Beyond ‘Just Start’: How to Open a Brokerage Account Without the Fear

I remember the feeling vividly.

I had finally done it—saved up a few thousand dollars, a small but significant nest egg that represented years of discipline.

I knew, with the certainty of a thousand articles and podcasts, that this money shouldn’t just sit in a savings account.

It needed to be invested.

It needed to work for me.

But every time I sat down at my computer, ready to take the plunge, a wave of paralysis washed over me.

The articles all seemed to end with the same infuriatingly simple advice: “Just get started!”.¹

It felt like being told to “just fly a plane” without a single lesson.

The sheer volume of jargon, the endless choices, the gut-wrenching fear of making a catastrophic mistake—it was a wall I couldn’t climb.

Driven by a mix of frustration and a “just do it” mentality, I finally forced myself to act.

I picked a flashy, app-based platform that was popular on social media and rushed through the setup.

I didn’t understand the difference between a “cash” and a “margin” account, so I just clicked whatever seemed to be the default.

I didn’t grasp the tax implications of a “taxable” versus a “retirement” account.

Within minutes, I was approved and had funded the account.

Feeling the pressure to do something, I saw a stock being hyped online—a classic “meme stock”—and bought a few shares.³

A few days later, the market dipped.

It wasn’t a crash, not even a correction, just a normal Tuesday dip.

But watching my small investment turn red sent a jolt of pure panic through me.

I sold immediately, locking in a small but painful loss.⁴

That experience was devastating.

It confirmed every fear I had: that I wasn’t smart enough, that I was destined to lose money, that I just “wasn’t cut out for investing.” I retreated, defeated.

For the next two years, my money sat in a savings account, steadily losing its value to inflation, while I nursed the wound of my failure.⁵

If this sounds familiar, I want you to know something: The problem isn’t you; it’s the advice.

The journey to becoming a confident investor doesn’t begin with a blind leap of faith.

It begins with a new way of thinking.

This guide won’t just tell you what to do.

It will give you a completely new framework to transform the process from a terrifying gamble into a series of small, manageable, and empowering steps.

The Flaw in the System: Why “Just Pick a Broker” Is Dangerous Advice

The chasm between knowing you should invest and actually doing it isn’t a personal failing.

It’s not a lack of willpower.

It is a systemic failure of financial education.

The industry is great at telling you the destination—”buy and hold low-cost index funds for the long term”—but it provides a terrible map for the journey.

For a beginner, the process is blocked by three great walls.

The Wall of Jargon

The world of finance is deliberately opaque.

It’s a fortress protected by a moat of intimidating terms: margin, expense ratios, diversification, asset allocation, ETFs, mutual funds, brokerage, fiduciary.⁷

This language is designed to make you feel like an outsider, someone who isn’t qualified to participate without paying an expert for a secret password.

When you don’t understand the words on the application, how can you possibly feel confident clicking “Submit”?

The Fear of the Irreversible Mistake

For many of us, especially those who grew up with financial instability or saw our parents struggle, money is not an abstract concept.

It’s security.

It’s survival.

This history creates a deep-seated terror of making a wrong move.⁶

We imagine clicking one wrong box on a form, choosing the wrong account type, and watching our hard-earned savings vanish in a puff of digital smoke.

The stories we hear about people losing money in the market are always more vivid and emotionally potent than the stories of slow, steady gains, reinforcing our primal loss aversion.⁹

The pain of losing is psychologically twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining, and this bias keeps us frozen in inaction.¹⁰

The Ghost of Market Crashes

Turn on the news, and you’ll hear about volatility, downturns, and the constant threat of a looming recession.⁴

For a beginner, the fear isn’t just about losing money someday; it’s the specific, acute fear of losing it

immediately after starting.

There’s a nagging feeling that “the minute I put my money in, the market will crash.

That would just be my luck”.⁶

This feeling transforms a rational, long-term strategy into what feels like a game of Russian roulette.

The core issue is that the advice to “just start” ignores the very real procedural and psychological barriers that a beginner faces.

It dismisses the fear instead of dismantling it.

To move forward, we don’t need better willpower; we need a better mental model.

The Epiphany: Stop Trying to Invest, Start Designing Your Financial Cockpit

My personal turning point—the moment that finally broke my paralysis—came when I completely reframed the task.

I stopped thinking about “investing,” which felt like a high-stakes gamble, and started thinking about “designing my financial cockpit.”

Think about an airline pilot.

A pilot doesn’t just jump into a 747 and hope for the best.

They spend hundreds of hours in a simulator, learning every single dial, switch, and gauge.

They understand what each instrument tells them, how they work together, and what to do when turbulence hits.

The cockpit isn’t a source of confusion; it’s a source of control.

Only when they have mastered the instruments do they feel confident enough to leave the ground.

This is the new framework.

Your goal is not to make your first trade. Your goal is to build your cockpit.

It’s to understand the handful of essential instruments so that you feel in complete control before you ever commit a single dollar to the market.

This simple shift in perspective changes everything.

It turns a terrifying leap of faith into a low-stakes, methodical process of preparation and learning.

Your Cockpit Blueprint: The 3 Core Dials You Must Understand

Before you even think about which brokerage firm to use—before you look at a single logo or download an app—you need to understand the three fundamental decisions you will be asked to make during the application process.

These are your primary flight instruments.

Master them, and the rest of the process becomes simple.

Dial 1: The Ownership Gauge (Who’s Flying This Thing?)

This is the most straightforward dial on your dashboard.

It simply determines who owns and has legal control over the account.

• Individual Account: This is the simplest setup. The account is in one person’s name, and that person is the sole owner and decision-maker.¹² For the vast majority of beginners starting their investment journey, this is the most direct and uncomplicated option.
• Joint Account: This account is owned by two or more individuals. It’s a common choice for spouses, domestic partners, or family members who have shared financial goals and want to pool their investments.¹² There are a few different types, which have important implications for estate planning:

• Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship (JTWROS): Both owners have equal rights. If one owner passes away, their share automatically transfers to the surviving owner(s).¹²
• Tenants in Common: If one owner dies, their share of the account does not automatically go to the other owners. Instead, it passes to their estate to be distributed according to their will.¹²
• Community Property: This is a special type available only to married couples in certain states (like AZ, CA, TX, and others). Assets are typically split 50/50, and a deceased spouse’s share goes to their estate.¹²

Beginner’s Recommendation: Unless you have a specific reason to invest with a partner from day one, start with an Individual Account.

It keeps things simple and clean as you learn the ropes.

Dial 2: The Fuel System (Standard vs. High-Octane)

This is one of the most critical—and dangerously misunderstood—dials for a new investor.

It controls how you pay for your investments.

Get this one wrong, and you can find yourself in serious trouble.

• Cash Account (Standard Fuel): This is exactly what it sounds like. You can only invest the cash you have deposited in the account. If you want to buy $1,000 worth of an investment, you must have $1,000 of settled cash available.¹³ This is the safest, most direct, and most intuitive way to invest. There is no borrowing and no debt.
  This should be the default choice for 100% of beginners.
• Margin Account (High-Octane Fuel): This is where things get complicated. A margin account allows you to borrow money from your brokerage firm to buy securities, using the investments you already own as collateral for the loan.¹³ This is called “buying on margin.” It dramatically increases your purchasing power, but it also magnifies your risk. For example, if you use margin to double your investment, a 10% drop in the stock’s price can translate into a 20% loss of your own money.¹⁶

The danger of margin isn’t just in the magnified losses.

If the value of your investments falls too far, your broker can issue a “margin call,” demanding you deposit more cash or sell off your investments to repay the loan.

Shockingly, the brokerage firm has the right to sell your securities—without your permission and without notifying you beforehand—to cover the loan.¹³

This brings us to a critical design flaw in the financial industry that traps countless beginners.

Many brokerage firms, particularly those with slick, modern apps, make a margin account the default option when you sign up.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) explicitly warns investors about this, urging them to “CONFIRM YOU ARE OPENING THE ACCOUNT TYPE YOU WANT BEFORE YOU SIGN YOUR ACCOUNT APPLICATION”.¹⁵

This is a subtle but insidious practice.

It places novice investors, who are already anxious and prone to mistakes, into a high-leverage environment that benefits the broker (who earns interest on margin loans) at the investor’s potential expense.

Beginner’s Recommendation: Be vigilant during the application process.

Look for the choice between a “Cash Account” and a “Margin Account.” Unequivocally, select Cash Account.

You are building your cockpit for a long, steady flight, not a drag race.

Dial 3: The Navigation System (Short-Range vs. Long-Range)

This final core dial determines your mission.

It sets the account’s purpose and, most importantly, its tax treatment.

Are you on a short-range mission to save for a goal in the next few years, or are you programming the autopilot for a long-range flight to retirement?

The “Short-Range GPS”: The Standard (Taxable) Brokerage Account

This is the most flexible type of investment account.

• Purpose: This account is for any financial goal other than retirement. Think of it as your go-to vehicle for medium-term goals like saving for a house down payment, a new car, a wedding, or simply building wealth with the freedom to access it when you need it.¹⁷
• How it Works: You fund this account with after-tax dollars (money from your paycheck after taxes have been taken out). The huge advantages are that there are no limits on how much you can contribute each year and no penalties for withdrawing your money at any age.⁷ This liquidity is its superpower.
• Taxation Explained Simply: Because it’s “taxable,” you pay taxes on your profits along the way. This happens in two main ways:

1. Capital Gains Tax: When you sell an investment for more than you paid for it, that profit is a “capital gain.” If you held the investment for more than one year, it’s a long-term capital gain and is taxed at a preferential, lower rate (0%, 15%, or 20% for most people). If you held it for a year or less, it’s a short-term capital gain and is taxed at your ordinary income tax rate, which is higher.¹⁹
2. Taxes on Dividends and Interest: If your investments (like stocks or bonds) pay you dividends or interest, that income is typically taxable in the year you receive it.¹⁷

Conventional wisdom often tells beginners to only open a taxable account after they’ve maxed out their retirement accounts.²¹

For a fearful beginner, this advice is incomplete.

The greatest initial benefit of a taxable brokerage account is not financial, but

psychological.

Its flexibility and lack of withdrawal penalties make it the perfect, low-stakes “flight simulator.”

A beginner’s greatest fear is locking up their money and losing it.⁶

Retirement accounts, with their rules and early withdrawal penalties, can feel like an incredibly permanent and high-stakes commitment.²³

By opening a taxable account and investing a very small amount—say, $100—you can experience the emotional reality of market ups and downs.

You can learn to navigate the platform, place a trade, and see what it feels like when your balance fluctuates, all while knowing you can pull that money out at any time without penalty.

This experience is invaluable.

It builds the emotional resilience and procedural confidence needed to make the larger, long-term commitment to a retirement account feel far less intimidating.

The “Long-Range Autopilot”: Retirement Accounts (IRAs)

Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) are specialized accounts designed for one mission: saving for retirement.

Their power comes from significant tax advantages granted by the government to encourage long-term saving.²⁵

For beginners, the choice boils down to one big question:

Do you want your tax break now, or do you want it later?

• Traditional IRA: Pay taxes later.

• How it Works: You may be able to deduct your contributions from your taxes in the year you make them. This gives you an immediate tax break by lowering your taxable income for the year.²⁵
• Growth: Your investments grow tax-deferred, meaning you don’t pay taxes on the gains each year.
• Withdrawals: When you withdraw the money in retirement (after age 59½), every dollar—both your original contributions and all the growth—is taxed as ordinary income.²³
• Best For: Someone who believes they are in a higher tax bracket today than they will be in retirement.
• Roth IRA: Pay taxes now.

• How it Works: You contribute with after-tax money. There is no upfront tax deduction.²⁵
• Growth: Your investments grow 100% tax-free.
• Withdrawals: When you take qualified withdrawals in retirement (after age 59½ and having the account for 5 years), every dollar—both your contributions and all the spectacular growth—is 100% tax-free.²³
• Best For: Someone who believes they are in a lower tax bracket today than they will be in retirement.

The Roth IRA has other beginner-friendly features.

You can withdraw your own contributions (not the earnings) at any time, for any reason, without tax or penalty, which adds a layer of flexibility.²⁴

It also has no required minimum distributions (RMDs) during your lifetime, meaning you’re never forced to take money out if you don’t need it.²⁴

Beginner’s Recommendation: For most young investors who are early in their careers, their income—and therefore their tax bracket—is likely the lowest it will ever be.

For this reason, the Roth IRA is often the most powerful long-range vehicle.

Paying taxes now at a lower rate to secure decades of tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals in retirement is one of the best financial deals available.²¹

To bring it all together, here is a simple decision matrix to help you choose the right cockpit for your financial mission.

Your Financial Mission	Time Horizon	Best Account Type (Your Cockpit)	Key Benefit
“I’m saving for retirement.”	10+ Years	Roth IRA or Traditional IRA	Powerful tax-advantaged growth 25
“I’m saving for a house in 5 years.”	3-7 Years	Taxable Brokerage Account	Flexibility to withdraw funds without penalty 17
“I just want to learn how to invest.”	Short-Term / Learning	Taxable Brokerage Account	Low-stakes “flight simulator” to build confidence 18
“I need a place for my emergency fund.”	Immediate Access	High-Yield Savings Account	Safety, liquidity, and FDIC insurance 19

Pre-Flight Checklist: Choosing Your Broker and Opening the Account

Now that you’ve designed your cockpit—you understand ownership, your fuel system, and your navigation system—the final steps become clear and manageable.

It’s time to choose your ground crew (the brokerage firm) and file your flight plan (the application).

Choosing Your Ground Crew (The Brokerage Firm)

With a clear understanding of your needs, you can now evaluate brokers based on the criteria that actually matter for a beginner, not just on flashy marketing.

1. Fees and Costs: In today’s competitive landscape, the best brokers for beginners have eliminated most of the obvious fees. You should look for a firm that offers $0 account minimums, $0 commissions for online trades of stocks and ETFs, and a large selection of no-transaction-fee (NTF) mutual funds.³⁰ Be aware that other costs can exist, like small per-contract fees for options trades or management fees (expense ratios) charged by mutual funds and ETFs themselves.³⁴
2. Platform Usability: The website and mobile app should be clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate. A platform cluttered with overwhelming charts and data designed for professional day traders can be just as intimidating as the jargon itself.³¹ Many top firms offer different platform versions, from simple beginner interfaces to complex pro-level dashboards.³⁰
3. Educational Resources: Great brokers invest heavily in their clients’ success. Look for firms with extensive, free libraries of high-quality articles, webinars, tutorials, and video guides that can help you learn as you grow.³⁰
4. Investment Options and Fractional Shares: Ensure the broker offers the investments you need (stocks, ETFs, mutual funds). A game-changing feature for beginners is the ability to buy fractional shares. This allows you to invest by dollar amount (e.g., “$10 of Amazon stock”) instead of needing to have enough money to buy a full share, which might cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. This makes diversification accessible even with a small starting amount.³¹
5. Trust and Security: This is non-negotiable. Your brokerage firm must be a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which protects your assets up to $500,000 (including $250,000 for cash) if the firm fails. You should also verify that the broker is registered with the SEC and regulated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).³⁰

To save you hours of research, here is a comparison of some of the top brokerage firms based on these beginner-focused criteria.

Brokerage	Best For	Account Minimum	Stock/ETF Commissions	Options Fee (per contract)	Fractional Shares
Fidelity	Overall Experience & Low Costs	$0	$0	$0.65	Yes
Charles Schwab	Beginners & Research	$0	$0	$0.65	Yes
E*TRADE	Mobile Experience & Tools	$0	$0	$0.50 – $0.65	Yes
Vanguard	Low-Cost Index Investing	$0	$0	$1.00	Yes (for Vanguard ETFs)
Robinhood	Simplicity & Crypto	$0	$0	$0	Yes

Note: Fees and features are subject to change.

Data compiled from sources.³²

Robinhood is included for contrast; while known for its simple interface, it may offer fewer research tools and investment types compared to full-service brokers like Fidelity or Schwab.³⁰

Filing the Flight Plan (The Application Process)

With your broker selected, the final step is the application itself.

Because you’ve already made the big decisions, this is now just a matter of providing information.

The process is almost always done online and can take as little as 15 minutes.

Here is the information you’ll need and, more importantly, why it’s required by law.¹⁵

• Personal Information: Your legal name, date of birth, and address.
• Social Security Number (or Taxpayer ID): This is required for tax reporting purposes to the IRS.
• Government-Issued ID: You may need to provide your driver’s license or passport number. This is to verify your identity and comply with federal anti-money-laundering laws.
• Employment Status and Occupation: Brokers need this to understand your financial situation and to identify potential conflicts of interest (for example, if you are an employee of another financial firm).
• Financial Information: Your approximate annual income and net worth. This is part of the “Know Your Customer” (KYC) regulations, which help protect both you and the firm.
• Investment Profile: You’ll be asked about your investment objectives (e.g., Growth, Capital Preservation), risk tolerance (e.g., Conservative, Aggressive), and time horizon. Be honest. This information helps the firm ensure the investments you might choose are suitable for your stated goals.
• Bank Information: The account and routing number for the bank account you’ll use to transfer money into your new brokerage account.

Once you submit your application, it’s typically reviewed and approved within 1-3 business days.

You’ll receive an email confirmation, and then you’ll be ready to fund your account and prepare for your first flight.

You Are Cleared for Taxi

Revisiting my own story, the “cockpit design” framework was my salvation.

Armed with this new mental model, I confidently returned to the process.

I knew exactly what I needed.

I opened two accounts: a Roth IRA for my long-range retirement mission and a taxable brokerage account to serve as my flight simulator.

I made sure both were cash accounts.

I started by automating a small, comfortable transfer into each account every month.

The first time the market took a dip, I felt a familiar flicker of anxiety.

But this time, instead of panicking, I looked at my instruments.

I reviewed my plan—my cockpit design.

I reminded myself of the mission for each account.

The Roth IRA was on a 30-year flight; this turbulence was irrelevant.

My taxable account was my simulator; this was a learning opportunity, not a catastrophe.

For the first time, I felt a sense of calm control.

I didn’t sell.

I stayed the course.

That was the real success.

It wasn’t a huge financial windfall or a perfectly timed trade.

The success was the quiet confidence that replaced the panic.

It was the shift from being a passenger, terrified of the slightest bump, to being the pilot, secure in the knowledge that I understood my instruments and could navigate the weather ahead.⁴

The journey to becoming an investor doesn’t have to start with a terrifying leap into the unknown.

It can start right here, with thoughtful design.

You’ve now designed your cockpit.

You understand the essential dials.

You are in control.

You are not just cleared for takeoff—you are ready to navigate your financial future with confidence.

Works cited

1. Investing for Beginners: A Quick and Easy Guide to Investment – by Ramit Sethi, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/investing-for-beginners/
2. Investing for Beginners: All You Need To Know – Brokstock, accessed August 13, 2025, https://brokstock.co.za/blog/investing/investing-for-beginners-all-you-need-to-know/
3. Should You Get In on the Meme Stock Craze? Why You Might Regret It – Investopedia, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.investopedia.com/meme-stocks-investing-11781274
4. Struggling with psychological aspect of investing : r/investing – Reddit, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/1kv3ezb/struggling_with_psychological_aspect_of_investing/
5. Afraid to invest : r/Bogleheads – Reddit, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/Bogleheads/comments/1lprm2c/afraid_to_invest/
6. How do I overcome fear of investing? : r/investing – Reddit, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/qpysor/how_do_i_overcome_fear_of_investing/
7. Brokerage Accounts: What They Are, Benefits, & Services | TIAA, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.tiaa.org/public/invest/financial-products/brokerage-accounts
8. 6 common investment mistakes beginners should avoid – Charles Stanley, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.charles-stanley.co.uk/insights/commentary/investment-mistakes
9. Why you’re scared of investing (and what to do about it) – AES International, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.aesinternational.com/blog/why-youre-scared-of-investing-and-what-to-do-about-it
10. Why You’re Scared of Investing (and how to overcome it) – Darius Foroux, accessed August 13, 2025, https://dariusforoux.com/scared-of-investing/
11. Feeling discouraged – new investor : r/investing – Reddit, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/1j2sy7h/feeling_discouraged_new_investor/
12. Types of Brokerage Accounts | Charles Schwab, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.schwab.com/brokerage/types-of-brokerage-accounts
13. Types of Brokerage Accounts | Investor.gov, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing/investing-basics/how-stock-markets-work/types-brokerage-accounts
14. Brokerage Accounts | FINRA.org, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.finra.org/investors/investing/investment-accounts/brokerage-accounts
15. Investor Bulletin: How to Open a Brokerage Account | Investor.gov, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing/general-resources/news-alerts/alerts-bulletins/investor-bulletins-43
16. How To Open an Online Brokerage Account in 2025 – Investopedia, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.investopedia.com/how-to-open-an-online-brokerage-account-4588908
17. When You Should Use a Taxable Brokerage Account – SmartAsset.com, accessed August 13, 2025, https://smartasset.com/investing/when-you-should-use-a-taxable-brokerage-account
18. When to use a taxable brokerage account | Fidelity, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/trading-investing/taxable-brokerage-account
19. Understanding Taxable Brokerage Accounts [2025] – Scarlet Oak Financial Services, accessed August 13, 2025, https://scarletoakfs.com/understanding-taxable-brokerage-accounts/
20. What is a taxable investment account: Understanding the basics – Domain Money, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.domainmoney.com/post/what-is-a-taxable-investment-account-understanding-the-basics
21. How to start investing | Investing for beginners | Fidelity, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/personal-finance/how-to-start-investing
22. How to Start Investing in 2025: A Beginner’s Guide – Ramsey, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/how-to-start-investing
23. Roth vs. traditional IRAs: Which should I choose? – Empower, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.empower.com/the-currency/work/roth-ira-vs-traditional-ira
24. Roth vs. Traditional IRA: Which Is Right For You? – NerdWallet, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/roth-or-traditional-ira-account
25. Individual retirement arrangements (IRAs) | Internal Revenue Service, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/individual-retirement-arrangements-iras
26. How to start investing: A guide for beginners – Vanguard, accessed August 13, 2025, https://investor.vanguard.com/investor-resources-education/article/how-to-start-investing
27. Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA: Which Is Better for You? – Investopedia, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.investopedia.com/retirement/roth-vs-traditional-ira-which-is-right-for-you/
28. Roth IRA vs. traditional IRA: Eligibility, rules, and tax benefits – Vanguard, accessed August 13, 2025, https://investor.vanguard.com/investor-resources-education/iras/roth-vs-traditional-ira
29. Which IRA is Right for Me? (Roth vs. Traditional) – MissionSquare Retirement, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.missionsq.org/products-and-services/iras/which-ira-is-right-for-me.html
30. How to Find the Right Broker (+ BEST Brokerages of 2025) | Blog – Dow Janes, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.dowjanes.com/blog/how-to-find-a-broker-best-brokerages-of-2024
31. Best online brokers for beginners in August 2025 – Bankrate, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.bankrate.com/investing/best-online-brokers-for-beginners/
32. Compare Us | Charles Schwab, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.schwab.com/compare-us
33. Best Online Brokers and Trading Platforms for August 2025 – Investopedia, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.investopedia.com/best-online-brokers-4587872
34. How to Choose a Broker – Investopedia, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.investopedia.com/articles/younginvestors/06/firstbroker.asp
35. Brokerage Fees and Investment Commissions Explained – NerdWallet, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/brokerage-commissions-fees
36. Best Brokerage Accounts for Beginners: Our 7 Top Picks 2025 | The Motley Fool, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.fool.com/money/buying-stocks/best-online-stock-brokers-for-beginners/
37. Best online brokers of 2025: Choose the right brokerage firm for you | Bankrate, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.bankrate.com/investing/best-online-brokers/
38. Investing for beginners | Investing ideas and planning | Fidelity, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/trading-investing/investing-for-beginners
39. What Is a Brokerage Account? Definition, How to Choose, and Types – Investopedia, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/brokerageaccount.asp
40. What you need to open an account and begin investing – Vanguard, accessed August 13, 2025, https://investor.vanguard.com/investor-resources-education/how-to-open-account
41. How to Open a Brokerage Account, accessed August 13, 2025, https://sos.wyo.gov/Investing/Docs/HowToOpenABrokerageAccount.pdf
42. Anyone willing to share their success stories? : r/investing – Reddit, accessed August 13, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/9mhznj/anyone_willing_to_share_their_success_stories/