How do I transfer my investments from one brokerage to another?

Most brokerage-to-brokerage transfers use the ACATS system (Automated Customer Account Transfer Service), which moves your holdings in kind — your actual stocks and funds, not cash — so you don't sell anything or trigger taxes. You start the transfer at the receiving broker, not the one you're leaving: provide your old account number and a recent statement, and they pull the assets over. The process usually takes 5–7 business days. Important details: transfer like account types (IRA to IRA, taxable to taxable) to avoid tax problems, check whether your old broker charges a transfer-out fee (often $50–$100, sometimes reimbursed by the new broker), and note that proprietary funds the new broker doesn't offer may need to be sold first. Keep contributing on autopilot once the transfer settles.