Looking for feedback from members with US Charles Schwab Accouts

[connda]

Looking for feedback from members with US Charles Schwab Accounts including their checking/debit card accounts.

I currently have a brokerage account after Charles Schwab took over TDAmeritrade.

I'm looking for feedback regarding those who have US Charles Schwab accounts regarding the ease or difficultly of accessing accounts while living here in Thailand.  What has been your experience.  I'm considering setting up a checking account as my primary checking/debit account but like some feedback about other's experience with Charles Schwab.

[bamnutsak]

A search would yield some valuable information as your question has been posed many times.

 

Google     schwab site:aseannow.com

 

In general, people here seem quite happy with Schwab, and my recollections of posts over the years here is that Schwab is expat friendly, offer ATM fee rebates, free SWIFT transfers (initiated online), and a no-foreign transaction fee Visa credit card.

 

 

[TheAppletons]

Nothing but good to say about the Schwab no-fee checking account.  

 

I have had no problems "accessing accounts" while in Thailand.  

 

As another poster mentioned, the account has many benefits that can add up to substantial savings if you use them.

 

 

[sirineou]

On 7/28/2024 at 9:51 AM, connda said:

I'm looking for feedback regarding those who have US Charles Schwab accounts regarding the ease or difficultly of accessing accounts while living here in Thailand. 

I don't have a checking or credit card with them, I should get one but I never got around to it, otherwise I have no problem accessing my account from here. also they are very good with answering the phone and being helpfully. When accessing your  account, among the other options ,  there is an option to verify your identity by phone ,) I have Skype )After they give me the code,  I usually keep them on the phone while doing my transaction in case I have a problem finding or doing  something. 

[BKKKevin]

I have had an account brokerage & checking for years… Access has never been a problem and I like their website and app interface…

 

The one thing I would ding them for is any money not invested in the brokerage account or in the checking gets virtually no interest!…

 

I also have a Fidelity brokerage account that is equally as good and uninvested funds get 4.85%…

They also have a debit card that refunds all ATM fees (Just Like Schwab)….

[Everyman]

4 hours ago, BKKKevin said:

I have had an account brokerage & checking for years… Access has never been a problem and I like their website and app interface…

 

The one thing I would ding them for is any money not invested in the brokerage account or in the checking gets virtually no interest!…

 

I also have a Fidelity brokerage account that is equally as good and uninvested funds get 4.85%…

They also have a debit card that refunds all ATM fees (Just Like Schwab)….

 

Do you mean the cash in your brokerage account? They have money market funds available, just buy them. If you want a traditional interest bearing savings account then open one. But the money in your brokerage account is there for trading, not to just sit there. 

[riclag]

I set up a brokerage & checking account in the States back in 2019 

I use the atm 3 x per month to get my

living expenses!

On the rare occasion that I needed big money 4000.00+ i used Wise.

 

They allow for a a SYMANTEC VIP app for 2fa , which is a very nice feature 

imop.

 

The only drawback is waiting for the funds to clear after sending money to the account ( 4 days).

 

I love that no fees atm card & Charles Schwab.

[John Drake]

Just a note: I too had a TD Ameritrade account. And Datek before Ameritrade bought that company. Now, I'm stuck with Schwab. For the second time on a big market crash, Schwab was down and you could not login tonight. I just got into my account, after continuing to try over and over again for 50 minutes. Phones were down too. I hate Schwab and I wish I had TD Ameritrade back. I NEVER had a problem with them or Datek.

[connda]

20 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Just a note: I too had a TD Ameritrade account. And Datek before Ameritrade bought that company. Now, I'm stuck with Schwab. For the second time on a big market crash, Schwab was down and you could not login tonight. I just got into my account, after continuing to try over and over again for 50 minutes. Phones were down too. I hate Schwab and I wish I had TD Ameritrade back. I NEVER had a problem with them or Datek.

Actually I go back as far as Datek too.  As far as my portfolio, I've nothing much in it that I'm worried about.  If fact I've got a couple of trades that should be doing pretty well in a downturn.  Mostly in cash and waiting to see where the dip is heading.  If the S&P was halved I'd be happy.  I'd start buying again if it hit 2100 and change.  But honestly.  History - this is probably a week long hiccup. The NASDAQ could bleed off a couple thousand points and not have percentage losses like I've seen in the past.  Yeah - I just read about the brokerage outages.  Sucks to be trying to dump positions. 

[John Drake]

10 hours ago, connda said:

Sucks to be trying to dump positions. 

 

Oddly enough, it would have helped some people who didn't get to login today. I hold many oil and gas stocks. They rebounded somewhat after the initial selloff. I hold most of them, because they also pay good dividends. Might have bought more today had I been able to login. So I'll just wait now and how much more there is to come and buy some time this week or next. 

[connda]

7 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

Oddly enough, it would have helped some people who didn't get to login today. I hold many oil and gas stocks. They rebounded somewhat after the initial selloff. I hold most of them, because they also pay good dividends. Might have bought more today had I been able to login. So I'll just wait now and how much more there is to come and buy some time this week or next. 

Yeah I need to make a couple of adjustments to hedge my portfolio so it will be interesting to see if retail investors can log in when the market opens.  It looks like most US brokerages threw their retail investors under the bus.  I'm sure the whales had no problems making their trades.

[connda]

Logged into this evening no problem.  Now I'm just in HODL mode and watching the Geo-political scene.  If war breaks out and they close the Straits of Hormuz I may do pretty well.  It seems that we keep getting closer to the excrement hitting the spinning blades in that region of the world. 

[jas007]

As for the original question.  Schwab has an international account. Look into that.