What Works Mailbag: New Broker Fees, Lowered Minimums and Unsubscribe Watch

Today I look at some new broker fees, lowered minimum investments, a broker customer service survey and "unsubscribe watch."

New Fees for Confirmations

Here's a change that's annoying but perhaps inevitable. Terra Nova Trading, the Chicago-based direct-access broker, now charges customers to have official trade confirms snail mailed to them. Quick & Reilly is planning to do the same, possibly as soon as the next couple of weeks.

The change is annoying, because a written trade confirm is something many investors likely take for granted. But it's probably inevitable, because all aspects of our financial lives are increasingly becoming paper-free, from taxes to banking and 401(k)s to investing. ...