I had a small Charles Schwab account for years. I finally cut ties with my high priced advisors and moved most of my money to Charles Schwab. They have been super helpful, while I have been taking control of my own investments. So far, so good. read more

I was a bit hesitant about this branch because of the reviews but since I'm a longtime client of the brokerage I decided to drop off some forms, as one of the options of submitting them. The staff was very friendly and the paperwork was checked and I was off on my way. Later that night I checked the status of my request and, to my delight, my information had already been entered -- "in progress." read more

I needed help with a Charles Schwab investment account, and the customer service person, Raunak Joseph, could not have been better--friendly, courteous, patient, professional. Kudos to him. read more

Having seen the negative reviews, I felt it important to share my very positive experience at Charles Schwab in Berkeley today. I was promptly greeted upon entering by Raunak Joseph. He was very friendly and helpful. He gave me straight answers to all of my questions and gave me simple explanation of what it would involve to transfer some stocks to my son. The person at the other front desk was also very friendly and helpful although I did not get her name. Don't know what the negative reviews are all about but I left with all of my questions answered and a clear path to the solution I was asking about! read more

My father opened trading accounts for myself and my siblings. He is retired so he often day trades a bit. It turns out that his PC was hacked via remote software and Charles Schwab online flagged all 4 accounts. Upon calling the fraud department, we were instructed to go into the branch to show our ID's. In my head I thought....this is going to be worse than going to the dentist as I was sure they would fumble around and waste my time. Thankfully I was very wrong. We were greeted by Raunak Joseph and I told him what happened. He immediately asked my father and I to provide our ID's and account numbers. He explained to each of us separately as to what was going on with our accounts. He saw that my father had a hard time following along so he wrote down step by step what needed to happen. He added a verbal password for the phone, helped us change our user ID's and passwords as well as delete an unknown phone number from our accounts. Mr. Joseph was extremely patient. Each time we spoke, he stopped to listen and wrote things down. He also repeated our new data several times so that it would be correct in the system. Thank you Raunak! read more

Please be prepared for a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-type experience if you choose to have Charles Schwab in Berkeley handle anything to do with your assets. If you decide to go with Charles Schwab in Berkeley, please be prepared to be told that if you have any questions about matters that have been explained very quickly one time, that you will be told, "I did not return your phone calls or emails because I already explained everything". This includes when A NEW SITUATION HAPPENS, that you literally need a two-sentence email to verify and/or explain more clearly. Emphasis on MORE CLEARLY. Meanwhile, please be prepared that if you have any type of physical disability, illness, or learning disability, that for instance might require further information about a financial matter you do not quite understand yet, you will NOT get any type of additional assistance. Please be prepared to hear "I will always be here to answer any questions!" when you are considering signing up, but AFTER they get your signature, you will be handed a card with a number to call at a central switchboard, for any further assistance. You will be asked to NOT speak to the person who told you two weeks earlier that he would be there if you have any questions about these crucial financial matters that will *literally* insure that you do not end up unhoused when you are 70 years old. You are better off investing with the stock market on your own, with no involvement with Charles Schwab. Please be prepared that of course now whatever Charles Schwab automated bot reads Yelp reviews, they will now provide a false spin-doctored version of what happened to me with Charles Schwab in Berkeley, CA. The silver lining, of course, is I now have my last few paragraphs for my upcoming article, "Systemic Fraud and Abuse Within the Wealth Management Industry". read more

I will never set foot into this branch again. Former TD Ameritrade, had a much better luck in the Walnut Creek branch. Customer service was awful, a humilating experience with someone who came off like he owned the place, he was incredibly rude. Gaslighting, talked down to me. The first gal talked in circles and may not have been new or properly trained. read more

Beware the "Schwab Intelligent Portfolio"! I've had a few accounts at Schwab since 1993 ranging from IRA rollovers to regular portfolios. Two of the portfolio accounts used different investment strategies. In March 2020, I converted one of those account to an "Intelligent Portfolio Account" managed by Schwab. This account was problematic from the start. I added some stock into this account from another account. Once they sold all the stocks in the account, I used the cash balance as my starting Value. They used some value I didn't understand how they came up with it. They purchased ETF's in a well-diversified portfolio. In a short time, some ETF's were sold at a loss and they were replaced with different ETF's. Then the portfolio went up in value and they showed a Positive appreciation even though the value was below the starting value. It was like you invest $100, lose $30 so you are down. The portfolio goes up to $80 and they show you have a 14.2% gain! Not a gain to me when you've lost money. This is clearly a money maker for Schwab and not so much for you. About 40% of the ETF's are Schwab ETF's so Schwab gets the associated management fees for each ETF. Add to that, the 12% cash position that you must maintain paying about 0.02% interest while they charge about 8% for their margin loans. They would sell an ETF then replace it with another ETF with the same strategy as the one they just sold. Why replace a Large Cap growth fund with another Large Cap growth fund? The final blow came when I cancelled the Intelligent portfolio in September 2022. They closed the account! All online records of that account were deleted. Before closing that account, all my Schwab accounts were down about 16%. After cancelling that account, it showed a 2023 summary of all my accounts as being down in single digits. All the value in the Intelligent account was deleted for the entire year! That money never existed, so I didn't lose it. I tried to get a true P/L for the year for that account so I could do some tax loss selling. I called a representative for help and after a long hold time I was told to go through all my monthly statement and figure it out from that! That was the best Schwab would do and I had been told with 7 digits invested with them I was a high value customer. Can't imagine the help a non-high value customer would get. This was obviously a punitive action against me for getting out of their Intelligent Portfolio. I remember when Charles Schwab was helpful to their retail customers. Like everything else, Caveat emptor. read more

Charles Schwab - The remaining 2022 portfolio showing the addition of the Intelligent Portfolio after Schwab deleted records of Intelligent Portfolio. - Investing Near Me - Berkeley, California

One of the women at the front desk has been nothing but super-unhelpful and unable to give straight-forward answers. I so want to have this be my helpful local Schwab office! read more

This used to be a great company. Their service has declined to the point of being dysfunctional. Very hard to get even simple things done. read more

At the Berkeley branch today trying to deposit 2 checks (because the mobile app has not been able to read them). I was told, not asked (there was no upward inflection) "why aren't you using the mobile app." Wouldn't a better approach be "I'd be happy to make those deposits for you. Did you know you it's really easy to use the mobile app to deposit these electronically? I'd be happy to show you. " or something even slightly related to that? Was there a line of angry customers behind me? No. Was she serving any other customer? No. I also had a large sum of cash to deposit (several thousand) but all I got was "we don't take cash here. We're a brokerage." There was no "sorry" nor any empathy from her. Poo poo on Schwab. read more

Over the past year I have worked with Sunita Joseph and Erik Erikson. Both have been helpful and professional. They have guided me into organizing my finances and making plans for the future of my retirement. I was informed about options but was never pushed in any direction. After working with them I have more peace of mind, knowledge and organization. read more

Went into the branch to open a checking account and was assisted by Zach who seemed friendly. He gave me an online form to fill out that had questions about brokerage accounts, so I asked him if this was the right form for opening a checking account and he assure me it was. After completing the form a new brokerage account was opened. Zach claimed it was a technical difficulty and that he'd have the account closed within a couple days. A week later the account is still open so I called the brach and talked to a lady who said she would let Zach know and he would give me a call back. Another day passed with no account closure or call back so I called again and talked to Eric. He said the same thing that he'd let Zach know and he would give me a call back. Zach finally called me back about an hour later saying "I sent the account closure request last week Friday but there was another technical glitch and they didn't go through with it so I just called them directly now and had it closed for you".. The reviews of this place don't lie, there are too many "technical glitches" here, will be going to the Oakland branch from now on. read more

I wish I could give this 0 stars. The woman helping me on the phone to look up my 401k account sounds like I'm just annoying her. Sorry for giving you guys my business. I think I'll be moving my funds away from here shortly. Very unimpressed. read more

Not happy with the Berkeley Branch. They keep changing financial advisors. Why? I need advice and do not feel I am getting anything but a computer program printout. Do some work on improving your Berkeley Branch read more

The office is clean and well maintained and the premises safe With ample distancing. The staff are courteous and professional.

This is my first experience with Schwab and I was pretty appalled by their incompetent and inefficient staff. If it's any consolation to the other reviewer, I'm a plain old white guy and they dealt with me in a similarly aloof and unhelpful manner. Opening new accounts with other banks has always been a pleasure - I'm used to quick, no-BS account setup. Not so with Schwab. I attempted to set up a brokerage account and an accompanying checking account - instead of the 15 minutes this took at my other two banks, I was treated to a 3-day-long ordeal. I filled out my account brochure and asked the clerk how to fund the accounts with cash. She told me to get two money orders from the post office (at a cost of $1.10 each) and that she would deposit one into each account. I asked the clerk to check and double-check my account brochure - she said it was fine, and i left thinking that all was sorted out. The next day Schwab called me up and explained that they could not open an account for me as I provided only the month and day (no year) in the tiny date box next to the signature field on my application. The application did not specify a date format, and, again, I had asked the clerk to check over my application TWICE. I thus had to come back into the branch merely to write "2011" in two places; the staff were entirely unapologetic for having wasted my time this way. When I finally got the accounts set up with online access (which was a two-phone-call-to-corporate ordeal in itself) I saw that instead of depositing one money order into each account that I had opened, they had deposited both money orders into my brokerage account. When I called headquarters to find out what had happened, they explained that it is impossible for a Schwab branch like the one in Berkeley to make a deposit into a checking account and that the staff should have known this. Additionally, I could simply have purchased ONE money order and made a straightforward transfer from brokerage to checking after setting up the account and would have saved a money order fee by doing so. Although I recognize that this is a small amount of money wasted, I am glad that I have no plans to have Schwab invest my funds. If their other staff are as inept as those at the Berkeley branch I have no doubt that similar failures to read the fine print would result in wastage and inconvenience left and right - not the type of service I'd want from an investment company. All in all, setting up these accounts has been a huge pain, and I'm thoroughly disappointed with Schwab. read more

This is not about a particular branch. This is about my overall Charles Schwab experience. If there was an online/telephone choice, I'd leave my review on that. I had an account for a year with Charles Schwab. I specifically asked to be able to do options trading. I am a bit of a conservative trader so it was a year later that I decided to buy stock options for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Low and behold, my account was at a level that didn't allow me to trade standard call and put options. Schwab has 4 different levels and my approval level didn't give me the ability to. I was told by multiple reps that I needed to fax in a new application with the higher level request. I didn't have access to a fax. On my own a couple days later, I discovered I could do this online. I requested the higher options level (for what* should* be allowed on a basic options account) kept calling every couple of days with each rep saying "it's in review but I will expedite it; it takes about 2 days". A week later I get an email survey so I put down my dissatisfaction. I get a call and I am finally approved for the level I was seeking, with an apology, and a choice between free trades and $50.. A few weeks later, last night, I decided to do an option trade. I am told I was not approved for that level and never was. I sent an email showing I was approved. Then I am told "you were approved but downgraded 2 days later". WHOA!!!! This is now 2 out of 2 times Schwab has tied my hands on a very time sensitive trade! I was told it was because of my dissatisfaction. Note, I was in Northern California and was dealing with the famous fire over here for a week so I was not "peaches and cream" during the first attempt to trade options. I was told it was "very unfortunate that happened to you but because of it you are going to be 'punished' for 6 months, when you call ask for a review again." Holy smokes! If they want to punish me for being upset, fine. But the fact that my account was downgraded a 2nd time and NO HEADS UP was given to let me know is just unbelievable. Imagine thinking you are set up to trade time sensitive options and to learn that your account was downgraded and you were never informed. That is NOT RIGHT!! Unless you are a perhaps a millionaire, you and your money means nothing to them. Your review helps others learn about great local businesses. Please don't review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you're connected in any way to the owner or employees. read more

Okay, so I used to be a Schwab representative myself--this is a bit of a secret shopper bust. But hello, I had to repeat my 8 digit account number 3 times in order for us to start doing business. I was trying to order a cashier's check. Well. Now, we were off to the races about how I was calling the bank side of Schwab not the brokerage side of Schwab and how there was an advisor on my account and did I have check writing priveleges on it anyhow and this was not a high yield account where they offer their customers that side of the business. And well, you get the picture. Methinks that the person answering the phone over there doesn't know what a Schwab One account is and tried to cover up for it with a bunch of corporate structure BS. Ouch. Good friends of this city, avoid this branch in favor of the website or the 800 number. read more

For the record, I primarily deal with Brokerage branch, so going to this place at first seemed like it was no different. I was wrong. Immediately, because I didn't look like the typical Schwab customer (WASP), I was not taken seriously. I simply wanted them to deposit my checks and then make an autotransfer over to my checking account. The firm in Santa Rosa did this on a REGULAR basis without any issue. They told me that they didn't have time to help me and that i should do it myself, despite the fact that there were no other customers. I called customer support and they said that their behavior was inappropriate. Think twice before dealing with this branch if you are not middle-aged WASP. read more

am in a money crunch and made an appointment to see a financial consultant. dan pease helped me understand EVERYTHING about my financial situation and helped me plan what to do going forward. a nice guy; he knows how to explain things so that i understood them. really appreciated his help. there is no charge for this service and, as usual, charles schwab has helped me take care of my money, painlessly. read more

Received excellent client-focused advice over two decades, even before recent (2016) rules governing fiduciary behavior. This particular review is based on Q1.2016 performance of Schwab's Intelligent Portfolios, a robo-investment program that reduces risk and costs by investing in multiple market sectors represented by ETFs. Despite all the volatility in this first quarter, my IRA returned 5.4% while a control portfolio based on my older IRA was essentially flat at 1.3%. I am well on my goal towards a retirement next egg that will last 30 years and I am spending less time worrying and analyzing market movements as my IRA is now re-balanced automatically as sectors fall outside a range of accepted risk defined in my profile. Another investor based, low cost benefit from Chuck Schwab! read more

Charles Schwab is hands down my favorite bank! I originally invested a small amount of money with the free brokerage account with the checking account. Now I also have an IRA with them. Customer service is EXTREMELY friendly, helpful, and ALWAYS available - even for someone like me who doesn't invest huge amounts and calls on a Sunday. Using the Charles Schwab debit card was also super helpful when I was living and traveling abroad - no foreign transaction fees or ATM fees and they called me after a sketchy purchase (which was fixed right away). I have to deal with another bank now that's linked to my new employer and am appreciating Charles Schwab even more. read more

Service here is completely off. The front desk needs to hire actual competent people that can offer answers to basic questions and access forms. This made me want to stop banking with schwab read more

Do not use Schwab if you want competent, professional and knowledgeable employees. Especially do not go to the Berkeley, CA branch. Holly, the black, angry and rude branch manager is bottom feeder. They hire only rejects that can't get jobs at reputable companies! These "employees" take no responsibility for their lazy, incompetent work. Find another investment company!! read more

I have had an account at Schwab for years, and moved around to various cities. Unlike the other reviewers here I have always found each office to be professionally staffed and helpful, and the Berkeley office is no different. I think Schwab is head and shoulders above any bank or brokerage I have worked with over the years. read more

I have been a Schwab customer for +22 years and a frequent user of the Berkeley Branch. I don't know what the typical Schwab customer looks like, but I don't wear a suit and tie and I frequently come in wearing paint or dirt from my last project. I mostly deposit checks. The people at the counter have always been professional. If they are unable to answer my questions, within minutes, they contact someone in-house or by phone that can. For the record, I am a not a WASP, and neither are many of my fellow customers. read more

First let me admit that I am not a fan of Charles Schwab. I've had accounts with them for over 20 years and I have not been happy with their branch service in Marin or in San Francisco. I've generally found the employees arrogant, unhelpful, and not particularly competent. However, Berkeley is the worst so far. I called about coming into the branch when I am in Berkeley to set up and fund a new IRA. Apparently Schwab requires a copy of the last statement from the funding institution when funding an IRA, which made it necessary for me to visit a branch. I was told I could come in any time and at the same time also get some information about a funding program that is of interest to me. When I arrived, I was treated with complete indifference and left standing like a lump on a log. Apparently no one was available to welcome or direct customers. The young man that I approached passed me on to an older woman who actually refused to work with me, for no other reason than she decided I was unpleasant...which in my view is totally understandable, given the reception I received. Through all of this there was no handshaking, no welcoming words, no eagerness to assist a customer. Finally, the young man helped me and guided me through the transaction politely, but I was really made to feel that I was a nuisance. I did not address the other business I had in mind. How could I? What a way to treat customers!! I really need to find another institution for routine investments. read more

My wife and I tried to transfer our brokerage account to Schwab, hoping to find good service at the famous discount brokerage. Unfortunately, we found the service, at least in Berkeley, was not good. After an initial meeting, the broker who was assigned to us disappeared, no longer returning phone calls or helping with the transfer in any way. We were pawned off on the office manager, who while stolid and presumably competent, was not customer friendly. Little things annoyed--like waiting 20 minutes after a set appointment time for the office manager to finish a prior appointment. In more full-service settings, someone would advise you of the wait, ask if they could get you some water, perhaps even apologize. Not at Schwab. You are on your own. You get the feeling they think you are lucky they are "helping" you. For me, the straw that broke the camel's back was when I had to go in to have one last transfer paper notarized. No, the reception person told me, the office manager was not available. No, no one else could help. "Could I look at your papers?" Ok, I said. He looked at them and said, would you like me to look up your account number? I said, no, I would go to my bank to get the papers notarized. That I did. At Mechanics Bank, the branch manager greeted me by name, got up from behind his desk, shook my hand, and immediately dropped whatever he was doing and notarized the paper--even though it had nothing to do with his bank's business! That's service! Yay, for Mechanics, and boo for Schwab. read more