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About This Division
Four Points Capital Partners has an experienced and dedicated team of Registered Professionals that provide a full service retail platform offering investors stocks (common and preferred), bonds (corporate, government, municipal), mutual funds, options, IPO’s, and secondary offerings as well as various account types ranging from Individual to Corporate to IRA’s.
Clearing Corporations
Clearing Corporation definition from Investopedia -
An organization associated with an exchange to handle the confirmation, settlement and delivery of transactions, fulfilling the main obligation of ensuring transactions are made in a prompt and efficient manner. They are also referred to as "clearing firms" or "clearing houses".
Who is our Clearing Firm? StoneX
Why do we need clearing services? Because securities markets are highly regulated, whenever money and securities are exchanged, regulatory bodies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission require that every aspect of the transaction be documented and verified. The process of transferring ownership of a security, recording and confirming the transfer, performing the required calculations, and completing and documenting the trade is known as “clearing.”
How are clearing functions different from brokerage activities? Four Points is not affiliated with StoneX. We are responsible for initiating transactions on your behalf. StoneX handles the processing relative to those transactions. StoneX does not provide investment advice, supervise the activities of the firm, nor execute any order received directly from you. We, the brokerage firm, are responsible for investigating and resolving any inquiries you may have concerning your account. For a detailed description of the separate responsibilities of StoneX, please refer to the Client Agreement.
Account Protection
SIPC
The Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), a non-profit organization, was created in 1970 to protect investors and their holdings in the event their brokerage firm fails or declares bankruptcy. For more information, please visit www.sipc.org.
Securities, such as stocks and bonds, along with cash held by a customer at a failing brokerage firm are covered under SIPC coverage. Ineligible investments include commodities (unless defined as customer property under the Securities Investor Protection Act), currency, fixed annuity contracts and investment contracts that are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Securities Act of 1933. For more information, please visit www.sipc.org.
According to the SEC’s Customer Protection Rule, client assets are required to be separate from the brokerage firm’s assets. Client assets are defined as any stocks or bonds that are fully paid for or securities purchased with excess margin. In the unlikely event that a brokerage firm should fail while holding these assets, which are registered in the client’s name, they are distributed back to the client. Remaining assets or customer property such as cash are distributed back to clients on a pro rata basis. When involved, the SIPC will typically ask a federal court to appoint a trustee to liquidate the failing brokerage firm and protect its clients. If the brokerage firm does not have sufficient capital to satisfy client claims, the reserve funds of the SIPC are used to supplement the firm. SIPC coverage constitutes a limit of $500,000 per client, which includes a limit of $250,000 in cash.*
INTL FCStone Financial, Inc carries excess SIPC coverage through Lloyd’s of London that, if applicable, is designed to pick-up where SIPC protection ends by covering customers for up to an additional $24.5 million per customer, which covers up to an additional $900,000 in cash balances. This policy has an aggregate policy limit of $100 million in total protection. As with SIPC protection, money market mutual fund balances and cash deposits held in FDIC insured bank accounts do not count against the $900,000 cash limitation.
FDIC
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), an independent agency of the federal government, was created in 1933 to insure deposits in banks and thrift institutions for at least $250,000. For more information, please visit www.fdic.gov
If your account is eligible and you select the Insured Bank Deposit ("IDP") Accounts as your Cash Sweep Option, your available cash balances will be automatically swept from your brokerage account into an interested-bearing account at the Participating Banks. The Cash Sweep Program has a network of FDIC-insured Participating Banks to which funds can be spread in order to maximize total protection. A list of current Participating Banks is available at www.intlfcstone.com. Participating Banks may be added to or removed from our Cash Sweep Program without prior notice to you.
Money invested in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, municipal securities or life insurance policies are not covered under FDIC insurance. For more information, please visit www.fdic.gov.
Cash swept into an IDP Account at a Participating Bank is federally insured up to applicable FDIC limits in the event of a bank failure. FDIC coverage limits are $250,000 for all deposits (checking, money market, savings, CDs, etc.) per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. For example, if you had both a checking and a savings account in your individual name at the same Participating Bank, the combined balance of both accounts would be insured for $250,000. See www.fdic.gov for additional account category and coverage in information.
*In order for cash to be covered by SIPC or supplemental SIPC, cash held in an account must be for the purpose of, or as a result of, securities transactions. Cash held in a securities account for the purpose of earning interest, which was not the result of a securities transaction, may not be covered by SIPC or supplemental SIPC.
**FDIC coverage does not apply to the following account types: Corporate, Partnership/Limited Partnership, Qualified Plan (401k/Pension/Profit Sharing/Keogh), Investment Club, Limited Liability Company, Asian Pacific, At Risk Accounts, accounts with mail proceeds and interest, accounts with short positions, and Pattern Day Trader accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I open an account?
To open a new account, please complete the New Account Application. Mail or fax the application to our office. Alternatively, you can call us toll-free at 1-844-944-4PTS (4787). Access other documents in our Forms Center.
What fees am I being charged?
View our fee schedule here.
How do I fund an account?
We make it easy for funding your account. Click here to see how.
How do I place a trade?
At Four Points we make it easy to trade stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, and more. Call your representative today at 1-844-944-4787.
Can I trade margin or options?
Yes. Simply complete the margin and/or options agreement. We will review the information, and if appropriate, extend margin and/or options privileges to your account. Margin and options trading pose additional investment risks and not suitable for all investors. In addition, certain account types may not be eligible for margin and/or options. Please read the Characterizes and Risks of Standardized Options and the Margin Disclosure Document.
How do I withdraw funds?
Funds are issued in the name of the account and may be sent via check, ACH, or wire. Please contact your representative for more information at our toll-free number 1-844-944-4787.
How do I close my account?
If you need to close your account, the process is simple. Give us a call and we’ll take care of the rest, as long as the account is in good standing.
How do I log in to my account for the first time?
It’s easy. Click here to self-enroll. If you are having difficulty, call us toll-free 1-844-944-4787, we are happy to help.
How do I read my statement?
Click here for the guide to help understand your statement.
How do I reset my User ID or Password?
If you are unable to reset online, call us toll-free 1-844-944-4787.
How do I update my account information?
We want to make sure we are servicing your needs. Contact your representative to update your account information should anything change.
How do I access tax information & forms?
You can access tax information and forms in the Client Portal. Inquiries can always be made through your representative too.
What is a sweep account?
INTL FCStone Financial Inc.'s FDIC Insured Deposit Sweep Program provides you the ability to automatically “sweep” uninvested cash balances in your account into Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured bank deposit accounts at multiple FDIC-insured banks (Participating Banks). Participating in the FDIC Insured Deposit Sweep Program provides you the opportunity to earn interest on your funds while they are awaiting investment, or as needed to satisfy obligations arising in connection with your account. FDIC Insured Deposits are intended only as a short-term use of cash and should not be viewed as a long-term investment strategy.
How is my brokerage account protected?
INTL FCStone Financial, ,Inc. (“IFCF”) is a member of the Securities Investors Protection Corporation (“SIPC”), which generally replaces securities and cash missing from client accounts when a broker-dealer fails. SIPC provides protection of up to $500,000 per client, including a maximum of $250,000 for cash claims. IFCF provides additional coverage through Lloyd’s of London of $24.5 million per client, including up to $900,000 for cash, subject to an aggregate loss limit of $100 million. Neither SIPC protection nor the additional protection covers a decline in the value of clients’ assets due to market loss. SIPC coverage may change in accordance with applicable law and regulation. For current information about SIPC, please view the organization’s website at www.sipc.org or call them at 202.371.8300. IFCF may also change their excess SIPC coverage upon notice to you.
Cash swept into an IDP Account at a Participating Bank is federally insured up to applicable FDIC limits in the event of a bank failure. Although the Program‘s network of FDIC-insured Participating Banks provides you access to increased FDIC coverage, FDIC coverage limits are $250,000 for all deposits (checking, money market, savings, CDs, etc.) per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category. Therefore, if you had a checking account at one of the Participating Banks and the cash in your brokerage account was swept to that same Participating Bank, the total insured amount would be $250,000 for all money held at that Participating Bank. See www.fdic.gov for additional account category and coverage information.