Harness the power of your investments by starting to invest young. There are simple stock market investment vehicles that will allow the inexperienced investor to achieve solid, long-term, returns without having to be a stock market expert.
Importance of Investing Young. It is essential that you start investing young; if you don't your actually loosing money and missing out on the most important thing young investors have in their favor 'compounding interest'.
Each year that you have money and are not investing you're loosing about 3% of its value due to inflation. So after 10 year of sitting on $100 cash it could be worth less than $75. What's more, by investing young you benefit because the money you made from your investments - make you more money. Making money from money you've already earned from your investments is known as 'compounding interest'. This powerful force can make you a millionaire well before retirement age with saving as little as $70 per month.
Now that you know you need to invest; how do you start? The stock market offers a great place for young investors to get their money working for them; the good news is that you don't need to have a ton of money to start. Plus, with the investment vehicle discussed in this article, you don't need to be a stock market expert to begin.
What's the solution? An ideal investment for young and inexperienced investors is to get on the road to financial independence are low-cost broad market index investments. Warren Buffet states, "A very low-cost index is going to beat a majority of the amateur-managed money or professionally-managed money." Reduced risk, solid returns and it one of the simplest investments you could make. An added bonus is that it takes only minimal knowledge and about 60 minutes to start getting your money working for you.
What's a broad market index? A broad market index is a group of stocks that you can purchase as one. It allows young investors to buy a collection of top performing stocks that mimic the performance of the entire stock market. Since these index funds allow you to earn returns similar to the overall performance of the market it greatly reduces the risk. This is an advantage to the beginning investor since it is safer than investing in a single stock or some mutual funds; plus there is a history of double digit returns.
Broad based index investments may not sound like something you know; however if you ever watch the news chances are you have heard of this investment. -The Dow Jones Industrial Average index contains 30 top industrial stocks. -The Standard & Poor's 500 contains 500 of a variety of different stocks. -The NASDAQ 100 contains 100 stocks that are mostly in the financial and technology sector.
When you invest in a broad based market index you actually own a small piece of each individual stock. For instance, when you invest in the S&P 500 broad market index, you're buying a piece of all 500 stocks in that index. So for each S&P index share that you own your actually own 1/500th of companies like: American Express, Google, Ford, Nordstrom, Home Depot, Staples and Yahoo to name a few.
For those young investors that don't want to stay glued to their computer all day broad based market indexes are great solution. Since this investment matches the overall return of the market if you believe over the long-term the stock market will continue to rise in value this could be a good investment. If history were an indicator of future performance, it would be clear that over time, you would generate solid returns. The key benefits associated with broad market index investing are:
1) Higher Returns - According to Standard & Poor's, less than 30% of managed funds in 2006 beat broad market index investing. What's more over the last ten years the average person that invested in broad based index funds has beaten the returns of most mutual fund investors.
2) Added Diversification - Diversification lowers risk. If you invest in one individual stock and bad news comes out on the company you could loose a lot of money fast. Now, for instance, if you're invested in an S&P 500 index fund and one stock has bad news you really don't care. That will only affect your investment one five hundredth.
3) Lower fees - Index funds fees are typically lower and are often around .5%. While the average mutual funds fees are around 2%. Over time this will make a big difference in your overall return.
4) Passive investment - When investing in individual stocks or mutual funds it is important to keep your eye on the market and up-to-date with current trends. Investing in broad based market indexes takes less stock market knowledge and requires less time to track.
The earlier you start investing the sooner you can reach financial freedom. invest with broad-based index funds that have similar returns to the overall market, because then we are receiving similar returns while hedging our portfolio - again, investing for young and beginning investors is all about diversifying to improve your chances for financial success.
How do I invest? There are two ways for young investors to begin investing in broad market indexes. Both are similar in their returns; but they are different in how the index is bought and have different fee structures.
* An Index Fund is a mutual fund that purchases the stocks that make up an index in order to match the returns of the overall market. For example, if investing in an S&P index fund, that mutual fund would own all the 500 stocks that make up that particular index. Index mutual funds may require a minimum investment, but some can be waived with a direct deposit investment plan that automatically invests money every month from your account. Typically, fees on index funds are higher and there are minor restrictions on when you can sell.
* An Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) is similar to an index fund, with the benefit that ETF's can be bought and sold similar to an individual stock. An illustration of an ETF is the "Spiders" (American Stock Exchange: SPY symbol). Each share of a spider contains one-tenth of the S&P 500 index, and so trades at roughly one-tenth of the S&P price. The management fees on ETFs are low. There are less restrictions on the sale of ETF's when compared to broad based index mutual funds.
Young investors will achieve similar returns whether investing in index funds or exchange traded funds, but typically ETFs have lower fees and fewer restrictions.
The earlier you start investing the bigger advantage you will have. Because there is only a minimal amount of money necessary to start and a low level of knowledge needed to invest - broad based market indexes will allow you to start investing young. So quit working for every dollar and get your money working for you.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Mutual Funds Make For Lousy Investments
Many people think that investing in mutual funds is the way to go and the best method for getting rich. I think mutual funds are horrible investments. Here are 8 reasons why you should not invest in mutual funds.
1. Mutual funds don't beat the market.
72% of actively-managed large-cap mutual funds failed to beat the stock market over the past five years. Trying to beat the market is difficult, and you're better off putting your money in an index fund. An index fund attempts to mirror a particular index (such as the S&P 500 index). It mirrors that index as closely as it can by buying each of that index's stocks in amounts equal to the proportions within the index itself. For example, a fund that tracks the S&P 500 index buys each of the 500 stocks in that index in amounts proportional to the S&P 500 index. Thus, because an index fund matches the stock market (instead of trying to exceed it), it performs better than the average mutual fund that attempts (and often fails) to beat the market.
2. Mutual funds have high expenses.
The stocks in a particular index are not a mystery. They are a known quantity. A company that runs an index fund does not need to pay analysts to pick the stocks to be held in the fund. This process results in a lower expense ratio for index funds. Thus, if a mutual fund and an index fund both post a 10% return for the next year, once you deduct The expense ratio for the average large cap actively-managed mutual fund is 1.3% to 1.4% (and can be as high as 2.5%). By contrast, the expense ratio of an index fund can be as low as 0.15% for large company indexes. Index funds have smaller expenses than mutual funds because it costs less to run an index fund. expenses (1.3% for the mutual fund and 0.15% for the index fund), you are left with an after-expense return of 8.7% for the mutual fund and 9.85% for the index fund. Over a period of time (5 years, 10 years), that difference translates into thousands of dollars in savings for the investor.
3. Mutual funds have high turnover.
Turnover is a fund's selling and buying of stocks. When you sell stocks, you have to pay a tax on capital gains. This constant buying and selling produces a tax bill that someone has to pay. Mutual funds don't write off this cost. Instead, they pass it off to you, the investor. There is no escaping Uncle Sam. Contrast this problem with index funds, which have lower turnover. Because the stocks in a particular index are known, they are easy to identify. An index fund does not need to buy and sell different stocks constantly; rather, it holds its stocks for a longer period of time, which results in lower turnover costs.
4. The longer you invest, the richer they get.
According to a popular study by John Bogle (of The Vanguard Group), over a 15- or 16-year period, an investor gets to keep only 47% of a cumulative return from an average actively-managed mutual fund, but he or she gets to keep 87% of the returns in an index fund. This is due to the higher fees associated with a mutual fund. So, if you invest $10,000 in an index fund, that money would grow to $90,000 over that period of time. In an average mutual fund, however, that figure would only be $49,000. That is a 40% disadvantage by investing in a mutual fund. In dollars, that's $41,000 you lose by putting your money in a mutual fund. Why do you think these financial institutions tell you to invest for the "long term"? It means more money in their pocket, not yours.
5. Mutual funds put all the risk on the investor.
If a mutual fund makes money, both you and the mutual fund company make money. But if a mutual fund loses money, you lose money and the mutual fund company still makes money. What?? That's not fair!! Remember: the mutual fund company takes a bite out of your returns with that 1.3% expense ratio. But it takes that bite whether you make money or lose money. Think about that. The mutual fund company puts up 0% of the money to invest and assumes 0% of the risk. You put up 100% of the money and assume 100% of the risk. The mutual fund company makes a guaranteed return (from the fees it charges). You, the investor, not only are not guaranteed a return, but you can lose a lot of money. And you have to pay the mutual fund company for those losses. (Remember also that, even if you do make a return, over time the mutual fund company takes about half of that money from you.)
6. Mutual Funds are unpredictable.
The holdings of a mutual fund do not track the stock market exactly. If the market goes up, you might make a lot of money, or you might not. If the market goes down (the way it is now), you might lose a little bit of money . . . or you might lose A LOT. Because a mutual fund's benchmark isn't a particular market index, its performance can be rather unpredictable. Index funds, on the other hand, are more predictable because they TRACK the market. Thus, if the market goes up or down, you know where your money is going and how much you might make or lose. This transparency gives you more peace of mind instead of holding your breath with a mutual fund.
7. Mutual Funds are sales items.
Why don't all these money and financial magazines tell you about index funds? Why don't the covers of these magazines read "Index Funds: The Most Obvious And Rational Investment!" It's simple. That's a boring heading. Who would want to buy something that isn't exciting or that doesn't tickle one's imagination of immense riches? A magazine with that headline won't sell as many copies as a magazine that boasts "Our 100 Best Mutual Funds For 2008!" Remember: a magazine company is in the business of selling... magazines. It can't put a boring headline about index funds on its front cover, even if that headline is true. They need to put something on the cover that will attract buyers. Not surprisingly, a list of mutual funds that analysts predict will skyrocket will sell loads of magazines.
8. Warren Buffett does not recommend mutual funds.
If the above seven reasons for not investing in mutual funds don't convince you, then why not listen to the wisdom of the richest investor in the world? In several annual letters to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett has commented on the value of index funds. Here are a few quotes from those letters:
1997 Letter: "Most investors, both institutional and individual, will find that the best way to own common stocks is through an index fund that charges minimal fees. Those following this path are sure to beat the net results (after fees and expenses) delivered by the great majority of investment professionals."
2004 Letter: "American business has delivered terrific results. It should therefore have been easy for investors to earn juicy returns: All they had to do was piggyback corporate America in a diversified, low-expense way. An index fund that they never touched would have done the job. Instead many investors have had experiences ranging from mediocre to disastrous."
Bottom Line: If you want to make money, you need to copy what rich people do. So if Buffett doesn't like mutual funds, why would you? So, if not mutual funds, what should passive investors invest in? The answer by now is clear. Invest in index funds. Index funds have lower fees, and you keep more of your returns in the long term. They are also more predictable, and they give you peace of mind.
1. Mutual funds don't beat the market.
72% of actively-managed large-cap mutual funds failed to beat the stock market over the past five years. Trying to beat the market is difficult, and you're better off putting your money in an index fund. An index fund attempts to mirror a particular index (such as the S&P 500 index). It mirrors that index as closely as it can by buying each of that index's stocks in amounts equal to the proportions within the index itself. For example, a fund that tracks the S&P 500 index buys each of the 500 stocks in that index in amounts proportional to the S&P 500 index. Thus, because an index fund matches the stock market (instead of trying to exceed it), it performs better than the average mutual fund that attempts (and often fails) to beat the market.
2. Mutual funds have high expenses.
The stocks in a particular index are not a mystery. They are a known quantity. A company that runs an index fund does not need to pay analysts to pick the stocks to be held in the fund. This process results in a lower expense ratio for index funds. Thus, if a mutual fund and an index fund both post a 10% return for the next year, once you deduct The expense ratio for the average large cap actively-managed mutual fund is 1.3% to 1.4% (and can be as high as 2.5%). By contrast, the expense ratio of an index fund can be as low as 0.15% for large company indexes. Index funds have smaller expenses than mutual funds because it costs less to run an index fund. expenses (1.3% for the mutual fund and 0.15% for the index fund), you are left with an after-expense return of 8.7% for the mutual fund and 9.85% for the index fund. Over a period of time (5 years, 10 years), that difference translates into thousands of dollars in savings for the investor.
3. Mutual funds have high turnover.
Turnover is a fund's selling and buying of stocks. When you sell stocks, you have to pay a tax on capital gains. This constant buying and selling produces a tax bill that someone has to pay. Mutual funds don't write off this cost. Instead, they pass it off to you, the investor. There is no escaping Uncle Sam. Contrast this problem with index funds, which have lower turnover. Because the stocks in a particular index are known, they are easy to identify. An index fund does not need to buy and sell different stocks constantly; rather, it holds its stocks for a longer period of time, which results in lower turnover costs.
4. The longer you invest, the richer they get.
According to a popular study by John Bogle (of The Vanguard Group), over a 15- or 16-year period, an investor gets to keep only 47% of a cumulative return from an average actively-managed mutual fund, but he or she gets to keep 87% of the returns in an index fund. This is due to the higher fees associated with a mutual fund. So, if you invest $10,000 in an index fund, that money would grow to $90,000 over that period of time. In an average mutual fund, however, that figure would only be $49,000. That is a 40% disadvantage by investing in a mutual fund. In dollars, that's $41,000 you lose by putting your money in a mutual fund. Why do you think these financial institutions tell you to invest for the "long term"? It means more money in their pocket, not yours.
5. Mutual funds put all the risk on the investor.
If a mutual fund makes money, both you and the mutual fund company make money. But if a mutual fund loses money, you lose money and the mutual fund company still makes money. What?? That's not fair!! Remember: the mutual fund company takes a bite out of your returns with that 1.3% expense ratio. But it takes that bite whether you make money or lose money. Think about that. The mutual fund company puts up 0% of the money to invest and assumes 0% of the risk. You put up 100% of the money and assume 100% of the risk. The mutual fund company makes a guaranteed return (from the fees it charges). You, the investor, not only are not guaranteed a return, but you can lose a lot of money. And you have to pay the mutual fund company for those losses. (Remember also that, even if you do make a return, over time the mutual fund company takes about half of that money from you.)
6. Mutual Funds are unpredictable.
The holdings of a mutual fund do not track the stock market exactly. If the market goes up, you might make a lot of money, or you might not. If the market goes down (the way it is now), you might lose a little bit of money . . . or you might lose A LOT. Because a mutual fund's benchmark isn't a particular market index, its performance can be rather unpredictable. Index funds, on the other hand, are more predictable because they TRACK the market. Thus, if the market goes up or down, you know where your money is going and how much you might make or lose. This transparency gives you more peace of mind instead of holding your breath with a mutual fund.
7. Mutual Funds are sales items.
Why don't all these money and financial magazines tell you about index funds? Why don't the covers of these magazines read "Index Funds: The Most Obvious And Rational Investment!" It's simple. That's a boring heading. Who would want to buy something that isn't exciting or that doesn't tickle one's imagination of immense riches? A magazine with that headline won't sell as many copies as a magazine that boasts "Our 100 Best Mutual Funds For 2008!" Remember: a magazine company is in the business of selling... magazines. It can't put a boring headline about index funds on its front cover, even if that headline is true. They need to put something on the cover that will attract buyers. Not surprisingly, a list of mutual funds that analysts predict will skyrocket will sell loads of magazines.
8. Warren Buffett does not recommend mutual funds.
If the above seven reasons for not investing in mutual funds don't convince you, then why not listen to the wisdom of the richest investor in the world? In several annual letters to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett has commented on the value of index funds. Here are a few quotes from those letters:
1997 Letter: "Most investors, both institutional and individual, will find that the best way to own common stocks is through an index fund that charges minimal fees. Those following this path are sure to beat the net results (after fees and expenses) delivered by the great majority of investment professionals."
2004 Letter: "American business has delivered terrific results. It should therefore have been easy for investors to earn juicy returns: All they had to do was piggyback corporate America in a diversified, low-expense way. An index fund that they never touched would have done the job. Instead many investors have had experiences ranging from mediocre to disastrous."
Bottom Line: If you want to make money, you need to copy what rich people do. So if Buffett doesn't like mutual funds, why would you? So, if not mutual funds, what should passive investors invest in? The answer by now is clear. Invest in index funds. Index funds have lower fees, and you keep more of your returns in the long term. They are also more predictable, and they give you peace of mind.
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