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Using unsettled funds to buy mutual funds in a margin account. Do I need to pay margin interest?

Personal Finance & Money Asked by user2934382 on February 4, 2021

I’m trying to figure out security settling rules.

Say I have a margin account and I own 100 settled shares of ABC stock. I then sell my ABC shares and on the same day I use the unsettled funds from that sale to purchase the XYZ mutual fund.

Since ABC stock settles T+2 and the XYZ mutual fund settles T+1, it means on T+1 I’m using unsettled funds from ABC to settle XYZ, right? Will that result in a one day margin loan and thus I will be charged interest for it?

Update: I’m in US and I’m talking about the US market. Sorry didn’t realize I should make it clear first.

I talked to my broker (Schwab) and they said yes I’d be charged margin interest despite that the ‘settled fund’ number on the Balances page was including the money from a stock sale I did on the same day (which was why I had this question).

One Answer

In the US, this would be a Trading Violation, and the consequences for the first time depend on your broker - could be they charge you interest, could be they force-sell from whatever securities you own to cover (including the ETF you just bought), or could be they only email you a warning.
Second/third time, punishment will be harsher, for example Vanguard: "Any 3 violations in a rolling 52-week period trigger a 90-day funds-on-hand restriction. During this time, you must have settled funds available before you can buy anything.' (https://investor.vanguard.com/investing/online-trading/trading-penalties); others have similar rules.

Answered by Aganju on February 4, 2021

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