COLLEGE GRANT WASHINGTON
Discount brokers allow a person to buy "no-load" mutual funds at a reduced commission. Through an arrangement with a particular fund, free mutual funds are sometimes offered. Discount brokers will often provide (for a small fee) a free 1-page Standard & Poor's Stock report on the stocks you are requesting and a 5-10-page research report. Twenty-four hour telephone stock quotes services are also provided, allowing the person to build trades.
There are four types of discount brokerage firms, “full-service,” “discount,” “deep discount” and “computer or electronic.” Full-service discount brokers offer services that are identical to a full-service broker. They own local branch offices for personal service, newsletters, a personal account representative and considerable literature. Discount firms carry out the same functions as that of the full-service discount firms. The only difference is they don’t have local branches. Their commissions are around 1/3rd the price of a full-service agent.