7 types of investment plans: What’s right for you? (2024)

Investing is one of the best ways to make the most out of your money and quickly achieve your financial goals. The trick is to find the right type of investment plan for your financial goal.

For instance, a person whose financial goal is to build an educational fund for his child will invest in types with guaranteed but smaller returns that can accumulate overtime. Another person whose financial goal is to increase wealth may opt for more riskier types of investments.

There are multiple investment options available and each has its own unique features and risk factors. Read on to know what’s right for you.

1. Stocks

Stocks represent ownership or shares in a company. When you invest in a stock, you’re buying a share or portion of the company’s earnings and assets. This is a way for businesses to raise cash and your way to earn from their earnings.

Stocks, however, can be risky. Your returns and losses mostly depend on the company’s performance. If the company does well, the value of stocks increases and vice versa. Stock value can also be affected by political and market events. What you can do is to diversify your investments and buy stocks from different companies. It also helps if you keep your stocks for longer periods of time. Many stocks produce higher returns over time.

2. Bonds

A bond is an investment where you lend money to a company, government, and other types of organization. In return, the bond issuer pays you interest for the borrowed money, and, at the same time, repay you the original amount you paid for the bond (principal).

In general, bonds are a fixed-income investment. Interest is paid in regular installments, usually once or twice a year. The total principal, on the other hand, is paid during the bond’s maturity date. Bonds are preferred mostly than stocks but can still generate lower returns. Government bonds are safer than that of a corporate one. If you purchase an individual bond, make sure you sell it before it matures to get your investment’s worth.

Mutual Funds

If you can’t decide between investing on a stock or bond, then mutual funds might be for you.

Mutual funds diversify your investments by pooling your money with other people. Instead of making purchases on your own, you employ a fund manager to do all the investment for you. They will invest your money in stocks, bonds, and other assets.

Mutual funds allow you to get good returns and opportunities, as well as professional management. The risk, however, is dependent on the investments within a fund. For example, when the value of the investment increases, the higher the fund value, which can be sold for profit. Take note that even if you don't make positive returns, you will still have to pay your manager. More than that, mutual funds require an annual fee (expense ratio) before you can even invest.

4. Property

This includes housing, real estate, raw land, and other rental properties. This type of investment is appealing to many primarily because it’s tangible.

However, property investment comes with many risks. First, you might not get your investment’s worth. This occurs when property value goes down. It will be difficult to sell then, leaving your money hanging since you can't literally get a hold of it. Secondly, interest rates can increase so unless you have a fixed mortgage, you might find yourself stuck with endless payments. Lastly, property investment is subjected to property taxes even if there’s no return of profit.

5. Money Market Funds

Not to be confused with the normal savings account, money market funds allow the investor to leave a certain amount in a bank for a predetermined period of time. By the time it’s over, you get your principal back but for a slightly higher rate of interest. The allotted time period spans from at least three months to a year. Although you can write checks out of money market funds, the value of investment decreases as you do so.

6. Retirement Plans

People invest mainly to secure their future, and this includes time after retirement. Retirement plans usually provide tax benefits, as well as opportunities to increase savings over time. Our government’s Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA) is one example of a retirement saving plan. This is completely voluntary and can be availed thru banks.

7. VUL insurance plans

Of all the things people have to deal with every day, it’s the uncertainties of life that scares us the most. Investing in life insurance provides security for you and your family.

Life insurance comes in different forms with different features to cater to different needs. Some focus on covering healthcare expenses. Others can provide investment returns. Whatever kind of insurance you need, the important thing is to get one as soon as you can.

A good product to buy are is VUL insurance plans which combines both protection and investment. This allows you to get the best of both worlds. VUL plans allow you to invest your money in various funds so you can start earning money for your future financial goals.

FWDSet for Lifetakes it even further with its bundled plans. You can get life protection, investment, critical illness protection and accident protection.

There are multiple investment plans available today. Each has its levels of risk and reward. Before making any commitment, make sure that the type of investment you choose aligns with your current and future financial goals.

You can get a free financial check-up with advisors.

7 types of investment plans: What’s right for you? (2024)

FAQs

7 types of investment plans: What’s right for you? ›

 At 10%, you could double your initial investment every seven years (72 divided by 10). In a less-risky investment such as bonds, which have averaged a return of about 5% to 6% over the same time period, you could expect to double your money in about 12 years (72 divided by 6).

What are the 7 types of investment? ›

Read on to know what's right for you.
  • Stocks. Stocks represent ownership or shares in a company. ...
  • Bonds. A bond is an investment where you lend money to a company, government, and other types of organization. ...
  • Mutual Funds. ...
  • Property. ...
  • Money Market Funds. ...
  • Retirement Plans. ...
  • VUL insurance plans.

What is the rule of 7 in investing? ›

 At 10%, you could double your initial investment every seven years (72 divided by 10). In a less-risky investment such as bonds, which have averaged a return of about 5% to 6% over the same time period, you could expect to double your money in about 12 years (72 divided by 6).

What is Rule #1 investing basics? ›

So, what exactly is Rule #1? It all started with Warren Buffett, who said "there are really just two rules of investing: Rule 1: Don't lose money; Rule 2: Don't forget rule number one." Today, you'll learn how to use Rule #1 to help you become financially independent. You're Investing In. Must Have A Good "Moat."

What are the 5 best practices of investment? ›

  • Invest early. Starting early is one of the best ways to build wealth. ...
  • Invest regularly. Investing often is just as important as starting early. ...
  • Invest enough. Achieving your long-term financial goals begins with saving enough today. ...
  • Have a plan. ...
  • Diversify your portfolio.

What are the 6 types of investments? ›

Here are six types of investments you might consider for long-term growth, and what you should know about each.
  • Stocks. A stock is an investment in a specific company. ...
  • Bonds. A bond is a loan you make to a company or government. ...
  • Mutual funds. ...
  • Index funds. ...
  • Exchange-traded funds. ...
  • Options.

What are the 4 types of investing? ›

Bonds, stocks, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are four basic types of investment options.

Why is the rule of 7 important? ›

The rule of seven in marketing states that brands that engage with a customer seven times are more likely to earn the trust and business of that customer. Frequent communications allow the brand to build a relationship with customers, which is important for making sales and strengthening the brand.

Is 7 return on investment realistic? ›

According to conventional wisdom, an annual ROI of approximately 7% or greater is considered a good ROI for an investment in stocks. This is also about the average annual return of the S&P 500, accounting for inflation. Because this is an average, some years your return may be higher; some years they may be lower.

What is rule 6 in investing? ›

Action Alerts Plus portfolio manager and TheStreet's founder Jim Cramer says that if you don't do your stock homework you should not be investing your own money.

What are the 5 golden rules of investing? ›

The golden rules of investing
  • If you can't afford to invest yet, don't. It's true that starting to invest early can give your investments more time to grow over the long term. ...
  • Set your investment expectations. ...
  • Understand your investment. ...
  • Diversify. ...
  • Take a long-term view. ...
  • Keep on top of your investments.

What is the 5 10 rule investing? ›

investing more than 5% of its assets in a single registered investment company (the “5% Limit”); or. investing more than 10% of its assets in registered investment companies (the “10% Limit”).

What is the rule of 12 in investing? ›

By using the Rule of 72 formula, your calculation will look like this: 72/6 = 12. This tells you that, at a 6% annual rate of return, you can expect your investment to double in value — to be worth $100,000 — in roughly 12 years.

What are the 10 principles of investing? ›

Ten Principles to Investment Success
  • Invest For Real Returns. The true objective for any long-term investor is maximum total real return after taxes.
  • Keep An Open Mind. ...
  • Never Follow The Crowd. ...
  • Everything Changes. ...
  • Avoid The Popular. ...
  • Learn From Your Mistakes. ...
  • Buy During Times Of Pessimism. ...
  • Hunt For Value And Bargains.

What are the 4 C's of investing? ›

Before loaning anyone your hard-earned money, remember the 'Four Cs' of credit: character, collateral, covenants and, the most important, capacity.

What are the 8 simple steps to start investing? ›

How To Begin Investing In 8 Steps
  1. Learn your investment options.
  2. Determine how much to invest.
  3. Start investing in a 401(k)
  4. Open an investment account.
  5. Choose your investment strategy.
  6. Start investing early.
  7. Work with a financial advisor.
  8. Build your investment portfolio.

What is the best investing strategy? ›

Buy and hold

A buy-and-hold strategy is a classic that's proven itself over and over. With this strategy you do exactly what the name suggests: you buy an investment and then hold it indefinitely. Ideally, you'll never sell the investment, but you should look to own it for at least 3 to 5 years.

What are the 3 classes of investing? ›

There are three main types of asset classes: stocks, fixed-income investments, and cash equivalents.
  • Stocks (also called equities) Stocks have historically earned the highest returns over the long term. ...
  • Fixed-income investments (also called bonds) ...
  • Cash equivalents.

What is the theory of 7? ›

Contributor. My Theory of Seven says that anytime you have to communicate with a large group of people, you should do so as though everyone is seven years old. This doesn't mean talking down to people; it means being so interesting, clear and simple that you hold their attention.

What is rule of 7 theory? ›

The rule of seven, otherwise referred to as the marketing rule of seven, is a powerful and popular marketing tool that professionals often use to prime buyers to make a purchase. The concept asserts that if you see a product advertised seven times, you're more likely to have enough information about it to purchase it.

What is the rule of 7 learning? ›

(Think of that as "talent.") Yet with practice, any student can reach a "mastery level." How long does it take to master a particular knowledge component? Call it the Rule of Seven: on average, about seven sessions. Granted, our ceilings may vary.

What is the 8% rule investing? ›

To make money in stocks, you must protect the money you have. Live to invest another day by following this simple rule: Always sell a stock it if falls 7%-8% below what you paid for it. No questions asked. This basic principle helps you cap your potential downside.

How good is 20% return? ›

A 20% return is possible, but it's a pretty significant return, so you either need to take risks on volatile investments or spend more time invested in safer investments.

Is 12% return on investment realistic? ›

Most investors would view an average annual rate of return of 10% or more as a good ROI for long-term investments in the stock market. However, keep in mind that this is an average. Some years will deliver lower returns -- perhaps even negative returns. Other years will generate significantly higher returns.

What is rule 69 in investment? ›

The Rule of 69 is used to estimate the amount of time it will take for an investment to double, assuming continuously compounded interest. The calculation is to divide 69 by the rate of return for an investment and then add 0.35 to the result.

What is rule 25 in investing? ›

The Rule of 25 is a potentially useful way for you to get a sense of how much money you will need to save to have a financially secure retirement. The rule states that if you save 25 times of what you want your annual salary to be in retirement, that you can stretch that money for 30 years.

What is the 3 6 9 rule investing? ›

Those general saving targets are often called the “3-6-9 rule”: savings of 3, 6, or 9 months of take-home pay. Here are some guidelines to help you decide what total savings fits your needs.

What is 10 5 3 rule of investment? ›

The 10,5,3 rule

Though there are no guaranteed returns for mutual funds, as per this rule, one should expect 10 percent returns from long term equity investment, 5 percent returns from debt instruments. And 3 percent is the average rate of return that one usually gets from savings bank accounts.

What is the 3 1 rule investing? ›

In many cases, market strategists find the ideal risk/reward ratio for their investments to be approximately 1:3, or three units of expected return for every one unit of additional risk.

What is the 90 10 rule investing? ›

A typical 90/10 principle is applied when an investor leverages short-term treasury bills to build a fixed income component portfolio using 10% of their earnings. The investor then channels the remaining 90% into higher risk but relatively affordable index funds.

What is the 10 10 rule in investing? ›

No More Than 10 Percent Down Payment

Say, for example, that you purchased a property for $150,000. Following the rule, you put $15,000 (10 percent) forward as a down payment. Think of that 10 percent as all the skin you have in the game. The bank took care of the rest, and you'll cover that debt when you sell the home.

What is the 10 10 10 rule in investing? ›

By asking yourself how you would feel about the decision in 10 minutes, 10 months and 10 years is exactly what can force you to think how you would personally respond, given the timeline.

What is the 10 20 rule for investment? ›

The 20% is allocated towards savings; you could carve out emergency funds from this percentage. The last 10% goes towards investments, i.e., stocks, bonds, or any desired investment. The 20/10 rule of thumb helps to manage your debts and the 70/20/10 rule is a guideline used to help manage your entire spending.

What is the 80% investment rule? ›

The 80/20 rule can be effectively used to guard against risk when individuals put 80% of their money into safer investments, like savings bonds and CDs, and the remaining 20% into riskier growth stocks.

What is the 70 rule investing? ›

Basically, the rule says real estate investors should pay no more than 70% of a property's after-repair value (ARV) minus the cost of the repairs necessary to renovate the home. The ARV of a property is the amount a home could sell for after flippers renovate it.

What is 12 20 80 investment strategy? ›

With this strategy investors need to allocate at least 12 months worth of their monthly expenses in a liquid fund which can thus be easily liquidated in times of emergencies, allocate 20% of the overall portfolio to Gold to provide downside protection during uncertain times, and dedicate 80% of the total investable ...

What is the 10 80 10 rule investing? ›

The 80 10 10 rule of money is a budget method that advocates spending 80% of your income, saving or investing 10% and giving 10% away.

What are the six 6 criteria for choosing an investment? ›

  • Dollar-cost averaging.
  • Risk tolerance levels.
  • Portfolio diversification.
  • Asset allocation.

Which are the 4 core characteristics of impact investment? ›

Characteristics of impact investing

These four characteristics are (1) Intentionality, (2) Evidence and Impact data in Investment Design, (3) Manage Impact Performance, and (4) Contribute to the growth of the industry.

What is the smartest way to start investing? ›

Best investments for beginners
  1. High-yield savings accounts. This can be one of the simplest ways to boost the return on your money above what you're earning in a typical checking account. ...
  2. Certificates of deposit (CDs) ...
  3. 401(k) or another workplace retirement plan. ...
  4. Mutual funds. ...
  5. ETFs. ...
  6. Individual stocks.
Feb 20, 2023

What is the simplest investment strategy? ›

Buying and holding investments is perhaps the simplest strategy for achieving growth, and over time it can also be one of the most effective. Those investors who simply buy stocks or other growth investments and keep them in their portfolios with only minor monitoring are often pleasantly surprised with the results.

How do I start investing properly? ›

  1. Give your money a goal.
  2. Decide how much help you want.
  3. Pick an investment account.
  4. Open your account.
  5. Choose investments that match your tolerance for risk.
  6. For growth, invest in stocks and stock funds.
Jan 3, 2023

What are the 3 major types of investment styles? ›

It will be the way you divide your contributions among the three basic investment categories: stocks, bonds and stable value money market funds.

How can I invest my money to make money? ›

Here are some of the best ways to invest so you build wealth that lasts.
  1. Stock ETFs and mutual funds. ...
  2. Low-cost index funds. ...
  3. Real estate (or REITs) ...
  4. Money market funds. ...
  5. Online savings accounts. ...
  6. Treasury bills. ...
  7. Certificates of Deposit.
Jan 6, 2023

What's the best type of investment? ›

The Best Safe Investments of June 2023
Investment TypeSafetyLiquidity
Treasury bills, notes and bondsHighHigh
Money market mutual fundsHighHigh
Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS)HighHigh
High-yield savings accountsHighHigh
3 more rows
May 9, 2023

What are types of investment? ›

There are various types of investments: stocks, bonds, mutual funds, index funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and options.

What is the most common type of investing? ›

1. Stocks. Stocks, also known as shares or equities, might be the most well-known and simple type of investment. When you buy stock, you're buying an ownership stake in a publicly-traded company.

What is a 3 way investment strategy? ›

A 3 fund portfolio is a diversification approach whereby the investors put their money in a certain ratio in three different asset classes, i.e., domestic stocks, domestic bonds, and international stocks. It is a simple, low-cost investing approach that ensures retirement savings at a minimal risk appetite.

What are the three 3 key elements of an investment strategy? ›

There are three key factors that determine which investment strategy is right for you.
  • Risk tolerance.
  • Expected returns.
  • Effort required to implement the strategy.

What are the 4 types of financial assets? ›

financial asset

a contractual claim to something of value; modern economies have four main types of financial assets: bank deposits, stocks, bonds, and loans.

What are the 4 types of assets? ›

Assets can be broadly categorized into current (or short-term) assets, fixed assets, financial investments, and intangible assets.

How do you invest wisely? ›

  1. Give your money a goal.
  2. Decide how much help you want.
  3. Pick an investment account.
  4. Open your account.
  5. Choose investments that match your tolerance for risk.
  6. For growth, invest in stocks and stock funds.
Jan 3, 2023

How to invest in yourself? ›

12 Great Ways to Invest in Yourself
  1. Embrace lifelong learning.
  2. Prioritize your mental health.
  3. Set goals.
  4. Find a mentor.
  5. Start a journal.
  6. Practice gratitude.
  7. Break a bad habit.
  8. Get organized.

How do I start investing for beginners? ›

Here are five steps to start investing this year:
  1. Start investing as early as possible. Investing when you're young is one of the best ways to see solid returns on your money. ...
  2. Decide how much to invest. ...
  3. Open an investment account. ...
  4. Pick an investment strategy. ...
  5. Understand your investment options.
Mar 21, 2023

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