Introduction to Investment Planning
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Common Investment Goals Sep 5, 2008
Go out into your yard and dig a big hole. Every month, throw $50 into it, but don't take any money out until you're ready to buy a house, send your child to college, or retire. It sounds a little crazy, doesn't it? But that's what investing without setting clear-cut goals is like. If you're lucky, you may end up with enough money to meet your needs, but you have no way to know for sure.
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Creating an Investment Portfolio Sep 5, 2008
You've identified your goals and done some basic research. You understand the difference between a stock and a bond. But how do you actually go about creating an investment portfolio? What specific investments are right for you? What resources are out there to help you with investment decisions? Do you need a financial planner to help you get started?
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Dollar Cost Averaging Sep 5, 2008
If you haven't started investing towards a long-term goal because you're worried about short-term market volatility, consider using a popular investment strategy called dollar cost averaging. Dollar cost averaging takes some of the guesswork out of investing in the stock market. Instead of waiting to invest a single lump sum until you feel prices are at their lowest point, you invest smaller amounts of money at regular intervals, no matter how the market is performing. Your goal is to reduce the overall volatility of your portfolio by purchasing more shares when the price is low and fewer shares when the price is high. Although dollar cost averaging can't guarantee a profit or protect against a loss in a declining market, over time your average cost per share is likely to be less than the average market share price. |
Finding Money to Pay College Bills Out of Pocket Sep 5, 2008
You've saved for your child's college education through the years, helped your child research schools, and supervised the application process. Now, thankfully, your child is in college. But you probably can't disappear just yet--there are still bills to pay. Maybe you underestimated exactly how much financial aid would cover. Or perhaps you knew all along that you'd have to use some of your own resources or take out more loans. In any case, you'll need to come up with some money soon. So where should you look?
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Handling Market Volatility Sep 5, 2008
Conventional wisdom says that what goes up, must come down. But even if you view market volatility as a normal occurrence, it can be tough to handle when it's your money at stake.
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How Does Cash Value in a Life Insurance Policy Really Work? Sep 5, 2008
When you own cash value life insurance, your premium payments are allocated three ways. First, a portion of each premium pays for the actual insurance costs. Like term insurance, a specific cost is associated with the policy's death benefit, based on your age, health, and other underwriting criteria. Second, a portion pays for the insurance company's operating costs and profits. The remainder goes toward the policy's cash value.
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