Interactive Brokers (IBKR) offers several tools and methods to check, model, and manage margin requirements for your positions. This comprehensive guide will help you understand how to use these tools effectively.
- Pre-Trade Margin Checks:
- Order Preview: Before submitting an order, use the check margin/preview function to see the potential margin impact.
- TWS/Mosaic Margin Preview:
- For new orders: Right-click on the order line and select "Check Margin Impact"
- For existing positions: Right-click on the position, go to Contract Info, and select "Show Margin Impact"
- Real-Time Monitoring:
- Account Window: Monitor your account's margin requirements in real-time.
- Modeling and Analysis Tools:
- Paper Trader: Build and model positions to review total margin requirements.
- Tutorial: TWS Classic for Beginners
- Risk Navigator: Model positions and use the "What If" feature to preview changes in open positions and margin requirements.
- Tutorials:
- For more information on Risk Navigator in the Knowledge Base Article.
- Detailed Margin Reports:
- To access your Margin Report:
- Log in to Client Portal
- Click on Performance & Reports followed by Other Reports
- Select Margin under Risk, edit the date,format, language and click Run
- The Margin Report provides detailed information on margin requirements for each position in your account. You can compare reports from different dates to see changes in margin requirements, such as when an option expires and its margin is released.
- To track changes in margin requirements:
- Generate a Margin Report for the date before a significant event (e.g., option expiration)
- Generate another Margin Report for the date after the event
- Compare the two reports to see the difference in margin requirements