Investment Articles

The best investment guide would cover investment options and investment strategy. This investment guide would be complete and start with basic financial concepts and expand to include the entire universe of investments. That’s a tall order, so let’s just start with a simple version, and talk about all of the investments in the world in plain English.

Your best investment is a good, complete investment guide. I’ve been tuned in to the world of investing for 35 years and have read over 100 books on investments and investing. Most of them center on the stock market or some form of investment technique or get-rich-quick scheme. Many are time sensitive and out of date by the time you read them. Many tell you how to invest money like the author did when he made his millions.

What you seldom get with an investment guide or book is an understanding of investment basics and a simplified blueprint of your many investment options. So, here’s your simplest and free best investment guide to all of the investments in the world. There are only 4 different investments or asset classes out there depending on how you categorize things. Once you bring it down to this level you have a basic framework to work with.

CASH EQUIVALENTS and other safe investments pay interest. Either your principal or rate of interest is fixed for a period of time. Examples include U.S. Treasury bills, money market mutual funds and bank savings accounts. Advantages include high liquidity (access to your money) and safety, low risk.

BONDS are long-term debt instruments and they pay more interest income than the above. Examples include U.S. Treasury bonds, corporate bonds and bond funds of various types. Advantages include relatively high interest income with a moderate level of risk.

EQUITIES or STOCKS represent ownership in a corporation. Examples include blue chip stocks, growth stocks and equity funds. Advantages include ample liquidity, growth and some income in the form of dividends. Risk is significant and profit potential is high.

ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS is our final category. Examples include real estate, gold, and foreign investments. Advantages include high profit potential and an alternative to stocks when they are out of favor. Risk can be significant here as well.

That’s about as simple as an investment guide can get. All investment options can be fit into one of these asset classes. The important thing is that you have a perspective, and that you understand the investment characteristics of any investment before you invest money. For example, someone pitches an investment to you. Where does it fit in our above format?

How does it rate in terms of: safety, liquidity, growth and profit potential, income provided and risk? All investment options can be and should be rated in terms of the above to assure that they fit your needs and risk profile.

If you learn how to invest you’ll have a means of supporting yourself for the rest of your life. Once you have a sound understanding of investment basics you’ve built a great foundation for learning how to invest. The best investment guide would cover both.

A retired financial planner, James Leitz has an MBA (finance) and 35 years of investing experience. For 20 years he advised individual investors, working directly with them helping them to reach their financial goals.

Jim is the author of a complete investor guide, Invest Informed, designed for average investors or would-be investors of all levels of financial background and experience. To learn more about investments and investing and his new financial guide go to http://www.investinformed.com.

To learn to invest informed and learn how to invest with confidence most people should break the subject down into two parts: investment basics and investing. By tackling topics or articles in the following order you can learn how to invest money as an informed investor without wasting too much time and effort.

First get a handle on basic financial concepts, terms and investment basics. Every investment in the world can be evaluated based on just a few simple characteristics. Don’t invest money in anything until you know if it fits YOUR needs for such things as safety, liquidity, growth, and income. Only if you invest informed can you avoid the costly mistakes that are caused by picking an investment that’s not right for you.

Then, as a basic investment guide, focus on stocks and bonds because this is where you are most likely to invest money in the future. Once you have a handle on these securities, its time to get familiar with investment markets and how to invest in them. If you don’t understand the stock market, for example, your knowledge of stocks (equities) is of little value in the real world of investing.

Learning all about mutual funds should be your next step and shouldn’t be difficult now that you know stocks and bonds. After all, these securities are where most mutual funds invest money for their investors. And mutual funds are where most investors invest money in stocks and bonds in 401k plans, IRAs and other accounts. There are thousands of funds to choose from but 99% of them fall into 1 of 4 general categories.

You should also get familiar with other investments like money market securities and annuities before you move from the INVESTMENT GUIDE phase of your education to the INVESTING GUIDE segment. In other words, before you can learn to invest informed you’ll need a clear understanding of all of your major investment options and how they compare in terms of their basic investment characteristics. This is not as difficult as it sounds since the universe of investments can be condensed into only 4 different categories or asset classes: cash equivalents (safe, liquid investments), bonds, stocks, and alternative investments.

Investing is the art of putting an investment strategy together and managing your money at a level of risk that’s within your comfort level. Once you understand the investment end of things you need a game plan in the form of a complete investment strategy. Asset allocation is the single most important part of any strategy; and your portfolio asset allocation over time will be the main thing that determines your success or failure as an investor. Concentrate on learning asset allocation: how to invest money (in what proportion) across the 4 asset classes mentioned above.

Now you’ll also want to learn to apply various investing strategies or tools to help offset risk while earning higher than average investment returns. The two important things to understand when you get started in the learning process are the following. Learning how to invest is easier than you think if you take the subject one step at a time in a logical sequence. Second, learning to invest informed is actually a two step process: learn investment basics, and then learn investing.

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t understand something in an investing article you are reading. Back up and search for another article that covers the topic or area that confused you. For example, if you are confused by an article on bond funds it’s probably because you don’t understand bonds in general. Most people don’t. Most people don’t get much out of an adventure novel, either, if they start reading on page 47.

Take fear and anxiety out of investing. Learn to invest informed.

A retired financial planner, James Leitz has an MBA (finance) and 35 years of investing experience. For 20 years he advised individual investors, working directly with them helping them to reach their financial goals.

Jim is the author of a complete investor guide, Invest Informed, designed for average investors or would-be investors of all levels of financial background and experience. To learn more about investments and investing and his new financial guide go to http://www.investinformed.com.

The best investment strategy for 2010 and beyond is not likely to be the normal investment strategy recommended year after year by many investment firms. Things ARE different this time. Here’s your basic investment guide of things to consider going forward.

Year after year the basic investment strategy or asset allocation recommended for most people: 60% stocks and 40% bonds. Stocks or stock funds are the growth element and bonds or bond funds are the safer investment that provides higher income in this asset allocation. In theory, losses in one should be offset by gains in the other. It’s time to review your present asset allocation. You might be taking more risk than you think you are.

Sometimes the best investment strategy is aggressive in nature; other times a bit of defense is called for. Rarely does chasing a hot asset class pay off for long. With the stock market up 60% in less than a year and high bond prices (super-low interest rates), that’s exactly what many investors are doing. At the same time some are chasing gold at historically high prices, and emerging stock markets that have been on fire (like China).

Your asset allocation has probably changed since you last looked due to fast changing markets. Take a good look, and then decide if your investment strategy is on track at an acceptable level of risk. If you are heavy into either stocks or bonds (or both) you might want to lighten up and diversify more. In 2010 and beyond the investment landscape could change considerably.

What if the financial crisis is not really over, or the U.S. dollar continues to be unstable? What if economic growth fails to materialize or interest rates soar? The USA has not been faced with more economic uncertainty in my time, and I’ve followed the economy and the markets since 1972. Here’s a basic investment guide to avoiding heavy losses should the going get tough again.

If you hold bonds or bond funds consider shortening your maturities and cutting your exposure. For example, if you hold long-term bond funds consider moving to intermediate-term and short-term bond funds. Rising interest rates will send bond prices (values) down, and long-term bonds will get hit the hardest. You will sacrifice higher interest income, but will increase safety with this investment strategy.

Stocks and stock funds may have moved up too far too fast in 2009. Don’t chase the stock market unless you want to speculate. Consider lightening up your asset allocation to stocks that closely follow the market in general. It’s quite likely that much of this move upward was “window dressing” by large portfolio managers who want to look good at year end. Some of it was no doubt caused by individual investors looking for higher returns in a low-interest-rate environment. Any bad news in 2010 could prompt these same investors to sell and send stock prices down.

Now that you’ve cut your asset allocation to bond and stock investments in general, where do you put this money? When in doubt CASH is king. Cash refers to safe, liquid investments like savings accounts, short-term CDs, and money market securities. Money market mutual funds are the easiest way for the average investor to put money into money market securities. With short-term interest rates at historical lows many investors have taken money out of these safe investments. If you want to play defense, increase your asset allocation to cash.

For offense consider moving money periodically into a variety of areas often overlooked by average investors… to broaden your diversification. For example, consider stocks in the following specialty sectors: basic materials, natural resources, real estate, foreign securities, and precious metals if you don’t already have money there. Mutual funds are available in all the above specialty sectors as well. Invest in increments to smooth out the risk of bad timing.

In times of high uncertainty don’t follow the crowd. Your best investment strategy is to survive financially with your investment assets intact. When the dust settles get more aggressive with your asset allocation. Meanwhile, cash is king; and diversify, diversify, diversify.

A retired financial planner, James Leitz has an MBA (finance) and 35 years of investing experience. For 20 years he advised individual investors, working directly with them helping them to reach their financial goals.

Jim is the author of a complete investor guide, Invest Informed, designed for average investors or would-be investors of all levels of financial background and experience. To learn more about investments and investing and his new financial guide go to http://www.investinformed.com.

Investment articles come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you’re asking, “What is a 401k plan” and are looking to learn more about early retirement planning or delving deeper into the roth ira limits and 401k providers, there is an article written just for you.

The future of middle-aged Americans will depend more on individual contributions, knowledge and economical fluctuations, rather than pension and social security fallbacks. Take the first step toward a supplemental retirement plan today.

Forbes is a fantastic place to discover your inner economist. It may look like a regular news site at first, but if you type “retirement investment” into the website’s search engine, you’ll find a plethora of engaging, easy-to-follow articles with aesthetically-pleasing arrangements.

The letters are bold and colorful, with complimentary charts and pictures that make learning and understanding second nature. You might want to stream video presentations or look at the “lists” section where you can find the 100 best mid-cap stocks or an international investment guide.

The “personal finance” tab is an invaluable resource for anyone looking for investment articles. From guru insights and investing ideas to taxes and mutual funds — finance has never been so much fun! Forbes.com is simply a “must” for anyone considering saving for their financial future.

One website, a “must” for beginners, showcases investment articles on the latest scams, the differences between IRAs and 401ks and how to make the most of your savings.

Read about issues geared toward the aging retiree in an easy-to-read format. Look at charts and polls or simply find a list of 401k providers. No matter what you’re seeking, chances are your needs will be met.

Surely you’ve heard of Fortune or Money Magazine. Part of the CNN family, you can find an article about what to do with your 401k and read an interview with the richest man in the world at Money CNN.

You probably recall their annual “top 100 companies to work for” list and the “highest paid CEOs” list, making this magazine great for research, more than a dummy’s guide to investment articles.

You won’t find so many cut-and-dry explanations, but for the moderately educated and perpetually curious mid-lifer, Fortune and Money covers the hot button issues on Wall Street.

Bloomberg is a practical site that features not only investment articles, but also investment tools. Register and use the portfolio tracker and market monitor to easily keep tabs on your stocks, compare your funds with other top-ranked funds or use the personal calculator to keep your spending under control.

With a quick click, you’ll get Bloomberg radio and TV reports delivered instantly to your computer. Quickly view an economic calendar or check the top stocks, read current news or refer to the glossary to understand unfamiliar terms. This is not for beginners, but rather intermediates.

Investment articles can be informative, entertaining and inspiring. You can find questions to ask your banker or employer with regards to your retirement. You may choose to safeguard your savings by knowing 401k withdrawal rules.

Or perhaps you’ll wow your friends over coffee with some pertinent news tidbit. Being a curious and informed citizen is the only way to get ahead in life, and it seems you’re well on your way!

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As a new investor you probably wonder what a securities investment really is. There are basically three investment securities every investor absolutely needs to understand before deciding on a financial investment. Here’s your basic investment guide. Corporations issue equity securities to raise money in the form of common stock; and debt securities to borrow money in the form of bonds. The U.S. government issues debt securities to borrow money from investors in the form of Treasury bills, notes, and bonds. And then there are complicated and risky investment securities like derivatives, where the new investor does not belong.

As a basic investment guide I suggest that the new investor view the world of investments as three distinct and separate segments: savings alternatives, tangible assets, and investment securities. A bank savings account or CD is a savings alternative, not a security. Physical real estate property is a tangible investment or “hard” asset, not a securities investment. Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds are each a financial investment and they are the investment securities that all investors need to understand. Stocks and bonds are originally issued (sold) to the public. Then they trade in the secondary market on exchanges, as in the stock market. Since there is investment risk and the public is involved, these securities are regulated by the government.

Since they trade in organized markets or exchanges, investors have liquidity and can easily buy and sell stocks and bonds. A securities investment can offer higher returns and/or more interest income than money in the bank. Along with this comes higher risk. Common stocks are a financial investment that offers the potential for growth and higher returns. Bonds are investment securities that offer higher interest income. The average investor needs growth and/or higher income to get ahead financially. The question is: how should the new investor approach the subject of making a securities investment? Here’s a basic investment guide. First, learn the investment basics in regard to stocks and bonds. Then start investing in mutual funds.

When you invest in these funds professional money managers pick the stocks and bonds for you and a large pool of other investors. They manage the money. You just pick the fund(s) you want to invest in. The new investor belongs in stock funds, bond funds, money market funds, and/or balanced funds; and not in the likes of complicated and risky derivatives like stock options, swaps, and leveraged or inverse ETFs that invest in derivatives. The mutual fund industry is regulated to protect investors against fraud. Some of the more exotic securities are more difficult to regulate, as proven in the financial crisis of 2008.

A retired financial planner, James Leitz has an MBA (finance) and 35 years of investing experience. For 20 years he advised individual investors, working directly with them helping them to reach their financial goals. Jim is the author of a complete investor guide, Invest Informed, designed for average investors or would-be investors of all levels of financial background and experience. To learn more about investments and investing and his new financial guide go to http://www.investinformed.com.

When it comes to getting into investing, many people find themselves hesitant, for a number of reasons. When asked, the number one reason people state for not wanting to invest their money is lack of knowledge.

Fortunately for these people, investing isn’t too complex to get into, and as many confident investors can tell you, it’s just a matter of getting started. Once you have tried a few investments that are good for beginners, investment knowledge begins coming quickly. There are a number of investment opportunities that are ideal for first time investors, and first timers might be surprised to learn that they are already investing and don’t even know it.

Interest bearing savings accounts are one type of investment that many people already have. These types of accounts are fairly simple – they pay a % return on the amount of money in the account, depending on the bank. As many people already have interest bearing savings accounts, a good type of investment to start out with is a certificate of deposit, or CD. Interest rates on CDs are typically higher than on savings accounts, and can be purchased at most any bank. One benefit of a CD is that you can choose the duration of the investment, and then collect interest until the CD reaches maturity. Despite the recent furore regarding the banks, they remain a safe place to put your money, but of course the paltry percentages being offered at the time of writing are often outstripped by rates of inflation. So if you reframe any savings accounts that you have as investments, they start looking like a poor choice.

Money market funds are often a good option for first time investors. These work in much the same way as interest bearing saving accounts, and have higher interest payouts. Like savings account, they are short term, and are a good alternative for first time investors who don’t want their money tied up in a CD.

Once you have tried out one or all of these types of investments, you’ll quickly realize how easy investing can be. From here, a popular option is to meet with a broker and discuss more complex investing options. As you continue learning, a good tip of advice is to maintain a low risk tolerance. A low risk tolerance simply means that the investor sticks to investment opportunities that are low risk, which is good for first time investors just getting started.

You should also realize that learning investment methods yourself is much easier than you may think and puts you in charge of your future. Try and make sure the information you’re getting comes from reliable – proven to be reliable – source. Anybody offering you investment information should have a publicly proven track record of making money from investing, and not just from writing about it!

Andy Markus is an online trader who is busy studying the methods of acclaimed trading guru Mark Shipman using his http://www.TheAutonomousMillionaire.com course.

Most people want to know what the best investment is for them. What investment information should they be aware of and which investment options fit their needs? Here’s how to get your ducks in a row before you invest money.

Many people go to free personal investing seminars looking for investment information. They want to invest money, but don’t even know what their investment options are. What do they get? Maybe they get a free lunch; and likely they get a sales presentation.

When I was a financial planner I designed my personal investing seminars to be different because most of the ones I had been to turned me off. I didn’t try to sell a specific financial product as being the best investment for everyone present. Instead I emphasized general basic investment information like: what your basic investment options are, and how to select the best investment for YOU.

Before you invest money consider 5 things, in this order: liquidity, safety, growth, income, and tax advantages. How import is each to you, on a scale of 1 to 10? You can’t have it all, because there is no perfect investment. But if you’re honest with yourself you can eliminate investment options that are not appropriate for you in your search for your best investment. Here’s an example of how this game of elimination works.

Let’s say that you want to invest money for retirement, and you plan to retire in 10 or more years. You don’t need high liquidity (quick and easy access to your money) because you expect to keep this money working for years. You are willing to give up high safety in return for growth and the potential for higher investment returns. Receiving interest income is not important, but if you could get a tax break you certainly would not pass it up.

What investment options can you eliminate, and what might be your best investment? You can eliminate: savings accounts, CDs, money market accounts, Treasury securities, and other investments designed to pay interest income with a high degree of safety. What’s your best investment?

Opening an IRA with a mutual fund company could offer you growth potential and tax advantages.

On the other hand, if you need ready access to your money and/or interest income you don’t need a mutual fund IRA; you need the likes of the investment options we just eliminated above.

The next time you consider an investment rank it by the 5 criteria above. That’s the investment information you need to find an investment that best fits you.

A retired financial planner, James Leitz has an MBA (finance) and 35 years of investing experience. For 20 years he advised individual investors, working directly with them helping them to reach their financial goals.

Jim is the author of a complete investor guide, Invest Informed, designed for average investors or would-be investors of all levels of financial background and experience. To learn more about investments and investing and his new financial guide go to http://www.investinformed.com.

What are Junk Silver coins and why are they a great investment? Junk silver coins are simply U.S. coins that contain real silver and have been in general circulation at some point. The name “junk” come from coin collectors, and it means that the coins have no collectible value. Despite the less than attractive name, these coins are one of the best ways available for individual investors to own silver. The reason is that these coins have several unique advantages over other ways of investing in silver.

First and foremost, the U.S. government certifies the silver content of these coins. That means that if you have a pre-1964 dime, you can be confident that it contains 90$ silver. Similarly, if you find a silver quarter from the right issue, you can be certain of its silver content.

Because of this, these coins are easily recognized, and highly liquid all over the world. That makes them a great way to store and transport value for anyone who is concerned about the current economic climate.

Another advantage is the coins’ small size makes it easy to conduct transactions with them even under the worst economic circumstances. In that way, they are much easier to work with than silver bars or other silver forms of silver bullion.

Lastly, these coins are legal tender in the U.S. That means they can be spent for their face value. In other words, they can never go to zero, even if the price of silver completely collapses. Few other investments can make this claim.

Nowadays many people are concerned about inflation and the national debt. Owning precious metals is one of the best ways to protect yourself against this, and circulated silver coins are one of the most convenient ways to do it.

Ami Raju writes for http://junksilvertrader.com/ – a resource for investing in junk silver coins, with prices, investment information, and more.