S.P.A.M. - Q. About Miles for new Brokerage Accounts

1. Most of the offers of which I am aware are not valid for IRA accounts. Is anyone aware of offers valid for IRA accounts?

2. I am looking at the ETRADE and AMERITRADE offers. Ameritrade for example offers 8000 miles on United for an account with $5,000, or 25,000 miles for an account with 50,000 miles. That's a regressive scale--you would think they would reward a larger account more handsomely. Its also an incentive to open multiple, smaller accounts. Has anyone done this successfully on either Ameritrade or ETRADE? Their rules don't prohibit it, and ETRADE actually contemplates that you will do this by offering to open "another" account for you.

I've opened different types of accounts on ETrade - individual for me, individual for wife, joint account - and received points for all three. Etrade is also regressive. Let me know if you would like a referral for ETrade - I get 5000 miles for a referral.

I am also with E-Trade. can my wife open a new account and get both NWA miles plus my 5000 miles referral bonus? I don't see where I can type in the referrer through NWA link.

thanks

I see no reason why your wife can't be referred by you. I don't think the system relies on her to know your FF no.--not sure how it works, but they probably send an email to you once she qualifies (takes 8 weeks I think). Also, they may already have your FF no. Keep in mind, that she has to sign up via the email that was generated by your referral, or else neither of you get points.

Etrade charges $50 for closing an account.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by LemonThrower:
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2. I am looking at the ETRADE and AMERITRADE offers. Ameritrade for example offers 8000 miles on United for an account with $5,000, or 25,000 miles for an account with 50,000 miles. That's a regressive scale--you would think they would reward a larger account more handsomely...</font>

Actually the amounts are:

Etrade:
$ 1000 - 5000 miles
$10000 - 10000 miles
$50000 - 25000 miles

AmeriTrade:
$ 500 - 3000 miles **
$ 5000 - 8000 miles
$50000 - 25000 miles

** $15/qtr fee if account is less than $2000 after 6 months, so might more accurately be $2000 for 3000 miles.

Clearly the best bonus is the eTrade $1k for 5k miles. I think the reason the awards are regressive is that if a $10000 got a 50000 mile bonus, or $50k got 250k miles, you'd have many more people who would do that strictly for the points, and not cash out their accounts at the end of the 6 months. The bonuses are enough to get some new customers who may stay past 6 months, but then aren't giving away the store for those that leave.

Jeff

Any deals on IRA brokerage accounts?

I recall that there is a government prohibition on offering sign up bonuses for IRA or qualified retirement plan accounts. Any IRS or DOL people out there ?

I was able to open an etrade acct in 99 get a myfavorite pc $400 rebate(pc never came so i got $400) then close account. opened new acct 5 months late for i think it was 25k hilton points.. closed as well

I was thinking. Etrade has special for ameritrade customer. open with ameritrade. get treward. then go to etrade. they will pay transfer fee and closing cost if you close your acct with them coming from ameritrade

Hilton also have some deals.

Including for E*TRADE UK, Canada, Japan and Australia.

HK were giving away miles in Cathay's program a while back unsure if this is still going.

E*TRADE Australia were giving away miles in Qantas and Ansett for a while, haven't seen anything much lately. Were offering 10,000 and 15,000 miles just for joining at one stage.