Investing in long-term financial vehicles give you the most gains but it also puts your funds at greater risk. There is much truth to the saying, "there is no gain if there is no risk". Still you can reduce your chances of losing your hard earned money, by researching and taking time to understand what you are buying. Would you purchase a house you've only just seen on the outside? Both of these are serious investments and you need to arm yourself with the basic knowledge about the subjects.
So what are the differences you need to consider when investing in bonds, stocks or mutual funds?
What are bonds? When you are investing funds in bonds, you are technically lending your money to a borrower. Who can this be? Some of these are the U.S. government, a state, a local municipality or a big company like General Motors. All these institutions need money to expand, to fund a federal deficit or to finance new ventures. So they borrow funds by issuing bonds. The price you pay for a bond is know as its' face value. The issuer promises to pay you back in a particular day, at a fixed rate of interest stated on the coupon itself. You are safely investing in bonds; these bonds give you a yearly income until the maturity date. When the bond matures, the borrower pays you back the principal plus interest. In most cases, investing in bonds is a minimal-risk free decision.
What about stocks? A share of stock is a certificate of ownership purchased by individuals who are investing or buying a proportional share of the business. The more stocks you buy, the bigger the share of profits you will get and the bigger your financial stake becomes. A stock's value is affected by the financial situation of the company. Historical trends in stocks have shown that their value rises over time, although there are no sure guarantees. Also with stocks the only assured return is if it appreciates on the open market. And while it is true that there are companies that give their stockholders dividends, they are not obligated to do so.
What are mutual funds? In this financial scenario, you join a group of investors in investing your funds to buy stocks, bonds, or anything else your fund manager decides is worthwhile. If you do sustain losses, these losses are subtracted from the fund's capital gains before the money is distributed to you the shareholder. The fund won't pass out capital gains to shareholders until it has at least earned more in profits than it had lost.
Remember it pays to do research before investing.
Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Debt-Relief-Solutions.com. He provides more debt relief, consolidation and financial planning advice that you can research in your pajamas on his website.
move in cleaning service Lake Forest ..Two weeks ago I wrote about what the Securities and... Read More
If you want one.And I don't recommend any broker with... Read More
As an investor you will want to check out any... Read More
Time to look back2004 is over, now we are in... Read More
Mutual funds are doing more and more to discourage investors... Read More
What is leverage?Here is a definition of leverage from an... Read More
The bulls and bears of the stock market are both... Read More
Well, not really. What I mean is I don't mind... Read More
When it comes to 401k's there is an overabundance of... Read More
Ever have one of those sample boxes of candy? Each... Read More
There are major differences between trading stocks and trading futures.... Read More
One of the most believed bits of conventional wisdom from... Read More
This is a rather simple strategy with which I am... Read More
I go to the Money Show every year to visit... Read More
Carefully thinking through your goal as a trader is of... Read More
When you become interested in a stock or mutual fund... Read More
Very few people, even professionals, have heard of the Dalbar... Read More
1. Do not spread your money too thin.My friend has... Read More
We learnt the following the hard way! If any of... Read More
I read a comment by a forum member on another... Read More
The higher the market goes the more confusing are the... Read More
When you invest in the stock market for ever-increasing cash... Read More
Dollar cost averaging is one of the most popular ideas... Read More
We have two candidates for president that have really different... Read More
Let me start by saying that...Most online brokers do not... Read More
pet-friendly home cleaners Glenview ..I don't know what kind it is, but I saw... Read More
Money management starts with protecting your capital, realizing profits and... Read More
If you go to Haiti or other places in the... Read More
For weeks, no, months we have been bombarded with nothing... Read More
One of the basic laws of physics is that a... Read More
Its dinnertime and the phone rings. It's Joe Noname with... Read More
Options trading can increase the profits you make when trading... Read More
The Shadow knows. There used to be a radio program... Read More
What can I expect to make my first year of... Read More
We have two candidates for president that have really different... Read More
The bear market that showed up at the end of... Read More
It looks like the market is ready to start up... Read More
If you were to find that you had some severe... Read More
The fight continues to rage among traders who use technical... Read More
Buy high and sell low -- It's not a typo.Millions... Read More
Before you buy another car you walk around the lot,... Read More
I know there are a lot of you out there... Read More
Inverted interest rates? What's that? Who cares? Even if you... Read More
In his wonderful book, 'Multiple Streams of Income', best selling... Read More
As an investor you will want to check out any... Read More
Spread trading is a technique that can be used to... Read More
When you stand on the ocean shore and watch the... Read More
This is a guide to the different types of mutual... Read More
Disclaimer: Please note that I do not necessarily purchase, own,... Read More
When it comes to stock market trading it PAYS to... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |