Originally Posted by
SpaethCo
As
dw pointed out
upthread, they pulled the public facing sign-up links pretty shortly after the notice. Pure speculation on my part, but I think they expected things to trail off and their announcement actually triggered an uptick in sign-ups that surprised them.
People are using the sign-up link from the previous version of the page which continues to work for starting the process, but there is a manual component to setting up these accounts where you have to talk to an agent and Docusign a bunch of disclosures. It's apparently been communicated to the Virtual Advisor call center pool to halt new Access Investing accounts. See data points like:
https://frequentmiler.com/morgan-sta...omment-2353240
That said, like every customer service organization that has ever existed, if they don't shut down the ability to do things in the system if you call enough times you can eventually find someone who will just proceed with doing whatever the system will let them do. I clearly have a viewpoint that pushing past this is unwise and will lead to lost time and money, but others may see things differently.
I like the Platinum card, and could always sign up for the Vanilla, since I've never had it, but I'm not ready to burn another 5/24 slot, and I like having the free AU.
I drained my Cash Plus account to under 1K, and they still waived the $55 fee for this month. I don't mind having relationships with multiple banks/brokerages, and the Cash Plus account does have some useful features, like free wire transfers. However, I'm gambling that they keep offering the $695 engagement bonus to peons, like myself. I don't mind paying $55 per month, when I'm essentially getting it all rebated every year. I'll be curious if they will eventually end the bonus and tell me to please become disengaged...LOL
Waiting for the end of 2022, to see if my last bonus triggers a 1099.
My Access account has depreciated a little bit, but that's mainly due to the stock market in general.
In your opinion, would it be wise to liquidate my Access account, and hope that I can still qualify for the engagement bonus, and maintain the MS Platinum, based solely from my drained Cash Plus account?