Investment is great for appreciating capital and building a corpus. However, the success of the same depends on several factors, including the investor’s ability to plan and manage investments. Similarly, in the case of beginners, they must be clear about a few things before they begin their journey as an investor. That said, let’s discuss a few things that individuals should consider before they invest to appreciate their earnings and accumulate wealth.
- Develop a personalized financial plan
Before an individual invests their money, it is recommended to assess their financial standing, especially if they do not have any financial plan. The first step to do that is to determine an individual’s goals and risk-taking capacity, either on their own or with the help of a financial advisor. They should note that investing doesn’t necessarily guarantee profits, but if they understand saving and investing, and can stick to a sound financial plan, they can build financial security with discipline and enjoy the perks that come with proper money management.
- Evaluate your comfort zone in taking on risk.
Individuals should factor in their risk tolerance level before investing in any scheme. This is because all investments carry some degree of risk, and investors could lose some or all of their money. Some investment securities are not necessarily insured. This means one could lose their principal investment, even if they purchase it from a bank. This is why based on one’s ability to weather investment losses and current financial obligations, individuals should invest in either high-risk-oriented investment instruments like equities, or low-risk investment instruments like debt funds.
- Determine a suitable time horizon
Investing in riskier investment assets, such as company stocks or bonds, can help generate higher returns, especially in the long term. This is because investors are often compensated for the level of risk they take on. For short-term financial goals, putting money in cash equivalents often proves to be more appropriate to generate high yields. However, it is crucial to be aware of the associated inflation risk, which is the risk of inflationary levels eroding the value of one’s investment over time.
- Consider maintaining an appropriate mix of profitable investments
Asset allocation can be described as a strategy to lower the intensity and impact of investment risk on an investment portfolio by diversifying resources across different asset classes. This means parking money into different types of popular assets, including stocks, bonds, and cash, which often perform differently under different situations and market conditions. When an individual asset class is underperforming, another may be generating better yields, helping investors to offset their losses.
Asset allocation is quite important for long-term investors, such as those individuals who are saving for their retirement. As it helps generate steady returns and offset the impact of losses over time. Note that stocks have historically performed to yield higher returns on investments than other asset classes over the long term. However, they are significantly riskier. By including an ideal mix of both stocks and bonds in one’s investment portfolio, individuals can lower their overall risk while still having the potential to achieve their ultimate financial goals.
- Build and maintain a robust emergency fund
Smart investors typically save money and mobilize their savings to cover major and unexpected expenses, such as a job loss. Some individuals often maintain a six-month emergency fund at their disposal to ensure that they have timely access to substantial cash as and when needed and attend to their needs without any kind of delay. Besides building a corpus, individuals should also consider purchasing a relevant term insurance plan or a health plan as a contingency and to safeguard their finances.
- Rebalance investment portfolio
Rebalancing one’s investment portfolio means adjusting the asset allocation in the profile to bring it back in line with the original financial plan. This approach helps investors to ensure that their investment portfolio is not too heavily parked in any particular asset class and that the same remains aligned with their actual risk-taking capacity. Experts recommend that investors consider rebalancing their investment portfolio at regular intervals, say every half-yearly or annually. The major advantage of this process is that the calendar serves as a reminder of when investors should consider rebalancing their investment portfolio. Other prominent methods include rebalancing only when an asset class has somehow become too overweight and buying those assets that have become underweight when their balanced percentage changes at some levels. This method is considered to be more complex to implement. However, it can prove to be more effective at ensuring that one’s portfolio remains perfectly aligned with their risk tolerance.
In either of these methods, portfolio rebalancing is best done on an infrequent basis, such as every once or twice a year as per be need. This approach helps investors to minimize their transaction costs as well.
- Avoid shady circumstances that lead to potential fraud
Recently investment scammers have been using the current world events to make their fraudulent investment schemes sound more believable. They often mention recent news or claim to be somehow associated with a well-known company to attract investors before they lay their trap. This is why it is advised that before one invests in any investment scheme, they ensure to ask relevant questions and verify the authenticity of the information from a trusted source. Prospective investors are often suggested to take their time and talk to individuals they trust before making any concrete decision. In addition, they should be aware of the market trends and developments to know the kind of frauds and dishonest investment schemes that are ongoing in the market and avoid their trap with ease.
By keeping these things in mind, individuals can plan their investment in their chosen asset class and make the most of their respective earning potential. To further understand how a particular investment instrument generates wealth and whether the same would be profitable for their goals, they can use a specific investment calculator like a fixed deposit calculator, PPF calculator, or something else to plan their investments accordingly.