Currently, I have enough money invested with TD to have no service fees to maintain my accounts. When I first started, I did not have that kind of clout. Service fees and management fees eat away at your savings.
It is always important to read your investment statements. I checked out my TD Waterhouse RRSP account and was horrified to see a $100 service fee.
After my sticker shock, I vaguely remember reading about having a minimum balance in a self-directed RRSP account. I was not sure exactly what that was, but I would find out. Did I send an E-mail? No, this kind of query is best-done face-to-face. Barring that ability, you must use the telephone for effect (e-mails saying NO! are far too easy for customer service to send).
After waiting in line for about 18 minutes to get through to an agent (I assume it is a crazy time of the year with folks asking about RRSPs and such), I got a hold of a youngster who seemed to have a head on his shoulders. I first asked (in a polite tone) what this fee was for and was told that if I didn’t have a minimum balance of $25K in my Self-Directed RRSP, TD/Waterhouse would charge this fee (oh, and there is a $13 HST to add injury to insult).
How I Fought It
I remained calm and politely pointed out that I was only “a whisker” away from that exact value, and I asked if this fee could be waived (this one time)? The answer by the intelligent chap I was speaking with was “Of course!”. The agent pointed out that the computer charged the fee, but the agents are given some discretion in refunding the payment (he had to fill in a form to do it).
The fee was waived. However, I was also warned that I should top up that account and get it over the $25K threshold, or I might have to pay the fee next year (something to keep in mind; I have marked my calendar for the end of February to check that). Luckily, I still have my $113 from this year, so I am a little closer already.
Another classic example is that If You Don’t Ask, the Answer is Always, NO!
One thing I’ve always wondered is do they charge the fee if you start with, say 27,000, and then the market value of your stocks drops to 23,000? If you haven’t actually sold the stocks, it’s only a paper loss, not a real one. Do they have the nerve to charge a fee in those circumstances? Hopefully neither I nor anyone else will have to find out!
My guess is they would ding you in that instance.