thanks

Search the threads...this is an old topic.Last time I was allowed to pick a PA broker, Interactive Brokers.com was good.

If you want to put on an options position with multiple legs, you may wish to ensure your broker understands how to calculate how the margin requirements of different legs can offset each other. Otherwise, they might add up the margin required for each leg individually, and require you to post the sum of that number. IB/TimberHill seems to calculate margin requirements in a much more conservative manner than most. (so that margin requirements can be handled mostly by computer, without having to code up all the exceptions) i.e. if you put on a synthetic futures position, I seem to recall IB used to require you to post the margin for the short leg, without giving credit for the long leg. Maybe I am recalling incorrectly? Maybe this has changed?

On which instrument(s) are you looking to trade options?