, not from a text message you were not expecting.
Open Charles Schwab’s contact page
Questions about this firm
Does 800-435-4000 reach Charles Schwab?
It is the number Schwab publishes for Schwab by Phone. Still dial it yourself from schwab.com rather than from a sponsored listing.
Can you see why my Schwab application is pending?
No. Only Schwab can see the application. We can help you prepare a clear message to send through their message center.
Can I move an old account to Schwab?
Schwab handles account transfers with a transfer form after your Schwab account is open. We can explain the usual steps. The transfer itself is between the two brokers.