[stephenNUTS]

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SIPC standard insurance is 500,000 with a 100,000 sub-limit for cash for your brokerage account. I would guess that ETrade has an Excess SIPC insurance that would insure your account even further.

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Sounds correct^^^

But as to E-Trade declaring BR...your stocks are held in a clearing house,unless they self-clear,and they are required to insure anyway under SEC/NASD rules

Many small brokers have gone under/bankrupt with many investors in a panic over their holdings.Until they find another BD to deal with it is DEF. a hassle.

Most B/Ds have separate clearing houses,where your stocks are held in street name,and even if the BD falters....your stock holdings are insured and SAFE until they find a new BD home [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

It can be a pain in the Azzz to gain access to them,move them to another company,esp if a stock is falling and you want to sell

It is similar to an ACAT transfer...which is when you transfer your existing holdings/portfolio from one broker to another.It usually takes about a week or so....but you cant sell any holdings until the receiving BD takes control of the account.Again it sucks if your stocks are affected in an up/down/volitile market for that matter during this wait,and esp during a market like this one

E-Trade declaring bankruprtcy,has NOTHING to do with your holdings...their comments regarding liquidating securities most likely means THEIR OWN holdings

Find out from E-Trade who they clear through...and we can go from there? But RELAX!

Stephen [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

****All B/D's have a minumum net capital requiremnt based on their size,that they are required to maintain....periodic statements/disclosures regarding these financial details are required as well.

I would believe with E-Trade being one of biggest on-line firms...not only will they be OK...any # the big firms would jump at a cheap opp. to service your accounts if they had to sell/merge the company