Account Restrictions, Margins, and Minimums. See How We Rate Brokers How do I calculate how much I am borrowing? Regulation T and maintenance requirements are both 100%. Low day trading margins of $500 per contract for E-mini S&P 500 (ES), Nasdaq (NQ) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM) stock index futures contracts $1,000 margins for Gold (GC) and Crude Oil (CL . TD Ameritrade does not guarantee its accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose, and makes no warranties with respect to the results to be obtained from its use. The account will be set to Restricted Close Only. What if an account is Flagged and the account equity is below $25,000? It is important for futures day traders to be aware of such margin requirements and their respective time cutoffs to exit positions prior to the close. What are the Maintenance Requirements for Equity Spreads? This is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where we are not authorized to do business or where such offer or solicitation would be contrary to the local laws and regulations of that jurisdiction, including, but not limited to persons residing in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UK, and the countries of the European Union. Trading stocks, options, futures and forex involves speculation, and the risk of loss can be substantial. The SMA account increases as the value of the securities in the account appreciate, but does not decrease when the value of those securities depreciates. This is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where we are not authorized to do business or where such offer or solicitation would be contrary to the local laws and regulations of that jurisdiction, including, but not limited to persons residing in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UK, and the countries of the European Union. However, concentrated positions and certain stocks may have special requirements between 35% and 100%. Client sells 10 October 205 calls for $5.25. Access to real-time market data is conditioned on acceptance of the exchange agreements. Writing a Cash Secured Put: The put-writer must maintain a cash balance equal to the total exercise value of the contracts. TD Ameritrade reserves the right at any time to adjust the minimum maintenance requirement of concentrated positions. Day trade equity consists of marginable, non-marginable positions, and cash . Margin rates at thinkorswim start at 14% and gradually decrease as the size grows. Spreads, Straddles, and other multiple-leg option orders placed online will incur $0.65 fees per contract on each leg. Futures margin is simply leverage that can enhance returns; however, it can also exacerbate losses, which is why it's important to use proper risk management. TD Ameritrade is a trademark jointly owned by TD Ameritrade IP Company, Inc. and The Toronto-Dominion Bank . Charles Schwab Futures and Forex LLC, a CFTC-registered Futures Commission Merchant and NFA Forex Dealer Member. Some securities have special maintenance requirements that require you to have a higher percentage of equity in your account in order to hold them on margin. Successful virtual trading during one time period does not guarantee successful investing of actual funds during a later time period as market conditions change continuously. We suggest you consult with a tax-planning professional with regard to your personal circumstances.