1 / 37

Basics of Investing

Basics of Investing. Erica Abbott & Jean Lown, FCHD Dept., USU with assistance from Advanced Family Finance students Information Credits to: Dr. Barbara O'Neill Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Welcome. Please ask questions or ask for clarification as we go along.

Download Presentation

Basics of Investing

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Basics of Investing Erica Abbott & Jean Lown, FCHD Dept., USU with assistance from Advanced Family Finance students Information Credits to: Dr. Barbara O'Neill Rutgers Cooperative Extension

  2. Welcome • Please ask questions or ask for clarification as we go along. • I may defer some Q that require a detailed answer to the end

  3. Things To Do Before Investing • Pay off credit card debt! • No investment pays as much as credit card companies charge • Build an emergency fund • Consider your goals • Timeline • How soon will you need the $?

  4. Consider your Goals • Vehicle purchase/replacement • Down payment on a home • Child’s education • To build wealth • For retirement • What are your financial goals? • How much $ will you need?

  5. Determine your Risk Tolerance • How much risk can you stand? • If you have trouble sleeping at night because you are worried about your investments then pick a more conservative mix • For experienced investors: • How did you react to 2008-2009 losses? • Risk tolerance scale-worksheet

  6. Relationship Between Risk and Return High Int’l Stocks Stocks Real Estate Expected Return Int’l Bonds Bonds Cash Equivalents Low Low Risk High

  7. Before you Invest • Is your budget balanced? • Do you save every month? • Do you pay credit cards in full every month? • Do you carry adequate insurance to protect against major catastrophes?

  8. Potential Risks • Being too conservative (Savings accounts, CDs, etc.) • Keeps principal safe but… • Inflation reduces purchasing power • Inflation averages about 3.1% • Risk not reaching your goal(s)

  9. Risks • Being too aggressive (too much in stocks) • Higher potential for growth but… • More market volatility • No guarantee or insurance • Potential to lose some or all of the principal

  10. Managing Risks • Consider your goal • Emergency fund- be conservative • Retirement- be more aggressive • Match your goals with your risk tolerance • Can you handle the market volatility?

  11. Managing the risks continued • Consider your time frame • Short Term – months to 3 years • Stick with safe savings options • Mid Term – 3 to 10 years • Take some risk to grow your $ & beat inflation • Long Term – 10 or more years • Take more risk to grow your $ & beat inflation

  12. Saving Terminology • Cash Equivalents • Usually low risk • Savings, CDs, cash on hand • Also called liquid assets • Use for short term goals or if you have you have low risk tolerance

  13. Investing Terminology • Stock – ownership in a company • Bond – loan money to issuer • Mutual fund – A diversified portfolio of stocks and/or bonds • Opposite of putting all your eggs in one basket

  14. Retirement Funds • 401(k) retirement plan offered by employer • $ grows tax deferred • Some employers will match (~3%) • Need to invest > just the match • IRA: individual retirement account • Invest on your own • $ grows tax deferred

  15. Retirement Funds • Roth IRA • Pay taxes now • No taxes when you withdraw = no taxes on the growth! • Traditional IRA • Upfront tax deduction • Pay taxes at withdrawal

  16. Retirement Funds • Retirement accounts are NOT an investment • How the government treats that money for tax purposes • Where you put that money is up to you

  17. IRA Criteria • Must have an earned income • If married, non-earning spouse can use a spousal IRA • $5,500 annual limit • You can contribute less • Age 50+: $6,500

  18. 401(k), Roth, or traditional IRA? • Invest in 401(k) up to full match • Instant 100% rate of return!! • Possible downsides • employer picks the funds • May charge heavy fees • If no employer match, consider an IRA

  19. 401(k), Roth, or traditional IRA? • Use a traditional IRA if • Your employer doesn’t match or you’ve already invested up to the match • You expect to be in a lower tax bracket at retirement • Take the tax break now

  20. 401k, Roth, or traditional IRA? • Use a Roth IRA if • You expect taxes to rise • You expect to be in a higher tax bracket at retirement • Offers tax diversification • If most of your retirement income will be taxable… invest in a Roth

  21. Establish Your Long-Term Investment Strategy • Strategy 1: Buy and hold anticipates long-term economic growth. • Stock market has offered a positive return over every 15 year period • Past returns no guarantee, but long-term buying and holding is a great strategy

  22. Long-Term Investment Strategy 2 • Dollar-cost averaging buys at “below-average” costs • Invest same amount every month • Avoid following the crowd • Jumping in when the market is high • Pulling out when it drops • Set up automatic deposit

  23. Long-Term Investment Strategy 3 & 4 • Portfolio diversification reduces volatility • Money is like manure.  Left in a pile, it stinks.  If you spread it around, it'll grow some stuff. – Dave Ramsey • Asset allocation keeps you in the right investment categories at the right time

  24. Determinants of Portfolio Performance Source: “Determinants of Portfolio Performance II, An Update” by Gary Brinston, Brian D. Singer and Gilbert L. Beebower, Financial Analysts Journal May-June 1991.

  25. Investing Made Easy • Set up Automatic Investing • Payroll deduction or • Automatic transfer from checking to: • Individual Retirement Account • Mutual fund • Other investment

  26. Mutual Funds • Advantages • Professional management • Reduce risk through diversification • Own small part of lots of different investments • Monitoring investments is easy • Disadvantages • Funds charge fees • Be aware • follow market performance (down & up) • No guaranteed rate of return

  27. Successful Investing • Educate yourself • Determine your risk tolerance • Decide on asset allocation • Stick to your plan • Monitor investment performance • If you need help, consult a professional advisor • (N.B. most are salespeople) • Avoid fraud!

  28. More Successful Strategies • Ask questions about… • Expenses • Historical performance: 3, 5, 10 yrs. • Investment goal (e.g., capital appreciation) • “Rule of Three” comparison • Compare at least 3 investments • “Core and Explore” approach • For more adventurous

  29. Low-Maintenance Strategies • Target maturity date mutual funds for retirement • Index funds • Automatic deposits • Annual financial check-up

  30. Ideas on where to invest • Fidelity (800) 343-3548 • Vanguard (877) 662-7447 • T. Rowe Price (855) 389-9464 • Charles Schwab (866) 855-9102 • Russell (800) 426-7969 • *This is not a comprehensive list or an endorsement

  31. Remember Never invest in something you don’t understand

  32. Investing Resources • Risk tolerance quiz: http://njaes.rutgers.edu/money/riskquiz/ • Investing for Your Future http://www.extension.org/pages/10984/investing-for-your-future • Money 101 #4: Investing basics: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/money101/lesson4/index.htm

  33. Questions? Comments? Experiences?

  34. Where to Find FPW • http://usu.edu/fpw/ • http://fpwusu.blogspot.com/ • https://www.facebook.com/FinancialPlanningforWomen • Second Wednesday of the month TSC room 336 11:30-12:30 • Family Life Center 493 North 700 East. 7:00 to 8:30

  35. Financial Planning for Womenwww.usu.edu/fpw • April 10th: Social Security with SSA expert Mickie Douglas • 11:30 only; no evening program • May 8th: Great Mutual Funds for your IRA • June 12th: Get your house in order before you buy • July 10th: Investing for College

More Related