Understanding investment can be hard to understand if you are new to investing. Furthermore, there are many areas where you can invest your money, and that can be demoralising. Before you begin investing, you need to understand the investment risk ladder. In this article, we will discuss the different types of investment that are possible for you. 

Cash

Cash investments are first on the list and they are easy to understand. They are also the safest investment on this list. Those that have created a savings account for themselves, will understand the interest rates each month. The only issue with this sort of investment rarely beats inflation. 

There is an alternative to a standard investment account. It includes the certificate of deposit that will have a higher interest rate compared to a savings account. This sounds all well and good, however, there is a cache to this. The issue is that money has to remain in this account for several months or years. Furthermore, there will likely be penalties for withdrawing money early. 

Bonds

Bonds are another type of investment and this is where an investor will give money to an organisation or government. It is their job to find a place for this money and hopefully gain interest over time. 

A bond’s rate will be decided by interest rates and because of this, they will likely be traded when they are higher than usual. 

Mutual Funds

This is where multiple investors will put their money together to purchase stocks, bonds and other investments. This pool will likely be managed by someone (portfolio manager). Sometimes, a mutual fund will have a minimum investment of $500 and above however, not all of them have a minimum. 

There will be many investments with this money which is why there is an account manager. Their job is to keep an eye on the multiple investments and they track the results and allocate the money around. Once the trading day has closed, the mutual funds are then valued, with all transactions being executed once closed. 

Stocks

Stocks are another investment that many are familiar with. Additionally, there are many advantages and disadvantages to this type of investment.

If you are unsure what a stock is, it is where a company goes public with their shares, allowing people to invest in their company. If the company’s value increases in price, the investor’s shares will also increase. Nevertheless, if a company’s value decreases, the investor’s shares will decrease, causing them to lose money. 

Before you begin investing in stocks, you need to ensure you are with a regulated broker. Being with a regulated broker offers some security with your investment although it isn’t 100% safe. 

Summary

Investing money will always have a little bit of a risk however, the higher the risk, the higher the reward. Furthermore, you need to ensure that you are covered when you are investing. Double check the company to see if they are legitimate before you give them your money.

Sometimes, you will lose money with your investment. If that is the case, contact an investment fraud lawyer to see if they can recover your money. They will take a percentage of the money recovered but it is still recovering the money you could have lost. 

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