Simple guide to invest

Mutual funds are extremely popular. There must be a reason, right? But, like any other form of investment, mutal fund investing requires some information and resources.

Easy access to investing information and the availability of online trading has made life easier for do-it-yourself investors. The Internet has brought the "trading" desk to millions of households and it is now possible to buy and sell shares, options, warrants, interest rate securities and managed funds from your own home. All you need is a computer and an internet connection. In addition, you can do your own research on a particular company or fund manager as well as finding out what some stock brokers are recommending to their clients. Much of this information is free or available at a reasonable cost and you can save yourself hundreds, or even thousands of dollars in fees and commissions every year via the internet. Rather than go through a full service stockbroker or investment advisor, why not give it a try?

When building your own stock or mutual fund portfolio, here are some pitfalls you need to avoid!

While you can find a plethora of good information on mutual funds and stocks, you can also find very poor information. Each website claims to have the latest hot picks or the "top ten" stock buys and often they contradict each other. Who do you believe and what about the scams?

You will undoubtedly come across websites and chat rooms that give investment advice or tips about investments, but many of these are not qualified to do so. The information may be wrong or misleading and some websites even repeat incorrect rumors.

There is overwhelming evidence that you will not become rich by listening to the advice of others. As an investor you need raw information, not recommendations. You would not buy a car just by looking at it...nor should you buy a company's stock or a certain mutual fund without doing significant research. There is no point trying to take control of your finances if you are going to rely solely on a "tip" from a newspaper or a broker or an internet chat room. It is true that someone may know more about a particular company or stock than you, but they could easily be wrong - so do your own homework!

You need to be certain that you have sound reasons for investing in a particular company or mutual fund. Do they have an instantly recognizable name? Do you understand what they do? Do the products or services of the company stand a good chance of being in high demand in a 10, 20 or 30 year time frame? Does it have a management team that moves with the times and is innovative, yet keeps a firm grip on the company's finances? Most of this information is available in a company's Annual Report, but make sure that you read it with a degree of skepticism...most reports are written to promote the company.

Keep in-mind that the historical and present prices of a stock or mutual fund may hold some clues to the future price. In practice, most analysts use fundamental analysis for short and long term buy/sell decisions and use technical analysis to confirm the decision.

Internet websites are a great place to collect information about companies. Naturally, a company owned website will attempt to portray the company in the most sympathetic light. Depending on how serious you want to be about investing, it is advisable to either visit or subscribe to investment research websites. Research websites are valuable tools for any investor and provide company reviews, give general investing information, market updates, stock pickers, stock ratings, watch-lists, portfolio managers, charts, share indexes, newsletters, alerts and model portfolios.

So, how can you structure a stock portfolio to maximize your wealth, ensure your peace of mind, give you total control of your investments, be easy to manage and give satisfaction?

Here is a recommended strategy that has worked well for many do-it-yourself investors:

1. Subscribe to a well respected investment research website dedicated to analyzing financial information for investors. They are independent from companies they list, do not receive commissions or brokerage and rely solely on investor subscriptions for income. They have to give their subscribers quality information to maintain subscriber confidence.

2. Look for the model portfolios they have developed and study the methodology they have used to create and maintain each portfolio.

3. Read the research reports supplied for each stock and study the graphs supplied for price movements and trading volumes. Get a good feel for both the long term and the short term trends of the stock.

4. Test each portfolio within a designated test period i.e., one month, one quarter, one year etc. Depending on the website, you can set up each of the model portfolios in a free portfolio manager provided on the website with unlimited stocks. Set a starting date for a test period where you "buy" stocks listed in the model portfolio at the closing price for that day. Make sure you include brokerage as it is part of the cost base for the stock. The website should either maintain up-to-date or 20 minute delayed stock prices, so a running balance can be maintained for the profit/loss for each stock over the designated period.

5. Compare each portfolio's published results with the results that you have achieved in the portfolio manager. They should agree with each other when the same stocks are compared over the same time period. Your testing should develop a level of confidence in the model portfolio.

6. Determine the best model portfolio for you to use. You can do this using the last the last three months of stock price history or perform a trial evaluation for the next three months of future prices. You can use one of the existing model portfolios or create your own from the stocks selected.

7. Subscribe to an online share broker website and begin trading.

8. Monitor stocks daily and review the performance of your actual portfolio against the model quarterly.

You should take care to evaluate the methodology used by the research website to develop the model portfolios. These portfolios are designed by research firms to provide sensible medium-term portfolios that make it easy for investors and financial planners to replicate. You need to understand the research methodology and develop a level of confidence in it rather than just blindly accepting the published results of each portfolio. You do not need to become an expert in methodologies.

Building a share portfolio that meets your investment objectives will substantially build your wealth over a period of time. You can also save money in commissions and fees, have peace of mind, total control over your investment and gain a real sense of satisfaction. A good recource for information to consider when you begin to have success at investing can be found over at http://www.assetprotectionnv.com.

Finally, be carefull with your mutual fund investments. No fund will make guarantees so good research and a steady hand are critical. Good luck comes to those that are prepared.
by: Yvonne Volante

Mutual funds are considered to be the best option by some investment managers. These funds can be managed by professionals and have the potential to provide the investors with high returns. Mutual fund companies invest an investor's money in various stocks, bonds and other short term or long term securities. Top mutual fund companies ensure that the investors are provided with he best possible services and options.

If a person chooses to invest in mutual funds then he/she has two options. He/she can either invest directly and purchase funds through several agents who sell mutual funds. The likes include banks, insurance companies, stock brokers and discount stock brokers. On the other hand an individual may buy mutual funds directly from a mutual funds company. One major advantage of dealing directly with mutual funds companies is that there are no transaction costs involved in the process. Unlike other mutual fund sellers, mutual fund companies do not have any hidden agenda. Also, an individual does not have to worry about the mutual funds being loaded (that is when owners have to pay transaction costs in the beginning, middle or at the end of the deal).

Mutual fund companies invest the money of investors in various stocks, bonds and equities. The combined holdings of a mutual fund are referred to as its portfolio. Each share in the company represents an individual investors share in the funds and the income generated. So when a person invests in a share of the company, he/she becomes a shareholder with the mutual fund company.

In case of profits all the mutual fund holders are provided with dividends by the company. However, if losses occur then the shares of the company decrease in value. Mutual fund companies generally divide the funds on the basis of the risk factor involved and the fees charged for each. They generally charge more if people want to invest in high risk funds. But a high fees does not necessarily indicate higher returns because these stocks fluctuate on daily basis. Based on their risk factor and the duration for which a fund should be held mutual funds are generally divided into the following types:

* Class A Stocks These are considered to be the best option if people have plans of holding the stocks for 2 or more years.

* Class B Stocks These are beneficial for long term holding of stocks. Generally small investors prefer these stocks. There is no front end fees and also the sales charge keep reducing.

* Class C Stocks These are considered best for short term investors. Front end fees is not required in these stocks either.

No matter how well a company's mutual funds perform, certain risk factors would always be there. Before investing in a mutual fund an individual needs to decide how much risk he/she is willing to take. Only then should one go ahead with it.
by: Sandra Stammberger

The perfect Mutual Fund you build should have the objective of owning no more than 12 to 15 companies; owning shares in 12 companies would allow the diversity needed to sleep well at night and would provide a cash dividend every week of the year. The 12 companies (with staggered dividend payout dates) in your perfect Mutual Fund should not only provide a cash dividend every week of the year, each company should also have a historical record of raising their dividend every year for at least the past 8 years (to eliminate risk).

The perfect Mutual Fund would have no fees attached, every cent put into the Fund would work toward your return on investment (ROI). There would not be any commission fees, load fees, management fees, operating or advertising fees, and there would be no illegal trading practices, hidden fees abuses or any type of hidden fee. The perfect Mutual Fund would benefit only you and your family and no one else.

The perfect Mutual Fund would require a savings plan to add to your holdings every quarter, until retirement. This would allow your perfect Mutual Fund to dollar-cost average (buying the same stock at different prices through the years) into your holdings every quarter (your dividends from the companies would be doing this already, commission free; and in the perfect Mutual Fund your quarterly investments into more shares of each company would also be commission free). With this in mind, every dividend received every quarter from a company in the Fund would be higher than the previous dividend from that same company (as long as the company, at least, maintains their dividend and in the perfect Mutual Fund every company has a history of raising their dividend every year).

In the perfect Mutual Fund, when prices of your stock holdings in the Fund decline, the cash dividend income from the perfect Mutual Fund would simply accelerate. The reason for this is simple - the lower the stock prices in the Fund, the higher the dividend yields. A company, for example, may pay a quarterly dividend of 50 cents a share. Whether that company’s share price is 70 dollars a share or 40 dollars a share, the company pays a quarterly 50 cents a share dividend. At a lower stock price the reinvested dividend and quarterly investment purchases more shares.

In the perfect Mutual Fund your money is not spread too thin. For example, putting $5,000.00 into, lets say, the S&P 500 Index Fund, you would end up owning around $10.00 worth of 500 different companies. Other than the obvious fact that your money is being spread too thin, any dividends from the companies in the Index Fund could possibly be eaten up by management’s operating expenses, advertising fees and whatever other Mutual Fund fees (they’re called ‘hidden fees’)are involved.

In the perfect Mutual Fund the valuation of a stock is based on how often a company raises its dividend and the company’s stock appreciation in the market place for the past eight years. It is this valuation that earns it its place in the perfect Mutual Fund. The perfect Mutual Fund ignores all the other elaborate techniques of security analysis to find value in a stock. I guess you could call it a Jerry Maguire, ‘show me the money’ security analysis.

(Also, in my opinion, too many people spend too much time looking at technical charts trying to predict what a stock or the stock market is going to do tomorrow. Just because thousands of people on Wall Street make a living doing ‘technical analysis’ doesn’t mean you have too jump off a building, too.)

In the perfect Mutual Fund it is the belief that the dividend is the one measure a company cannot fudge. The money has to be there to pay the shareholder. The earnings, P/E ratio (trailing or forward), price to sales etc. will all fall into place if the company still has enough earnings every year to continue raising its dividend. The perfect Mutual Fund assumes that if a company, for example, that has a history of raising its dividend for the past 35 consecutive years; it must be doing something right!

In the perfect Mutual Fund the dividends from the companies are also a safety factor that will put a bottom (support) on a stock. The dividend yield/return will keep the price of a stock from falling too far, in case of a severe drop in the stock market. And, of course, in the perfect Mutual Fund, the lower stock prices accelerate your income.
by: Charles M. O'Melia

Mutual Funds are considered to be one of the best investments one can get hands on. They're very flexible and cost-effective. An excellent investment for people with restricted knowledge, time or, money.

For beginners, who might have a perplexed expression on their faces at the mention of mutual funds; let me first acquaint them with what the mutual funds are all about.

A mutual fund is a financial instrument that enables a group of investors to pool their money together. There's a fund manager who takes care of the pooled money and invests them into specific securities (stocks or bonds). Investing in mutual funds basically means buying shares of the mutual fund and becoming a shareholder.

Having read this, you may have now decided to buy a mutual fund. But you've over 10,000 mutual funds to choose from. So how do you make sure that the one you've picked up is the right one?

For those who're new to this investment thing, let me apprise you with ‘load' and ‘no load' mutual funds. ‘Load' is basically a commission that has to be paid to the broker when you buy the fund while ‘no load' mutual funds are free from such commission hassles, as they're sold directly by the investment company.

It's best to consult an investment counselor before plunging into this venture. These finance mentors will charge a certain fee from you. They get no commission from the firms. Getting paid from their clients, these counselors make sure that you get the best out of any deal you make. Hence, you're sure of getting a reliable advice from your counselor. And obviously, they'd always advise you to go for ‘no load' mutual funds. Why?

Well, it goes like this. ‘Load' mutual funds are sold by brokers who get paid by the firms. Right? So, I don't see any reason why they'd be concerned whether you make or lose money. They're only interested in persuading you to buy funds often, so that they can relish their rewards from the firms. Moreover, ‘load' mutual funds consist of front-end charges, back-end charges, or deferred charges. Quite loaded!

Any savvy investor would certainly ensure that all of his/her investments are worthy. The investors get to choose the funds on their own, the way in which it happens with the ‘no load' mutual funds, as they are free from charges.

However, at the end of the day, the presence or absence of a broker has got nothing to do with the success of your investment. It's actually the advice you get from your counselor that really matters. A well-planned decision and a loyal advice on when to buy or sell are vital for securing a bright financial future. So, keep your mind wide open and invest! Good luck!
by: James Marriott

 
Mutual funds are a collection of stocks and/or bonds invested in different securities, which include fixed market securities and money market instrumentals. It facilitates investors to put their money under an efficient investment management. There are three types of mutual funds namely, income funds, growth funds, and balanced funds.

The basic principle underlying mutual funds is to pool in money with other people to convert it into funds. Mutual funds generally buy shares in stocks wherein an experienced fund manager performs the task of selecting, purchasing and selling off the stocks himself. Certificates are then issued to the shareholders as a testimony of proof of their partnership and participation in the emoluments of funds.

There are particularly three ways in which you can make money from a mutual fund. They are:

1. Benefits can be earned from the commission on stocks, and interests on bonds. All the income received all round the year is paid by the funds in the form of a distribution.

2. The fund will have an outstanding benefit provided the funds sell high priced securities. Most of the profits are given back to the investors in a distribution.

3. The value of the fund’s share automatically increases with an increase in the value of unsold high priced fund holdings. Accordingly, you can always sell shares of your mutual fund for profits.

Many people find investing in mutual funds an attractive option to that of dealing directly with the stock market because it is comparatively safe. In fact, these days, mutual funds have become the first preference of many investors. Mutual funds provide a balanced and better approach compared to conventional stock market alternatives. It has an added advantage of investing in several distinct sectors and firms, so, if one company suffers losses, the others may be rising. Investing in mutual funds, therefore, minimizes the loss-bearing risk of monetary assets.

In a nutshell, here are the salient points of the advantages of mutual funds:

1. Cost-effectiveness of investing in mutual funds: The main advantage of investing in mutual funds is the efficient management of your finances. Investors buy funds because they lack the competence and time to manage their own portfolio. It is a cost effective method, especially for a small investor because it is expensive to get a manager to manage individual investments.

2. Diversification: Compared to individual stocks or bonds, mutual funds diversify the risk of bearing loss. The basic intention being to invest in a diverse number of assets in order to overcome the negatives of loss making stocks or bonds by the profits reaped by others.

3. Economy of Scale: The transaction expenses are relatively low as a mutual fund is bought and sold in large amounts of credits.

4. Liquidity: Mutual funds provide the opportunity of converting shares into cash at any point of time.

5. Simplicity: It is easy to buy a mutual fund. Most companies have their own automatic purchase plans, and the minimum investment rates are very small.

Therefore, investing in mutual funds is certainly a secure investment as the chance of loss is spread out, and the opportunity for gains are numerous. At the same time, it is both cost-effective and an investment that gives great future returns.

The days of depending on government largesse in meeting old age financial requirements are growing dimmer by the day. Hence, investing in mutual funds can be a wise choice, especially for those who plan for an early retirement and hope to enjoy a secure senior citizenship.
by: Joseph Kenny