Introduction

Clients who elect to close their account must first ensure that all balances (e.g., cash and positions) have been withdrawn or transferred before the account can be closed. Once closed, the account is then restricted from further transactions, however, there are situations where assets may be credited to the account despite it being closed. As disclosed at the point of account closing, cash balances credited to an account after it has been closed are automatically converted to the base currency, regardless of amount, since the trading platform is no longer available to facilitate conversions.

The following article provides background as to how such situations may occur and the steps clients can take to withdraw the assets.

Post-Closure Balances

While it is uncommon for credits to be applied to an account once closed, the events which cause this to happen generally arise from the following:

• The account was closed via disbursement issued in in the form of a check which the client does not present for payment for 90 days and is therefore cancelled by IBKR; or, where the client requests a stop payment due to loss, theft or non-delivery of the check.
• The account was closed via an electronic disbursement (e.g., wire, ACH, EFT) later returned to IBKR by the receiving bank. This can occur if the receiving bank decides to reject and return the funds because the client’s bank account is closed or if the title of the account at IBKR differs from the bank account to which it is being deposited (i.e., a 3rd party transfer).
• A credit adjustment is applied to the account after it has closed to correct an over-withholding of taxes on a prior period dividend.
• An applicant deposited funds prior to the account being opened and the application was never approved by IBKR or was abandoned by the applicant.
• The account was closed via transfer to another broker who later returns the assets after the account has closed.

Withdrawing Assets

To withdraw cash, log into the Client Portal, select the Transfer & Pay and then Transfer Funds menu options and you will be presented with the option to make a withdrawal and a list of available banking instructions which you created while the account was open.  Select an instruction that is active and applicable to the denomination of the currency to be withdrawn.

If your account has positions, please contact the broker who returned the positions to request that they be transferred back. Note that you will not be able to submit orders to close positions in a closed account.

FAQs

Q. What do I do if I don't recall my login credentials and am unable to log into the Client Portal?

A. If you require assistance logging into your account, you will need to contact your local Client Service Center via telephone. Such requests require verbal verification of your identity as a protection from unauthorized users. Contact information is available on our website.

Q. How do I determine the credit balance in my account?

A. The account balance and its composition can be found in your activity statement. Daily, monthly and annual statements are available online via the Client Portal through the Reports/Tax Reports menu option.

Q. Am I able to reopen an account that has been closed?

A. Accounts that have been closed for an extended period or are attempting to reopen solely for the purpose of withdrawing assets are generally not eligible to be reopened. If you intend to reopen the account to establish an ongoing brokerage relationship, please contact your local Client Service Center for assistance.

Q. What happens if I want to withdraw the funds via check and my address has changed?

A. If your account is eligible to withdraw funds via check (only available for US currency withdrawals by customers with a US mailing address) and your mailing address on record is no longer accurate, you will not be able to change your address online. In this instance, please contact Client Services to inform us of your new address and receive instructions on how to upload a copy of a driver's license or other acceptable document.

Q. What happens if I want to withdraw the funds electronically and my account does not already have a valid banking instruction on file?

A. If you currently do not have an active banking instruction on file, please log into the Client Portal and add a new instruction using the Transfer & Pay menu option. Note that IBKR reserves the right to verify new instructions via verbal confirmation and/or submission of qualifying documentation. This verification step is intended to protect against unauthorized transfers to a 3rd party.

Q. The entity which owned the account no longer has a bank account or is no longer in existence. How can the funds be withdrawn?

A. In the event the funds are unable to be withdrawn and distributed in the name of account holder at the point of account closure, IBKR will seek to distribute the funds to the entity owners based on their pro rata share of ownership. Note that this will generally require submission of documentation evidencing the owners and their ownership interests as well as a warranty and indemnification letter executed by the owners that the information they provide is accurate and there aren’t any other owners or creditors to whom the funds are owned. IBKR also reserves the right to request an independent opinion of counsel verifying the accuracy of the information provided.

Q. What happens if I do not act to withdraw assets in a closed account?

A. IBKR will attempt to notify closed accounts of a credit balance using the email address of record. Account holders who do not act to withdraw balances within 30 days after notice has been sent are subject to a monthly closed account fee of $20.  Also note that IBKR is subject to statutes which require that assets in accounts deemed "abandoned" be turned over to the state in which the client resides (or Connecticut if the client resides outside the U.S.). The period of inactivity by which an account is considered "inactive" varies by state, but can be as low as 3 years. See Knowledge Base Article 2599 for details regarding retrieving unclaimed property from the state.