Charles Schwab Minimum Deposit
If you’re going to open an investment account at Charles Schwab, be aware that the brokerage firm has
an assortment of minimums in a variety of cases. Here are the details:
Self-directed accounts (what most people use) at Charles Schwab have no minimum opening deposit or ongoing account-balance requirement.
A Schwab Intelligent Portfolios robo-advisor account has a $5,000 minimum deposit requirement. Schwab charges no advisory fee or commissions for this account type, although ETF operating expenses and other direct and indirect costs still apply.
The robo account is just what it sounds like: an investment account managed by a software program. Schwab previously offered a premium version that added access to human financial planners, but Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium was discontinued in the first quarter of 2026.
Before it was discontinued, the premium service charged a $300 one-time planning fee and an ongoing $30 monthly advisory fee.
Although Charles Schwab offers automated investing, it hasn’t abandoned traditional portfolio management. Schwab Managed Portfolios without a robo advisor are still available, and these have a $25,000 minimum investment. Management fees range from 20 basis points to 90 basis points for mutual-fund portfolios and from 50 basis points to 90 basis points for ETF portfolios, depending on the amount invested.
Schwab also has separately managed accounts. Account minimums are much higher. Typical minimums are as follows:
Equities: $100,000
Fixed income: $250,000
Balanced and equity index: $250,000
Diversified: $350,000
Then there are Schwab Wealth Advisory accounts. These come with a team of human advisors. The enrollment minimum is $500,000, and the annual advisory fee starts at 0.80% and decreases at higher asset levels.
Schwab also has a service that connects clients with prescreened independent local investment advisors who can provide in-person service. The minimum investable assets for the Schwab Advisor Network program are $2 million. Schwab does not charge clients a referral fee, while asset-based advisory fees vary by advisor.
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Charles Schwab Minimum Account Balance
Standard self-directed brokerage and retirement accounts at Charles Schwab have no ongoing minimum balance requirements. Certain managed, charitable, and organization accounts have separate minimums.
Schwab One Organization Accounts require a minimum opening deposit, but Schwab directs clients to contact the company for the current amount. DAFgiving360 core charitable
accounts have no minimum initial contribution, while professionally managed charitable accounts require $100,000.
Charles Schwab Minimum Account Value for Margin Trading
Although a self-directed account at Schwab isn’t required to have a minimum balance, it must contain at least $2,000 in cash or marginable securities before the client can begin borrowing on margin. This reflects FINRA’s minimum-equity requirement, although Schwab may impose higher house requirements.
For margin debit balances of $500,000 or more, Schwab asks clients to call for information about its latest margin-rate offers.
Schwab Minimum Trade Amount
With or without margin, Schwab offers fractional shares of most U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs starting at $1. Securities that aren’t eligible for fractional-share trading generally require the purchase of at least one whole share.
Most online secondary-market bond trades cost $1 per bond, subject to a $10 minimum and $250 maximum. Online trades in Treasury bills, notes, bonds, floating-rate notes, and TIPS are commission-free. Zero-coupon Treasuries, including STRIPS, use the $1-per-bond fee schedule.
Schwab Minimum Initial Purchase Amounts for Mutual Funds
Mutual funds at Schwab have initial purchase minimums ranging from no stated minimum to at least $5 million. Certain Schwab money market fund investor shares have no initial investment minimum, although Schwab’s systems require at least $1 per trade. Both Schwab and third-party funds may have $1 minimums, while some institutional share classes from companies such as J.P. Morgan and BlackRock require investments of several million dollars.
Schwab Minimum Purchase Amounts for Mutual Funds, Subsequent
During our research with Schwab’s mutual fund screener, all funds we found had a $1 minimum purchase amount for subsequent purchases.
Schwab Minimum Mutual Fund Hold Time
Schwab charges a $49.95 short-term redemption fee when certain no-transaction-fee funds are sold 90 days or less after purchase. Schwab may exempt certain funds from this fee.
Charles Schwab Minimums
| Charles Schwab minimum deposit to open a cash account | $0 |
| Charles Schwab minimum deposit to open a margin account | $0; $2,000 in cash and/or marginable securities is required to borrow on margin |
| Charles Schwab minimum initial deposit to open a Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, SIMPLE IRA, or SEP IRA | $0 |
| Charles Schwab minimum balance requirement for a cash account or an IRA | none |
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Updated on 6/16/2026.
Chad Morris has been analyzing investment firms for Brokerage-Review.com since 2015. Backed by FINRA Series 65, 66, and SIE credentials, his work reflects a deep knowledge of the retail brokerage industry and digital trading tools.
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