Mark Wolfinger

Mark Wolfinger

Mark D. Wolfinger grew up in Brooklyn and holds a Bachelor of Science from Brooklyn College and a PhD in chemistry from Northwestern University. After seven years as a research chemist, in 1976, he packed his belongings, left his career behind and headed to Chicago to become a market maker on the trading floor of the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE).

Over the next 23 years, he worked primarily as a floor trader and also held a variety of positions in the industry, including risk manager, and coach for new market makers. When he left the trading floor in 2000, he began to help educate investors on how to use options.

He has published three books and numerous magazine articles. As an educator, he stresses the conservative methods detailed in his newest book, . He is one of five option writers who founded a new online magazine devoted exclusively to options, .

He currently resides in Evanston, Ill., with his life partner, Penny.

Mark also writes a blog called where comments and questions are welcome.

Recent Articles

6 Options Expiration Day Traps to Avoid

By Mark Wolfinger

Find out what you need to know and what steps you should take to avoid unpleasant surprises on expiration day.

4 Critical Tips for Every Options Trader

By Mark Wolfinger

Four rules every options trader should follow.

5 Things You Must Know to Trade Index Options

By Mark Wolfinger

A tutorial on trading index options like the S&P 500 (CBOE: SPX), CBOE Volatility Index (CBOE: VIX), Russell 2000 (.RUT), and the Nasdaq-100 Index (.NDX).

5 Advantages of Trading Weekly Options

By Mark Wolfinger

Find out what it is that traders love so much about Weeklys.

Options a Cheap Play for Next Move

By Mark Wolfinger

Death of bin Laden offers opportunity for call and put options traders.

Smart Options Trading – Earnings Season

By Mark Wolfinger

During earnings season the smartest options strategies involve less risk, lower returns, and a greater probability of success.

Speculating on ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Direction for One Stock

By Mark Wolfinger

An options spread trade raises the opportunity for profit though the return may be modest.

Are Options a Zero Sum Game?

By Mark Wolfinger

Those who claim options are a zero sum game do not understand the product or its many uses.

Options Beginners – Know the Rules

By Mark Wolfinger

Beginning option traders often assume they know the rules, a mistake that can lead to money-losing trades.

SPX Options Undergo a Metamorphosis

By Mark Wolfinger

The S&P 500 Index option (CBOE: SPX) is a popular product that will become more popular when it shifts to afternoon settlement from morning settlement.

Is Writing Covered Calls Only for the Wealthy?

By Mark Wolfinger

Options investing offers strategies that fit many portfolios, from small accounts to the wealthy. Writing covered call options can be used by many investors.

Options Expiration – Dreams Die Hard

By Mark Wolfinger

Options expiration can be difficult for traders. They either love it, hate it, or are neutral and miss the action. Find your attitude and trade accordingly.

Making Money with Options

By Mark Wolfinger

A measured approach to options trading works best with options offering leverage, income, and hedging benefits to investors’ portfolios.

Smart Advice Works for All Traders

By Mark Wolfinger

Traders of all experience levels should not assume that options trading advice is a waste of time. Incorporate helpful ideas without brushing them off.

Options and Dividends — When to Exercise

By Mark Wolfinger

Option owners will want to follow a few rules to determine the best time to exercise their call options to receive a stock dividend.

5 Option Expiration Questions Answered

By Mark Wolfinger

Option expiration can be confusing for traders of all skill sets.

Early Assignment Can Be a Gift

By Mark Wolfinger

A rookie option trader should not fear early exercise of an option that he sold as it can prove profitable.

5 Things to Watch Going Into Expiration

By Mark Wolfinger

There are certain situations that can amplify or crush the value of your option positions as expiration Friday approaches.

5 Ways to Trade a Neutral Iron Condor

By Mark Wolfinger

There's more than one way to trade 'neutral' to minimize risk.

How to Manage a Double Diagonal Spread

By Mark Wolfinger

Risk management is key if your trade starts to move against you.

How to Trade a Double Diagonal Option Spread

By Mark Wolfinger

Learn how to execute this trading strategy by relating it to others you may be more familiar with.

Diagonal Spreads 101

By Mark Wolfinger

Learn how to execute this option trading strategy.

How to Limit Your Losses When Trading Covered Calls

By Mark Wolfinger

Part of successful covered call writing is knowing how to manage a losing trade.

How to Choose the Right Option to Sell

By Mark Wolfinger

Many covered call writers buy the wrong stocks and sell the wrong options. Learn how to pick the right ones.

What is Covered Call Writing?

By Mark Wolfinger

Learn exactly how you go about executing the popular covered call option strategy.

Writing Covered Calls: Getting Started

By Mark Wolfinger

Covered call writing is one of those 'too good to be true' option strategies, but when you don't understand options very well, it can be overly seductive.

Join the Options Trading Club

By Mark Wolfinger

If you want help getting started with options, here is a creative technique to help you learn the ropes.

Why Options and Stop Losses Don’t Mix

By Mark Wolfinger

You may think you're being prudent by using stop-loss order or buy-stop orders when trading options, but they're not a good idea.

An Option Strategy for Those Who Can’t Afford to Lose

By Mark Wolfinger

All trading comes with some degree of risk, but if minimizing your losses is your top priority, we have just the strategy for you.

Risk Management for Option Traders

By Mark Wolfinger

Wrong! Just because you are making money now, does not mean you are going to succeed. Learn more.

Stock Replacement – The Case for In-the-Money Options

By Mark Wolfinger

Many investors consider options to be too speculative, but if you pick the right options, it is not so different from buying stocks.

How Gamma Affects Short-Term Option Positions

By Mark Wolfinger

Owning a short position in a near-term option comes with high positive time decay, but it also carries an extra risk that is not immediately apparent. Find out what it is.

Options Expiration – How to Avoid the Wrath of Gamma at Expiration

By Mark Wolfinger

When selling options, it can be very tempting to hold onto short positions until expiration. Find out what risks this poses.

The Advantages of Options Trading

By Mark Wolfinger

If you think (or have been told by your broker) that options are dangerous, you've got things all wrong.

A Common Trading Mistake That Could Ruin You

By Mark Wolfinger

Traders often ignore one vital statistic: the risk of ruin. Learn what it is and find out how an understanding of it can help keep you from going broke.