To save your settings on the server, from the TWS Edit menu open Global Configuration. From the Lock and Exit section, select Use/store settings on server. Selecting this setting will save your settings to the IB server, and use those server settings the next time you log in.

You can run one the TWS demo which may have limited capabilities. If you are an IB customer, you can open a paper trading account, which allows you to use the full range of IB trading facilities in a simulated environment using real market conditions. Use this test environment to:

• Use TWS features such as order types without risk.
• Learn market dynamics in new exchanges and products.
• Simulate and test trading strategies.
• Test Application Program Interface (API) applications.

http://individuals.interactivebrokers.com/en/software/paperTrader.phpib_entity=llc

Use the TWS search box to find a feature or a specific contract.

The nightly log off is required for maintenance and cannot be disabled. However, you can modify the log off time from the Lock and Exit page of Global Configuration.

Find margin information for options on the Options tab of the Margin page.

Order types are defined in the Order Types matrix.

You need to set the timing to "Allow order to be activated, triggered or filled outside of regular trading hours." You can define this setting from the Timing section of the Order Preset, or on a per-order basis from the order line using the Time in Force dropdown selector. If the selection is not available for the specific order you are submitting, you will not be allowed to populate the checkbox.

http://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/software/tws/usersguidebook/specializedorderentry/about_combination_orders.htm

See the TWS Quickstart for an overview.

You can record mouse-click shortcuts for specific order creation and transmission commands, such as buy, sell, transmit and cancel and many others. See the TWS Users' Guide for details.

See the Trailing Stop order page and the TWS Users' Guide for details.

The TWS settings file is named tws.xml and is located in a subdirectory of c:\Jts. Search (CTRL F) the c:\Jts directory for the most recently modified file. TWS Log files are named log.day.txt (e.g., log.Wed.txt) and are located in the c:\Jts directory.

Commission structures are described in detail on the Commissions pages, sorted by instrument type.

All customers receive 100 concurrent lines of real-time market data (which can be displayed in TWS or via the API). After the first month of trading, high-volume traders may receive additional lines of market data, which is allocated using the greater value of:

• USD monthly commissions divided by 8
• USD equity multiplied by 100 divided by $1,000,000 (rounded down to the nearest integer)
• 100

Example 1:
In month two, your account shows the following values:
USD Monthly Commissions: $16
USD Equity: $950,000

Using the calculations above, you would still receive the minimum 100 lines of data, since:
$16/8 = 2
$950,000 x 100 / $1,000,000 = 95

Example 2:
In month three, your account shows the following values:
USD Monthly Commissions: $500
USD Equity: $1,245,000

Using the calculations above, you would receive 124 lines of data, since:
$500/8 = 62.5
$1,245,000 x 100 / $1,000,000 = 124.5, rounded down to 124.

Only streaming quotes are counted against your total. Tickers on pages or windows not showing do not receive market data and are not counted against your total.

TWS runs on Windows, MAC and Unix operating systems. To ensure that you have an adequate Internet connection and proper system requirements to run TWS, please review the minimum system requirements below, and run the TWS demo system as a test.

Find download instructions and the necessary files on the Installation Instructions page.

The table below outlines our suggestions for both minimum and recommended system requirements to run the IB TraderWorkstation^SM.

If you have a slower computer or Internet connection, we recommend that you use the standalone version of TWS.

• The standalone requires that you manually update to newer versions of TWS.
• For use from multiple machines, you must installed the standalone separately on each machine, and you must set TWS to Save Settings to Server.

If you use the browser-based version, you can access TWS from any internet PC, and you will always be logging into the most recent version of TWS. Both require that you install the latest Java Runtime Environment.

Go to the Java Upgrade Instructions page and select the Windows or Mac operating system. Follow instructions for upgrading the Java plugin. Note that if you want to upgrade to a newer Java version, you must first remove the existing plugin and then install the upgraded version.

The beta release is a pre-production version of an upcoming release that allows you to actively trade while you test new features. You must deliberately elect to use the beta at your own risk when you log in. Since the beta is under construction until production release, we welcome your input on its performance. The beta will be promoted to production after it has been tested both in-house and externally over a specified time period. Please note that although the software is "in beta," you are still trading your IB account and are responsible for all transactions.

The login page includes links to both the beta and production release notes. These notes briefly describe new features and problems that have been fixed.

If you are running the standalone version, the update wizard will automatically check for TWS updates each time you log in to your PC. You can also manually check for updates from the Start menu by selecting Programs and then Startup and clicking Check for TWS Updates. Customers running the browser-based version are always logging into the most recent production release.

First, uninstall TWS by going to add/remove programs and removing TWS. You can then reinstall TWS from the TWS Software page.

You will receive this message for one of the following reasons:

• You are not entering the proper username (check to be sure the Caps Lock key isn't on)
• Your account has not been set up yet
• You've entered your password incorrectly more than 10 times

Instant help resources include the TWS Release Notes, TWS Users' Guide, online tutorials and both live and recorded feature webinars. If you still cannot find an answer to your question, contact Customer Service.

IB has two distinct departments that handle specific types of TWS questions:

• Customer Service deals with everything involving trading, accounts, funding and execution. See the Customer Service page on the IB website for contact details.
• The Technical Assistance Center (TAC) can help you with issues concerning your connection to IB and problems with the software involved. To help you more quickly, please:
  • Call while you are experiencing the problem;
  • Have your computer turned on and ready to troubleshoot;
  • Have your account information ready.

In the US, call 877-442-2757 during regular business hours for support. The following options are available:

You can also email us at tac@interactivebrokers.com. Please include the following information:

• Your username and account number
• A detailed summary of the problem
• A timeframe of when the problem occurred or occurs.
• Detailed system specifications if possible, including:
  • The Windows version you are using.
  • The type and version of browser you are using, including cipher strength. For example, Internet Explorer 7.0 or Firefox 2.0.0.13.
  • The brand names of any Network Interface Cards installed in the computer.
  • Your processor generation and speed.
  • The amount of memory installed in your computer.
  • The type of Internet connection you are using.
  • Any other troubleshooting you have done on your own or with our staff.

1. This may be a problem with Java.
   • Remove all instances of Java.
   • Follow the Direct-download instructions.
2. Your browser may be outdated or corrupt. Check the version you are using from the browser's Help menu by selecting About. If your browser version is below the recommended, please upgrade.

A. Your Internet connection may drop off due to connectivity or Internet Service Provider (ISP)-based issues.

Consult our connectivity FAQ if you suspect if this is an issue.

B. This problem has also been known to occur with problematic Ethernet cards.

This may be due to a corrupted or improper install of TWS or the Java Applet.

1. Remove all instances of Java and Trader Workstation.
2. Follow the Java Direct-download instructions
3. Download a new version of TWS.

Outdated or corrupted browsers can cause this to occur. Please upgrade or uninstall if necessary.

Or, your browser display settings may be preventing you from viewing the entire screen.

• Using the "view" menu in your browser, set your font size to the smallest setting.

Your browser's cache may have a problematic page stored in it.

• Hold down the "ctrl" key and hit "Refresh" at the top of your browser. This will force the page to reload from the server.

Dial-in customers or customers with a poor connection may periodically experience problems loading an applet through a browser. Browser download and installation of applets tend to stall on slower connections.

• Using standalone TWS will bypass this problem entirely.

This typically occurs if:

• The connection to IB is interrupted
• You are trying to log on more than once, or have duplicate login sessions. You cannot log into more than one instance of your account from any IB trading platform, including TWS, WebTrader or mobileTWS.

We don’t have the biggest reason…. Your ports are being blocked by either:

• Local PC Firewall
• Your ISP
• Loss of your internet connectivity

This may happen for a variety of reasons. Try the following:

• Wait. It may take several minutes to complete loading the trading pages, depending on the number of pages and symbol population on the pages and your speed of connection. Clean out ticker symbols and pages that you no longer require.
• Reconnect to the Internet
• Check your network connection for problems.
• Make sure your system has the proper minimum system requirements.
• In the case that your user preference files may have become corrupt, contact Technical Assistance for help in resetting the information.
• A corrupt Java installation will cause this to occur. To verify that this is the problem, go into the control panel and double-click on the Java plug-in. The same gray screen will result if the plug-in is corrupt. If this happens, uninstall and reinstall Java.

This may happen for a couple of reasons. Try the following:

• Wait. It may take several minutes depending on the amount of information and speed of connection. If this is the case, clean out symbols and pages that you no longer require.
• Make sure your system has the proper minimum system requirements.

This indicates there is a problem with your network connection. Refer to our Network FAQ and your system Administrator to check for latency and network problems.

This may be the result of a problematic Ethernet card, or improper driver installation of display adapters. Download the latest version of your video drivers. You may have other PC problems which require immediate attention by an authorized PC technician.

This occurs when the page file becomes corrupt from a disk error.

To open the Control Panel, click Start, then select Settings>Control Panel.

With Windows XP, click Start>Control Panel.

Depending on the version of Windows you are using, its appearance may vary slightly from what we describe.

If you need to uninstall software, you should only do it from Add/Remove Programs window accessible from the Control Panel. Use this window to remove Trader Workstation or Java, or to repair your browser. When you uninstall a program, you will usually get a confirmation message ensuring that you do indeed want to remove the item that you have selected.

Note: Java does not support automatic upgrades. Before you upgrade Java, you must uninstall the current version.

Important: If you are uninstalling for reinstall purposes, Windows may ask you to restart your computer. DO NOT IGNORE THIS REQUEST. Shut down and restart your computer to allow files to be unlocked and removed from memory.

From the Trading menu on the IB website, select Trading Platforms and then choose the application your would like to install.

Whether you're downloading an encryption upgrade, a new browser or a service pack, all official Windows upgrades can be acquired from http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/, shown above. Click on the "products update" link on the left-hand side, select the updates you wish to install, and follow the instructions.

1. Go to the www.java.com website.
2. On the right side of the page under Popular Downloads, click "Java SE"
3. Where it reads JDK 6 Update 25, Click on Download
4. Read the license terms and conditions and click "Accept."
5. Click the download link.
6. In the "Save As" window, save the file to your desktop.
7. Once the download is complete, return to your Desktop and double- click on the "jdk-6u5-windows-i586-p.exe" icon to install the Java plugin.
8. Read the "Software License Agreement" and click "Yes" to continue.
9. Choose the default destination and click "Next" to install the Java program.
10. Installation is complete. You can now run the Java-based Trader Workstation 4.0.

Note: If you are running a non US-English version of Windows, you need to install the international plug-in.

Depending on the amount of data you are receiving (number of ticker symbols entered) most TWS sessions will function properly on a reliable 56k connection. However, the use of other network applications while you are using TWS may slow down your connection. The typical TWS client will utilize 6.5k/second to retrieve market data for 100 symbols of data.

TWS does not use any UDP.

Dial-up Internet is available in two varieties: 56k dial-up (also known as a standard ISP connection) and Dial-up ISDN. The two are similar in that they use a telephone line and a modem to dial in to an Internet service provider. They are carried on different types of lines and use different types of modems. 56k dial-up is primarily used in the home, whereas 64k and 128k ISDN are commonly used in business applications. Availability of different services may be limited in certain areas; contact service providers in your area for a list of available services.

TWS connects to our servers via port 4000 using a source port in the publicly addressable space above port 1024. Our servers listen on port 4000; TWS will not function on any other port. For users behind firewalls, the installed version includes provisions for using a specified outbound port. Both inbound and outbound ports need to be permissioned for TWS to function properly.

TWS will function in a shared environment, provided that a reliable connection exists. The connection that a TWS machine receives must have sufficient bandwidth to operate. Users should take care when using NAT (Network Address Translation) and DHCP. While TWS will work if NAT and/or DHCP are configured properly, data loss and unpredictable behavior can result from improper configurations. For more information on NAT and DHCP, review the section below on those topics.

There are many types of broadband available. Cable, xDSL, Corporate Networks (T1, T3, Frac-T), Dial-on-demand ISDN and Satellite are all broadband solutions. All of these services provide much higher throughput (compared to a dial-in line) and typically use routers or special modems to become part of a hardwired network. Some services emulate this method rather than actually performing this way. Availability of different services may be limited in certain areas; contact vendors in your area for a list of available services.

TWS connects to our servers via ports 4000 and 4001; it will not function on any other port. To use TWS from behind a firewall, users should download the standalone version, and will be prompted during installation to specify proxy settings that will be used by TWS for all http requests. For details on configuring standalone TWS for use through a firewall, refer to Steps 7 and 8 in the Installation Instructions page.

Testing with these systems has proved inconclusive. Some satellite providers list trading software (or anything that requires a reliable connection) as an "at your own risk" practice. Customer feedback has indicated that satellite services are sometimes unreliable.

As with any type of connection, be sure the provider allows TCP/IP routing with open access to Internet service ports. TWS connects to our servers via port 4000 using a source port in the publicly addressable space above port 1024. Our servers listen on port 4000; it will not function on any other port. For users behind firewalls, the installed version of TWS includes provisions for using a specified outbound port.

For the ultimate in reliability, speed and security, some customers choose to install a dedicated connection to our servers via leased line or frame relay interface. Please contact an IB sales representative about leased-line connections.

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is a way of automatically assigning IP addresses. If your DHCP server is assigning a private address (addresses which are not associated with the Internet) the server may be doing NAT (Network Address Translation) to get to the outside Internet Depending on the particular configuration, the router or server may be trapping requests from our server to your computer.

TCP/IP is the basic protocol from an Internet service provider. This, along with DNS (Dynamic Name System) and basic socket access are all that is required for a "functioning Internet connection" and for running TWS software.

NAT (Network Address Translation) is one of the basic components behind home routers (and some professional private routers). Done properly this should be transparent; the address on the outside should translate to your internal (non-Internet) addresses without your PC knowing the specifics of the routing.

Extraneous network adapters and drivers which are not connected, are inoperative or unnecessary should be removed from your system. These can cause unpredictable network behavior.

• AOL and other proprietary adapters may work fine if you have the service and are actively using it. If, however you are not using the adapter, it may be configured improperly and has been known to cause connectivity issues.
  
  
• NDSWAN and other VPN adapters can be problematic if they are not in use. PPPOE (Point to Point Protocol Over Ethernet) may be used in some DSL or Cable connections; if it is not used, it may cause problems with the connection, and should be removed.
  
  
• Client for Netware Networks and IPX/SPX are protocols used in corporate Novell Networks. If this protocol is not needed, it should be removed.
  
  
• NETBEUI is a Microsoft Protocol that, as above, may be in use in a corporate network. If it is not in use, it is better to remove this adapter

Latency due to physical distance from your ISP, routing within your ISP's network, packet loss and many other factors can affect the reliable operation of your TWS. Please review the connectivity troubleshooting tips below to test the quality of your connection.

The Ping command will test the quality and latency of your connection. If it shows 4 round-trip reports without a reply (does not say not found, timed out, etc.) your connection is healthy. To use this, type ping gw1.ibllc.com at the command prompt. A healthy ping should look as follows:

Pinging gw1.ibllc.com [208.245.107.3] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 208.245.107.3: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=254
Reply from 208.245.107.3: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=254
Reply from 208.245.107.3: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=254
Reply from 208.245.107.3: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=254

If the ping results show excessive latency (>500ms), timeouts/packet loss, or no replies, a network problem exists between you and the IB network.

The tracert command is used to isolate routing issues. This will show you all of the "hops" from your connection to our network. A timeout, indicated by "*" or time above 200, indicates a slow or dead hop and may be a problem. Over 15 hops can also be a problem.

To look at a traceroute, type tracert gw1.ibllc.com at the command prompt.

The following are sample traceroutes. Included is an explanation and suggested course of action. This traceroute is an example of a healthy connection. The ping times and the number of hops are low (lower is better). No course of action required.

1 gatekeeper (206.42.160.1) 1 ms 1 ms 2 ms
2 jfk-edge-19.inet.qwest.net (63.237.128.53) 19 ms 26 ms 21 ms
3 jfk-core-03.inet.qwest.net (205.171.30.189) 22 ms 19 ms 24 ms
4 ewr-core-03.inet.qwest.net (205.171.5.89) 20 ms 19 ms 20 ms
5 ewr-brdr-01.inet.qwest.net (205.171.17.98) 20 ms 26 ms 19 ms
6 205.171.1.122 (205.171.1.122) 30 ms 20 ms 22 ms
7 sl-bb23-nyc-3-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.7.109) 20 ms 19 ms 19 ms
8 sl-bb22-pen-6-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.9.18) 25 ms 37 ms 21 ms
9 sl-bb26-pen-9-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.16.58) 21 ms 26 ms 22 ms
10 sl-gw26-pen-4-0-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.5.190) 24 ms 23 ms 24 ms
11 sl-thllc-4-0-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.190.222) 35 ms 31 ms 29 ms
12 206.106.137.111 (206.106.137.111) 28 ms 28 ms 30 ms

This is an example of a marginal connection. The ping times and number of hops are fairly high, but the connection should still be usable. Contact your ISP to see if this is a common occurrence. If this is what you can expect, you may want to shop around for another provider. Higher times indicate line latency (slowness) and the high (17) number of 'hops' results in a higher potential for outage, in the event that one of the providers involved experiences a problem.

1 195.130.108.1 (195.130.108.1) 3.258 ms 2.325 ms 2.32 ms
2 athens-teiath-ATM.grnet.gr (194.177.209.149) 3.894 ms 3.546 ms 2.935 ms
3 athens-2-athens.grnet.gr (194.177.210.226) 3.299 ms 4.549 ms 13.643 ms
4 grnet1.uk1.uk.geant.net (62.40.103.181) 78.624 ms 72.213 ms 73.457 ms
5 uk.se1.se.geant.net (62.40.96.125) 104.912 ms 105.978 ms 104.695 ms
6 so-6-0-0.ar2.CPH1.gblx.net (208.48.23.153) 142.148 ms 115.03 ms 114.235 ms
7 so2-1-0-622M.cr2.CPH1.gblx.net (62.12.32.77) 113.658 ms 116.135 ms 114.903 ms
8 pos1-0-2488M.cr2.LON3.gblx.net (195.8.96.181) 134.768 ms 138.151 ms 132.05 ms
9 pos1-0-622M.br1.LON3.gblx.net (195.8.96.189) 130.876 ms 131.726 ms 134.405 ms
10 sl-bb21-lon-5-0.sprintlink.net (213.206.131.25) 132.904 ms 131.369 ms 134.111 ms
11 sl-bb20-msq-10-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.19.69) 209.434 ms 212.069 ms 209.79 ms
12 sl-bb20-nyc-11-3.sprintlink.net (144.232.9.102) 215.735 ms 208.302 ms 207.316 ms
13 sl-bb20-pen-10-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.18.37) 400.633 ms 352.33 ms 274.419 ms
14 sl-bb25-pen-8-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.5.174) 212.023 ms 215.237 ms 215.472 ms
15 sl-gw26-pen-0-0-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.5.186) 213.755 ms 212.104 ms 211.378 ms
16 sl-thllc-4-0-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.190.222) 218.742 ms 221.021 ms 217.51 ms
17 206.106.137.111 (206.106.137.111) 218.028 ms 222.549 ms 218.867 ms

The next example shows a network outage. The connection fails between hop 8 and 9. In the event that this occurs, you should contact your ISP and give them this information. These types of outages are very obvious and are the easiest for an ISP to troubleshoot.

1 kauge.aso.ee
(195.80.96.219) 0.432 ms 0.323 ms 0.357 ms
2 uninet-gw.aso.ee (195.80.96.211) 1.094 ms 7.688 ms 2.332 ms
3 194.204.4.161 (194.204.4.161) 1.489 ms 1.403 ms 1.425 ms
4 kista-atm.uninet.ee (193.229.72.105) 135.413 ms 129.594 ms 136.073 ms
5 Pos5-0.GW7.STK3.ALTER.NET (146.188.34.13) 141.723 ms 140.031 ms 122.782 ms
6 so-3-0-0.XR2.STK3.Alter.Net (146.188.5.37) 113.354 ms 98.346 ms 90.857 ms
7 ge-1-0-0.TR1.STK2.Alter.Net (146.188.11.242) 94.762 ms 115.168 ms 130.034 ms
8 so-4-0-0.IR1.DCA4.Alter.Net (146.188.5.197) 257.747 ms 288.965 ms 255.057 ms
9 request timed out * * *
10 request
timed out * * *
11 request
timed out * * *
12
request timed out * * *

The last example is possibly the hardest to troubleshoot and the most frustrating. The occasional timeout (marked with *s) appears several places in the traceroute. This indicates that intermittent packet loss is taking place. These types of errors are elusive and may not have been reported yet. Contact your ISP about this issue.

1 <10 ms <10 ms 10 ms 206.106.137.1
2 <10 ms 10 ms 10 ms sl-gw26-pen-5-0-1.sprintlink.net [144.232.190.21]
3 <10 ms 10 ms <10 ms sl-bb25-pen-0-7.sprintlink.net [144.232.5.185]
4 <10 ms * <10 ms sl-bb21-pen-8-0.sprintlink.net [144.232.5.237]
5 <10 ms 10 ms 10 ms sl-bb23-rly-0-0.sprintlink.net [144.232.20.32]
6 10 ms 10 ms * 144.232.20.44
7 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms sl-ameronl-14-0.sprintlink.net [144.223.246.14]
8 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms bb1-ash-P1-0.atdn.net [66.185.139.209]
9 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms bb1-dtc-P0-2.atdn.net [66.185.152.114]
10 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms pop1-dtc-P14-0.atdn.net [66.185.140.6]
11 * 10 ms 10 ms ow3-dtc-P0-0.atdn.net [66.185.144.254]
12 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms ow1-dtc-P9-2.aol.com [205.188.131.218]
13 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms www2-dr6-P0-0.aol.com [205.188.172.126]
14 * * * Request timed out.

Not for TWS. IB does support HTTP proxies for Web Trader, but this application has limited capabilities.

IB supports proxies that can emulate open sockets.

Create a snapshot of your computer screen and e-mail it to IB.

1. Launch the window that you want to capture, and press Alt + PrtScrn (Print Screen). You can't tell, but you've just captured a picture of your screen.
2. Open a new MS Word document, put your cursor on the page and select "Paste."
3. Name and save the file, and send it to IB Customer Service as an attachment, along with a detailed verbal description of your support issue.

Try logging in and testing with another computer that you know works (with the same account) to see if the problem is the same on both computers.

If you have multiple Accounts, try another one of your accounts on your machine. If you don't have a second account, try using our demo system, or having a friend try their account on your machine will help to determine if there is a common issue among accounts (or systems) and where that problem may be.

Trying both systems may indicate that the problem is with a component installed on your computer or somewhere else.

Log into the TWS (version 919 or higher) from the Login menu on the IB website. Once you have logged in, you will see the IBIS toolbar along the top of the TWS inside the main toolbar. Click the "Launch" icon from the IBIS toolbar (see image below).

From within TWS in which you launched IBIS, press Ctrl+Alt+H, enter a description of your problem and hit "Submit." Then please send your user ID to the IBIS team using ibis@interactivebrokers.com.

Although you could elect to "Save" the TWS link to your desktop, we do not recommend doing this as this would prohibit you from getting the fixes and changes that we implement daily.

The first time you upgrade to the production version of mobileTWS which includes any version higher than version 0.1.132, you are required to first uninstall beta mobileTWS and then reinstall the production version. When you receive the notice to upgrade during login, please hit Upgrade to go to the mobileTWS page on the Android Market. From here, choose Uninstall and follow the process to uninstall mobileTWS. Once the uninstall is complete, you can choose to Install from the mobileTWS page on the Android Market.

If you do not see the Uninstall button on the Android Market page, you need to manually uninstall using the procedure below.
To uninstall:

1. From the phone's Home screen, invoke the Settings menu.
2. Select Applications and then select Manage Applications.
3. Select the mobileTWS application and click Uninstall.

Once mobileTWS has been uninstalled, run the application file or install once more from the Android Market. This is a one-time upgrade process; going forward you will be able to upgrade new versions seamlessly.

Android only considers applications coming from Android Market to be 100% safe. However, you can still install mobileTWS from the IB website or your computer by opening your phone Application Settings and checking the 'Unknown sources' checkbox. After that you will be able to install applications from the sources other than Android Market.

For security reasons, mobileTWS automatically logs out after 20 minutes of inactivity (mobileTWS is considered inactive when it is not visible on the screen or screen is switched off). If you are logged in as a paid user you can shorten this period to one minute for extra security. To do so, open Configuration from mobileTWS main screen and choose Auto logout. If mobileTWS logged out automatically, you will see a notification with IB logo in Android taskbar. By clicking on mobileTWS notification in Android notification list you will re-activate mobileTWS.

After mobileTWS goes to the background (when you take an incoming call, for example) you can bring it back by clicking on the mobileTWS application icon or by a long press on Home button. Note that in the latter case mobileTWS may not be listed among the currently running applications, especially if it was sitting in the background for long time. This is perfectly normal as Android shuts down inactive applications automatically when it needs resources.

If customer service has requested that you upload your log file, this is most effectively done before you log in again, as the log is cleared immediately following login. To upload the log file BEFORE you log in to mobileTWS:

• From the Login menu, select Upload log.

To upload the log file if you are already logged in to mobileTWS:

• From the Configuration screen, select Upload log.

To upload the log file from any other screen within the mobileTWS application:

• Type uploadlog (case is not important) and you will be shown the log upload dialog where you can provide a description of the problem and choose to attach a screenshot to the bundle to be sent to IB support. Note that you won't see uploadlog letters on the screen as you will be typing them. If you see what you type (the input focus happened to be on an editable field) the log upload shortcut won't work. To make it work move the focus somewhere else. If your phone does not have a physical keyboard you can invoke the software keyboard at any time by a long press on Menu button.

In cases where you are unable to upload your log file using the above procedure you can view, copy and email the file manually. Simply locate the log file in Configuration, copy the file and email it to aTWS@interactivebrokers.com

The mobileTWS login does not support passwords longer than eight characters. If your password is longer, please enter only the first eight characters. Or, reset your TWS password to eight characters or less through Account Management. To reset your password, log into Account Management on the IB web site. Under the User Management section, select Password.

When you log in to your mobileTWS application, all other TWS sessions will automatically be logged out. In a case where you are logged into TWS and lose your internet connection, you do not have to wait for TWS to time out; when you log into mobileTWS the existing session is logged out. Note that mobileTWS provides more limited trading capabilities than the full internet version of TWS.

Several account types are not yet supported in mobileTWS, including institutional accounts, G-accounts (guaranteed dollars) and OATS-reportable accounts. If you have any of these account configurations you will not be able to trade your IB account through the mobileTWS application.

Yes. From the Text Message page of the alert, enter the email address where you would like the alert sent. This address will be used going forward for all alerts unless it is deleted or changed. If you do not enter an email address, your alert will be sent as a text to your mobile device.

Please submit your request to IB via the mobileTWS platform-specific section of the New Features Poll for consideration.

The current version of mobileTWS supports the following:

• Order Types: Limit, Market, Relative, Stop, Trailing Stop, Stop Limit
• Times in Force: Day, Good Till Cancelled (GTC), Outside Regular Trader Hours (outside RTH)
• Products: Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Forex, Futures Options, CFDs, Warrants

We use your phone information for the following reasons:

• To associate free Alerts with the user, so when you open free alerts you will see the alerts you created in a previous session.
• To route you to the geographically closest servers (we have servers on three continents).
• To pre-populate the default email address with email to the SMS gateway. This currently applies only to AT&T and Verizon phones.

You may be behind a corporate firewall. Please open port 4000 for unproxied TCP/IP communication from your device.

We currently offer two versions of the TWS for BlackBerry. The "lite" version, which does NOT allow you to trade your IB account, is accessible from the BlackBerry App World. The "full" version which supports trading and monitoring your IB account is available on http://ibkr.com/bb. You can get this app from your PC, or using "over the air" installation.

You can reconfirm permission for the TWS for BlackBerry through the security settings. Open your Options, and then select Security Options. Choose Application Permissions and choose TWS for BlackBerry. (note that this path may vary slightly based on the model). Select Edit Permissions from the Main Menu, and change "Deny"/"Custom" options to "Allow."

The operating system is too old to support TWS for BlackBerry. You must be running the OS 4.3 version or higher. For instructions on upgrading, see http://na.blackberry.com/eng/services/devices/

You need to have a direct TCP/IP connection with your carrier. In most cases this mean that the APN (Access Point Name) should be configured in Device Settings/ Advanced/ TCP.

For instructions on setting the APN, contact your carrier, or see the APN BlackBerry FAQ to set the APN yourself. You can also check for APN settings for different carriers around the world.

You need to have a direct TCP/IP connection with your carrier. In most cases this mean that APN (Access Point Name) should be configured in Device Settings/ Advanced/ TCP. For instructions on setting the APN, contact your carrier, or see the APN BlackBerry FAQ to set the APN yourself.

Please submit your support request to IB via the BlackBerry TWS section of the New Features Poll for consideration.

The location of applications is dependent on the BlackBerry model, but you will most likely find it in the Download folder.

About 1MB.

Most likely this is due to the browser cache. Clearing the content caches clears both the rendered pages and server data. To clear out the cache, follow these steps:

1. Highlight the BlackBerry browser icon and click the trackwheel.
2. Click the trackwheel again to display the Browser Options menu.
3. Scroll down to Options and click the trackwheel to open the browser options screen.
4. Scroll down to General Properties and click the trackwheel to open the General Properties screen.
5. Click the trackwheel to open the Cache menu.
6. Scroll down to Clear Content Caches and click the trackwheel to clear the cache and return to the General Properties screen.
7. Use the Escape button to page back through the screens to the BlackBerry main menu.

If you have been requested by customer service to upload your log file, follow the steps below:

1. Launch the TWS for BlackBerry application.
2. On the login screen, press "shift-space" and then "shift-s." This will give you a prompt to upload the log files to our server.
3. In the text field, please provide a short description of your problem and include the trouble ticket number.

In cases where you are unable to upload your log file using the above procedure, you can view, copy and email the log file manually.

To manually send your log file:

1. Press Shift + space, Shift + L to open the log file.
2. Execute the "copy to clipboard" action from the pop-up menu.
3. Send the log email to bbtws@interactivebrokers.com

By default, if you switch applications without logging out of TWS, the application will continue to run in the background for approximately 20 minutes. This allows you to return to TWS without having to log back in. After 20 minutes of inactivity, you are automatically logged out.

If you prefer NOT to have TWS running in the background for security reasons, go to the Configuration screen and check Auto Exit. When checked, you will automatically be logged out of TWS when you switch to another application.

If you need to reboot your BlackBerry, simply remove and reinstall the battery. For alternative rebooting techniques, you can Google for special hotkeys for your device.

Yes, you can download the TWS for BlackBerry application by linking your BlackBerry to the IB web site and using the BlackBerry Desktop Manager which you can download from the BlackBerry web site.

1. Download BlackBerry Desktop Manager to your PC.

2. Connect your BlackBerry to your PC.

3. Get the appropriate .zip file for your device type (below) and extract bbTws.cod and bbTws.alx into the same directory:

• For non-touch devices, go to http://download.interactivebrokers.com/bbtws/bbTws.zip
• For touch devices, go to http://download.interactivebrokers.com/bbtws/touch/bbTws.zip

4. Point the BlackBerry Desktop Manager to bbTws.alx to install the actual application, bbTws.cod.

If your problem has not been solved, please email bbTWS@interactivebrokers.com with a detailed description of the issue you are having, including:

• bbTWS {problem statement}in the subject line, for example: bbTWS connection problem.
• Your TWS account number or user id, if applicable.
• The version of your BlackBerry and the carrier.

The mobileTWS login does not support passwords longer than eight characters. If your password is longer, please enter only the first eight characters. Or, reset your TWS password to eight characters or less through Account Management. To reset your password, log into Account Management on the IB web site. Under the User Management section, select Password.

When you log in to your mobileTWS application, all other TWS sessions will automatically be logged out. In a case where you are logged into TWS and lose your internet connection, you do not have to wait for TWS to time out; when you log into mobileTWS the existing session is logged out. Note that mobileTWS provides more limited trading capabilities than the full internet version of TWS.

Several account types are not yet supported in mobileTWS, including institutional accounts, G-accounts (guaranteed dollars) and OATS-reportable accounts. If you have any of these account configurations you will not be able to trade your IB account through the mobileTWS application.

Yes. From the Text Message page of the alert, enter the email address where you would like the alert sent. This address will be used going forward for all alerts unless it is deleted or changed. If you do not enter an email address, your alert will be sent as a text to your mobile device.

Please submit your request to IB via the mobileTWS platform-specific section of the New Features Poll for consideration.

The current version of mobileTWS supports the following:

• Order Types: Limit, Market, Relative, Stop, Trailing Stop, Stop Limit
• Times in Force: Day, Good Till Cancelled (GTC), Outside Regular Trader Hours (outside RTH)
• Products: Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Forex, Futures Options, CFDs, Warrants

We use your phone information for the following reasons:

• To associate free Alerts with the user, so when you open free alerts you will see the alerts you created in a previous session.
• To route you to the geographically closest servers (we have servers on three continents).
• To pre-populate the default email address with email to the SMS gateway. This currently applies only to AT&T and Verizon phones.

You may be behind a corporate firewall. Please open port 4000 for unproxied TCP/IP communication from your device.

For the iPad:

1. Open the App Store.
2. In the Search field enter mobileTWS and click Search.
3. Click the application description to install the app to your iPad.

For the iPhone/iPod Touch:

1. Open the App Store.
2. Tap the Search tab, enter iTWS and tap Search.
3. Tap the description, and from the description page tap the Free icon. It becomes the Install icon.
4. Tap Install to install the app to your iPhone/iPod Touch.

Use the Search facility, which you bring up by hitting the round "Home" button. Hit Home once if you're on your home screen, or twice if you're currently not on your Home screen. Enter "mobileTWS" and hit Search.

If the application is still not found, reboot your device by holding down the Home and power buttons together until the device shuts down. Then hold the power button to re-power the device.

In some cases, the application can get "stuck" in a state where it's only half installed. Try going to the app store and re-installing.

If you still cannot get the mobileTWS app, please call Apple support for assistance.

When you log in to your mobileTWS application, all other TWS sessions will automatically be logged out. In a case where you are logged into TWS and lose your internet connection, you do not have to wait for TWS to time out; when you log into mobileTWS the existing session is logged out. Note that mobileTWS provides more limited trading capabilities than the full internet version of TWS.

Several account types are not yet supported in mobileTWS, including institutional accounts, G-accounts (guaranteed dollars) and OATS-reportable accounts. If you have any of these account configurations you will not be able to trade your IB account through the mobileTWS application.

Yes. From the Text Message page of the alert, enter the email address where you would like the alert sent. This address will be used going forward for all alerts unless it is deleted or changed. If you do not enter an email address, your alert will be sent as a text to your mobile device.

Please submit your request to IB via the mobileTWS platform-specific section of the New Features Poll for consideration.

The current version of mobileTWS supports the following:

• Order Types: Limit, Market, Relative, Stop, Trailing Stop, Stop Limit
• Times in Force: Day, Good Till Cancelled (GTC), Outside Regular Trader Hours (outside RTH)
• Products: Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Forex, Futures Options, CFDs, Warrants

We use your phone information for the following reasons:

• To associate free Alerts with the user, so when you open free alerts you will see the alerts you created in a previous session.
• To route you to the geographically closest servers (we have servers on three continents).
• To pre-populate the default email address with email to the SMS gateway. This currently applies only to AT&T and Verizon phones.

You may be behind a corporate firewall. Please open port 4000 for unproxied TCP/IP communication from your device.

1. Specify the access point priority using Control Panel>Settings>Connection>Destinations. Check that Wi-Fi is set as the access point for internet, and add it if necessary. Set the priority of the Wi-Fi access point ABOVE that of GPRS. Restart mobileTWS to verify connection.

If this fails, please proceed to step 2.

2. Modify the default access point for mobileTWS from Control Panel>Data Manager>App Manager. Select mobileTWS>Settings. Specify WLAN access point as the default for this application. Restart mobileTWS and verify connection.

By default, if you switch applications without logging out of TWS, the application will continue to run in the background for approximately 20 minutes. This allows you to return to TWS without having to log back in. After 20 minutes of inactivity, you are automatically logged out.

If you prefer NOT to have TWS running in the background for security reasons, go to the Configuration screen and check Auto Exit. When checked, you will automatically be logged out of TWS when you switch to another application.

The installation zip field for download from your PC can be accessed using the link: http://download.interactivebrokers.com/mtws/mobileTWS.zip

If customer service has requested that you upload your log file, please follow the steps below:

1. Launch mobileTWS.
2. At the login screen, press #*1606. This will give you a prompt to upload the log files to our server. Note that this entry will upload the files from any screen in the application; you don't have to be at the login screen.
3. In the text field, please provide a brief description of the problem and include the trouble ticker number you received from customer service.

In cases where you are unable to upload your log file using the above procedure you can view, copy and email the file manually. Simply locate the log file in Configuration, copy the file and email it to mTWS@interactivebrokers.com

If your problem has not been solved, please email mTWS@interactivebrokers.com with a detailed description of the issue you are having, including the following information:

• Problem statement in the subject line, for example:"Unable to communicate with server" message
• Mode of connection (Wi-Fi or Cellular).
• The device and version you are using.

The mobileTWS login does not support passwords longer than eight characters. If your password is longer, please enter only the first eight characters. Or, reset your TWS password to eight characters or less through Account Management. To reset your password, log into Account Management on the IB web site. Under the User Management section, select Password.

When you log in to your mobileTWS application, all other TWS sessions will automatically be logged out. In a case where you are logged into TWS and lose your internet connection, you do not have to wait for TWS to time out; when you log into mobileTWS the existing session is logged out. Note that mobileTWS provides more limited trading capabilities than the full internet version of TWS.

Several account types are not yet supported in mobileTWS, including institutional accounts, G-accounts (guaranteed dollars) and OATS-reportable accounts. If you have any of these account configurations you will not be able to trade your IB account through the mobileTWS application.

Yes. From the Text Message page of the alert, enter the email address where you would like the alert sent. This address will be used going forward for all alerts unless it is deleted or changed. If you do not enter an email address, your alert will be sent as a text to your mobile device.

Please submit your request to IB via the mobileTWS platform-specific section of the New Features Poll for consideration.

The current version of mobileTWS supports the following:

• Order Types: Limit, Market, Relative, Stop, Trailing Stop, Stop Limit
• Times in Force: Day, Good Till Cancelled (GTC), Outside Regular Trader Hours (outside RTH)
• Products: Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Forex, Futures Options, CFDs, Warrants

We use your phone information for the following reasons:

• To associate free Alerts with the user, so when you open free alerts you will see the alerts you created in a previous session.
• To route you to the geographically closest servers (we have servers on three continents).
• To pre-populate the default email address with email to the SMS gateway. This currently applies only to AT&T and Verizon phones.

You may be behind a corporate firewall. Please open port 4000 for unproxied TCP/IP communication from your device.

If you're having trouble logging into your MobileTrader account, or performing a specific trading action, log out and try the same action with another of IB's trading platforms such as TWS or WebTrader. This will help you better describe your problem when you speak with customer service.

The protocols used with MobileTrader are the same as those for any basic web browser. You can log in and try to perform the same functions using Firefox or Internet Explorer.

Mobile devices have a limited number of settings, but you could try the following:

• Clear the browser cache (this empties all stored pages).
• Clear the cookies (empties session properties).
• Ensure that https (secure web) is supported.

Check with your service provider. A local store with an in-house technician may be the best source of information since they deal with customer issues on a daily basis. Call the store and ask to speak to a technician - they may be able to resolve your issue over the phone.

FINRA and the NYSE define a Pattern Day Trader (PDT) as one who effects four or more day trades (same day opening and closing of a given equity security ("stock") or equity option) within a five business day period.

Note that Futures contracts and Futures Options are not included in the SEC Day Trade rule.

A potential pattern day trader error message means that an account has less than the SEC required $25,000 minimum Net Liquidation Value AND the number of available day trades (3) has already been used within the last five days.

The IB system is programmed to prohibit any further trades to be initiated in the account, regardless of the intent to day trade that position or not. The IB system is programmed to protect the accounts with less than $25,000 so the account would not “potentially” be flagged as a day trading account.

If an account receives the error message “potential pattern day trader”, there is no PDT flag to remove. The account holder will need to wait for the five-day period to end before any new positions can be initiated in the account.

The customer has the following options:

A. Deposit funds to bring the account’s equity up to the SEC required minimum of $25,000
B. Wait the required 90 day period before any new positions can be initiated
C. Request a PDT account reset

If the intraday situation occurs, the customer will immediately be prohibited from initiating any new positions. Customers should be able to close any existing positions in his account, but will not be allowed to initiate any new positions.

The customer will have the same options listed above, however, if at any time the Net Liquidation Value figure goes back above the threshold amount ($25,000), then the account will once again have unlimited day trades available.

FINRA has provided brokerage firms the ability to remove the PDT flag from a customer’s account once every 180 days. If an account was erroneously flagged, and the customer’s intent is not to day trade in his/her account, IB has the ability to remove this flag. Once the PDT flag is removed, the customer will then be allowed three day trades every five business days. If an account gets re-flagged as a PDT account within 180 days after the reset, the customer then has the following options:

A. Deposit funds to bring the account’s equity up to the SEC required minimum of $25,000
B. Wait the required 90 day period before any new positions can be initiated

FINRA and the NYSE define a Pattern Day Trader (PDT) as one who effects 4 or more day trades (same day purchase and sale of a given equity security ("stock") or equity option) within a five-day period, and NYSE and FINRA rules place certain restrictions on those who are deemed to be pattern day traders. If an Interactive Brokers ("IB") account effects three (3) day trades involving stocks or equity options within any five (5) day period, IB will require that such account satisfy the minimum Net Liquidation Value requirement of $25,000 before IB will accept the next order to purchase or sell a stock or equity option. Once the account has effected a fourth day trade (in such 5 day period), IB will deem the account to be a PDT account.

Pattern Day Trading regulations allow a broker to remove the PDT designation if the client acknowledges that she/he does not intend to engage in day trading strategies, and requests that the PDT designation be removed. If you wish to have the PDT designation for your account removed, provide IB with the following information in a letter using the Customer Service Message Center in Account Management:

1. Provide the following acknowledgements:
• I do not intend to engage in a day trading strategy in my IB account.
• I hereby request that IB no longer designate my account as a "Pattern Day Trading" account under NYSE and FINRA rules.
• I understand that if, following this acknowledgement I engage in Pattern Day Trading, my account will be designated as a "Pattern Day Trading" account, and IB will apply all applicable PDT rules to my account.
2. Log into Account Management, then click the Message Center icon in the upper left corner of the Account Management menu pane. Create a ticket in the Message Center, then paste the aforementioned acknowledgements, your account number, your name, and the statement “I agree” into the ticket form. Submit the ticket to Customer Service.

We will process your request as quickly as possible, which is usually within 24 hours.

For example, if the window reads (0,0,1,2,3), here is how to interpret this information:

If today was Wednesday, the first number within the parenthesis, 0, means that 0-day trades are available on Wednesday. The 2^nd number in the parenthesis, 0, means that no day trades are available on Thursday. The 3^rd number within the parenthesis, 1, means that on Friday 1-day trade is available. The 4^th number within the parenthesis, 2, means that on Monday, if 1-day trade was not used on Friday, and then on Monday, the account would have 2-day trades available. The 5^th number within the parenthesis, 3, means that if no day trades were used on either Friday or Monday, then on Tuesday, the account would have 3-day trades available.

Once all account application materials have been received at IB, the application will be reviewed and a decision will be made to either accept or decline the account. An email will be sent to the applicant informing them of the decision. In addition, you may log into Complete Application to view your latest status.

Yes, to see a list of the available currencies that you can fund and withdraw from your IB account, please see base currencies.

No, IB does not convert funds but IB customers may convert currencies through the IB Forex trading Network (IDEAL). Please see An Introduction to Forex (FX).

Yes. See IB's Internal Funds Transfers page for instructions and details.

The securities portions of your account is insured for up to $30 million regardless of your country of residency. Excess funds in your commodities account are swept into your securities account at the end of each day. Click here for specifics on your insurance protection.

Your self-selected, Professional or Friends and Family financial advisor can request a withdrawal on your behalf, however the advisor can only use the banking instructions which you have created in Account Management.

This information can be reviewed in your account statements, available in Account Management under Report Management -> Activity Statements.

The Automated Customer Account Transfer Service (ACATS) is the National Securities Clearing Corporation's (NSCC) central processing system for the transfer of positions and accounts between brokerage firms that are participants in the NSCC's ACAT program.

The ACAT system would allow you to enter a partial or full transfer request online to move positions and or cash from other ACAT participant firms.

Under normal circumstances, an ACATS transfer should take between four to eight business days. In certain circumstances, such as an attempt to transfer acceptable, no-load mutual fund shares or non-US assets, this process could take longer.

An ACAT can be entered as an initial funding method in an application, but the request will not begin processing until application approval is granted. ACATs can be submitted through the Account Management menu for any existing account.

ACATS transfers are available in Account Management. Select Position Transfers from the Funds Management menu, then select ACATS – US Broker Transfer from the Transfer Method dropdown list. Choose Full or Partial as the type of ACATS transfer, then select the firm from the Source dropdown list. You will need the firm's account number. If you choose Partial as the type of ACATS transfer, you will be prompted to select the assets you want to transfer.

The drop-down list displays Clearing Firms that are participants in the ACATS program. Not all firms are self-clearing. If you do not find your firm on the list, please contact one of their representatives to confirm that they participate in the ACAT system. If yes, ask what firm they clear their transfers through.

Interactive Brokers accepts only products that are available for trading and deemed transferable by the NSCC. Certain products, such as Commodities/Futures, Limited Partnership Units and Restricted Securities are not transferable.

The ACAT system facilitates the transfer of identically titled/typed accounts between participant firms (i.e. John Doe to John Doe, or Jane Doe, Traditional IRA to Jane Doe, Traditional IRA). In certain instances, the delivering firm may make exceptions to validate requests between non-identical titles (i.e. John E. Doe to J. Edward Doe). Contact Funds and Banking at 877-442-2757 for assistance for questions on common acceptable circumstances.

IB receives value on the business day following its processing date for ACH deposits initiated via the IB website. However, an ACH deposit is essentially an electronic check and therefore the originating bank can reverse the transaction and IB’s bank account will be debited, same as a check, because the sender has non-sufficient funds, closed the bank account etc. Therefore, IB has implemented a four-business day hold period to protect itself against these reversals.

IB wishes to keep its commissions as low as possible and therefore it avoids preventable losses. We encourage our customers to send funds via bank check or wire if they require immediate availability of funds.

Once you have received your two credits and debit you can log into Account Management and enter them under Home -> Pending requests or Funds Management -> Transaction History -> Bank Instructions.

IB doesn’t know when customer checks actually clear. IB has a corporate account and our bank credits corporate accounts based on the expected clearing date of the check. IB’s bank uses ABA routing numbers as a proxy to determine how long it will take a check to clear. For example, IB will receive value on a check drawn on a New York bank faster than it will receive value on a check drawn on a California bank.

Check processing speed has improved because of system developments other than Check 21. However, the return check process does not seem to have improved yet. When the maker’s bank receives a check for payment it either provides payment or submits notification to the payee’s bank that it will not honor the check for payment because of non-sufficient funds, closed account etc. IB’s bank receives the notification of a returned check via the Federal Reserve and deducts the funds from IB’s bank account since it originally credited IB based on an estimated funds availability schedule (not when the check actually clears). IB then reverses the funds to its customer’s IB account. There is no set time frame for returned checks and IB has experienced returned checks up to seven business days.

Before IB implemented the seven-business day hold period, it experienced losses from returned checks. IB wishes to keep its commissions as low as possible and therefore it avoids preventable losses. We encourage our customers to send funds via bank check or wire if they require immediate availability of funds.

IB's bank typically posts incoming wires to IB's bank account within a few minutes. There can be bank posting delays if there is a lot of Fedwire activity for that day.

IB retrieves incoming wires to its bank accounts every 15 minutes during business hours and, if there is match to a deposit notification, our system automatically posts the funds to the customer's account. IB posting delays to customers' IB accounts can occur because:

• the customer didn't submit a deposit notification
• the sending bank improperly formatted the wire (and therefore customer identifiers do not appear on IB's bank reports)
• the sending bank misspelled the customer’s name or incorrectly input other customer identifiers so an automatic match to the deposit notification cannot occur
• IB's bank didn’t display the customer identifiers on its bank reporting system (we then ask our bank for additional details on the incoming wire)

If IB can't identify the customer, then IB will return the funds to the sending bank.

Our website recognizes Interactive Brokers ("IB") customers vs Interactive Brokers Canada ("IBC") customers and prevents IB customers from initiating EFT transactions and IBC customers from initiating ACH transactions. The reason why is that the Investment Dealers Association of Canada ("IDA") mandates that IBC customer cash must be deposited to/disbursed from IBC bank accounts so ACH transactions are mapped to IB bank accounts and EFT transactions are mapped to IBC bank accounts.

IB does not accept physical stock certificates.

The initial public offering of IBKR shares was determined by a Dutch auction which resulted in an offering price of $30.01 per share for 40 million shares.

The NASDAQ Global Select Market, a segment of the NASDAQ Global Market, which generally employs the highest initial listing standards of any exchange in the world.

IBKR

Current stock price and volume information (subject to a 20 minute delay) can be found at the following link: http://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/general/about/InvestorRelations.php?ib_entity=llc

Deloitte & Touche LLP

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc., through its consolidated subsidiaries, employed 874 individuals as of December 31, 2011.

Headquarters are located in Greenwich, Connecticut with additional facilities located in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Switzerland, Australia, Hong Kong, Hungary, Russia and Estonia.

December 31.

During the second quarter of 2011, the Company declared and paid a cash dividend of $0.10 per share and has continued this quarterly dividend policy through 2011 and into the first quarter of 2012. Although not required, we currently intend to pay quarterly dividends of $0.10 per share to our common stockholders for the foreseeable future.

No, Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. does not have a direct stock purchase plan. Shares may be purchased through any broker including any of our Interactive Brokers Group, LLC operating subsidiaries. To open an Interactive Brokers account or learn more about our trading platforms, product offerings and rates, please visit us: http://www.interactivebrokers.com.

The transfer agent and registrar for shares of our common stock are:
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
1-800-662-7232
1-781-575-4238 (outside the U.S.)

IBG Investor Relations

An IRA is a tax-deferred retirement account which allows an individual to set aside a certain amount per year with earnings tax-deferred until withdrawals begin at age 59 ½ or later. Only those who do not participate in a pension plan at work or who do participate and meet certain income guidelines can make deductible contributions to an IRA. All others who have (or who files a joint return with a spouse who) received taxable compensation can make contributions to an IRA on a non-deductible basis. This non-deductible type of contribution does not qualify as a deduction against income earned that year, but interest accumulates tax-deferred until the funds are withdrawn.

IB offers a wide range of IRAs, including:

• Traditional
• Traditional Rollover
• Traditional Inherited
• Roth
• Roth Inherited
• Simplified Employee Pension (SEP)
• Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) Inherited

For complete descriptions of all of IB's available IRA accounts, see the IRA Types page.

Remember that in order to take advantage of the tax benefits offered by the Internal Revenue Code for a given year, customers must open and fund their IRAs by April 17 after the close of the tax year.

No. Although IB does not charge an annual custodial fee, or an account termination fee, there is a monthly commission minimum of $10.00 ($3.00 if you are age 25 or under) or the non-USD equivalent.

The minimum deposit required is US $5,000.

A traditional IRA (Individual Retirement Account) is a self-sponsored retirement savings plan. Contributions to an IRA may or may not be tax-deductible depending on your adjusted gross income. Consult your tax advisor to answer questions about your eligibility for tax deductions.

A conduit IRA is a separate IRA (i.e., non-commingled) account established to receive a distribution from a qualified plan having certain characteristics worth preserving. A good example is a rollover from a 403(b) tax-sheltered annuity into an IRA. Such an IRA may not be rolled back into a 403(b) account at a later date if your funds have been commingled with other IRA monies. A conduit IRA preserves the flexibility to roll the monies back into the original plan and take advantage of loans or other features not available in an IRA. There are no special requirements to establish a conduit IRA. It is only necessary to ensure that the monies are not commingled with any other IRA monies.

The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 created the Roth IRA, which allows tax-free withdrawals. Contributions to a Roth IRA are not deductible and the maximum annual contribution is the lesser of 100% of compensation or $5,000 ($6,000 if you are age 50 or older). Non-working spouses may also contribute up to $5,000 ($6,000 if age 50 or older) to a Roth IRA. Taxpayers with joint adjusted gross income under $167,000 (under $105,000 for single taxpayers) may make full Roth IRA contributions. Contributions may be made beyond age 70½ and qualified distributions from a Roth IRA are tax-free, subject to IRS limitations. There are no required minimum distributions on Roth IRAs.

You can convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. The amount that you convert is taxable at ordinary income rates, but the 10% premature distribution penalty tax does not apply.

Holders of existing IRAs must convert to a Roth IRA before transferring to Interactive Brokers.

Yes, you can. But remember that you can only contribute up to $5,000 ($6,000 if you are age 50 or older) per year to any combination of traditional and Roth IRAs that you have. You cannot contribute $5,000 to each. On the other hand, your annual $2,000 contributions to a Coverdell ESA are entirely separate from the $5,000 or $6,000 yearly contribution limit for traditional and Roth IRAs.

A tax-sheltered annuity (TSA), also known as a 403(b) plan is named after a section of the Internal Revenue Code. It is an employer sponsored retirement savings program. Participation is limited by law to employees of public educational organizations and certain nonprofit organizations. The vast majority of participants are teachers in public schools, colleges and universities.

Yes. The IRS does prohibit certain transactions on traditional IRAs. Examples include: borrowing money from your IRA, contributing over your annual limit, rolling funds over from another IRA after the 60-day period has expired, or forgetting to take an annual distribution after you have reached 70 ½. As the IRS penalties on these transactions can be severe, it is best to review your situation with your tax advisor.

Go to the IB home page and select Open an Account for an Individual.

Stocks, covered call writing (covered shares are restricted), buying calls (funds equal to the aggregate exercise value of the long calls are restricted), and buying puts (shares subject to exercise are restricted), selling cash secured puts, spreads securities with European style expiration, long/short futures contracts, and long/short futures options (all combinations). The IB IRA is structured as a Stock Cash Account (if you choose to trade only stocks) or as a Stock Options Level I Account (if you choose to trade options in your IRA). IRAs may also invest in US dollar denominated futures contracts, and future option contracts.

IB IRA account holders benefit from the same low commission rates as other IB customers.

The Delaware Charter Guarantee & Trust Company, doing business as Principal Trust Company, a Company of The Principal Financial Group, will act as the Custodian for all IB IRAs. As Custodian, Principal Trust Company will handle certain functions, including acting as trustee for the retirement plan; maintaining such plans in compliance with applicable federal laws and regulations; maintaining account information, and preparing and filing IRS forms on behalf of Interactive Brokers. Principal Trust Company's address is 1013 Centre Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19805.

You can contribute to a traditional IRA if you have earned income and are under the age of 70 ½. If you are not employed, but have a spouse who is, your spouse may be able to make a contribution on your behalf.

Generally, you can contribute the lesser of $5,000 ($6,000 if you are age 50 or over) and your taxable compensation for the year. This limit is the most that can be contributed to all IRAs, traditional or Roth, for a given year. If you file a joint return you may contribute the lesser of $5,000 ($6,000 if you are age 50 or over) and your combined compensation less your spouse’s IRA contributions.

Review the IRA Contribution Limits page for additional information.

Yes. You can contribute to a Roth IRA or traditional IRA regardless of whether or not you have an employer-sponsored plan. In fact, IRAs are a great way to enhance your savings.

While participation in a retirement plan does not change how much you can contribute to an IRA, it can affect whether or not you're eligible to deduct your contributions to a Traditional IRA on your tax return. But keep in mind that as long as you're under age 70½ and you have earned compensation, you can always make nondeductible contributions to a Traditional IRA and benefit from tax-deferred earnings.

The name says it all, catch-up contributions are specifically designed to help those who are getting closer to retirement catch up on their retirement savings. You're eligible as long as you're at least 50 years old during the year the contribution is for, and of course, as long as you meet the eligibility requirements for traditional or Roth IRAs. Click here for contribution limits.

Eligibility to make Roth IRA contributions are determined by your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI):

MAGI Contribution

To see if you're eligible to make a Roth IRA contribution, consult your tax advisor or see IRS Publication 590.

Yes, provided the contribution does not exceed your earned income for the year and you meet AGI eligibility guidelines.

No, contributions to a Roth IRA are not tax-deductible.

Wire Transfers, or Cash are currently the only available deposit options. Before you contribute or transfer funds, you must fill out an IRA Deposit Form. Click here for instructions on sending funds for IRAs.

Since you deposited after-tax dollars into the Roth IRA, the contributions may be withdrawn at any time.

Your contributions may be completed by your tax filing deadline, including extensions, for a given tax year. On IRS Form 5498, Principal Trust Company will report contributions for the tax year that we receive the deposit.

The election for a prior year contribution is available from January 1 to April 17.

To withdraw funds, complete our Withdrawal Instructions form under Account Management. Customers may request Normal, Early, Early with Exception, Disability, Death, and Excess Contribution Distributions. Please choose the correct Distribution type on Withdrawal Instructions form under Account Management. You will need to also specify the amount of withdrawal and tax withholding instructions.

In general, withdrawing your IRA prior to age 59 ½ means you'll have to pay a 10% early withdrawal penalty. You may avoid the penalty if you're withdrawing because of:

• First time home purchase ($10,000 lifetime limit)
• Qualified education expenses
• Substantially Equal Periodic Payments
• To pay for health insurance premiums if you receive unemployment benefits for more than 12 consecutive weeks
• Medical Expenses in excess of 7.5% of your AGI (Adjusted Gross Income)
• Death
• Disability
• IRS Levy

Please speak to your tax advisor prior to taking a distribution to determine whether the 10% early withdrawal penalty will apply.

Yes. If your account balance is sent directly by the plan administrator to another qualified plan or to an IRA trustee/custodian on your behalf, the 20% withholding tax requirement does not apply. However, if you do not request a direct rollover of your distribution, 20% will be withheld for federal income taxes.

When may I withdraw my Roth IRA earnings income tax free?
Roth IRA earnings may be withdrawn tax-free if your Roth IRA has been established for at least five years and one of the following apply:

• Age 59 ½
• Disability
• Death
• First time home purchase ($10,000 lifetime limit)

You're not required to take distributions from a Roth IRA as long as you live. You can allow your money to grow in a Roth IRA free of current taxes for as long as you choose.

In a traditional IRA, you are required by law to begin taking distributions from your IRA in the year you reach age 70½. The amount of the distribution is based on your age and the value of your account. Internal Revenue Service Publication 590 provides the information to calculate the minimum distribution. Required minimum distributions must start no later than April 1 of the year following the year in which you attain age 70½. Failure to take the required minimum distribution results in an IRS penalty tax of 50% of the amount that should have been distributed.

Distributions from a traditional IRA are treated as income to you. You will receive an IRS form 1099-R each January summarizing the amount distributed and the taxes withheld, if any. In a Roth IRA, if you take a distribution after the account has been open five years, the distribution will not be included in your income. If taken within the 5-year period, it will be taxable, like a traditional IRA distribution.

An "early" withdrawal is generally one taken before age 59½ in a traditional IRA or within the first five years of a Roth IRA. In addition to the amount added to your income, the IRS may assess an additional 10% penalty. You should consult with your tax advisor regarding the tax consequences.

IB only allows a lump sum distribution payment which can be made on-line.

A direct rollover is a distribution from a qualified retirement plan such as a pension, profit-sharing, Keogh (HR-10), or 403(b) Tax-Sheltered Annuity program, which is sent on your behalf directly to a new trustee/custodian. A direct IRA rollover can be accomplished by asking the administrator of your qualified plan to make the distribution directly to the new trustee/custodian. Only one direct rollover from an IRA account to another IRA account is permitted in any one-year period. Values distributed from a qualified retirement plan, which are not directly rolled over into an eligible qualified plan or IRA are subject to a 20% federal withholding tax.

You may move IRA assets from an IRA or qualified plan through a transfer or a rollover. A direct transfer of cash or assets from an IRA or qualified plan to new IB IRA account is generally tax-free and does not constitute a rollover. A rollover is a tax-free distribution of cash or assets from an IRA or qualified plan that you contribute to a new IB IRA account within a 60 day period to complete the rollover transaction. While the rules for rollovers and transfers differ, they accomplish similar objectives. Both rollovers and transfers facilitate the tax-free movement of IRA monies from one trustee or custodian to another.

One kind of IRA rollover involves moving monies from an existing IRA account to another IRA account, and another requires a distribution from a qualified pension, profit-sharing, or 403(b) tax-sheltered annuity plan. In either case, you have 60 days in which to complete the rollover. One IRA rollover per 12 calendar months is permitted.

Yes. A rollover takes place when the IRA funds are paid directly to you and re-deposited (roll-over) into an IRA within 60 calendar days of receipt. The 60-day period begins the day after you receive the payment. A rollover transaction from an IRA may not occur more than once during a 12-month period. This 12-month rule applies to each separate IRA you own and is determined from the date the IRA funds are received. (The 12-month limitation does not apply if the funds are transferred directly from one financial organization into another or if they are rolled over or directly rolled over from a Qualified Plan into an IRA).

Open an IB Rollover IRA and in the funding section a letter will be created that informs your benefits administrator that you would like to directly roll over your distribution into your IB Rollover IRA account. You will have to sign a form authorizing the move. Next, your employer will transfer your payout to your IB IRA account, or they will provide you with a check made out to IB. If the latter is the case, once you receive the check you should deposit it immediately into your IB Rollover IRA. The deposit must be within the time frame permitted under the Internal Revenue Code.

Interactive Brokers Automated Customer Account Transfer Service (ACATS) is the National Securities Clearing Corporation's (NSCC) central processing system for the transfer of positions and accounts between brokerage firms that are participants of the NSCC's ACATS program. The NSCC's ACATS system enables your broker to enter, review, and settle account transfers in a fully automated system. A request for an Automated Customer Account Transfer (ACAT) of assets must be sent to the receiving broker. Your IB account must be opened and approved before you begin the ACAT.

Under normal circumstances, an ACAT should take between four to eight business days. With some circumstances, such as an attempt to transfer unsettled funds, positions that are not paid in full, or restricted stock shares, this process could take longer. The ACAT feature is available under Account Management. Choose Deposit Instructions from the customer menu. You will be prompted to select the firm and account number at the firm.

In most cases, there is no limit on the amount you may transfer or roll over into an IRA. You are simply moving the money from one type of retirement plan to another. You may transfer or roll over your IRA regardless of your age. However, if you are 70½ or older, you must receive a minimum required distribution from your IRA each year. This should be taken into account in planning your rollover.

Limits do apply to multiple rollover transactions. You may receive an IRA distribution and roll the funds into another IRA once during a twelve-month period. This rule applies to each IRA separately and begins on the date funds are received.

You must perform this conversion before you transfer your IRA to IB.

No.

Yes! Balances in a government 457(b) deferred compensation plans are eligible to roll into an IRA.

If you are self-employed and have set up your own self-directed retirement plan that offers investing flexibility, and have an independent administration firm which neither limits investment choices nor gives investment advice, this plan can be transferred into a retirement trust at IB through a Direct Rollover.

Yes, IB supports internal funds transfers for accounts with a matching Account Type, Account Title, and tax ID. Requests may be submitted on the Funds Transfers page in Account Management/Funds Management. For additional information, see Internal Funds Transfer.

IB will lend your fully-paid, US stocks only.

Rates are only published by the industry after the stock loan is made. There is no transparent market for rates and the estimate is based on the yesterday's rates in total.

None. Your ability to borrow is still based on your stock position.

Yes it shows up as Collateral Amount in these three new sections of your account statement: IB Managed Securities Lent, IB Managed Securities Lent Activity and IB Managed Securities Lent Fee Details.

Yes, they are marked to market nightly.

Yes, IB will automatically terminate the loan when the stock is sold, typically on T+1. You don't have to do anything differently.

You can sell the entire amount if you want. There is no difference in how you trade based on whether or not the shares are lent.

If the stock is fully paid, it will benefit you the same whether or not it has call options written against it.

The same US Tax withholding rates for non –resident aliens applies for both dividends and payments in lieu. In general the rate is 30%, however a lower rate may be applicable if there is a tax treaty between your resident country and the US.

No, the Stock Yield Enhancement Program is not available to our IRA account customers.

No, the Stock Yield Enhancement Program is not available to Canadian customers.

B: The basis shown in box 3 of Form 1099-B is incorrect. For example a wash sale is unreported on Form 1099-B, because the original purchase was a noncovered security and the replacement purchase is a covered security. The basis reported on Form 1099-B for the covered security will not include the disallowed loss from the sale of the noncovered security.

O: The proceeds shown in box 2 of Form 1099-B is incorrect. For example a covered security is delivered upon the exercise of an put option and the put option was purchased prior to 2011.

T: The type of gain or loss (short-term or long-term) shown in box 8 of Form 1099-B is incorrect. For example a wash sale is unreported on Form 1099-B, because the original purchase was a noncovered security and the replacement purchase is a covered security. The covered security is held for one year or less, but the sum of the holding period for the covered security and the holding period for the noncovered security subject to the wash sale disallowance is greater than one year. The gain or loss will be reported as short-term on Form 1099-B, but the transaction will be reported on Part II (Long-Term)of the Form 8949 Worksheet with Code T in column B.

W: You have a nondeductible loss from a wash sale.

Gain or loss may equal the proceeds (column e) less cost or other basis (column f) plus adjustments (column g).

However, the Form 8949 Worksheet is provided for information purposes as an accommodation for clients of Interactive Brokers. It is not intended to constitute tax advice. It may or may not represent amounts reportable by you for Federal and state income tax purposes. Please review it carefully for errors. Customers should consider all accounts collectively. We recommend that you consult your tax advisor as to the correct reporting of these items on your income tax return.

Forms 1099 are a series of U.S. tax information returns which report income earned such as interest, dividends, proceeds from securities and commodities sale transactions, and other reportable payments posted to your account during a calendar year. These reports, which are supplied to the IRS, provide information, which should be used in preparing your tax return. For example, dividends and interest, are reported on IRS Form 1040, "U.S. Individual Income Tax Return", Schedule B. Sales transactions are to be reported on IRS Form 1040, "U.S. Individual Income Tax Return", Schedule D.

Information on reporting gains and losses, including determining the cost basis can be obtained by reading IRS Publications 544, "Sales and Other Dispositions of Assets", and 551, "Basis of Assets". We recommend you consult your tax professional with specific questions.

All of the IRS forms and publications referenced above are available on line at www.IRS.gov/formspubs.

If you are a U.S. citizen, green card holder, or legal resident, you will be provided with one or more consolidated Forms 1099 which contain one or more of the Forms 1099 listed below based upon the activity which has taken place within your account over the calendar year:

IB issues Forms 1099 by account and income type; therefore, if you have both a securities and commodities account you may receive 1099s, for each account. Each 1099 will contain information showing interest earned, dividends received, substitute payments, securities/futures transactions, and tax withheld, if any, depending on the 1099. Specifically, IB issues consolidated forms 1099 that contain the following types of 1099s:

Form 1099-INT: "Interest Income", reports interest income earned in your account including cash balance interest. Box 1 contains interest income, exclusive of U.S. savings bond and U.S. Treasury obligations interest. Interest from U.S. savings bonds and US Treasury obligations is reported in Box 3. If the IRS has notified us that backup income tax must be withheld on interest income in your account, this amount will be reported in Box 4.

Margin interest paid by you is not reported to the IRS. This amount appears on your year-end statement. Please consult your tax advisor to determine the tax treatment of these payments.

Form 1099–OID: “Original Issue Discount”, reports the amortization of bond interest on discounted bonds which is taxable annually. OID is the excess of an obligation’s stated redemption price at maturity over its issue price. OID is taxable as interest over the life of the obligation. If you hold an OID obligation, generally you must include an amount of OID in your gross income each year you hold the obligation. Obligations that may have OID include bonds, debentures, notes, certificates and other evidence of indebtedness with terms of more than one year.

Box 1 contains the OID on obligations for the part of the year you owned them. Report the amount in Box 1 as interest income on Schedule B of your tax return. However, depending on the type of debt instrument, the issue or acquisition date, and other factors, you may have to figure the correct amount of OID to report on your return. See IRS Publication 1212, Guide to Original Issue Discount (OID) Instruments, for details on how to figure the correct OID. Box 2 contains other interest on OID obligations for the year, which is an amount separate from the OID. If you held the obligation the entire year, report this amount as interest income on Schedule B of your tax return. If you disposed of the obligation or acquired it from another holder during the year, see IRS Publication 550 for reporting instructions. Box 3 shows interest or principal forfeited if you withdrew the money before the maturity date of the obligation. If the IRS has notified us that backup income tax must be withheld on interest income in your account, this amount will be reported in Box 4. Box 6 shows OID on a US Treasury obligations for the part of the year you owned them. Report this amount as interest income on your federal income tax return and see IRS Publication 1212 to figure any appropriate adjustments to this amount. This OID is exempt from state and local income taxes and is NOT included in Box 1.

Form 1099-DIV: "Dividend Income", reports the total dividend payments credited to your securities account for the calendar year as "Ordinary Dividends" in Box 1a. Box 1b, "Qualified Dividends", are dividends, which are included in Box 1a that MAY be eligible for reduced dividend tax rates. IB does not determine if the payments included in Box 1b have met the requirements for the lower tax rates to apply. IB only determines that they are payments which may be eligible for the lower tax rates. Please consult your tax advisor, see the Form 1040/1040A instructions, or IRS Publication 550 to determine the appropriate status of these payments. Box 2a “Total Capital Gain Distributions”, reports long-term capital gain distributions from mutual and exchange traded funds. Box 6, "Foreign Tax Withheld", is foreign withholding tax that has been withheld at the source related to dividends paid on American Depository Receipts (ADRs) or on foreign ordinary shares trading in the U.S. The country to which the tax was paid is listed in Box 7. If the IRS notified us that backup income tax must be withheld on dividends paid to your account, this amount will be reported in Box 4.

Dividends that were debited due to short positions are not reported to the IRS. Payments in lieu of dividend paid to you are reported on Form 1099-MISC. These amounts appear on your year end statement. Please consult your tax advisor to determine the tax treatment of these payments.

Form 1099-B: “Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange”, reports all proceeds received from SELL trades of securities (including short sales). This includes sell trades resulting from the exercise or assignment of stock options. Form 1099-B does not reflect capital gains or profit and/or loss. It is the customer’s responsibility to calculate gain or loss. Commissions have been deducted from the trade proceeds reported on the 1099B. If back-up withholding has been applied to your account, it has been reported to you in Box 4.

Form 1099-B also reports profit or loss from regulated futures contracts in Boxes 10 an 13. This includes profit or loss from non-equity options and to reign currency contracts trading. Only the aggregate profit or loss is reported by IB.

Single stock futures are not considered to be regulated futures contracts and therefore transactions of these financial instruments are not included. These amounts appear on your year-end statement. Please consult your tax advisor to determine the tax treatment of these payments.

Form 1099-MISC: "Miscellaneous Income", reports gross fee income paid to advisors and gross commissions paid to introducing brokers in Box 7. Box 8 reports substitute payments in lieu of dividends and interest. If we were notified by the IRS that back up withholding was required on your account, tax withheld is reported in Box 4.

You also may receive Form 1099-R: “Distributions from Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc.”, reports distributions made to you from your retirement accounts, including an IRA, Roth IRA, IRA Simple, or Keogh Plan. These 1099’s are issued to you directly by Principal Trust Company, the administrative manager of all IBG retirement related plans.

By February 15, your consolidated Forms 1099 will be available for the immediately preceding year. We often need to correct 1099 forms as information becomes available to us. We strongly recommend that you periodically check back for revisions as you prepare and finalize your tax filing.

All 1099 forms, with the exception of the 1099-R and 1099-Q, are available in electronic format accessible at http://www.interactivebrokers.com under Account Management/Report Management. Forms 1099-R and 1099-Q, if applicable, will be sent to you directly from Principal Trust Company, the retirement account trustee, via mail. We recommend that you also print your year–end statement for reference and detail of items which are not reported to the IRS, but which may be necessary to prepare your tax return.

Contact our Customer Service Department, and advise the service agent that you are not able to log into the Account Management Menu.

1. If you have your username, we will ask a series of security questions for identity verification, once the information has been verified. Our customer service department will establish a temporary password in order for you to gain access.
2. If you do not have your username, we will require you to send additional information to our new accounts department in order to verify your identity. Please be advised that this process may require additional processing time to complete the verification process.

First, you must determine from which account you are missing your 1099 form. Separate 1099s are issued for Securities and Commodities accounts. Retirement account and educational savings account 1099s are sent to you by mail, if applicable. If you are missing the a Form 1099, verify that you sold shares of stock during the previous tax year for equities or that you bought or sold futures contracts during that same period or that you received an interest (including interest on free cash) or dividend payment in an account. Once you have reviewed your account activity from the previous tax year, and, you have determined that you should have received a 1099 for an account, please contact our customer service department with specific details of transactions, including the name of the security, number of shares/contracts, and the trade date. We will research the issue and will advise you once we have concluded our investigation.

Gross proceeds, alone, are not indicative of whether an overall gain or loss was realized from a securities transaction. Gross proceeds report only the sale or maturity of a capital asset, which is reportable to the IRS. The gain or loss for any given transaction is a function of the sales proceeds, the purchase price and allowable transaction costs. Please refer to IRS Publication 550 (on line at IRS.gov) for further guidance. Information relating to each of these items, on an individual transaction basis, is available from the both the monthly and annual confirmation statements located in the Statements and Downloads section of your Account Management Menu. We have formatted the monthly confirmation statements in MS Money and Quicken, or you can use an Excel Spreadsheet to help with your calculations. If you have trouble with downloading your statements, please contact the Technical Assistance Center at 1-877-442-2757, and press 4.

For certain securities purchased after 2010 we will report tax basis information on Form 1099-B.

Interactive Brokers cannot provide any assistance in determining transaction gains or losses due to the numerous and often taxpayer specific considerations involved. Please consult with your tax advisor for guidance in this area.

It is the actual aggregate profit or loss recognized over the course of the year from transactions in commodity futures and regulated futures contracts which have been closed, reached final settlement or, in the case of options, expired.

The gross proceeds balance is net of commissions.

No. The proceeds (premium) received from the sale of put and call options are not required to be reported. However, proceeds associated with option exercises and assignments will be reflected in gross proceeds on the 1099-B. Please consult your tax professional for more information.

Yes. Proceeds relating to the securities short sales are included regardless of whether the securities have been subsequently purchased.

Yes. As proceeds are reported on a trade date basis a sale is reportable in the year it is executed not settled. In the case of bond sales which take place in December but which do not settle until the following year, the sale proceeds will be reported in the year of the trade, and accrued interest, if any, will be reported included in the following year’s 1099-INT, when the funds are received in your account.

If you receive a Form 1099 that includes income attributable to other taxpayers under other Taxpayer Identification Numbers, you will need to follow the IRS instructions for "Nominees." Please refer to the 2007 Instructions for Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, Schedule B, Interest and Ordinary Dividends or to IRS Publication 550, "Investment Income and Expenses", for more information. IRS forms, instructions and publications can be obtained free of charge on line at www.IRS.gov or by calling the IRS at 800.829.3676 (800/TAX FORM).

Generally, individual investors will need to report Form 1099-DIV information on IRS Form 1040, "U.S. Individual Income Tax Return". Depending on the type of information reported on your Form 1099-DIV, you may need to include with Form 1040 additional forms such as Schedule B, "Interest and Ordinary Dividends" Schedule D, "Capital Gains and Losses", and/or Form 1116, "Foreign Tax Credit". All IRS forms are available free of charge on line at www.IRS.gov/formspubs or by calling the IRS at 800.829.3676 (800/TAX FORM).

Yes, IB sends an electronic file to the IRS with same information that was provided to you by IB on Forms 1099.

You may find more information on our website by clicking here on Tax Instructions. In addition, each tax form contains instructions provided by the IRS.

If you are not a U.S. citizen or legal resident, you will not receive a 1099 form. However, you may receive Form 1042-S. Form 1042-S reports interest payments, dividends, and payment in lieu income as well as any applicable U.S. Tax withholding, thereon, from US Securities paid to foreign investors.

Inquiries regarding the accuracy of any U.S. (Form 1099, 1042 or 5498) or Canadian (Form T3, T5, T5008 or RL-3) tax form or a taxpayer identification number should be submitted via the IB Tax Correction Form available through login to Account Management and by selecting Inquiry/Problem Ticket and then Tax Correction Form. This form allows you to identify the tax forms and line items in question and provide descriptive detail as to the necessary corrections.

The IRS requires us to report all assets received by an individual from an account due to death or divorce. Please consult your tax advisor concerning these amounts.

This is called a direct rollover. Your employer is required to report assets leaving the employer’s plan on Form 1099-R. Box 7 indicated the type of distribution occurred. Common distribution codes are:

1 Early Distribution, no known exception
2 Early Distribution, exception applies
3 Disability
4 Death
7 Normal Distribution
G Direct rollover
Q Qualified distribution from a Roth IRA
T Roth IRA distribution, exception applies

The successor trustee (receiver of assets in a rollover) is required to report the contribution (receipt) of the same assets to the IRS on Form 5498.

A rollover occurs when money is distributed from one tax-deferred account and deposited within 60 days to another tax deferred account. There are two types of IRA rollovers: 1) a direct rollover, which occurs when fund are transferred directly from one account to another account by the account custodians/trustees, and 2) a distribution is made directly to you and within 60 days you deposit the full amount (including any taxes withheld) into a new IRA or other tax deferred account. The custodian/trustee distributing the funds will issue you a 1099-R reporting the payment/transfer of funds. The code in Box 7 (listed above) indicates what type of payment was made. The custodian/ trustee receiving the IRA funds will issue a Form 5498 in May reporting the contribution to the receiving IRA account which reports to the IRS that you deposited the money into another IRA.

The IRS requires that we report the full amount of your IRA distribution in Box 1 (Gross distribution). In Box 2a (Taxable amount), we also report the full amount distributed unless you have directly rolled (transferred account to account) your funds to another IRA custodian/trustee. If funds are distributed directly to you we cannot determine the taxable amount, since we do not know whether you have made any non-deductible (after-tax) contributions to this IRA account. Box 2b is checked to indicate that we have not determined the taxable amount. Please consult your tax advisor to determine if you have made non-deductible (after-tax) contribution to your IRA account, which may lower your taxable amount.

We are required to apply 20% withholding tax from IRA distributions, unless your IRA rollover is sent directly account to account. Box 4 of the 1099-R reports any withheld taxes. Please note that for any tax deferred account rollover on which taxes have been withheld, the full amount (including the taxes) must be re-deposited into a tax-deferred account within 60 days for the transaction to be income tax free.

Form 2439, "Notice to Shareholder of Undistributed Long–Term Capital Gains", reports to owners of Regulated Investment Companies (RICs) and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) undistributed capital gains allocable to them. A separate form 2439 will be issued for each investment. These forms will be issued 90 days following the fiscal year end of the RIC or REIT. Note that some RICs and REITs do not have calendar fiscal years, it is best to consult the website of the investment or your tax advisor for specific guidance in this area.

Box 1a reports total undistributed long-term capital gains attributable to your ownership of the fund, for individuals this amount is reported on your IRS Form 1040, US Individual Income Tax Return, Schedule D, Capital Gains and Losses. Box 1b is your allocable portion of the amount included in Box 1a that has been designation as unrecaptured section 1250 gain from the disposition of depreciable real property. For individuals, this amount is entered on your IRS Form 1040, US Individual Income Tax Return, Schedule D, Capital Gains and Losses, worksheet. Box 2 contains any Federal Income tax paid by the RIC or REIT on this gain in your behalf.

Form 5498,"IRA, and Coverdell ESA Contribution Information", is an information form used to report contributions and rollovers to Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, and SIMPLE IRAs for which Principal Trust Company is custodian. As contributions to these types of tax deferred accounts for the prior year may be made up to the tax filing deadline of April 17, the IRS has established May 31 as the deadline for providing Form 5498.

You will have to file an amended tax return that includes the applicable information as reported on Form 1099. As the IRS verifies the information on your tax returns with the 1099s received from banks, brokers and other sources, you may receive a notice from the IRS indicating that your return was filed without the omitted information . Consult your tax or legal advisor for further information.

You will have to file an amended tax return to report the information as reported on the corrected Form 1099. As the IRS verifies the information on your tax returns with the 1099s received from banks, brokers and other sources, you may receive a notice from the IRS indicating that your return was filed using incorrect information. Consult your tax or legal advisor for further information.

To request federal tax forms, call 800.829.3676 (800/TAX-FORM), or visit: http://www.irs.gov/formspubs. To ask specific questions concerning US individual tax returns call 800.829.1040. For US business return questions, call 800.829.4933.

Interest is income earned on cash balances, bonds, notes and some preferred securities. Some distributions called dividends are actually interest and should be reported as such. Earnings on money market funds are dividends, not interest.

Interest from U.S. Obligations such as interest on US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds issued by any agency or instrumentality of the United States is subject to federal income tax. Interest from U.S. Obligations is not subject to state or local income tax.

Interest on U.S. Treasury Bills is the difference between the discounted price you paid for the purchase of the bill and the value you received at sale or maturity. This amount should be reported as interest on your federal income tax return. Generally, all other U.S. Government obligations pay interest semi annually.

US Government interest is reported separately for state reporting purposes.

OID is the excess of an obligation’s stated redemption price at maturity over its issue price. OID is amortized over the life of the security, recognizing a portion of the discount annually as taxable interest.

Dividends are paid by corporations, mutual funds, money market funds, and other entities such as REITs. Ordinary dividends include payments from foreign securities such as ADRs and foreign companies and net short-term gains from mutual funds. Dividends that have been reinvested are also included in this amount.

Qualified Dividends are distributions which meet the criteria to be subject to a beneficial federal tax rate. In general, qualified dividends are distributions received from U.S. Domestic corporations or qualified foreign corporations where you have owned the investment for more than 61 days before or after the ex dividend date. IRS Publication 550 “Investment Income and Expenses” available free on line at www.IRS.gov and/or your tax professional can assist in determining if your dividends are eligible for the beneficial rate.

Long–term capital gain distributions from mutual and exchange traded funds are reported on your Form 1099-DIV in Box 2a.

These gains are reported on Form 2439 in Box 1a. There may be tax paid on your behalf by the RIC or REIT, this tax is reported to you on Form 2439 in Box 2.

Substitute payments, such as dividends on securities that you have loaned to others are reported in Box 8 on Form 1099-MISC.

A distribution paid to fund shareholders in excess of a fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits is a return of capital (ROC) distribution. A ROC distribution is generally nontaxable and reduces a shareholder's cost basis in the investment. If a ROC distribution exceeds a shareholder's cost basis, then any additional amount is treated as a capital gain.

For example: A shareholder buys 1 share of Fund A for $10. In 2003, Fund A pays a $1 per share ROC distribution. The shareholder's cost basis in Fund A after the ROC distribution is $9 per share ($10 initial investment less $1 ROC distribution).

IB will report ROC distributions to shareholders as nontaxable distributions on Form 1099-DIV, "Dividends and Distributions". Please note that this information is often not available until after the initial 1099 forms are made available to you. Once the information is available IB will issue corrected 1099s to you. We suggest that you check your tax forms in Account Management – Tax Forms prior to filing your return to verify that you have used up to date information.

Foreign taxes are withheld on foreign stocks even though the shares are trades and were purchased on a U.S. stock exchange. They are withheld at the source (company) level and remitted to the foreign government, much like U.S. withholding taxes. U.S. taxpayers may receive a tax credit for these foreign taxes on their U.S. Tax returns. IRS Publication 514 “ Foreign Tax Credit for Individuals” can provide more information on this topic. We also suggest that you consult your tax professional for further information on this subject.

Treatment of foreign tax withheld as a foreign tax credit or as a deduction depends upon the tax situation of each shareholder. IRS Publication 514, “Foreign Tax Credit for Individuals” and the instructions for Schedule A “Itemized Deductions” and Form 1116 “Foreign Tax Credit” provide more specific guidance. We also recommend that you consult IRS Publication 514, “Foreign Tax Credit for Individuals”, for additional information on this subject. Please consult your tax professional for any additional information and determination of the appropriate treatment for your tax situation.

Assets held for investment purposes such as stocks, options and bonds are classified by the IRS as capital assets. When such assets are sold a capital gain or loss is realized on the sale. If the capital asset is sold for a price greater than its purchase price, then a capital gain has been realized; if less, then a capital loss has been realized. In determining whether a capital gain or loss has been realized, adjustments to the purchase and sales price may be allowed to recognize certain transaction costs such as commissions and other specific adjustments.

Proper determination and recognition of capital gain and loss is important as capital gains may be subject to tax rates lower than that for other forms of income. Net capital losses are subject to annual limits. The taxation of capital gains and losses are also distinguished by the length of time the asset was held prior to sale.

IRS Publication 550, "Investment Income and Expenses" is a good source of information on this topic. It is available free on line at www.IRS.gov/formspubs. We also recommend you consult your tax professional.

Short-term capital gains are capital gains earned on the sale of securities held for up to 1 year. The date a security is acquired is the trade date +1 and the date of sale is the trade date.

Long-term capital gains are capital gains earned on the sale of securities held for more than 1 year. The date a security is acquired is the trade date +1 and the date of sale is the trade date. Net long-term capital gains are eligible to be taxed at favorable tax rates.

A wash sale occurs when you sell stock or securities and, within 30 days before or after the sale, you buy or acquire in a taxable exchange, or buy or acquire a contract or option to buy, substantially identical stock. Commodity futures contracts are not stock or securities and are not covered by the wash sale rule, however any position of a straddle acquired after June 23, 1981 is included in these rules. See IRS Publication 550, ‘Investment Income and Expenses’, available free online at www.IRS.gov/formspubs or consult your tax professional.

For purposes of the wash sale rule, a short sale is considered complete on the date the short sale is entered into if on that date:

1. You own (or, on or before the date of the short sale, you entered into a contract or option to acquire) securities identical to those sold short (in any account you may own regardless of where it is located) and
2. You deliver such stock or securities to close the short sale.

Losses from wash sales are not deductible when they occur. Any disallowed loss should be added to the cost basis of the newly acquired security. The disallowed loss will be reflected in the calculation of gain or loss when these shares are sold. If you think you may have entered into a wash sale, please consult your tax professional for more information.

K-1s are prepared and distributed by the individual partnership or trust. IB does not have access to these documents. Most PTPs and Royalty Trusts have investor contact phone lines through which you can obtain this information; additionally many have investor websites from which you can download your information.

US Tax law requires that U.S. Tax be withheld from dividends paid by US Corporations to foreign persons at 30%. The withholding is less if the U.S. has entered into a tax treaty with your country. In most cases the treaty withholding rate on dividends is 15%, however this amount does differ. This law applies to all ordinary dividends, payments in lieu, and short-term capital gain distributions paid to foreign persons.

Investment interest income is not subject to US withholding.

Interactive Brokers remits the tax withheld to the U.S. Treasury.

Form 1042-S, "Foreign Person's U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding", is the federal information form which reports the amount of interest, dividends, payments in lieu paid to and for account managers, fees earned to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), annually. IB may issue you one or more Forms 1042-S. Each type of income is reported on a separate form using a code in Box 1. Common codes are:

01) Interest paid by U.S. obligors including the U.S. Treasury
29) Deposit Interest
30) Original issue discount (OID)
06) Dividends paid by U.S. Corporations
34) Substitute payment – Dividends
35) Substitute- payment – Other
50) Other Income

Box 2 indicates the amount of income credited to your account of this type, Box 5 the rate at which tax was withheld and Box 7, the amount of U.S. Tax withheld.

If the income is exempt from withholding tax a code appears in Box 6.

The form will be made available to you by March 15th and is located in Account Management/Report Management/Tax Forms.

In general, amounts withheld for U.S. taxes are non-refundable. However, under certain circumstances, such as an incorrect rate being applied to withhold tax, a refund can be obtained. If you are an individual, file either Form 1040NR, "U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return" or 1040NR-EZ "U.S. Income Tax Return for Certain Nonresident Aliens with No Dependents" to obtain a refund. There are similar U. S. forms for trusts and corporations. IRS Publication 515 "Withholding of Tax on Non –Resident Aliens and Foreign Entities" and IRS Publication 519, "U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens", available free at www.IRS.gov/formspubs provides more information on this subject.

Canadian residents will receive a form T5008 statement of your securities transactions.
If you received distributions from trust units, you will receive Form(s) T3.
If you received dividends or interest, you will receive Form T5.
Québec residents may also receive RL-3, R-16, and RL-18.
Non-residents of Canada who receive dividends and/or interest from Canadian securities may receive a Form NR4.
You will also need your annual statement (available mid-February) to calculate your capital gains/losses.

All forms are available electronically at http://www.interactivebrokers.com under Account Management/Report Management/Tax Forms.

No, tax forms are only available electronically.

T5008 and T5 forms are available on February 28^th.
The T3 forms are generally available on March 31^st. Some T3s may be made available after this date if the information is received late. You should always try to match the available T3s with the distributions received as shown on your dividend report or account statements.
NR4s will be available March 31^st.

No.

Profits and losses shown on the annual or monthly statements is for information purposes only. Please consult your tax advisor for further information on reporting these items.

No, this information is available on your annual statement.

Yes. Moreover, there are no cost differences.

Yes, because the entity holding your client money is Interactive Brokers LLC, in the US.

When you complete your W-8 form you can denote that you are a UK resident and that there is a treaty between the UK and US which allows you to choose to pay your taxes in the UK by entering this information on W-8 form (terms and conditions apply, e.g., IB still will collect taxes on dividends and stamp duty will be collected for all London Stock Exchange share purchases in real-time).

As you complete the W-8 form you can print a copy for your records.

If you are a UK resident you can only open an account with IBUK. Although, your client money will always be held by Interactive Brokers LLC, in the US.