I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.
See all posts Frank GogolHow to Close a Robinhood Account
Updated on April 10, 2024
Written by
Written by
Reviewed by
Rohit Mittal
Reviewed by
Rohit Mittal
Rohit Mittal is the co-founder and CEO of Stilt. Rohit has extensive experience in credit risk analytics and data science. He spent years building credit risk and fraud models for top U.S. banks. In his current role, he defines the overall business strategy, leads debt and capital fundraising efforts, leads product development, and leads other customer-related aspects for the company. Stilt is backed by Y Combinator and has raised a total of $275M in debt and equity funding to date.
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- Reasons to close your Robinhood account include engaging in more day trading, preferring less risky traditional brokerages, or switching to more risky, non-traditional brokerages.
- To close the account, ensure a $0 balance by selling positions and withdrawing funds or transferring assets to another brokerage.
- Robinhood does not charge an account closure fee but may pass on SEC and FINRA sales charges or require a fee for transfers.
As a broker-dealer for the individual trader, Robinhood has taken the millennial investor market by storm. It is a smartphone-first brokerage, allowing easy access to a trading platform for retail traders. With competitive pricing, including $0 commission, and access to ETF, options, and cryptocurrency trades in the U.S. and Australia, it’s easy to see why its user base has grown dramatically in the past four years. Robinhood has even shown growth despite the Coronavirus pandemic.
However, easy-to-access trading platforms are not without their controversy. Recent news stories highlight a range of complaints aimed at Robinhood. This might explain an uptake in searches for how to close a Robinhood account.
Reasons Why You Might Want to Close Your Robinhood Account
There are three broad categories of complaints against Robinhood that might explain why you want to know how to close a Robinhood account:
You want to do more day trading
Robinhood makes trading easy by providing a trading platform without bells and whistles. You can only trade stocks, ETFs, and options, eliminating many of the advanced day trade platforms and tools. If you want to try your hand at day trading, you might want to close your Robinhood account.
You want less risky, more traditional brokerages
Robinhood makes it easy to trade as an individual, retail trader. This means you are completely responsible for your investment strategy — you do not have a broker or financial advisor in the Robinhood ecosystem that can give you individual advice. If you do not know what you are doing, you can lose a lot of money. If you want to transfer your account to a more traditional, institutional investment broker, you might want to close your Robinhood account.
You want more risky, less traditional brokerages
By taking the unprecedented step of blocking its users from buying certain stocks in early 2021, Robinhood alienated a large part of its customer base. Retail investors who were using Robinhood as a way of getting away from traditional, institutional brokerages saw this move as “stealing from the poor to give to the rich”. If you want to transfer your account to a stock trading app that has not blocked its users from buying these stocks, you might want to close your Robinhood account.
Steps to Take Before Closing Closing Your Account
First, you need to decide whether you want to close your account, or just deactivate it. If you close your account, the only thing you will be able to use the Robinhood app for is checking your historical account statements, tax documents, and trade confirmations.
If you later decide you want to trade using Robinhood again, you will have to redo the application process. If you deactivate your account, you will still be able to check all of your documentation. You don’t have to leave any funds in your account. However, you will be able to easily reactivate your account if you want to resume trading on the app at a later time.
Whether you choose to close or deactivate your account, your Robinhood account balance has to be $0. This means you have to either sell all of your positions and withdraw the balance to your bank account, or you have to transfer all of your assets from Robinhood to another brokerage.
How to Close a Robinhood Account
If you choose to sell all of your positions and withdraw the balance to your bank account, you can close your Robinhood account in the app itself.
How to close a Robinhood account:
- Tap the Account (person) icon
- Tap Account Information
- Scroll and tap Deactivate Account
- Follow the steps to close all your positions and withdraw your outstanding balance
- Once your balance is $0.00 and your positions are closed, you will be able to confirm your deactivation request
- If you want to close your account, email a written request to Robinhood (support@robinhood.com).
Once these steps are completed, your account will be restricted from investing or trading. Re-downloading the app will not reactivate your account. Because Robinhood is required by law to preserve certain books and records, your account will still exist in the Robinhood system, and you will still be able to access your account statements, tax documents, and trade confirmations in the app.
How to Transfer My Robinhood Account to Another Broker?
If you do not want to sell your positions, you can choose to transfer them to another brokerage instead. If all of your assets are transferred out, Robinhood will automatically close your account.
The transfer process begins at your newly chosen brokerage firm. You will have to initiate an ACATS (Automated Customer Account Transfer Service) request and fill out any paperwork your new brokerage firm requires. Thereafter they will submit transfer instructions so your assets and funds can be moved to the new brokerage firm.
You might need to give the other brokerage your Robinhood Securities (RHS) account number. You can find this information in your mobile app:
- Tap the Account icon in the bottom right corner
- Tap Investing
- Your account number will be at the top of your screen.
You might also need to reference a DTC number for your transfer. Robinhood’s DTC number is 6769.
If you need assistance during the account transfer process, you can call the Robinhood customer service line at 1-650-940-2700.
Does Robinhood Have a Cancellation Fee?
Robinhood does not charge account closure fees on any of its accounts. However, closing your Robinhood account will still cost you money.
If you choose to sell your positions, Robinhood doesn’t charge commissions, which is a bonus. However, like most brokerages, Robinhood will pass the SEC and FINRA sales charges on to you. Also, selling your positions might affect your capital gains tax position.
If you choose to transfer your positions to a different brokerage, you will also pay fees. While transferring your trading account to Robinhood costs nothing, you will need to pay $75 to transfer to another brokerage. This can sometimes be offset by brokerage firms who offer incentives for you to transfer your positions to them.
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Final Thoughts
Whatever the reason you want to leave the Robinhood trading platform, finding out how to close a Robinhood account is straightforward.
On the app, you can choose the Deactivate Account option, and it will prompt you to sell all of your trading positions and transfer your account balance to your bank account. If you do not want to sell your trading positions, you will need to initiate an automated customer account transfer service request to transfer your Robinhood data to a new brokerage. Although Robinhood does not charge an account closure fee, remember either option will have some financial cost to you as the user.
Closing a Robinhood Account FAQ
How Do I Close My Robinhood Account?
To close your Robinhood account, you’ll first need to sell all your positions and withdraw the balance to your bank account. Once your account balance is $0.00, you can submit a closure request through the Robinhood app or contact their support team for assistance.
Can I Close My Account If I Have Open Positions or Funds?
No, you cannot close your Robinhood account if you have open positions or funds remaining. You need to sell all your investments and withdraw any remaining balance before you can close your account.
Are There Any Fees for Closing a Robinhood Account?
Robinhood generally does not charge a fee for closing an account. However, it’s important to be aware of any potential tax implications from selling investments.
How Long Does It Take to Close a Robinhood Account?
After you have submitted a request to close your account, it can take a few days to several weeks for Robinhood to complete the process. The time frame depends on the settlement of final transactions and the withdrawal of any remaining funds.
What Happens to My Investments When I Close My Robinhood Account?
Before closing your account, you must sell all your investments. The proceeds from the sale will be added to your account balance, which you should then withdraw to your linked bank account.
Can I Transfer My Investments to Another Broker Instead of Selling Them?
Yes, you can transfer your investments to another broker instead of selling them. Robinhood supports ACATS (Automated Customer Account Transfer Service) transfers. Be aware that your new broker might charge fees for this transfer.
Will Closing My Robinhood Account Affect My Credit Score?
Closing your Robinhood account should not affect your credit score as brokerage accounts are typically not reported to credit bureaus. However, it’s important to ensure all debts or margin balances are settled before closing the account.
What Should I Do With Dividends or Earnings Received After Requesting Account Closure?
If you receive dividends or other earnings after requesting account closure, Robinhood should automatically process these and add them to your final account balance. Ensure all funds are withdrawn before finalizing the account closure.
Can I Reopen My Robinhood Account After Closing It?
Reopening a closed Robinhood account may be possible, but it often requires going through the account setup process again. Contact Robinhood support for specific guidance on reopening an account.
Are There Any Tax Implications for Closing My Robinhood Account?
Yes, selling your investments as part of closing your account can have tax implications. You may incur capital gains taxes on any profits from the sale of investments. It’s advisable to consult with a tax professional for guidance.
Frank Gogol
I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.