Inactivity Fee

An inactivity fee is a charge some brokers apply to an account that hasn't placed a trade for a defined period (commonly 3–12 months), deducted periodically from the account balance until it's closed or trading resumes. It's a standard line item in a broker's fee schedule, though the threshold, amount, and even existence of the fee vary significantly between brokers. Checking a broker's inactivity and dormant-account fee policy matters most for traders who deposit funds but trade infrequently, since the fee can quietly erode a balance over a long enough gap.