If Youre a Beginner Investor, Use This Step by Step Guide To Get Started – NextAdvisor

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Investing isnt just for other people. Its for all peopleregardless of their age.

Investing in the stock market can seem overwhelming, the best thing you can do is jump in carefully. These steps can get you on the right track.

Investing helps your money work for you. By investing, your money can keep up with inflation and it can help you get on track for financial independence.

Investing is one way to achieve many monetary goals, says Akeiva Ellis, CPA, CFP, and Founder of The Bemused, an online website for financial literacy. Retirement or financial independence is one popular long term goal [or] planning for the next generation, such as childrens education expenses.

Its easy to put off investing for another time, especially as other bills and financial responsibilities start to pile up. But the sooner you start, the more youll have in the long run. The earlier you start, the more compound interest can work in your favor. Thats when your money starts making money on top of itself.

Getting started with investing involves a little leg work upfront but can have immediate results. Do your homework first.

You dont have to learn the intricate ways of the market to start investing. Many platforms nowadays handle the hard work for you.

You can get your feet wet with micro-investing, she says. This means you invest small sums of money, even as low as $5. There are several investing and robo-advising platforms that work well for this type of investing.

If youre not sure how to get started, heres how to start in 5 steps.

How much you put towards your investments can help you decide a lot of other parts of your investment strategy, like how much you can regularly contribute to your account, where you open your account, and the securities you invest in.

The first step and most important component in achieving any financial goals is to thoroughly understand your expenses, says Katie Coleman, Certified Financial Planner with Ameriprise Financial, a financial planning firm. I also think it is extremely important to be realistic about what you are trying to accomplish.

Dont worry about starting out small. Even if you have other major financial obligations, there are ways you can invest right now. Even $5 is good enough to get started.

In many cases, its a good idea to pay off any high-interest debt before investing large sums of money, Ellis says. However, this does not mean that you should not or cannot start investing at all.

The type of investor you are comes down to risk tolerance, how much time you want to spend managing your account, and when you plan to use the money.

The longer your time horizon, the more risk you may be able to take over time, Ellis says. If youre more of a set it and forget it type of person, you may be more inclined to invest in funds that give you exposure to multiple holdings instead of buying individual stocks, bonds, or other assets that you may need to monitor more closely. Target date funds are good for the investor who likes the set it and forget it approach. These funds will automatically adjust your risk tolerance based on your age, and experts love them for this reason. But just because this approach means it will adjust itself, dont forget to keep checking in on your investments and continue to invest money on a regular basis.

The type of investor you are will determine the platform you use. Most full brokerage and robo-advisors dont have an account minimum but keep in mind that youll need a few dollars to start investing. Check NextAdvisors list of best online brokers to get started today.

If youre new to investing, robo-advisors are a great option. These are software-run platforms that ask you a few questions about your risk tolerance and investment time to determine the best investments for you.

Its time to open your account, deposit funds, and choose your investments. Dont worry too much about your opening deposit, but remember and try to add funds regularly to your account.

As a beginner investor, you can start with as little or as much money as you would like, Ellis says. Even small amounts of money, invested at a consistent pace that works for you, can result in a sizable portfolio balance over time.

Like anything that needs regular maintenance, you should always check on your investment portfolio regularly. Try to set a calendar reminder to review your investments once a month, or even every quarter.

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If Youre a Beginner Investor, Use This Step by Step Guide To Get Started - NextAdvisor