Q&A for How to Trade Stocks

You can sell some of the shares of a stock you own. You don't have to sell all of your shares of that stock.

There are many, many brokers available. Find them online (search for "discount brokers") or in your phone directory ("stock and bond brokers").

Check first with one or more Bolivian brokers to see if they can give you access to U.S. markets. If not, some online brokers do work with non-U.S. traders but require certain procedures for qualification. Contact any online brokerage to learn their rules.

No. Brokers don't care about your credit cards. They expect you to open and maintain your account with cash.

Stocks that should be considered for trading for short term rather than long term.

Many brokers will let you open a demo account prior to beginning real trades.

An "ask price" is the lowest per-share price currently being offered by sellers of a given stock. A "bid price" is the highest per-share price currently being offered by potential buyers of a given stock.

Each brokerage has its own minimum deposit requirement. Some online brokers will let you start with no deposit at all (other than whatever you want to use to make your first purchase). Several websites (NerdWallet is one) offer charts comparing features and requirements of online brokers.

Do not do business with anyone who tries to "recruit" you. They have no interest in your well-being.

No one knows. It could take one day. It could take 20 years. It will probably take somewhere in between those two times.

Trading stock is buying and selling shares of ownership in various businesses. Forex trading is buying and selling some national currency (money) using another national currency (for example, buying and later selling Japanese yen using Russian rubles).

If you are trading for only yourself, you do not need to register as a business. If you are trading with other people's money, you do (unless it's an informal arrangement you have with family or friends).

Yes. You'll pay $35.41 plus whatever per-trade fee the broker charges. If you're buying stock issued by the company that employs you, it's possible your employer can negotiate a lower-than-usual fee from the broker.

It could be considered a "merging" of outstanding shares. For one reason or another, a company may decide to reduce the number of its outstanding shares of stock while simultaneously (and proportionally) increasing the price of those shares.

See Buy Stock Without a Broker and Buy Penny Stocks Without a Broker .

Simply deposit money into your trading account, and let it sit unused. Your broker may or may not pay interest on your idle funds.

No. All you need is access to the market by way of a trading account at an online or local brokerage. You can also buy and sell a specific company's stock through that company's direct stock purchase plan.

No. "Trading" stock means either buying shares or selling them. It's certainly possible to enter into a private agreement with another stockholder by which you exchange some of your shares for some of the other person's shares based on the respective values of each. You would not involve a stockbroker in such an exchange.

That is one of the great imponderables of the investing world. Seek advice from financially savvy people. (In the meantime, the financial sector is usually -- but not always -- pretty reliable.)

Yes, if it's a full-service broker. A discount broker might not have any advice to share with you.

No. If you don't want to trade online, you can contact your broker by phone to order a trade.