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Broker Bonus Break-Even Calculator

Convert a broker bonus headline into an estimated after-cost benefit using your own assumptions.

Interactive calculatorBroker bonusHypothetical
Hypothetical calculator: This tool estimates arithmetic from your inputs. It does not determine eligibility, taxes, investment returns, or whether an account is suitable.

Inputs

Estimated net benefit
$500.00
Gross award$500.00
Opportunity cost$0.00
Estimated tax$0.00
Fees$0.00
Net as % of assets0.50%

Formula

Estimated net benefit = award − transfer and closure fees − estimated tax − opportunity cost. Opportunity cost = qualifying assets × annual opportunity-cost rate × required months ÷ 12. The output is deliberately simple and does not include market gains or losses.

What the result cannot tell you

The calculator cannot confirm eligibility, whether the assets count, whether a referral code was enrolled correctly, whether the transfer will finish by the deadline, or whether the broker can charge back the award. It also cannot value service quality, market access, platform reliability, tax-lot disruption, or the risk of moving unsupported assets.

How to use it

  1. Copy the award, funding deadline, maintenance period, and account exclusions from the official terms.
  2. Enter every sending and receiving broker fee.
  3. Add an opportunity cost only when the offer or transfer prevents the assets from being used as intended.
  4. Use an account-appropriate tax estimate or leave it at zero and review taxes separately.
  5. Compare the net result with the account's long-run fit, not with zero.

For the current public Schwab tiers, see the Schwab account and offer guide. For transfer conditions, use the transfer bonus checklist.

Official sources

Terms, eligibility, prices, and product features can change. The linked provider or regulator document controls.

Worked example: when a headline award is not the net benefit

Suppose an offer pays $500 after $100,000 remains at the broker for twelve months. If moving the account creates $150 of transfer or closure costs and you estimate $120 of tax on the award, the benefit is already lower than the headline number. Add any opportunity cost caused by cash that must remain uninvested or by a product you cannot hold at the new firm. Enter each assumption separately so you can see which one changes the decision.

The annualized figure is a comparison aid, not an investment return. It assumes the entered costs and award are known, even though a broker may determine eligibility after reviewing the account. Read the official offer terms before moving assets, and keep enough flexibility to reject an offer whose restrictions interfere with the portfolio.

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