Reader Bob has the following question that you may be able to help with:

Are you aware of any deals [with online discount brokerages] that give 5 or 6 free trades to switch to their online/self-serve brokerage account?

It is very tempting to sign up with a broker that offers a great initial deal but it is far more important to look for a broker that offers everything you are looking for. For example, E*Trade has low commissions and charges no administrative fees. But if you have a lot of US stocks that you are planning to sell and buy index funds listed on American exchanges, you may want to consider TD Waterhouse, which allows “wash trades” instead.

Discount brokers do offer deals to switch customers from a rival every once in a while. A few months back, RBC Direct Investing offered 1% of the value of the transfer in cash. Currently, E*Trade is offering 5 free trades and up to $500 in cash for transferring your RRSP. I would suggest picking a broker first (check out Rob Carrick’s guide to online brokers) and consider any initial offer as a secondary bonus.