Tools Provided to Monitor and Manage Margin

IB provides a variety of tools and information intended to provide account holders with real-time details as to their state of margin compliance so as to avoid forced liquidations. These include the following:

a.      Account Window – The account window is available for real-time account activity monitoring.  This window will display key values that update with every price change in the portfolio.  Included are account balances (cash, Net Liquidation Value, Equity with Loan Value), margin requirements (current, look ahead, overnight and post expiration), and balances available for trading (Available Funds and Excess Equity).
 
b.      Preview Order/Check Margin – Prior to transmitting an order it can be previewed including the impact upon the margin requirement were the order to be executed. Additional information may be found in KB644.
 
c.       Communications – IB will act to send out communications via TWS bulletin and/or email when the margin cushion in an account reaches 10% and a margin deficiency is therefore approaching. Account holders may also create their own margin alerts based upon the margin cushion which, when triggered, may generate email or text message alerts, TWS pop-up messages and flashing rows, and sound alarms.
 
d.      Reports – A Daily Margin Report is made available with Account Management which reflects key margin balances and for portfolio margin accounts, requirements broken down by security class. 
 
In addition, IB provides a Last to Liquidate feature within the TWS Account window that allows customers to specify the positions they would prefer IB liquidate last in the event of a margin deficit. While IB will attempt on a best efforts basis to adhere to such requests, account positions and market conditions may make doing so impractical and IB therefore reserves the right to liquidate in the sequence it deems most optimal.