Investment Account Manager 3 Individual: Using Covered Call Options Investment Account Manager 3 Individual can track both long and short option transactions. The use of options in an investment portfolio can help to reduce risk, increase leverage, or both. Given the market indices are at all-time highs, now might be an ideal time to consider using such strategies to improve your investment results.
One popular option strategy is known as covered call writing. Using this strategy, the investor attempts to reduce portfolio risk and increase portfolio income by giving up potential future gains on a stock holding (all or partial) within the portfolio. In this strategy, the investor sells the right to another investor (selling a call), to buy the stock owned (underlying security) at a predetermined price (strike price) within a predetermined time period (expiration date) for an agreed upon price (option price is known as the option premium). Using covered call options offers an effective strategy to reduce over concentrated positions in an effort to rebalance your portfolio to targeted goals.
For example, if an investor owns 400 shares of XYZ which currently trades at $100/share, the investor could sell 1 covered call option giving the right to another investor to 'call away' 100 shares of XYZ at $110/share within 90 days. The seller of the call might receive a premium of $4.00/share at the time of the sale. The receipt of the $400 ($4 x 100 shares) increases portfolio income, but also limits the potential gain on these 100 shares to $110 for the next 90 days. If XYZ has become too over concentrated in your portfolio, this provides an effective way to reduce the position, while realizing some additional gains and premium income, should the option be exercised.
If you utilize options within your portfolio, you’ll be impressed with IAM3’s superior functionality in tracking option transactions, and handling the complicated tax treatment they may involve. Option costs, pricing and values are maintained. And whether the call option is either closed by the seller, expires worthless, or is exercised by the buyer of the option, IAM3 Individual will accurately make all necessary tax and underlying stock basis adjustments automatically to satisfy record keeping requirements.
NOTE: An investor using options MUST have their investment account approved for option transactions. Before doing so, your financial institution will provide option information to help you understand the characteristics and risks of options. There are many sources for further information regarding option strategies. One of the best can be found at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange website -
http://www.cboe.com/education/getting-started.
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