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Friday, April 24, 2009

Becoming a CTA Takes Time and a Savings Nest Egg

By Bill Johnson

Money controls every function of the world, and commodities trading advisors play a key role in that exchange. The National Futures Association defines a CTA as an individual or firm that directly or indirectly advises clients on the selling and buying of futures or options contracts. As professional money managers, CTAs are required to be registered with the Commodities Futures Trading Commission.

To become a CTA, there's no formal education process. Although its advisable to first work at a trading firm prior to starting a CTA career, it doesn't guarantee your success, nor is previous work with a firm required in becoming a CTA. Plenty of CTAs have no formal trading education and still have proven themselves successfully capable in this business However, first trying your hand with a trading firm can help determine whether you have a natural talent for the work.

While there's no formal training that's required, you still need to have the credentials. Before applying to the National Futures Association, you must first pass the Series 3 exam- a 120-question, 2.5-hour test that measures your understanding of the makeup and regulations of the futures market.

Many planning to take the Series 3 test first practice with online study packages that provide sample tests as well as test-taking strategies. Having an idea of what to expect can keep you from being blindsided on test day.

First, you must determine if you are ready to become a CTA. How much success have you had playing the stock market over a long period time? A certain amount of success may be fleeting and simply a luck of the market. Real talent can sustain such success over an extended period of time through a variety of market conditions.

You should also take finances and personal circumstances into consideration. Beginning any business can be tricky, especially commodities trading. Unless your firm has a substantial amount of work already under management, you should count on never seeing a paycheck for the first year or two. Consider that a $1,000,000 account with a 2 percent management fee only earns $20,000 a year, just barely $1,600 a month.

Plus, you'll also face trading costs, rent, technology costs and fees for traditional support. Establishing a successful CTA career takes time. Be sure you have money in the bank before you begin.

However, if you have the natural talent to invest, a successful career may await you. Even in rocky times such as these, CTAs play a valuable role in the marketplace. Learning to spot market trends early can lead to a sustainable career in the exchange of managed futures. - 23223

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