The American dream is supported by the building of wealth. Whether it’s attaining life-changing financial independence, securing a comfortable retirement, or paying for your kids’ education, a huge role in the success of many is played by what they invest in. Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to manage money or invest. Many families and individuals could benefit from a course in wealth management 101.
There is more to investing than looking at stocks versus bonds, choosing winning stocks, etc. Your goals can help determine precisely what an appropriate investment decision will be. For the best advice, discuss those goals with an investment/money management professional.
There are any number of investment vehicles available. Let’s take a closer look at them. Remember that, for your needs, the best investment or investments can change over time. The following may or may not be appropriate for you today, but that may change in the future.
The Most Popular Investment Vehicles
When it comes to types of investments, these are at the top of the list for popularity and are commonly chosen:
- Retirement accounts and other tax-advantaged accounts
- Real estate
- Bonds
- Stocks
A Closer Look at Stocks
Owning stocks is a good idea for just about everyone to some extent. Over the long-term, for the average person to build wealth, they’ve proven to be advantageous. Compared to gold, savings yields, and bonds, over the past four decades, they’ve delivered better returns.
How much sense is made by the purchase of stocks varies from person to person. However, for most people’s portfolios, a good foundation should be made up of stocks. When it comes to stocks, the basic couple of risks that exist are as follows:
- Permanent losses
- Volatility
By understanding your financial goals, you can limit the two just-listed risks.
What about Bonds?
Bonds exist as three main types:
- Municipal bonds (issued by local and state governments)
- Corporate bonds (company issued)
- United States government issued bills, bonds, and treasury notes
In some cases, bonds can hold up much better while stocks are crashing fast and hard. It’s easy to calculate the interest promised and face value, so bonds are less volatile.
Real Estate
For some people, it seems like real estate investing is out of reach. However, to make money from real estate, you don’t have to purchase an entire commercial property. Investments can be found in real estate at almost every financial level.
Compared to stocks, real estate is frequently viewed as being safer. It can be a good way to build wealth, owning productive, high-quality real estate.
Brokerage Accounts
Based on what you’re investing for, you would choose an appropriate kind of account. Here are some which are available:
- 529 college savings
- Coverdell ESA
- Taxable brokerage
- Roth IRA
- Traditional IRA
- Solo 401(k)/SEP IRA
- 401(k)
Some professional advice can help you determine which of these would work best for your situation and/or in the future. Here’s where to find some professional advice…
Who Can You Turn to for the Basics And Wealth Management?
Start learning about wealth management by turning to Protect Wealth Academy. Through our FAQ page, case studies, recommended books, YouTube channel, articles, and webinars, you can learn to manage your wealth and protect your assets.
If you’d like to know how we can help your business, your family, or you, give us a call at 800-276-1430. You can also get started by filling out our convenient contact form online.
