Use Case
Building a New Position
Choose the downside, upside, and income tradeoffs before you buy.
Buying shares normally gives you full market upside and full market downside. Parity lets you compare other ways to enter the same investment.
Four ways to enter the same investment
Buy Unprotected
Full market exposure
Downside
Full market loss
Upside
Uncapped
Income
Dividends only
Buffer
Absorb the first part of a decline
Downside
First losses absorbed
Upside
Capped
Income
Dividends
Collar
Put a defined limit on downside
Downside
Defined maximum loss
Upside
Capped
Income
Dividends
Covered Call
Generate income from the shares
Downside
Full downside remains
Upside
Capped
Income
Option premium + dividends
Example: buying 100 shares of QQQ
Illustrative 1-year comparison using one 100-share position.
Unprotected
Full downside · Uncapped upside
Buffer
First ~10% protected · Upside capped near +16%
Collar
Maximum loss around 10% · Upside capped near +14%
Covered Call
Full downside remains · Income + capped upside
Illustrative only. Actual outcomes depend on live option pricing, expiration, dividends, and the contracts selected.
Start with the investment. Then choose the tradeoff.
Pick a stock or ETF
Choose what you want to own. Option strategies are typically built in 100-share increments.
Compare outcomes
See the downside, upside, income, and cost of each structure.
Build the trade
Take the selected trade to your own brokerage.
Important tradeoffs
- Buffers and collars exchange some upside for downside protection.
- Covered calls generate income but do not provide hard downside protection.
- Option prices and dividends affect the final outcome.
- Listed equity option strategies are typically modeled in 100-share increments.
See how concentrated your portfolio is.
After connecting your brokerage we'll automatically identify:
- Concentrated positions
- Cash sitting idle
- Diversification gaps
- Holdings eligible for outcome modeling
Connect your portfolio in under 60 seconds and see how much of your portfolio depends on your largest holdings.
Analysis only. No trades are created or submitted. Illustrative and educational; Parity does not provide investment or tax advice.