Debit Balance

Debit balance

The amount that is owed to a broker by a margin customer for loans the customer uses to buy securities.

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Debit Balance

The amount of money an investor owes on a margin loan. This is calculated as the amount the investor directly owes his/her broker. It does not account the paper profit the investor has made on various transactions. When determining the amount owed in the case of margin call, one generally uses the adjusted debit balance, which starts with the debit balance and subtracts the amount of applicable paper profit.

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debit balance

The amount owed in a brokerage margin account. A debit balance occurs when an investor purchases securities on margin or borrows money from the account by using securities as collateral. Brokerage firms typically charge an interest rate on the borrowed funds that varies with the size of the debit balance. Compare credit balance. See also call loan.

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Debit balance. A debit balance is what you owe. It's entered as accounts receivable on the books of the lender and appears on your account statement as a liability.

For example, if you have a margin account and borrow money to buy stock, your monthly brokerage statement will show a debit balance for the amount of the margin loan.