Investing allows you to save money for the future and passively earn money. Unfortunately, many people choose not to invest because they’re not sure how it works, passing up the opportunity to earn more money without putting in more hours at work. Investing can be difficult to understand, but the sooner you invest, the better. If you’re new to investing, don’t worry; let this article serve as a simple guide to investing. 

Finding the Right Type of Investing

There are many different ways to invest. For example, you can invest in your future with a retirement plan or invest in car insurance to protect you and your family from liability. To find the right type of investing for you, consider your reason for investing. Your goals will tell you what to invest in and how much to invest. Here are some factors to consider before you start investing

• Age
• Income
• Financial goals
• Timeframes
• Risk tolerance

Many people invest to ensure they can comfortably retire, while others invest to passively make money. Whatever you decide, you must consider how long you’re willing to wait to make money and what your level of risk is. Of course, some investments are riskier than others. For example, cryptocurrency investing is considered one of the riskiest investments because of its volatility, but saving for retirement carries very little risk. 

Timing

New investors often make the mistake of not being patient. For example, if they see a dip in the stock market, they panic and start to sell their shares as quickly as possible. However, longer-term investments and patients yield higher gains for investments. 

Stocks can dip on any day of the week, but they usually come back up. Additionally, sometimes the economy shifts over the length of months or years. If you panic and sell your shares when the market dips, you can lose much of your investment. 

As you become a more savvy investor and learn more about the market, you can adopt a set-it-and-forget-it attitude when it comes to your investments so you won’t end up panicking over small dips. 

When to Invest

You should start investing as soon as you make your first paycheck. Unfortunately, many people don’t begin investing years later. The earlier you invest, the more money you can make in the long run, thanks to compounding interest. Compounding interest is the money you make through your investments. Investing earlier allows you to earn more compounding interest over time and increase your earnings just by investing for longer. 

Not only that, but time is also a safeguard. The younger you are when you start investing, the more time you have to regain any losses. It’s usually better to take financial risks when you’re young so you still have the time to make up for any losses by rebuilding the money you lost over time. The older you get, the fewer risks you should take because you don’t want to jeopardize your retirement without the ability to work to earn more money. 

Amount Needed to Start Investing

Many investments have a minimum requirement, but you need less money than many people think to start investing. Investing can be as simple as investing in an employer-sponsored retirement plan or using a robot-advisor such as Betterment, which doesn’t require a deposit. 

Even if you only have a little bit of money to invest, the earlier you start investing, the better. 

Types of Investments

As a new investor, you need to learn about the various types of investments to determine which one is right for you. These include:

Retirement Plans

Retirement plans are the easiest ways to invest for beginners. Many employers offer retirement plans as part of their employee benefits. It is especially helpful if your job offers a company match, which matches your contributions up to a certain amount allowing you to earn free money towards your retirement. 

Funding a 401(k) will help you easily pay for retirement, so there’s no reason not to take advantage of an employer-sponsored plan. A 401(k) is not the only type of retirement plan. If you don’t have an option for an employer-sponsored plan, you can choose to get a Roth IRA to start saving for retirement instead. 

Retirement plans also have tax advantages. Your contributions are tax-deferred, which means you won’t pay taxes on any amount of money you put into your plan. Instead, you’ll be taxed when you withdraw money. 

The amount you are taxed when you withdraw money depends on your income tax rate when you make the withdrawal. However, if you withdraw funds before you turn 59.5 years old, you’ll face an additional penalty from the IRS. 

Mutual Funds

Instead of buying stocks or bonds, you can invest in mutual funds that allow you to purchase different assets in one transaction. A mutual fund puts your money in with other investors’ money and is typically seen by a portfolio manager. 

Exchange-traded Funds

Exchange-traded funds (EFTs) are a type of mutual funds. When you buy an EFT, you purchase a share of future profits from major corporations. EFTs track an index, so if you buy an index fund, you can purchase small pieces of large corporations in the US. 

Mutual funds are typically a lower-risk investment because they’re managed professionally to save time. 

Bonds 

Bonds are one of the lowest-risk investments. They offer modest returns while carrying close to no risk of loss. Bonds let companies and governments borrow money. When you purchase a bond, your money helps the business or government entity with a promise you will be paid back plus interest. 

Most interest earned through bonds issued by governments is exempt from taxes at the federal level, but some are tax-exempt at the state level. 

CDs

Another low-risk investment is certificates of deposit (CDs), in which the investor agrees to keep their money in a CD for a certain period. If you take your money out early, you’ll face penalties. 

Stocks

Stocks are one of the most widely talked about types of investments as they provide the highest rate of return because investors own a small share of a company. However, stocks can be intimidating for beginners because a company’s growth is not guaranteed, so you risk losing your money. Investing in stocks can be risky if you haven’t researched the company you’re investing in, but if you make wise decisions or choose to work with a financial expert, you can make a healthy supplemental income without taking on too much risk. 

Taxes

You must pay taxes on everything you earn as income, including stocks, bonds, crypto, and all types of investments. However, some taxes are only due when you sell an asset, such as a stock, and others are deferred, such as the use of your retirement fund. 

Before you invest, you must understand the tax implications of each investment. If you’re not sure when to pay taxes or how much you’ll owe, consider working with an accountant that can help you figure out how your investments are taxed. 

Investing for Beginners

Investing requires hard work and patience. There’s no reason to go into an investment blindly. What’s most important is you acknowledge the amount of risk you’re willing to take on before you make any decisions that can impact your financial future. 

Matt Casadona

Matt Casadona has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Psychology. Matt is passionate about marketing and business strategy and enjoys San Diego life, traveling, and music.