2017 has arrived with a new administration in the country, and many of us are aware of changes in financial policies. Market conditions may fluctuate and inflation could be affected. But these changes should not affect your money management strategy. If you haven’t set a lump sum aside for investment, now is a good time to start. If you are not averse to taking risks, there are many investment options on the table. Take a look at these, and evaluate which of them best suits your needs. Before following any of these options, take advice from a certified financial adviser. Mutual Funds Mutual funds can yield great returns. If you are uncertain of how best to invest, utilize the services of a professional fund manager. Your investment will appreciate over time, and give good returns if the market is positive.You can start with a small amount, and then add as you proceed, aiming for higher returns. But remember, take the well-researched advice of your fund manager on board. Certificate Of Deposits If you want to take absolutely no risks with your money, then CDs are the best option. You can use this scheme from any bank or financial institution. You can invest in short or long term schemes, depending on your needs.

With the new administration in power, concerns about inflation and interest rates matter. You might be concerned about the financial policies of the new government. Despite this uncertainty, many experts suggest that investors and small banks have actually made a profit. Leaving the political scenario aside, you would be wise to invest if you have money to spare, whatever the financial season. A good investment will start small, with an eye on returns. Here are a few options you can use to make the best of your money. As always, when it comes to money, start with researching and comparing schemes. Here are few good guidelines regarding investment: Pay Off Existing Debts: Settle debts so that you’re not paying interest to lenders. Once you’re debt-free, you can start putting money towards investments. The first step you can take to make money, is to pay off your debts. Start An Emergency Savings Fund: An emergency fund is to cover unexpected financial shortfalls. This fund needs to be accessible, liquid or short term, so you can easily use it if disaster strikes. The money in this fund should be enough to meet your expenses for six months. This will ensure that you and your family are secure in case of emergency.

If you’re nearing retirement, or planning for the future ahead, saving up for your retirement is always a smart move. These are many finance savings instruments in the investment market these days. Income fund plans are one of the most beneficial, especially in terms of long term goals. Saving for your retirement doesn’t need to be a chore; in fact, it can be pretty easy if you take the right steps. If you’re looking for a couple of good income fund plans, read right on. These five popular income fund plans are categorized on total returns, return consistency, capital preservation, and low expenses. First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index (FDL) With a 20.27 percent 3 year annualized total return and a 3.22 percent 12-month yield, this one of the popular ETF plans. It ranks within the top twenty-two of the U.S. News Best Fit List. First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index usually invests 90 percent of its total assets in common stocks that comprise the index, which is tracked by the FDL. iShares Dow Jones Select Dividend Index (DVY) This plan offers a 3-year annualized total return of 21.06%. DVY helps track the iShares Dow Jones Select Dividend Index which comprises of the 100 highest yielding stocks in the Dow Jones U.S.

Ask someone for advice about managing your personal finances. Start reading personal finance columns or blogs. You will keep hearing a common refrain: Invest and build funds for your future now. You cash reserves are vital in an emergency. They provide a safety net against volatile investments. One bad decision could wipe out profits and your capital. Just putting money aside in savings accounts won’t help you live a comfortable lifestyle in the future. Inflation will reduce the value of your dollars.Invest now. Investments, how to begin. Review your finances, and create a budget. Start thinking about investing those spare funds in your future. Start Young: When you get your first steady job, don’t be tempted to spend all your income. Create a budget before you start investing. When you start saving at a young age, your money has more time to grow. Compounding earnings, and a longer time frame to ride out losses, give stronger returns on capital. It is better to start investing when you’re 23, rather than 33. The closer you get to retirement age, the less your capacity to face risks. Look At The Long Term: Trading in stocks has the potential to give you quick returns, but comes with its own set of risks.

Let’s say you’re creating an investment portfolio, and have diversified investments. The earnings on your investments each year add to your wealth. You can take out these earnings as extra funds to use as you please. It is your money, after all. However, if you put these earnings to work, you could increase your wealth over a few decades. Compounding Your Earnings The formula for calculating your earnings through compound interest is: A = P (1 + r/n)^ (nt) Where: A = the future value of the investment P = the principal, or the original amount invested r = the annual interest rate in decimals n = compounding frequency (the number of times that interest compounds per year) t = the term or the number of years the money is invested Albert Einstein is said to have described this formula as the greatest mathematical discovery of all time. This illustrates the power of compounding. What Compounding Can Do For You Compounding is when your earnings are reinvested and the interest becomes principal. Suppose you invested $1000 at 6% and it earns you $60. You then put this back in your investment and now the total principal is $1060. The next interest calculation will be on this amount, increasing your earnings ($63.60).

Penny stocks, also known as Cent stocks, are a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to dip one’s toe into the share market when you don’t have a lot of money to invest. But it is not really for newbies since it requires some understanding and a decent level of knowledge and understanding of the market. Historically, investing in penny stocks is considered a risky business, especially during volatile market conditions. But if you want to head down that path, you can maybe start by investing a small portion in a few different ones to see how it impacts your portfolio. It is, however, better to figure out how open to risk you are before doing so. After ascertaining for yourself how open to risk and volatility of the market you are, and understanding your objectives and options, you can go ahead and invest in the penny stocks that you are comfortable with. Whether you manage the stocks yourself or have a professional handle them for you, remember to always evaluate your comfort and needs when making such investments, and always study the sector or industry, before making decisions to buy or sell. That being said, here are some of the companies that are buzzing as worthy penny stock investments right now, due to the industries and sectors they do business in (pharma, food and transport, mining).

When you are new to the stock market, all those numbers and percentages fluctuating might seem like some morse code that only a few gifted ones can decode. This is not the case however since even the average joe can make use of online tools and best online trading platforms available at his or her disposal to invest and make a decent profit in the stock market. Of course while venturing into unchartered territories, it is imperative to understand the basics. The stock market can be pretty unpredictable and volatile at times which is why investing smartly is the only way to go. There are simply too many variables to be taken into account otherwise, which is why these helpful tips will guide you through the maze of stocks and commodities trading. Buying and selling: A simple logic to follow, buy stock when they are in their lows and sell when they hit your expected mark, to make a profit. Prices keep fluctuating which is why a significant amount of your time will be spent on finding out the best time to “ call ” on a particular share and when to “ put ” to cash in. Best online trading platforms will offer various features enabling you to do the same.

Dividends are when a company distributes a portion of its profit to its shareholders. There are two types of dividends “ cash and stock. The difference between the two types of paybacks are worth noting: Cash dividend A cash dividend is a form of cash, check, or electronic payment made by the company out of its profits to its shareholders. Thus, the company pays a part of their income to their investors for the economic value of shares without investing the whole money for its own operations. Yet it causes the EPS (earning per share) rate to drop down to the same rate as the dividend, resulting in financial value transfer. Another outcome is that the shareholders who are the receivers of cash dividends have to pay tax for the value of the shares, decreasing its finial value. However, cash dividends are beneficial as they provide regular income to their investors along with capital appreciation. Stock dividend Unlike cash dividend, stock dividends on the other hand are the payment made in the form extra shares rather than cash payouts. It is also known as scrip dividend. When a company is in shortage of liquid cash, it would choose another profitable alternative to distribute dividends to its shareholders and those are called the stock dividends.

The US market has always been a volatile target for investment. However, with a plethora of research, information, data, analysis, advice and tips available to investors today, one could invest in equities and profit considerably from them. Here are some great ideas from experts as to what types of stocks to buy and hold in 2020, for how long and how exactly you can try to take advantage through the US stock market The Warren Buffet advice: One of Warren Buffett’s prime investing philosophies espouse investing with the long-term in mind. He doesn’t mean forever, in this instance! Instead, he says that the since the market has always had an upward predisposition over a long period, the best technique to invest is to buy good-quality shares at reasonable prices with the intent of holding onto them for a long time. A time frame of at least 10 years is a fair one and one should forget about expensive and cheap markets since markets could go either way ascend in the right environment and plummet in others. Another advice it to not buy all stock in a single go “ for instance, if one wishes to invest in Apple and has $10,000, he should probably invest $2,000-3,000, to begin with, and in a few months if Apple still looks great, put in some more money, and so on.

In 2016, it was a mere number of 105 companies which made their debut on the stock exchange in the US, declining almost 40% from the year before that. So why exactly have IPOs vanished? While some say that the Brexit and presidential election dampened their enthusiasm, others reckon that the companies were able to access capital in the private market. Whatever the reasons may be, 2017 could turn out differently, with as many as 5 high-profile IPOs lined up. While it’s too soon to tell how they’ll turn out to be, let us take a look at some of the most successful IPOs that the US stock market has had in the past: AT&T Wireless, 2000, $10.62 billion:  The mobile division of AT&T snuck in its IPO on April 26th, 2000, just before the dot-com bubble began to burst in mid-March, with its huge gamble paying off handsomely. The company released 360 million shares and share value closed at $31.75/share, significantly upward from the pre-offer value of $29.50. At the end of the day, AT&T Wireless had raked in $10.62 billion in fresh capital and ended up holding the record for being the largest IPO in US stock market history for six long years.

Are you looking for a place to hideaway your money for a longer period of time than a regular savings account? You may have already investigated about certificate of deposit or a CD. A CD (certificate of deposit) is a deposit made with a bank for a period of time. They can be either obtained from money-making banks or can be procured from brokerage firms. They have a particular maturity date ranging from months to years, a definite rate of interest on the investment, and can be given out in any denomination. This article will break down everything you need to know about CDs, including pros and cons, the best CD rates and investment strategies, and alternative places to park your cash. How much interest will I receive on my investment? It is now easy for the consumers, as they can find a CD with the best rates and terms for their needs, from the numerous sites that list top CD rates and today’s highest CD rates. The CD rates are cited as an annual percentage yield (APY). The payment of the interest on the investment varies and the banks or brokerage firms can choose daily, monthly, quarterly, or annual compounding and this frequency can impact the expected return when compound interest is taken into account.