The Intricacies of Investment: 3 Tips for Starting an Investment Portfolio

Investing may seem intimidating, but it’s critical to long-term financial success. Investing provides a way to grow your money over time so that it can work for you. 

While a risk is associated with investing, there are also many rewards. Starting an investment portfolio can lay the foundation for a better financial future. 

However, before you get started, you should consider a few things. In this blog post, we’ll review three tips for starting an investment portfolio.

Understand Your Investing Goals

Before you start investing, you need to understand your financial goals. What do you hope to achieve with your investments? Are you looking to save for retirement, purchase a property, or build a nest egg? Knowing what you want to achieve will guide your investment decisions.

Additionally, you should consider your risk tolerance. This refers to the amount of risk you are willing to take on. Risk is inherent in investing, but the degree of risk varies between different investment types. Usually, higher risks correspond with the potential for higher returns. 

However, high returns also come with a higher risk of loss, that is it's more likely to be a loss than a return. Understanding your risk tolerance will help you choose the right investments that align with your comfort level.

Diversify Your Investments

Diversification is important in any financial investment portfolio. It means investing in different types of assets, such as stocks, bonds, real estate, or commodities. This spreads out your risk so that if one type of investment does not perform well, the others can help cushion the blow.

It’s also important to diversify within each asset type. For example, if you invest in stocks, consider investing in stocks from different sectors. 

This reduces your exposure to any one industry. Diversification helps to ensure long-term returns and mitigates against short-term market corrections.

Start Small

When it comes to investing, starting small is the way to go. Investing a small amount regularly over a long period will have a greater impact than investing a large sum once. 

This is because investing regularly in small amounts averages out the cost of investment, which can result in a less volatile and more stable returns. It also helps to minimize the risk from market fluctuations.

Starting small also allows you to become familiar with the investment process without putting too much at risk. Over time, as your confidence grows, you can increase your investments.

Seek Professional Advice and Practice

Achieving a solid financial future through investing isn't something you have to do alone. It's a journey that can be significantly enriched by seeking guidance from investment professionals. 

They can provide valuable insights, help you understand market dynamics, and guide you in making informed investment decisions for your finances. 

Additionally, financial investment practice is key. The more you invest, the more comfortable you'll become with the process and the better your understanding of the nuances of the market.

Final Thoughts

Investing is a journey filled with opportunities to learn, grow, and build a stronger financial future. Achieving a successful start involves key factors such as comprehending your investment objectives, diversifying your portfolio, commencing with smaller investments, and seeking professional guidance. 

Investing is not a get-rich-quick scheme but a long-term commitment that requires patience, planning, and understanding. Make informed decisions and adjust your strategies as needed. 

With the right approach and mindset, you'll be on your way to building a robust investment portfolio that can help you achieve your financial goals.

3 Of The Best Long-Term Investments To Make

One of the best ways to protect your financial future is to invest, and the best way to invest is to make long-term investments.

Although it might be tempting to trade in different investments from one day to the next, having a long-term investment and trading approach is a well-versed and practiced strategy which a number of investors can benefit from.

People who take a long-term approach to investments will find that they need a certain level of patience and discipline, as these investments tend to take longer in order to see a return on the initial investment, although the return can often be greater than short-term investments. With that in mind, let’s take a look at 3 of the best long-term investments you can make.

Growth Stocks

In the world of trading and investing, growth stocks are the creme de la creme. They promise high growth and, as well as this, offer high investment returns. Typically, growth stocks are linked with tech companies, but this isn’t always the case. 

If you’re looking to buy growth stocks, then you will want to ensure you have thoroughly analyzed the company you are looking to invest in, which can take some time. 

This is definitely a more considered form of investment and is one that does require research to be done prior.

Because of the volatility surrounding growth stocks, it’s important to be realistic when it comes to your returns. Typically, you can expect to hold the stocks for between 3-5 years. Growth stocks carry some risks as, often, investors will pay a lot for the initial stock in relation to the company’s earnings. 

Should a bear market or recession take hold, then growth stocks can lose value quickly. However, over time, they have been shown to have the best performance.

Real Estate

Real estate has always competed with the stocks and shares market as to be the best long-term investment. This year, that battle shows no signs of slowing or changing and investing in property is still considered to be one of the best long-term investments you can make. 

The benefits of investing in real estate are lengthy and, if you choose the right asset to invest in, then you can expect to get a predictable and steady cash flow, good returns and tax advantages, to name a few.

Real estate investors typically tend to make their money through rental income and any profits that are generated tend to grow in appreciation. 

As well as this, real estate values tend to increase over time and, by making a good investment, you can generate a profit when the time to sell comes. If you do rent, then over time, rental prices increase too, leading to a higher cash flow. 

There are some downsides to property investment, however, but these tend to be relative. Compared to stocks and shares, which can be traded instantly, property purchases take much longer to complete, but this shouldn’t put you off as there are still a multitude of positives.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)

ETFs have quickly become one of the most popular forms of investments to make. Not only do ETFs allow you to invest in a diverse range and portfolio of securities, but, funds which are available will cover potentially hundreds of different asset classes. 

Unlike mutual funds, ETFs tend to be treated just like stocks and can be purchased for the price of a singular share, or even less. Due to this, it’s much easier to diversify your trading portfolio, even with a smaller amount of investment budget.

Some ETFs will specialize in growth stocks, whereas others will look at things like international stocks or value stocks. You can also look at sectors such as healthcare and tech. Then, you just need to choose which asset you are looking to have within your portfolio.

Conclusion

You don’t need to be a financial banker in order to be successful when it comes to investing. You do, however, need to be aware of the different types of long-term investments which are available and which are better suited to your personal requirements.

No matter your investing history, using long-term investment strategies is a great way to grow and expand your finances and create a good-sized investment pot for your future. It’s always recommended to do your research before making an investment decision, as a number of investments may put you at increased risk of falling victim to scams or fraud, particularly if you aren’t an experienced trader or investor. Should this happen, remember there are fraud recovery options available.

Investing for Resilience: The Trends of Different Strategies

Investing for resilience means choosing investment strategies that can withstand economic fluctuations and/or market volatility. As a senior, you might be thinking about the ways in which you can safeguard your finances, ensure stable returns for your retirement years, and stay ahead of inflation.

Investment strategies such as precious metals, fixed-income investments, stock market investing, real estate investments, and mutual funds and ETFs can help you protect your nest egg and ensure that your investments remain profitable over a longer period of time. 

In this blog, we will dive into the different investment strategies you can use to make your portfolio more resilient and stay on top of the latest trends for each strategy.

Understanding the Basics

Before we dive into the different investment strategies, it's important to understand what an investment strategy is. Investment strategies help you define how you will invest your money, how much of your assets you will allocate to each type of investment, and how you will manage the risk associated with each strategy. 

The different types of strategies you can pursue range from conservative (low-risk) to aggressive (high-risk) approaches. 

Depending on your investment goals, risk tolerance, and overall financial situation, you can develop a customized investment strategy that fits your needs and helps you build wealth over time.

Precious Metals

Investing in precious metals, such as gold, silver, platinum, or palladium, is a popular strategy for building resilience, particularly during times of economic and political uncertainty. Precious metals are considered a safe haven asset because they tend to hold their value and appreciate in price over time. 

They also provide a hedge against inflation and a store of value that can protect against currency devaluation. Specialist places like Fisher Capital Group will help you purchase coins, bars, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), or even mining stocks. 

However, remember that investing in precious metals carries some risks, such as fluctuations in spot prices, market liquidity, and storage costs.

Bonds and Fixed-Income

Bonds and fixed-income investments, such as treasury bills, corporate bonds, municipal bonds, and certificates of deposit (CDs), are other popular investment strategies for stabilizing your portfolio. 

Bonds provide a fixed rate of return and income that is typically higher than savings accounts or money market funds. They are less volatile than stocks and can offer protection against interest rate risk and inflation. 

However, investing in bonds also carries some risks, such as interest rate changes, credit risk, and inflation, so it's important to stay aware and consider consulting with a professional to help you understand bonds.

The Stock Market

Stock market investing is a more aggressive investment strategy that can help you capture higher returns but also comes with higher risk. The stock market is a collection of publicly traded companies that issue stocks or shares to investors. 

Investing in stocks allows you to own a part of a company's equity and benefit from its potential growth and profitability. However, stock prices can be volatile and unpredictable, and investing without a clear understanding of market trends or company fundamentals can result in high losses. 

So it's important to diversify your stock portfolio, invest in both domestic and international markets, and have a long-term investment horizon. If you are looking for expert advice, there are many stock market advisors that can help guide the process.

Real Estate

Real estate investments are a tangible asset class offering unique benefits, such as passive income, tax advantages, diversification, and appreciation potential. 

Real estate investments can take many forms, such as rental properties, vacation homes, commercial properties, or real estate investment trusts (REITs). 

Keep in mind that investing in real estate can also be complex and require more upkeep, funding, and maintenance than other investment strategies. 

It's important to have a comprehensive understanding of the real estate market, local trends, and property management before investing in real estate, and be sure to have a plan for when the scene becomes too involved, like hiring a property manager for your rental properties or talking with an expert on where your investments should be.

Mutual Funds and ETFs: Diversification Made Easy

Finally, mutual funds and ETFs are investment vehicles that offer a convenient way to diversify your portfolio and access multiple asset classes without managing individual securities. 

Mutual funds and ETFs pool money from multiple investors and invest in a range of stocks, bonds, and other securities. They offer low fees, easy accessibility, and professional management. 

It's important to choose funds that fit your investment goals, match your risk tolerance, and align with your financial strategy. Always be sure you are making informed decisions to lower the risk for your money.

Investing for resilience means choosing a mix of investment strategies that can help you protect your finances during times of economic or market turbulence. 

Precious metals, fixed-income investments, stock market investing, real estate investments, and mutual funds are all valid options for building resilience and creating wealth over time. It's important to carefully consider your investment goals, risk tolerance, and financial situation before committing to any investment strategy. 

Always seek the advice of a professional financial advisor before making investment decisions. Remember, investing is a lifelong journey, not a sprint. Stay informed, stay diversified, and stay resilient.

How to Start Investing: And What to Invest in

Investing money is a very reliable way to build wealth over a period of time. However, the whole process can seem very daunting if you’re just getting started. 

The good news is that many wealthy investors too started with a level of skepticism, but they somehow got to learn the right steps to take, implemented them, and became successful. Today, you’re going to learn the basic steps you need to take to start investing, and what to invest in, so keep reading!

Determine how much you want to invest

Many investment options today allow people to invest low or high amounts of cash. Therefore, it makes sense to begin by deciding how much you’re willing to invest before choosing your methods. Of course, the amount of money you want to invest should be informed by your investment goal.

If you are looking to secure your retirement, for instance, you should generally aim to invest between 10% and 15% of your yearly income for retirement. Ideally, regardless of your goal, you have to consider your time horizon and the amount of cash you need, and then sort of work backward to break the amount into weekly or monthly investments.

Know your options

The most important part of investing is understanding every instrument available and the level of risk it carries. Some of the most popular investment options you’ll want to consider include the following:

Stocks. These are shares of ownership in a company, and you buy them for a share price. When the company profits, you too profit.

Bonds. These are loans you give to a government entity or a company. Before the organization pays you back, you get interest.

Index funds. These are investment vehicles that track market indexes. You can use them to balance your investment portfolio.

Mutual funds. These are collections of investments that allow you to buy a diverse assortment in a single transaction instead of picking individual bonds and stocks.




As a beginner, you should look to invest in these instruments because they are profitable and generally safe.

Pick a strategy

The next thing you should do is pick an investment strategy based on your saving goals. For instance, if you’re planning on securing your retirement, and your goal is more like two decades away, you can invest most of your money in stocks. If you don’t like the process of picking specific stocks, you can go for mutual funds or index funds.

If your goal is short-term, and you need the cash within a shorter time-frame, such as five years, you can consider Bank certificates of deposit (CDs) and short-term bond funds. 

If you’re more comfortable waiting to see your money and investing long term, then a DST 1031 property investment may be a good idea.

Alternatively, you can skip this step by opening an investment account through a qualified Robo-advisor. They’ll help you build your investment portfolio and look after it.

Understand your risk tolerance

As you may already know, not all investments are successful. Every investment comes with a certain level of risk, although it’s usually correlated with returns. Before you invest, you need to find a balance between maximizing the returns and getting a comfortable risk level.

For instance, if you are willing to lean more towards forfeiting high returns to reduce risk as much as possible, you can go with bonds. 

They are very low risk, and they yield relatively low returns of around 2-3%. On the other hand, you can go with stocks to enjoy the annual returns of about 10% per year, but be ready to incur higher risk.

As you can imagine, there is a huge difference in risk within the broad categories of bonds and stocks. For instance, Treasury bonds are very low-risk investments, and they usually have low-interest rates. 

That means that the reward is low. Conversely, a high-yield bond comes with a higher risk of default. Although it’s important to keep risk at the back of your mind, you shouldn’t get over-concerned about it, according to Forbes.

The best way to approach this is using a Robo-advisor to create an investment plan that suits your financial goals and risk tolerance.

If you’ve just decided to start investing, congratulations! You’ve already completed the first step. What you need to do now is follow the next steps above to get started.

The Pros and Cons of Using IPOs

An IPO, or initial public offering, occurs when a company makes shares of their stocks available to the public. Essentially, it allows companies to trade some stake of ownership of the company to public stockholders. 

While this does mean that the owners of the company relinquish some control, it can open the door to exciting possibilities of growth and prosperity. There are plenty of advantages and disadvantages of a company deciding to go the route of using IPOs. Here are some examples below...

PROS OF IPOs

Opens Up Capital for Additional Ventures

Usually, when a company launches an IPO it means they are in a period of sustained success (or else there would be no incentive to sell). However, it also functions as a way for the company to launch into a more aggressive period of growth that can lead to long-termed stability. 

By selling off shares of the company, it creates a massive cash influx that can do a variety of things, whether that is launching new expansions of the business, purchasing new acquisitions, or paying off old debt that opens the company for future endeavors.

Opens Up Higher Potential for Talent

Another way that IPOs can help companies grow is by using the shares as a means of attracting higher talent to the business, both on an operational and executive level. A company undergoing an IPO can offer stock as an incentive to attract personnel that might normally be beyond their price range at the current moment. 

This helps companies punch higher than their weight class while they grow. This is appealing to potential employees because the payout when they sell their shares later might be far more valuable than the initial higher salary they would have received.

Allows for a Major Payoff for Owners

The money that is used to buy shares goes to two different places: back into the company or into the pockets of people who own the company. These owners might be managers, founders, high-level employees, or private investors who have equity in the company. 

While salaries and dividends have provided a financial benefit to the investors for years, the IPO is the major payday for many businesses. An owner of a company that is going public can make millions of dollars during an IPO.

CONS OF IPOs

IPOs Take Valuable Resources

Launching an IPO is a major stepping stone for a company, but it isn’t without its share of hard work. The IPO process takes a ton of time, during which the executives and high-level decision-makers of a company are highly involved. 

This takes away time that could be spent on other business ventures and building additional revenue. Third-party investment firms are also brought on during this time, to help undergo the complex IPO process. These companies cost valuable time and money, so there is a major initial cost of capital upfront to launch an IPO.

Potential Roadblocks with Owner Shares

If an owner wants to retain control by taking shares of their company for themselves, there may be potential roadblocks. Oftentimes, there are stipulations against this. And owners who do get shares of the company must sit on them for a long period of time since an owner selling shares of the company can have a negative impact on the value of the stock, which hurts other investors.

It’s also worth noting that even if an owner is still running the company after an IPO, their control isn’t always secure because they are answerable to a Board of Directors, who can fire them at any time. For all its benefits, it must be understood that there is a significant loss of control that comes with an IPO.

A Guide to Start Investing

Every wealth management advisor will start with one very basic principle: you need to save money--and the earlier, the better. We don’t think it’s necessary to convince you of the wisdom in that.

Here’s the problem: for most of us, investing is much harder than it sounds. There are already too many demands on our money: student loans, rent, car repairs, and groceries, just to name a few. Buying a new alternator before you go on that road trip is a much higher priority than saving up for retirement.

When you’re living on a shoestring budget, how can you invest without making major sacrifices in your life?

Well, here are some ways that you can start investing NOW - not when your car is paid off, not when you’ve finally gotten around to setting a budget, not when retirement gets close enough to scare you straight. You can put these principles into action without feeling like you’re living like a pauper.

Making Short-Term Investments

Sometimes we have expendable cash for a little while, but we’re anticipating big costs in the future, so locking away that cash into a long-term investment account feels crazy. However, there’s a better option than letting it sit in a savings account with a return of 1% or less: short-term investments! 

When it comes to short-term investments, it’s better to focus on low-risk options, since there’s not as much time for the investment to self-correct. However, even low-risk, low-return investments will do you a lot more good than a savings account. 




Talk to your investment broker about short-term investment options, or check out some easy online investment software or apps (like Acorn, Robinhood, and Betterment) that will let you play with short-term projects.

Setting Up Automatic Deposits to Investment Accounts

This is one of the most reliable and time-honored habits of smart investors. Automatic deposits into a retirement account will allow you to invest without feeling the pain of conscious deductions. If you invest before even counting that money as part of your monthly income, it doesn’t have the same pang. 

Use Extra Savings Techniques to Grow Your Investment

We all have a few things that happen throughout the year that just feel like bonus money. Any time you have that boost, consider turning it into investment, instead of an indulgence that will depreciate the moment you buy it.

• Tax returns: We’re in a dangerous place when we start considering tax returns money that’s owed to us, because we never know precisely how much it will be. Consider depositing the whole amount as soon as you get it, or treat yourself to something you really want or need, but turn over any surplus to savings.
• Yearly bonuses at work: If your company does yearly bonuses, think about it as a gift towards your retirement instead of fuel for yet another Holiday impulse-buy.
• Rebates: Some are factored into the price of something we buy, but some rebates come as a surprise.
• Sales: Did you just save 30 bucks on that jacket that you really wanted to buy? What a windfall! But most of us will forget about those savings, or spend them on something we don’t need because we look at it as free money. Put that free money to work instead.
• Resolution savings: Have you ever gone without a certain treat for a certain amount of time, due to Lent, or a health resolution with a friend? When my grandmother wanted to quit smoking, I promised to give up chocolate to support her. Even more than the health bonus that this brought, I realized that I was saving up to $15 a month by cutting an unhealthy habit out of my life. It’s not much, but it does add up! We all need our indulgences, but the next time you make a health resolution, consider the savings in cash. It will keep you motivated because it’s a positive benefit that you can see right away. To keep from rewarding yourself by falling straight back into your favorite treat, put that money towards a rainy day instead.

Bonus: Educate Yourself, Over Time

As you can see, it’s fairly simple to start investing. All you need to do is put your best foot forward to start getting involved. The key, after that, is to continually get better and better at it. 

This comes with continuously educating yourself about what your accounts are doing, and what you can do in the future to improve your portfolio. With time, a clearer understanding of things like fund transfers, cryptocurrency, and common vs preferred stocks will feel like 2nd nature to you.

In Summary!

So, next time your dad guilts you about planning for retirement, or you read an article that makes you feel way behind in money matters, don’t beat yourself up about it. Just put these three methods to work and watch your savings accumulate without feeling the pain.

How To Evaluate TD Ameritrade

When you are a day trader, one of the most important decisions you can make is to find the right online broker to use to make and execute your trades. There is no reason to just go with whatever one you start with or whatever your day trading mentors suggest. 

It pays to do you research and try to figure out the best online broker for your habits, your strategies and your trading style.

TD Ameritrade

TD Ameritrade could be that broker. The company has vast experience in the online trading space and could be just what you need in order to make real money as a day trader. 

The way that they organize the Thinkorswim platform for ease of use and the ability for users to customize their interface is vital to the platforms ability to attract users.

Day Traders

Day traders need to be able to react quickly and efficiently. Being able to customize your interface is a great way to make your broker work for you. Having hot keys in place that will help you make trades as soon as you can see the path is a great way to make sure that your broker makes you efficient as possible. 

Volatility is such an important way for day traders to make money in the market and being able to keep up with that vitality is essential to being a profitable trader.

Comissions On Trades

One strike against TD Ameritrade is the cost of the trades. Commissions on trades in TD Ameritrade can go from $6.99 to $9.99. Considering margins, the markup on those trades are not going to be good for your profits. 



Trade costs is just one of the factors that you need to understand when choosing a broker. The quality of the tools and the effectiveness of the research are two big items that need to be ticked off before you get to that level.

Thinkorswim Platform

The technical studies that TD Ameritrade can offer for its thinkorswim platform are some of the most numerous in the industry. That could be a real boon for day traders because of the way that those technical indicators can help inform trades. 

The real-time data available for TD Ameritrade users is robust as well. Another point for day trade users.

2 Trading Platforms

TD Ameritrade also has two seperate mobile apps for trading, one designed for casual investors and one designed for active traders. The range of options for mobile traders makes TD Ameritrade on of the most forward thinking companies in the space. 

Being able to trade on your phone gives traders great access to the market and allows traders to react quickly to breaking news and new information. Traders can even link the mobile app ro their desktop setup, so trading can be seamless and easy for those on the go.

Making the decision to go with a particular online broker can be hard for traders at first. But doing research and testing out the potential brokers is a fun and informative process.