Charles Schwab removes hard pulls for new banking and investment customers - The Points Guy (2024)

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Ethan's been a frequent flier for as long as he can remember, from studying abroad in Paris to moving to Shanghai after graduating college, where he served as TPG's eyes and ears for all things travel in the Asia-Pacific region. If you asked him where he wants to travel next he'd quote Anthony Bourdain and tell you "anytime I'm eating spicy noodles in a bowl, I'm happy."

July 19, 2020

4 min read

Charles Schwab removes hard pulls for new banking and investment customers - The Points Guy (2)

Charles Schwab removes hard pulls for new banking and investment customers

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"Hard pulls," the types of inquiries that show up on your credit report and cause your score to temporarily drop by a few points, usually only happen when you apply for a new credit line such as a credit card, mortgage or car loan. They're much rarer when it comes to other financial products like checking or investment accounts. But historically there's been one major exception: Charles Schwab performed a hard credit pull for customers opening checking or brokerage accounts.

Doctor of Credit is reporting that not only has Schwab stopped performing hard pulls for new checking and brokerage accounts, but the bank has even gone back and removed hard pulls from customers who've opened new accounts in the last two years (hard pulls normally fall off your credit report after two years).

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This is an incredibly consumer-friendly move and great news for frequent international travelers. The Charles Schwab Investor Checking account is quite popular among international travelers because it reimburses all your ATM fees worldwide. While I try to use my credit cards as much as possible while traveling, plenty of countries still use cash for a majority of transactions. It's nice to be able to use any ATM I want without worrying about fees. The fee will initially be debited from the account along with your withdrawal but will be reimbursed when your statement closes at the end of the month.

Charles Schwab removes hard pulls for new banking and investment customers - The Points Guy (3)

Schwab is also quite popular among investors because its brokerage account and mutual funds charge among the lowest fees in the industry. Having a Schwab account is also a prerequisite for opening The American Express Platinum Card® for Schwab, which is my favorite of the many flavors of The Platinum Card® from American Express .

The Schwab Platinum card is nearly identical to the standard personal Amex Platinum. It offers all the same incredible perks, including a $200 annual airline incidental fee credit and $200 annual Uber credit, access to Amex Centurion lounges, Gold elite status with Marriott and Hilton, and much, much more.

Charles Schwab removes hard pulls for new banking and investment customers - The Points Guy (4)

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Related: How to cash out points with the Amex Platinum for Schwab, and why you might want to

It also offers the ability to cash out Membership Rewards points into your linked Schwab brokerage account at a rate of 1.25 cents each. While that's well below TPG's valuation of Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, it might be an attractive option if you find yourself sitting on too many points right now with no plans to travel for the foreseeable future. The Schwab Platinum is currently offering a welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months, and because it's considered a different product, you can get it even if you have or have had the regular Amex Platinum before.

Bottom line

With low fees across the board and customer-friendly policies like unlimited ATM fee reimbursal, Schwab is a great bank for frequent travelers to consider. One of the biggest obstacles had been the hard pull required to open a checking or brokerage account with Schwab, which is why it's incredibly exciting that this has now been removed. The fact that Schwab is even retroactively removing the hard pull from its customers' credit reports makes me even happier to bank with such a friendly company.

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(Photo by Eric Helgas/The Points Guy)

Charles Schwab removes hard pulls for new banking and investment customers - The Points Guy (2024)

FAQs

Charles Schwab removes hard pulls for new banking and investment customers - The Points Guy? ›

Doctor of Credit is reporting that not only has Schwab stopped performing hard pulls for new checking and brokerage accounts, but the bank has even gone back and removed hard pulls from customers who've opened new accounts in the last two years (hard pulls normally fall off your credit report after two years).

Does Charles Schwab checking pull credit? ›

In addition, even though there is no credit score requirement to open a Charles Schwab account, Charles Schwab may still gather your credit history from all three major credit reporting agencies as per their account disclosures.

Why is Schwab Bank in trouble? ›

In 2017, the Federal Reserve began gradually increasing its federal funds rate, which eventually posed a problem for Charles Schwab called "client cash sorting." Rather than keep deposits in low-yielding accounts, many customers shifted funds to high-yield savings, CDs, or other relatively safe assets with appealing ...

What happens if Schwab collapses? ›

And the SIPC protections are activated in the rare event that a broker-dealer fails and client assets are missing. In that situation, SIPC provides up to $500,000 worth of protection against any of those missing assets, including $250,000 in cash against uninvested cash balances.

What is Charles Schwab Bank sweep? ›

The Schwab Bank Sweep for Employee Benefit Plans feature automatically sweeps your uninvested cash into a deposit account at Charles Schwab Trust Bank®, where it earns interest. This allows you to earn income while you're deciding how to invest funds or before you make payments. FDIC insurance.

Is Charles Schwab a strong bank? ›

Fitch Ratings - Chicago - 29 Jan 2024: Fitch Ratings has affirmed The Charles Schwab Corporation's (Schwab) Long- and Short-Term Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at 'A'/'F1', and its Viability Rating (VR) at 'a'.

Is it hard to get Charles Schwab checking account? ›

It's quick and easy to apply online once you've gathered the required information. You can also call 888-403-9000 any time for assistance. Or you can download a paper application. How do I make my initial deposit to my Schwab Bank Investor Checking™ account?

Is Schwab in trouble 2024? ›

On a conference call, executives said financial results should improve in the year ahead, setting Schwab up for growth in 2025 and beyond. But they described 2024 as “transitional” and dependent on factors that are difficult to predict: the trajectory of interest rates, the stock market and the behavior of new clients.

Is Charles Schwab in trouble 2024? ›

The decline is due in part to attrition of some TD Ameritrade clients, according to Schwab. Analysts at Jefferies said Schwab is off to a slow start for asset gathering in 2024, estimating that the firm had 2.5% annualized organic growth last month compared with an average monthly organic growth rate of 4.4% in 2023.

Is Schwab in trouble financially? ›

Net interest revenue for the third quarter fell 24% year over year to $2.2 billion, due to higher interest expenses. That hurts the top and bottom lines: Schwab revenue fell 16% to $4.6 billion, while adjusted net income dropped 31% to $1.5 billion.

Is it safe to keep more than $500000 in a brokerage account? ›

The Securities Investor Protection Corporation's account insurance protects up to $500,000 per brokerage account, which is important because "if a brokerage firm or custodian fails, these funds are restored in the account, regardless of if the brokerage company or custodian is defunct," says Steven Conners, founder and ...

Why are people worried about Charles Schwab? ›

Schwab was taking hits along with other financial firms with massive bond holdings of longer maturities. The fear is that these firms, like Silicon Valley Bank, would need to sell these holdings early at large losses in order to cover deposit withdrawals.

What is the safest brokerage firm? ›

Summary: Best Online Brokerage
CompanyForbes Advisor RatingLearn more CTA below text
Interactive Brokers4.4Via InteractiveBrokers' Secure Website
TD Ameritrade4.4Read Our Full Review
Fidelity Investments4.4Read Our Full Review
Charles Schwab4.3Read Our Full Review
1 more row
Apr 1, 2024

Which bank gives 7% interest on savings account? ›

As of April 2024, no banks are offering 7% interest rates on savings accounts. Two credit unions have high-interest checking accounts: Landmark Credit Union Premium Checking with 7.50% APY and OnPath Credit Union High Yield Checking with 7.00% APY.

Is USAA being bought out? ›

In 2015, USAA employed more than 32,000 people at its offices throughout the world. On July 26, 2019, the Charles Schwab Corporation announced it would acquire USAA's investment management and brokerage accounts for $1.8 billion. The deal with Charles Schwab closed on May 26, 2020.

Did Charles Schwab buy USAA? ›

But Schwab has a chance to do much better. Right off the bat it is winning 200 new accounts per business day from USAA's nearly 13 million members. Yes, it bought USAA's brokerage unit for $1.6 billion, and yes, it pays a referral fee for follow-on accounts.

Does your credit get pulled for a checking account? ›

You don't need a credit score to open a bank account because banks don't check your credit when you apply for an account. Instead, they'll take a look at your ChexSystems report, which contains information about your banking history. Here's what to know before applying for a new bank account.

Do brokerage accounts check credit? ›

The brokerage may check your credit when you apply for a margin account, which could cause a small, temporary drop in your credit score. If the value of your investments drops too far, you might struggle to repay the money you owe the brokerage.

What is the minimum amount in a Charles Schwab checking account? ›

* The Schwab Bank Investor Checking™ account, with a minimum balance of $0.01, offers a 0.45% annual percentage yield (APY) as of 12/27/2022. This rate is variable and may change without notice.

What is Charles Schwab credit rating? ›

Fitch Ratings - Chicago - 03 Feb 2023: Fitch Ratings has affirmed The Charles Schwab Corporation's (Schwab) Long- and Short-Term Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at 'A'/'F1', and its Viability Rating (VR) at 'a'.

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