Safe Options Trading Strategies: Sell Covered Calls

Learn to trade options for beginners, Boost returns when you sell stock, invest in the stock mark, minimize risk

What you'll learn
Review Introduction to Options Trading: calls vs puts, time decay, safe trading with collateral
Use call options to get more money from stock you sell.
Read an options chain.
Understand the 100 multiplier.
Select a strike price and expiration date that meet your goals for the trade.
Select a strike price that ensures a profit if your call contract is assigned.
Enter an order to sell a covered call.
Understand the difference between short and long positions.
Understand the "moneyness" of your short call.
Know what to expect when your short call expires.
Requirements
Students should have a basic understanding of the stock market. (If you are not familiar with basic stock market terminology, I offer an introductory course to get you started.)
Know how to buy and sell shares of stock using a limit order. (I also offer a low-cost course on this topic.)
We will review basic options concepts at the beginning of the course, but if you are completely new to options, you might want to first take my Novice Investors: Introduction to Options Trading course.
Students who are completely new to options and trading may also want to start with a paper trading account.
I recommend students learn to sell cash secured puts first, before selling covered calls.
Description
Are you ready to take the next step and start using options to safely boost your portfolio and returns?  Learn to sell covered calls to boost your returns, bring extra cash into your account, and get paid more when you sell stocks you own. First, we'll review basic options concepts and terminology.  If you have already taken the Introduction to Options Trading course, or my course about Selling Cash Secured Puts, this information will be familiar to you, but this time through, I've highlighted the most important information for selling covered calls.Next, I'll show you how to read an options chain and select a strike price and expiration date that match your investing goals.  You'll get step by step instructions for selling your first call.  I'll show you what to expect from the time the contract is opened until it expires.  And I'll make sure you understand the importance of having shares in your account as collateral in case you are assigned to sell your stock!  We'll look at scenarios where a call is "in the money" or "out of the money" at expiration.  I'll show you how to find your breakeven point, determine your goals for the trade and see if the outcome you get matches your original goals.  Note: This course is the third of a 3-part "Novice Options Traders" series, but can be taken as a stand-alone course.  A warning about risk:  All over the internet, you’ll find self-proclaimed gurus who promise you outsized returns. Some of them may even try to convince you to hand your funds over to them so they can invest for you. Taking the wrong advice or giving your funds to someone else to invest can blow your whole portfolio. Even a few trades that go against you can wipe out any gains you make.  You can count on me to level with you.  I will not make false promises and I will never suggest you give me your money to manage. I am a teacher, not a financial manager. Trading options is not necessarily any riskier than just buying and selling stocks and funds. In fact, there are ways to use options to boost your returns and actually reduce your risk rather than amplify it.I do want to be clear and honest up front that I am not encouraging the kind of risks that might bring you outsized gains on your overall portfolio. Anyone who promises you that is probably encouraging you to take on more risk than I can justify. But you can use options to pay less for stock you want to own, and to make extra cash on stocks you are willing to sell.  An extra few percentage points on your earnings each year, can really add up over time.  And during a bear market, or even just an expected market correction, using options can reduce your losses and set you up for a bigger recovery.  Your first assignment will be to use this checklist to see if you are ready to trade options.Are you ready to trade options?Check and see if these statements are true for you.I have a brokerage account I manage myself.I know how to buy and sell shares of stock.I know how to choose stocks I want to own.I can use limit orders to set my buy and sell prices.I have the funds and the risk tolerance to invest at least $5000 in a single company.I want to actively manage my account.I have the time to check my options positions at least once a week and place orders once or twice a month.I am patient and want to build my portfolio safely, over time.I like to understand how things work. Don’t just give me a fish; I want to learn to fish.If these statements are not true of you yet, I suggest you start with my Novice Investors: Introduction to The Stock Market course to build more background knowledge.  Learn how the stock market works and spend a little time buying/selling stocks and funds before you jump into options.  But if you really want to learn about options, go ahead and take the course, but consider a paper trading account to practice before you put your money on the line. 

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Introduction

Section 2: Introduction/Review of Options Trading

Lecture 2 How Options Trades Work

Lecture 3 Two Types of Contracts, Four Ways to Trade

Lecture 4 The 100 Multiplier

Lecture 5 Sell Calls, Take Advantage of the Passage of TIme

Lecture 6 Protect Yourself When Trading

Lecture 7 When an Option Contract Expires: Moneyness

Lecture 8 Was the Trade a Success?

Lecture 9 Risks and Regrets

Lecture 10 Complex Options Spreads

Lecture 11 Is Your Account Set Up for Options?

Section 3: Overview: How to sell a covered call

Lecture 12 Introduction to Selling a Call

Lecture 13 Choosing a Stock

Lecture 14 Choosing a Strike Price and Expiration Date

Lecture 15 Entering an Order

Lecture 16 Waiting for Expiration

Lecture 17 What Happens on Expiration Day?

Lecture 18 Is this a Profit? Example

Section 4: Selling Your First Covered Call: Step by Step Instructions

Lecture 19 Three Decisions

Lecture 20 Step One: Choose a Stock | Questions to Ask Yourself

Lecture 21 Step Two: Find the Options Chain

Lecture 22 Step Three: Choose a Strike Price

Lecture 23 Step Four: Choose an Expiration (Dividends Matter)

Lecture 24 Step Five: Prepare, Double Check and Submit Your Order

Lecture 25 Step Six: Check for Execution | Wait for Expiration

Lecture 26 Step Seven: Plan for Expiration

Lecture 27 Buy to Close: Avoid Assignment, Bring in Extra Income

Section 5: What Comes Next?

Lecture 28 Take Your Next Steps

Investors who want to learn more about options.,Experienced investors who want to use options to boost their returns.,Investors who want to manage their risk with safe options strategies.