Latest Posts on: Investing
Beyond Index Funds: Why Buy Actively Managed (Sometimes)
Start with a core of Index Funds A previous post described in great detail how to get started investing in Index funds. For most of us, filling up our entire stock...
Index Fund Investing for Beginners
2021 UPDATEFrom IRS.gov IRA contribution of $6,000, with $1,000 catch-up (unchanged) 401K contribution of $19,500 with $6,500 catch-up (unchanged) SIMPLE contribution...
Teens: Start Investing Today in a Roth IRA
2020 UPDATE The IRS has announced the contribution limits for 2020 IRA contribution of $6,000, with $1,000 catch-up (unchanged) 401K contribution of $19,500 with $6,500...
Following the Herd, and Five Other Big Investing Mistakes
Guilty of any of these? Stop NowInvesting can seem challenging to the uninitiated. A lot can and does go wrong. Entire books have been written on the topic of...
What’s the best investment?
The investment(s) that meet your financial goals while taking on the least amount of risk needed
Master List of Investment Goals
Why do you want to invest?
Which goals are important to you? Which 1-3 goals are a top priority?
(← scroll →)
| Not Important | Important | Top Priority | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | To be better off than my peers | |||
| 2 | To pay for self-improvement (eg, back to school) | |||
| 3 | To experience the excitement of investing | |||
| 4 | To start a new business | |||
| 5 | To buy a home | |||
| 6 | To help pay for my kid's education | |||
| 7 | To stop working and do something I love | |||
| 8 | To go on a dream vacation | |||
| 9 | To relocate in retirement | |||
| 10 | To care for aging relatives | |||
| 11 | To give to charity or other cause | |||
| 12 | To feel secure about finances in retirement | |||
| 13 | To feel secure about finances now | |||
| 14 | To leave an inheritance to loved ones | |||
| 15 | To retire early | |||
| 16 | To pay for future medical and long-term care expenses | |||
| 17 | To not be a financial burden as I grow older |
Get Started:
Index Fund Investing for Beginners
Get started saving for your long-term financial goals
Saving for a Home Down Payment?
Eight investing choices for a short-term financial goal
Inflation is Quietly Decimating Your Savings
What to do about it
Stock Index Investing Ideas
These are ideas only. If you are interested in investing, please double-check the expense ratios at your financial institution.
Read the full article:
Index Fund Investing for Beginners. Get started saving for your long-term financial goals.
July 2021. US = United States; ID = International, developed countries; EM = Emerging markets. Funds are suggestions only; please do your own research before investing.
*Fees may change at any time and vary based on where the fund is puchased.
This information has been provided for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any opinions expressed are my own and may not be appropriate in all cases. All efforts have been made to provide accurate information; however, mistakes happen, and laws change; information may not be accurate at the time you read this. Links are included for reference but should not be considered an implied endorsement of these organizations or their products. Please seek out a licensed professional for current advice specific to your situation.
Liz Baker, PhD
I’m an authority on investing, retirement, and taxes. I love research and applying it to real-world problems. Together, let’s find our paths to financial freedom.
