Series 14: 4.4.3. Treatment Of Free Credit Balances

4.4.3. Treatment of Free Credit Balances

Free credit balance refers to the cash held in a customer’s account that she may withdraw on demand. In a margin account, a free credit balance is an amount in excess of the customer’s initial margin requirement and short sale proceeds.

Broker-dealers cannot carry a customer’s free credit balance or use it, unless they have established procedures to ensure that customers receive with t