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Margin Calls in a Cash Account


Money Due Call (MD Call)

A Money Due (MD) call occurs when you exceed your buying power in a cash account during volatile market conditions. This call is triggered when market orders for volatile securities or failure to maintain equity requirements for cash-secured puts result in a negative balance.


How to resolve an MD Call
An MD call can only be resolved by depositing funds equal to or greater than the call amount. Until the call is met, no additional purchases are allowed, and instant buying power from pending ACH deposits is restricted.




Good Faith Violation (GFV)

A Good Faith Violation (GFV) occurs when a cash account buys a stock with unsettled funds and then sells that stock before the funds from the original sale have settled. An example:


You sell 100 shares of ABC on Monday (settling on Tuesday) and use the proceeds to buy shares of XYZ the same day, then sell XYZ the same day, you will incur a GFV because the funds from ABC have not yet settled.


Consequences of receiving a GFV


  • After 3 violations in 12 months: Your account will be restricted to using settled cash only.
  • After 4 violations: Your account will be restricted for 90 days.
  • After 5 violations: Your account will be closed.

How to resolve a GFV
No deposit or liquidation can lift a GFV. Each violation automatically expires at the beginning of the 13th month since the trade date.




Required Maintenance Call (RM Call)

An RM call is issued when the cash balance in a cash account becomes negative. This usually occurs due to fees or interest charges.


How to resolve an RM Call
Deposit funds or liquidate securities to meet the call. Note that RM calls are based on 4 PM EST closing prices and account holdings as of 8 PM EST.


Important to note

No provisional buying power will be credited from pending ACH deposits until the call is met.


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