Last Updated on September 14, 2026 by David Jaffee
Verified Results: +128.64% and +92.69% — May 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026
From May 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026 — a sixteen-month period — my two E*TRADE accounts returned +128.64% and +92.69%. Combined, the portfolio went from $1,497,725.44 to $3,001,799.40. That is $1,504,074 in gains, and it is more than a doubling of total capital.
These are not estimates and they are not compounded from a chart. They are the opening and closing balances printed on my brokerage statements, which are shown on this page. No deposits were made into either account during this period. The only non-trading entry was a $0.91 debit in the larger account in 2026, too small to change any percentage shown.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. These are my personal accounts, not a fund; options involve real risk of loss, and your results will differ.
Not every month was positive: February and March 2026 were down months in both accounts, and the walkthrough video shows them.
Track Record Summary
| May 1, 2025 – Aug 31, 2026 | Small account | Larger account | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting balance (May 1, 2025) | $322,198.24 | $1,175,527.20 | $1,497,725.44 |
| Ending balance (Aug 31, 2026) | $736,681.93 | $2,265,117.47 | $3,001,799.40 |
| Return | +128.64% | +92.69% | +100.42% |
Change in statement balance, no deposits. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Methodology: Every figure on this page is the change in account balance between the statement opening and closing values for the stated period. No deposits occurred in any measured window; the only non-trading entry is the $0.91 debit noted above. I name the window on every figure so it never becomes stale or misleading. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Current strategy: selling option premium with debit-spread hedging (Financed Bull), plus long stock positions and portfolio-level hedges, on large-cap market leaders. No day trading. No penny stocks. No naked options on speculative small caps.
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Watch the Live Account Brokerage Walkthrough Video ↓
In this video, I show my E*TRADE account statements for both the smaller account and the larger account month by month. Every figure shown is the change in account value on real capital, exactly as printed on the brokerage statements below.
Smaller Account: Statement Snapshot (August 2026)
Beginning Total Value (08/1/26): $695,781.71
Ending Total Value (08/31/26): $736,681.93
This month's gain: +$40,900.22 (+5.9%)
Year-to-date 2026 (through August 31): +$131,973.92
Larger Account: Statement Snapshot (August 2026)
Beginning Total Value (08/1/26): $2,131,889.51
Ending Total Value (08/31/26): $2,265,117.47
This month's gain: +$133,227.96 (+6.2%)
Year-to-date 2026 (through August 31): +$405,355.61
These are direct E*TRADE statements from Morgan Stanley. Personal information (home address, account numbers, beneficiary details) has been redacted; performance data is unaltered.
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What "Verified" Means on This Page
Every return figure on this page comes from my actual E*TRADE brokerage statements, shown with personal information redacted and performance data unaltered.
It is not a third-party audit, and I don't claim it is. No retail options educator I've reviewed publishes an independently checked track record, and almost none publish statements at all — which is exactly why I publish mine and why I tell you to demand the same standard from anyone asking for your money, including me.
Past performance does not guarantee future results, and these are my personal accounts, not a fund or a promise of what any student will earn.
How These Results Are Achieved
The results above are not the product of luck, predictions, or technical analysis. They come from a disciplined, mathematics-based approach to options trading:
1. Selling option premium. I sell options to traders who want to buy them, so time decay (theta) generally works in my favor on those positions.
2. Buying call debit spreads, financing them with put sales. This is the "Financed Bull" Strategy. Instead of buying calls outright (which lose value to time decay), I buy a defined-risk call spread and finance it with a put sold at a price where I'd genuinely want to own the stock.
3. Hedging the entire portfolio. I don't just sell premium and hope. I maintain standing portfolio-level protection so that during volatility expansions (like March 2026 or December 2024), losses are reduced, not eliminated.
4. Capital efficiency. Excess cash isn't sitting idle. It earns interest while serving as margin collateral, so my buying power compounds even when no trade is open.
5. Strict watchlist discipline. I trade only large-cap market leaders (NVDA, MSFT, AAPL, AVGO, GOOGL, AMZN, plus broad indices). No penny stocks. No biotech speculation. No meme stocks.
For the complete framework, see Most Successful Options Trading Strategies (2026 Guide) and you can also Learn More About How to Buy Tech Stocks at a Discount with Options
What Members Are Saying
These are unprompted messages from real members of the BestStockStrategy alerts service. Last names are partially redacted for privacy.
"Not asking you to raise the price lol. Just giving credit where credit is due." — Allan G., Verified Member
"Thanks to you, I have had a great year despite a crappy April. Kudos to you for the advice you provided that minimized my losses. I would like to convert my current subscription to a lifetime one." — Barry, Verified Member
"I'm really loving your alert service... can you upgrade me to your LIFETIME plan instead of doing the annual plan?" — Yung, Verified Member
These are individual experiences. Options are risky and some people can lose money. Results vary and are not guaranteed.
For more member reviews, see our Reviews page and the 127+ five-star Trustindex reviews.
Why I Don't Hide Anything
The "trading guru" industry is built on illusion - fake screenshots, undisclosed losses, and refund policies that are designed never to be honored.
I take the opposite approach:
- Real brokerage statements, not simulators
- A named 16-month window, not cherry-picked days
- Month-by-month statements in the walkthrough video, not a single highlight
- A strategy I personally trade, not one I just teach
- Member reviews and testimonials
- A 14-day trial so you can see the strategy live before deciding
Judge me by the same standard I apply to every educator I review: statements first, marketing second.
See How the Strategy Works
- A rule-based approach for up, down, and flat markets
- Step-by-step education course reveals everything you need and caters to ALL traders (absolute beginners through advanced traders)
- A complete options selling course!
Disclaimer
These results reflect my personal trading accounts at E*TRADE (a business of Morgan Stanley). Past performance does not guarantee future results. Options trading involves risk of loss, including potential loss of principal. I am not a registered investment advisor. The information on this page is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation to buy or sell any security, or a solicitation. The strategies described above may not be suitable for every investor. Always consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
About the Author — David Jaffee
David Jaffee is the founder of BestStockStrategy.com and creator of the "Financed Bull" Strategy. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Cornell University (Ivy League) and interned at Morgan Stanley, then worked as an investment banker at CIBC World Markets and Petsky Prunier before becoming a full-time options trader and educator. David has taught over 3,500 students in 70+ countries, and he specializes in selling option premium and buying call debit spreads.