Invest Smart for Your Retirement

Investing may be simpler than you think. Decisions that might seem complicated can actually be made using principles that everyone can understand. Use the guides below to get started by designing a portfolio that fits your needs, selecting the mutual funds that go into your portfolio, and learning the principles of long-term investing. Once you have selected and created your portfolio and learned the principles of long-term investing, take a moment to consider how your own behavior may affect the success of your investing with our guide to Investing Dos and Don'ts.

How do I select my portfolio?

There are many different kinds of investments—stocks, bonds, CDs, etc. In the long run, it depends less on which stock or bond funds you choose and more on how much of each kind you invest in. The first step is to Select a Portfolio — a planned mix of stock and bond funds — that best fits your needs. The portfolio you select will depend on the amount of risk you can tolerate.

• Learn how to select the right portfolio for you
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• Receive a professional portfolio recommendation from Guided Pathways

How do I choose which funds are right for me?

Now that you have selected your portfolio it is necessary to choose mutual funds. There are many mutual funds available, so understanding how to compare funds will help you choose the funds that best meet your investment goals.

• Learn about choosing mutual funds
  or ...
• Receive personalized professional investment advice from Guided Pathways

The importance of long-term investing

A long time horizon creates opportunities but only if you avoid reacting to short-term market ups and downs. Planning and patience are a winning combination when investing for retirement.

• Learn the principles of investing for the long-term

What are the dos and don’ts of investing?

Once you have a portfolio you can stick with, you need to steer clear of common behaviors that have been shown to diminish returns over the long term and avoid common investing mistakes.

• See Investing dos and don’ts