Open an online brokerage account.

A brokerage account is used to invest in securities like stocks and ETFs. You can use a brokerage account to invest your money and grow wealth over time–whether you’re putting money aside for the long term or simply saving up for a large purchase, you’re able to use the funds however and whenever you want.

With a Stash subscription, you can open a brokerage account with any amount. To grow your money, you'll probably want to invest regularly, diversify, and invest for the long term—principles we call The Stash Way®.

Stash is a personal finance app that can help anyone improve their financial life.

From budgeting to saving for retirement, Stash features banking, investing, and advice all in one app. We’ve helped millions of Americans reach their financial goals–all for one low monthly price.

You might need to pay taxes on your investments in a brokerage account if you earn investment income from interest or dividends, or if you have capital gains:

• If you earn interest: Some investments—like bonds or government securities—give you back money as interest. According to Uncle Sam, earned interest is considered taxable.

• If you earn dividends: A dividend is a portion of company profit that’s distributed to its stockholders. Some dividend income might be taxable—you’ll receive a tax form called a 1099 DIV from your financial institution if there are any taxable events that involve dividends.

• If you have capital gains: If you sell investments for more than you bought it, that’s a capital gain. Capital gains come in two forms: long and short term. Long-term capital gains come from profits on assets held longer than a year. Long-term capital gains are taxed at a lower rate than short-term capital gains, or profits from assets held less than a year.
  
  
  
  Stash provides tax forms if you do have taxable events, so you’re covered. If you are looking for brokerage accounts that have a tax-deferred treatment, explore accounts like Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs).
  
  This should not be construed as tax advice. Please consult a tax professional for additional questions.
  

Absolutely—it’s your money, after all. But, you’ll need to remember a few things.

• You might need to sell some of your investments before you take cash out.

• The process of settling a trade (the official transfer of an investment when it sells) takes time—usually a few business days.

• Just remember—there may be tax implications when you sell. Please consult a tax professional for additional questions.