Sharebuilder is known for its many account opening promotions, many of which have been posted here on FW. Please post current promotions with a link in the quick summary. In addition, please see the threads below for more discussion on Sharebuilder and people's experience with their service.
2tiger said: $50 code in ENTERTAIN50 from entertainment book good till 1/26/06
thx for the post! might have to finally sign up with this company for $45 out the door profit (5.00 for stock purchase/transaction fees)
sarah1190
Thrifty Member
posted: Dec. 17, 2005 @ 7:56p
OK I'm clueless about how sharebuider works.I signed up with the enertainment code for the $50 bonus.I chose the plan Standard - FREE Trial Investing Program get 6 trades free. I put $20 in IMAX and $25 in Disney-I authorized these as non recurring one time payments. I plan on switching to the Basic program to avoid monthly fees.So how does the bonus work?Does it get creditted to my account?
I signed up with the 50 bonus and deposited 250. Then a few days after signing up I got an email about like account problems. Basically they want me to fax them all sorts of stuff. They said if I don't do it, they just close the account and refund the amount it was funded with. The stock i bought isn't doing so good and other places look to have alot better fees so I'm just gonna let it cancel and refund my 250. There's no potential problem with this right?
mackell
New Member
posted: Dec. 19, 2005 @ 9:05a
I joined months ago. I opened with $25, invested it and within 4 or 5 weeks they deposited my bonus cash. Real time trades run ya about $15 but I have been using the $4 option. You submit your order and they are processed every other Tuesday. I thing you have to place your order 8 days before the next available processing Tuesday. I did it for the free cash, have a few shares of Sirius now and every once in a while they send me a freebie real time trade and upgrade offers. I have had no problems at all.
lsufanatic
Addicted Member
posted: Jan. 4, 2006 @ 2:51p
Here are two question for those who have used Sharebuilder for a while...
Does Sharebuilder report account signup bonuses on a 1099 form?
If you have multiple Sharebuilder accounts under the same username, do they send one tax form per person or do they send one for each account?
Trying to get organized for tax time. Also working on this thread here Text
Hornburger
New Member
posted: Jan. 5, 2006 @ 6:40p
Can anyone please tell me how I get this "entertainment50" book code? I don't know how to get it, and I don't know how to find the book or anything...there's an entertainment book for like, every community lol. And no results came up on google for it, so I don't know... Help would be appreciated!
Just enter the code ENTERTAIN50 to get the $50 bonus, you don't need the book (unless you feel morally obligated to purchase it.) I happen to have the entertainment book, but it only gave me a $30 bonus code, so I used the $50 code instead.
I also opened my Sharebuilder account through Ebates and am happy to report I am getting a $20 check back from them, too!
I wasn't sure how much I needed to deposit with Sharebuilder, but I deposited $50 and was notified that I qualified for both bonuses.
sarah1190
Thrifty Member
posted: Jan. 10, 2006 @ 9:14p
I received the $20 from Ebates link and $50 from sharebuilder.I wasn't sure if I would received both.
meecal
New Member
posted: Jan. 14, 2006 @ 11:41p
I signed up for a Sharebuilder account about a year and a half ago and used a bonus code to get $50 put into my account. I'm a Costco Executive member and just noticed their promotion of $85 for new Sharebuilder accounts. To get this bonus, can I simply create another account with all of the same information as my first account, or would I have to close the first account completely and then activate another account? Thanks!
meecal said: To get this bonus, can I simply create another account with all of the same information as my first account, or would I have to close the first account completely and then activate another account? Thanks!
No need to close the other account. To avoid fees just transfer the assets from the old account to the new. Will need to send in a signature guarantee form.
Sharebuilders trading fees are very high so these promotions helped with their high fees. One could sign up for each new promotion that came along and even net a little cash. The last time I signed up for the new promo. they closed the account and gave me a refund for the investment and trading fee, sighting "multiple accounts". There is nothing in their "terms" about multiple accounts. Think they need to change the wording on these promotions to reflect their policies.
My son who has an old account even received 2 emails for a $20 new account bonus. Think one hand doesn't know what the other is doing at Sharebuilder.
zkat
Member
posted: Jan. 24, 2006 @ 7:56p
So I just signed up for Sharebuilder off the Ebates site and I put the ENTERTAIN50 code in the promotion code box and continued along, but I never got anything saying that I would receive the $50. Was there something else I needed to do to get that promo, a box I should have clicked to verify the code or something? I'm beating myself up now thinking I signed up partly because of the $50 promo and now I might not even get it. Thanks!
sarah1190
Thrifty Member
posted: Jan. 24, 2006 @ 8:05p
I got a confirmation a couple of hours after opening the account. Here is a copy of the message --
You have met the requirements of the ShareBuilder promotion and will receive your $50 account bonus within 4-6 weeks.
Promo Code: ENTERTAIN50
If you have any questions, please contact Customer Care.
Thank you for selecting ShareBuilder!
Sincerely,
The ShareBuilder Team
jeepbrew
Senior Member
posted: Feb. 10, 2006 @ 10:51p
I updated the "Quick Summary" with expiration dates that I was able to find.
jeepbrew said: I updated the "Quick Summary" with expiration dates that I was able to find.
Thanks for the updates! I just used the PSECU referral link to try a double-dip (already have an individual, and a joint with the wife... tried a joint with the kid but she's a minor so no go).
labboypro said: Thanks for the updates! I just used the PSECU referral link to try a double-dip (already have an individual, and a joint with the wife... tried a joint with the kid but she's a minor so no go).
Yeppers... double-dip worked. No games required. I even logged in as myself to my primary account and linked the new one to it.
Thank you for opening your PSECU ShareBuilder Account. To receive the $50 account bonus, all you need to do is confirm that you've set up your ShareBuilder Plan, fund your account and complete one transaction. If you haven't set up your ShareBuilder Plan yet, go to Plan Setup today!
Promo Code: FREEGUIDE50
If you have any questions, please contact Customer Care.
Thank you for selecting PSECU ShareBuilder!
Sincerely,
The ShareBuilder Team
jeepbrew
Senior Member
posted: Mar. 20, 2006 @ 4:23a
labboypro said: Yeppers... double-dip worked. No games required. I even logged in as myself to my primary account and linked the new one to it.
Cool. How exactly do you link the accounts? I have the investors link code, but I dont see how to link it to my primary...
jeepbrew said: Cool. How exactly do you link the accounts? I have the investors link code, but I dont see how to link it to my primary...
Follow the PSECU link and begin opening a new account. One of the first questions is whether you have an existing account. Choose Yes, and then it asks you to log in. Voila. All my info already filled in. I got the "qualified for the bonus" email 20 minutes later.
jeepbrew
Senior Member
posted: Mar. 20, 2006 @ 9:34p
labboypro said: jeepbrew said: Cool. How exactly do you link the accounts? I have the investors link code, but I dont see how to link it to my primary...
Follow the PSECU link and begin opening a new account. One of the first questions is whether you have an existing account. Choose Yes, and then it asks you to log in. Voila. All my info already filled in. I got the "qualified for the bonus" email 20 minutes later.
Oh well, too late. I already opened it thinking I could like them together later on. I guess it's no big deal. Just another login to remember.
Through experimentation the best way to open up these accounts is to wait until the previous promotion has been fulfilled. I have been able to double or triple-dip on just about every $50 promotion. I haven't even had to go to the $40 or $30 ones yet. In the past, my account has been flagged for multiple openings in a short amount of time.
quick question here, I did some research on the other threads and i wanted to find out what you guys do after you get your bonus. do you leave your money there or withdraw it?
i read on another thread that they charge $15.95 to sell, but then i also read that they have a policy where if you want to sell less than one full share of a security (market order only,) there is no charge
if I put money in to get the bonus, then I have to make one purchase ($4 cost), so then can I sell it and withdraw all my money?
just want to plan ahead before I sign up
i guess it is best to sign up for the standard program that is free for the first month and includes 6 automatic investments per month and then switch to the basic program. This would save the $4, right? Can I change my Investing Program later? Can I change my Investing Program later? Yes, you can make changes to your Investing Program as your investment goals change. If you choose to upgrade to a higher-level program you will be able to choose whether you would like to begin this month, with the difference between the fees being assessed immediately, or begin next month, with the new fee amount assessed on the first day of next month. If you choose to downgrade your Investing Program, your current benefits will stay active through the end of the month and your new program will take affect at the beginning of the next month.
leenga said: quick question here, I did some research on the other threads and i wanted to find out what you guys do after you get your bonus. do you leave your money there or withdraw it?
i read on another thread that they charge $15.95 to sell, but then i also read that they have a policy where if you want to sell less than one full share of a security (market order only,) there is no charge
if I put money in to get the bonus, then I have to make one purchase ($4 cost), so then can I sell it and withdraw all my money?
Don't waste your time trying to sell. You'll have $1's worth of a fractional share of some stock. Just hang onto it/ignore it. The deal here is for the net $46 gain. OTOH, each time I've done this deal, I've bought the same $1's worth of stock (XOM). After I've done the deal 60 times or so, I'll have one whole share
nonchalant
Senior Member
posted: Mar. 25, 2006 @ 7:35a
Those who signed up through Costco link for $85 or $65 bonus, did they verify your membership number in the sign up process? I ask because I'm pretty sure I have the executive membership, but not 100% sure. My card is an old card, but membership has been renewed through company.
I signed up as executive for the $85 bonus. But it didn't say if I was elgible or not.
stoogepid
Member
posted: Mar. 30, 2006 @ 8:02p
Do you have to pay taxes on the $50? If so how do I go about doing it. Is it filed under 1099-DIV?
jpsmoney said: My $50 bonus was not reported on a 1099 at all.
If you want to avoid future headaches, you may want to give them a call. I suspect you've got a 1099 that never made it to you. If so, the IRS will have received their copy of that data.
slimcustomer
Senior Member - 1K
posted: Mar. 30, 2006 @ 9:17p
I've received multiple reports of people not receiving 1099's for promotional bonuses through Sharebuilder.
jpsmoney
Ancient Member
posted: Mar. 30, 2006 @ 9:28p
slimcustomer said: I've received multiple reports of people not receiving 1099's for promotional bonuses through Sharebuilder.
Yes, calls have been made, and I have checked online for the 1099. Sharebuilder is not reporting (at least some) bonuses on 1099s.
jpsmoney said: slimcustomer said: I've received multiple reports of people not receiving 1099's for promotional bonuses through Sharebuilder.
Yes, calls have been made, and I have checked online for the 1099. Sharebuilder is not reporting (at least some) bonuses on 1099s.
They must not like me
Skipping 346 Messages...
Intracognito
New Member
posted: Jul. 24, 2009 @ 12:54a
Before risking swimming into a weir, I have a few questions for the wise.
1.) Does the Costco number have to be in your name? If your spouse was the account holder, would just the number suffice?
2.) What exposure does buying a $1 stock and forgetting about it incur? Could Sharebuilder change their fee policy and start charging the account?
3.) Assuming a non-dividend-earning stock was purchased, would there be any tax headaches down the road?
4.) If the account does incur a fee, how would it be assessed? If my linked checking account was closed, would I still be liable (i.e. could I be "caught")?
I suppose a call to a consumer representative is in order, but I hope those that have had accounts open since this thread was started could voice their opinion. Hopefully I'll eventually be able to get to the other side of the Q&A game. Thanks in advance.
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