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Rumple4skin

ThinkOrSwim Platform

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I'm a newbie and I'm learning to paper trade using the TOS paper trading platform. I'm trying to put some of the more complex earnings trade into their trading platform and having a hard time with it. Can anyone recommend some resources for helping learn the TOS system? I generally like the platform and it's fairly intuitive but I need a little bit of coaching on the more complex strategies. 

Also, did anyone else start with TOS paper trading and then go LIVE and see if there was a difference in execution prices? I'm wondering if I'm getting "real life" fills on the paper trading platform or if I'm in for a rude awakening when I move to LIVE trading. 

Thank you. 

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Morning Rumple!  I think the most common problem people have is entering non standard trades with odd legs.    To enter these trades you need to create a standard order and then change the order type to custom.  You can then change the number of contracts on each leg independently.   Let me know if you have specific questions and I'll try to help.   Otherwise, youtube is a great resource for general educational videos on ToS.  I would advise searching for videos from within the last year to make sure you are viewing content that is still valid.   Best - Matt.

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Contact this guy listed below if you want options trading fees well below $0.65/contract and help with the ThinkorSwim platform.  He’s with TD Ameritrade/Charles Schwab.  
 

After fully integrating with Schwab to become the largest broker on the planet by a couple trillion dollars or so, they’ll have the order execution advantage of being able to match even more of their orders directly with other customers in addition to orders fromthe exchanges.  This could help your fill prices and speed, especially on stock/ETFs with options that are the most traded by theircustomers, such as SPY, TSLA, BA, DIS, etc...    Also, their retail ThinkorSwim desktop and mobile trading applications are best in class for option trading IMHO after trialing several of the top brokers.

 

The one caveat is that he can only help people that don’t already have TDA accounts.  If you already have a TDA account, he should be able to put you in contact with the account rep that you never knew you had.

 

These folks earn a residual commission income based on how much assets under management they raise and keep on the platform.  
 

Their team that approves reduced fee levels considers your intended options contract trading volume and your intended new account size.  Keep these points in mind when negotiating.       
 

Austin Gansky
TD Ameritrade | New Accounts Manager
+1 (817)310-5010 Ext. 205010 Office

Austin.Gansky@TDAmeritrade.com

Disclosure: He’s my  account rep.  I get no benefit from referring you to him, to my knowledge, other than knowing I helped out fellow members.  😀

 

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Has anybody seen an implied volatility study for charting the IV of a specific option?  On TOS, when I send an option to a chart, the imp_volatility subgraph is blank, it works fine with a stock.  There doesn't appear to be one for options.  There is one for the scanner, but I haven't put much effort into the thinkscript function to be able to build one myself.

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