It depends on the specifics of your transfer. As part of Fidelity's online transfer process, we'll determine if your current firm accepts an electronic request to release your assets to us. If your firm does not, we'll provide a prefilled Transfer assets to Fidelity form that you can quickly print, sign, and mail to Fidelity.

As part of our online transfer process, we'll help open new account types that you may need.

In some cases, your current firm may require all owners on both the account you are transferring as well as the Fidelity account receiving the assets to sign the Transfer assets to Fidelity form.

This depends on the specific kinds of investments you hold. Some mutual funds may need to be sold and transferred over as cash. Most stocks will transfer over in-kind, but if you own stocks trading at less than $1.00 a share, these securities may need to be sold as well and transferred over as cash.

The exact time frame depends on the type of transfer and your current firm. If your current firm accepts electronic requests, the transfer will take approximately 5 days to process. Transfer requests that must be mailed to your current firm may take 2 to 4 weeks to complete. You should receive an email notification when your assets are in your Fidelity account. Once the assets are here, you'll have full access to your cash and securities. You can track the progress of your transfer online at any time with our Transfer TrackerLog In Required.

In most cases, if you're moving a retirement account to a Fidelity retirement account of the same type, you likely won't incur taxes. We don't charge a fee to move assets from another institution; however, your current firm may charge to transfer your assets to us.

If you've experienced a major life event, like marriage, divorce, or the loss of a loved one, you may be asked to provide additional documentation as part of the transfer process.

The table below shows the paperwork you'll need if the name information registered on your current external accounts differs from what you have at Fidelity.

If you are transferring assets after the loss of a loved one, our Inheritance checklist can walk you through any additional steps you may need to take.

If you have an existing HSA at another firm, you are eligible to open a Fidelity HSA and transfer your existing account to Fidelity at any time.

When transferring an HSA, it’s important to note that your existing HSA may be in 2 separate types of accounts:

• A bank account holding your cash balance
• A brokerage account holding your investments

Both account types are eligible to be transferred, however, a separate transfer request may be required for each one. Your current HSA provider can help you determine the right process and discuss your options. Note: Some financial institutions don't allow in-kind transfers of investments held in an HSA.

Currently, online transfers are not offered for ABLE or 529 accounts. Please download and complete the 529 rollover form (PDF) or ABLE rollover form (PDF) to proceed.

Yes. If you wish to transfer options and/or investments held on margin, you must first apply for options trading at FidelityLog In Required when transferring options and apply for margin trading at FidelityLog In Required when transferring investments held on margin. Fidelity cannot accept positions in a transfer until we have the respective agreement on file.

For most transfers, your current firm will send the assets to Fidelity all at once. However, if your transfer includes assets that must be sold first or if you have pending activity, your current firm may send those assets once they are settled. In instances like that, your assets will be transferred to Fidelity in batches and you may see a balance with your current firm until the transaction is completed.