How can I buy an IPO before it goes public?

To purchase IPO shares, you must open an account with TD Ameritrade, then complete a personal and financial profile, and read and agree to the rules and regulations affecting new issue investing . Each account being registered must have a value of at least $250,000, or have completed 30 trades in the last 3 months.

Investors can obtain copies of the prospectus just by asking.

An IPO Prospectus is an SEC required document that includes a description of the company and its operations, the terms and conditions of the initial stock offering, and any other information an investor may need to decide to invest.

The best resource for finding the prospectus for a company is EDGAR, a database maintained by the federal Securities and Exchange Commission . The best way to search is by ticker symbol, but you can also search by company or fund name. Go to the Edgar website.