How to Close a Stash Account
Closing a Stash investment account requires a few steps, so be sure to read over our helpful guide below before leaving the brokerage firm.
Cancel Stash’s Subscription Fee
Stash has a monthly fee of either $3 or $9, depending on the exact subscription chosen. In either case, the fee is assessed around the date the subscription was originally opened. Because Stash does not give prorated refunds of this fee, it is a good idea to close the account before the monthly billing.
And the subscription at Stash is separate from the brokerage account. Closing an investment account doesn’t get rid of the subscription, so if you want to eliminate the monthly fee, you’ll need to take an extra step after closing the securities account.
Close Stash Account by Transfer
One really easy way to close a brokerage account at Stash is simply to transfer the account to another investment firm. Once Stash receives the transfer request from the second firm, it will close the account and transmit the assets.
All of this is done through the Automated Customer Account Transfer (ACAT) electronic system. Stash does charge $75 for its legwork, although some broker-dealers are nice enough to reimburse it. Some won’t, though. If you move your account to
Robinhood, it will
reimburse up to $75 of your current broker’s transfer fee
if your transfer is at least $7,500.
To get started with an ACAT transfer, you first need to open an investment account with another brokerage firm. Because this is going to be an ACAT transfer, the second firm obviously must accept ACAT transfers. Most do, but a few will not.
With the new account open, it’s time to request the transfer. This is done on the receiving side for ACAT transfers. Most brokerage firms nowadays have online tools for this, so it’s pretty easy. Just make sure to request a full ACAT transfer and not a partial one. Only a full transfer will close the outgoing account. Also, you will probably need to specify Stash’s clearing firm instead of Stash itself as the outgoing broker. The clearing firm is Apex Clearing Corp (with DTC # 0158).
Fractional shares can’t be transferred through the ACAT network, so Stash will turn these into cash. The cash balance may arrive a few days after the positions do.
Learn more in How to transfer from Stash to Charles Schwab.
Close Stash Account by Withdrawing
Besides the $75 fee, the other disadvantage of closing by ACAT is that the account lives on. If you want to close an account altogether, you’ll need to shut it down at Stash.
To do this, the first thing you need to do (in a self-directed account) is sell the stocks and ETFs in the account. This is easy enough to do on the website or mobile app with the same trade ticket you used on the entry side.
Once all trades have settled and there’s nothing but cash left in the account, it’s time to move the cash out. This will be accomplished using the Transfer link at the top of the website (or bottom of the mobile app).
Once the account has nothing left in it, it’s time to close it. Send a request to Stash asking the account to be closed. This can be done over the phone (1.800.205.5164) or through the company’s messaging widget. This tool will be found in the bottom-right corner of the website or mobile app. Look for the dialogue cloud icon.
Best Free Alternatives
Cancelling the Stash Subscription
Once the account is closed, the subscription under which it was opened needs to be closed (if you want to eliminate the monthly fee). If you plan to keep other parts of Stash, like the life insurance policy or the bank account, you can skip this section.
To close the subscription on the mobile app, go into the main menu (accessed through your initials in the upper-left corner of the Home screen). Next, tap on the subscription plan link. On the following page, tap on “Your plan.” Finally, scroll down to find the link to close Stash for good. Follow the prompts to shut down the subscription.
A Note about Robo, Custodial, and Retirement Accounts
Automated accounts at Stash can be closed or transferred just like self-directed accounts. Either setup in custodial or IRA format could have special rules if anything is withdrawn from them. Also, selling in a taxable format could produce tax consequences. We recommend consulting with a qualified tax advisor before proceeding.
Find a Financial Advisor
If you are looking for a professional money management service in your area, you can
find a Financial Advisor on the Wiser Advisor
(or read
Wiser Advisor review).
Visit Wiser Advisor
Updated on 10/4/2024.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
|