Interactive Brokers for dummies

Investing / Brokers
#711

Hello,

I do not think we got a general answer rather than wait few days.
You could read this topic discussing about the same issue.
https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/ibkr-always-says-i-dont-have-enough-cash-settled-to-make-a-trade-why/3760/45q

As I remember, you can click on info on your bank account and it will give you the day your cash will be available.

#712

I don’t know about currency exchange with IBKR but when selling stocks, if you have a cash account (versus margin account), the money takes 2 days to be available (settled). So wait around 2 days. I remember I found some Reddits threads on that:
“Cash accounts take 2 days for cash to settle after trade day, T+2 if not mistaken.”
“if you have a cash account, it takes 2 days for it to be usable”

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#713

I have not exactly found the problem but this is not 100% true during my testings. I used the cash account option for several years without ever receiving the notice that I couldn’t buy something or the settlement wasn’t done yet.

In 2022 though I also started receiving this message on my cash accounts very frequently but not all the time. Sometimes it would work and sometimes there was the error. After switching to a margin account the problems went away as you describe.

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#714

Can I make IB auto-roll futures (eg futures on S&P 500)?

#715

I have just stopped my yield enhanced program participation after checking this year additional yield. It’s a whopping 2.5 CHF from a 160k Depot :crazy_face: not sure what I have expected but maybe just a little bit more somehow covering the trading fees.

What is your experience with the yield enhancement program?

#716

I don’t think so. There is a “roll position” button, but I think it just creates orders that you have to execute. It’s probably like with these auto rebalancing or portfolio tools: they can generate orders, but someone has to press the button to execute them. Security/compliance limitation. If you are brave enough, you can create market orders that are released at a preset time in the future (Good After Time) using Trader Workstation.

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#717

Well in terms of the yield enhanced program I had mixed experience, which however is a total disaster invest wise.

My “Upstart” position gives me around $300-400 per month. Needless to say that I have a huge loss on the position. On the other hand, my Logitech holding gives me approximately CHF 0.50 per month
 My VTI position has not been lent out yet but I assume that the yield would be also im the singe digit range.

It would be interesting to know how IBKR calculates the interest rate for individual stocks and if they have it published somewhere.

#718

Btw, when investing in futures, do you have any idea at what point you’d be considered a professional trader tax-wise?

Basically, I’m thinking of using futures for leverage purposes.

#719

I think if you open futures position for a moderate leverage, keep it almost to expiry and then roll it to the next contract, nobody can claim that this is a source of substantial income for you. I think this is the main criteria after all.

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