Sourcing The Depositor(s)?
 

I hadn't even noticed cash deposits taking place in the cash sweep account at my brokerage house going back several years, until I noticed one for almost $400.00 that took place Monday evening. I frankly don't pay a lot of attention to what little I have in cash anymore. Just never noticed $88 here, $56 there over time. I never realized it, but there's no source attached to any these deposits. They're not dividends, because any and all dividends are re-invested automatically in more shares of <stock.> I hope that one call to the brokerage firm will answer this Q, but from what I can tell, there's no way to determine the source/depositor on-line, on their website. Outside entities do not have my account #s, so the list of possible in-house account entities of record is a very short list.

So some unknown entity is anonymously making cash deposits into your account? That sounds like a problem I wouldn't mind having, though it might make me a bit nervous for tax reasons.

Could be someone making a deposit to an account with transposed digits or off by one digit. Happens quite frequently, especially if your account number is close to a corporate account number that receives a lot of deposits.

Have you tried asking the bank...?

I have my suspicions, and would usually blow off finding the source, but because it's more than $100, curiosity will get me to go to the bother of finding out. My hunch is that it is the first of it's kind because of a new stock offering of some sort. Time Warner (formerly AOL) introduced their THIRD stock division about 1-2 months ago, so I am thinking that's the unknown 'entity' - but as I stated, the list is short of possible entities because they are held at the brokerage house. As per taxes? It would be included on a DIV-1099 at year end. So, that's not an issue.

Possible. If the split doesn't give you a round number of shares, they pay the remainder in cash. But the online account should show the deposit as a dividend or proceeds from a split, not as a bank deposit. Should be easy enough to check.

Well...?

Sounds like a money laundering conspiracy. I suspect drug cartels or maybe a Nigerian prince. Could be al Qaeda. Maybe even WalMart.

Tracked down source(s), making deposits, but still unidentified. No clear explanation of reason(s) for funding other than mispriced securities or a change in exchange rates/charges, if that? Basically, just don't know. As long as the money is flowing in they're welcome to send more anytime they want to. I'll put it to good use! ;):D:)

how unethically enterprising of you

youve identified that its not connected with any of your investments, and you are gonna stop there and keep the money as it comes in. and this isnt classified as stealing how?

id be taking every dime of that mistaken money and putting it in its own account until i resolved the mistake and returned the cash to the rightful owner. that is the only appropriate action.

Surely this wouldn't be simply an opportunity to talk about the "portfolio" on this site now would it?

Wonder how long it'll take you to just ask the bank what is going on and what action to take...

I really don't care to hear about his Ameritrade account.

Attaboy! Class move!

Well, it took a while to realize the reason for the deposits into my various brokerage accounts were from rebates or refunds and additions from the brokerage house(s) because of new minimums surpassed in too many accounts for me to have kept up with over the past 30 years. One account, I can't even track down where the original shares of stock certificate(s) are, that I bought 30 or more years ago. I've moved several times over 35+ years across the Country as well.

Since the thresholds of minimums have crossed the lines at different times, as well as my having over 5 brokerage houses since I was 24 years old - I wasn't understanding the where and why for the last couple years. But once I realized the why, then I set about finding the origins.

Have a great year! :)

It is unfortunate that it took 5 months to resolve such a simple concern.