Trading guides to start on the right foot

The essentials before you risk your money: where to start, how much capital you need, how to choose a broker, how to manage risk and how to handle your emotions. No hype and no promises.

1. How to Start Trading From Scratch: A Step-by-Step GuideA step-by-step guide to start trading from scratch: what to learn first, how to practice risk-free, pick a style, write a plan and protect your capital.
2. How to Invest in US Stocks From Abroad: A Complete Guide for Latin AmericaHow to invest in US stocks from Latin America and abroad: brokers, Form W-8BEN, market hours, dividend withholding and the US estate tax for foreigners.
3. How to Invest in Japan, the UK and Europe From Latin AmericaThree ways to invest in Tokyo, London and Europe from Latin America: ADRs on Wall Street, regional ETFs or direct access, with hours, taxes and risks.
4. Trading vs. Investing: The Differences and Which One Fits YouTrading vs. investing: time horizon, where the profit comes from, time required and risks. Find out which one fits you and how to combine them safely.
5. How to Invest in Stocks From Guatemala: Options, Regulation and TaxesHow to invest in stocks from Guatemala: what trades on the BVN, how to buy US stocks, who regulates intermediaries and what to know about taxes.
6. How to Invest in Stocks From Mexico: Brokerage Firms, the SIC and TaxesHow to invest in stocks from Mexico: BMV and BIVA, buying US stocks through the SIC, checking your broker with the CNBV, and the 10% ISR on gains.
7. How to Invest in Stocks From Colombia: Brokerage Firms, the MGC, nuam and TaxesHow to invest in stocks from Colombia: the BVC within nuam, buying US stocks through the MGC, checking your broker with the SFC and what to know about taxes.
8. How Much Money Do You Need to Start Trading?How much money you need to start trading based on your style, your costs and your risk per trade, with worked examples and the rules in effect in 2026.
9. Cash Account vs Margin Account: Differences, Rules and Which to ChooseCash vs margin account explained: T+1 settlement, freeriding, the 50% and 25% margin rules, the $2,000 minimum, margin calls with an example and which fits you.
10. The Pattern Day Trader Rule in 2026: What Applies Now and What ChangesThe PDT rule explained: what counts as a day trade, the $25,000 minimum, what happens if you are flagged, and how FINRA's new intraday margin rules replace it.
11. How Trading Profits Are Taxed in the US: Capital Gains, Wash Sales and the Forms You FileHow US trading profits are taxed: short- vs long-term capital gains, 2026 rates, the $3,000 loss limit, wash sales, Form 8949 and the 3.8% NIIT.
12. Demo Accounts and Paper Trading: How to Practice Trading Without Risking MoneyWhat a demo account or paper trading is, how to practice with rules and metrics, its limits, and when to move to real money without skipping steps.
13. How to Choose a Broker to Trade US Stocks from Outside the USHow to choose a broker from outside the US: regulation, how your money is protected, hidden costs, the W-8BEN form and the warning signs of a scam.
14. How to Choose a Trading Course: 10 Criteria and Red FlagsHow to choose a trading course: what it should teach, how to tell if the instructor is legit, how much to pay, and the red flags of a bad course.
15. Risk Management in Trading: How Much to Risk and How to Size Your PositionHow much to risk per trade, how to calculate position size from your stop, what win rate you need, and how to survive losing streaks in trading.
16. Trading Psychology: How to Control Your Emotions When You TradeTrading psychology: thinking in probabilities, the biases that cost money, FOMO, revenge trading, and the habits that help you trade with discipline.
17. The Most Common Beginner Trading Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemThe most common beginner trading mistakes: trading without a plan, skipping the stop loss, risking too much, FOMO and revenge trading. And how to avoid them.