1) Connect your Schwab account
- Authorize Schwab from your Toll Booth dashboard.
- Confirm you see “Authorized until [date]” after connecting.
- Re-authorize at least every 7 days; expired auth pauses automated orders.
2) Contact and notifications
- Enter your notification email address for trade and account updates.
- Enter your mobile number to receive text (SMS) alerts.
- If you see an “SMS opt-out date,” texting is disabled. Reply START to our number or adjust your SMS settings.
3) Agreements and subscription
- Review and accept the Toll Booth agreements (or verify your acceptance date).
- Activate your subscription so Status shows “Active.” If “Inactive,” use the subscribe link.
4) Administrative review and API trading readiness
- If you see “Pending approval,” wait for the brief manual review.
- Make sure Schwab has enabled API trading (you’ll see a “Green” status badge).
Note: “API trading” lets Toll Booth place orders securely when you allow it. “Green” means trading permissions are active.
5) Schwab options approval and limited margin
- Contact Schwab to enable Options Level 0 (Covered Calls) on your account.
- Enable Schwab Limited Margin.
- Confirm in your Schwab profile that Covered Calls are permitted and Limited Margin is enabled.
Note: Toll Booth only places covered calls; higher option levels and portfolio margin are not required. Limited Margin helps ensure orders can be placed without settlement delays.
6) Order placement preferences (per account)
- Opening Orders: turn on to allow new opening orders to be placed for new Covered Call positions.
- Rolling Orders: manage an existing option by closing it and opening a new one.
- Closing Orders: exit existing positions when conditions are met.
- Preserve equity positions: do not sell stock shares to free buying power.
- Ignore this account: do not place orders in this account.
- Retirement Account: mark if this is an IRA/retirement account.
Note: If Opening Orders aren’t allowed yet, your choices are saved now and take effect after approval/API enablement.
7) Positions and risk checks
- Covered Calls: you need at least 100 shares of a stock to sell one covered call.
- If you already have options positions, enable Rolling and/or Closing to manage them.
Note: A “covered call” sells a call option against 100 shares you own, typically to generate income.
8) Multiple Schwab accounts (subaccounts)
- Review “Additional Schwab Accounts” and set preferences for each.
- Review “Approved Instruments” and opt out of Opening for any you don’t want auto-opened.
- Confirm API trading is enabled (“Green”) for each subaccount.
- Covered-call check: hold ≥100 shares in that subaccount for any symbol you want covered calls on.
- For each subaccount, set Opening/Rolling/Closing, Preserve equities, or Ignore this account.
9) Save and finish
- Click “Update Account” (single) or “Update Accounts” (subaccounts) to save changes.
- After approval and readiness, you can optionally join the Referral Program from your dashboard.
Glossary
- API trading: a secure, automated way for Toll Booth to send orders to your broker with your permission.
- Thinkorswim “Green”: trading permissions are active and ready for API-based orders.
- Covered call: selling a call against 100 shares you own, typically to generate income.
- Rolling: managing an existing option by closing it and opening a new one (often to a later date/strike).
- Portfolio margin: a specialized broker margin program. If unsure, you can ignore this.