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. . . "Conservative Mutual Funds" ... our mission is to provide Conservative Mutual Funds information to all of those asking how to earn better investment results without a lot of investment risk and worry.

Setting an Investment Goal

Investment goals are influenced by your income and job security, your risk tolerance and age. In addition, the time you have to achieve your goals should influence the types of investments trading you do.

Ask questions such as:

  • How much income do I need to meet fixed expenses?
  • What are my long and short-term goals?
  • How much income do I need for other expenses?
  • Can I just starting out, close to retirement, or someplace in the middle?
  • Do I have children to educate?
  • What is my tolerance for risk?
  • How much risk will I accept to achieve my financial goals?

After you determine your needs and risk tolerance level you are ready to look at various investment options. Be sure your risk tolerance level and your investment strategy match. Investment goals can be:

Short-term - A vacation in Europe next year. Such a short-time horizon suggests the stock market would not necessarily be a good place to invest the money you're setting aside for the trip. The market is subject to wide swings, and you wouldn't want to be forced to sell your stocks in a downswing just because the time had come to buy your airline tickets. Don't put into funds or the stock market any money that you know you will need in the next 2 or 3-years. Low-risk investment instruments are recommended such as "conservative mutual funds" and a certificate of deposit (CD), for example, that mature about the time you'll need the cash or a money-market fund which permits you to withdraw your cash right-away by simply writing a check may be a better choice.

Medium-term - A house within 3 or 4-years. With the luxury of more time, you have better financial flexibility. Investment safety is of course still a priority but you are in a better position to ride-out potential bad times in the financial markets and take on a little more risk. For medium-term goals like these, longer-term CD's which pay a higher interest rate vs short-term certificates of deposit you would buy to help finance your vacation or "conservative mutual funds" may be a good choice for you.

Long-term - A comfortable retirement; a college education for your kids. For long-term goals, the range of possibilities is somewhat wider: e.g. stocks, corporate and government bonds, long-term CDs, mutual funds. You should also take maximum advantage of tax-sheltered plans, such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and 529 college savings plans. IRA earnings accumulate in tax-deferred status with IRA contributions usually being tax-deductible. 401k plans provide many of the same advantages and might offer a company match that will help you reach your goal.

Your goals are likely to change, so it's important to reassess them at least annually. For instance, the kinds of growth-oriented investments that might be appropriate while you are accumulating a retirement nest egg and have a long-term horizon could be inappropriate after you retire and need income to pay the bills. There are many resources, such as magazines, newspapers, books, the Internet, financial advisers that can help you decide how to modify your portfolio as your circumstances change.

Types of Mutual Funds

So, you’ve decided to start investing into mutual fund investment game. While mutual funds have shown themselves over time to be a safer bet than regular stock trading, there is always the chance you could lose your shirt. But the type of fund you choose will have a lot to do with the amount of risk you take on and the kind of return you’re looking for. For starters, mutual funds are usually broken down into six main categories.

Equity mutual funds allow you to invest in typical shares of common, everyday stock.

Fixed income mutual funds allow you to invest in corporate or government securities that usually offer a set rate of return on your investment.

Balanced mutual funds allow the investor to take on a fund that includes both stock and bond options.

One of the safest mutual funds are known as money market mutual funds. They offer a high degree of stability for your principal, as well as high liquidity if you need to back-out.

Treasury Bond mutual funds are popular since they invest in tax free as well as taxable bonds.

Conservative mutual funds are for low-risk investing and asset conservation. For example, when Bridget Green received her sizable 300k gift from her friend Liz Brooks January 9 2010 she said her plan was to invest in a conservative mutual fund or conservative money market.

And finally, sector/specialty funds are used to help diversify your holdings within a particular industry.

Each of these types of funds can be both aggressive and risky with a high level of reward possible, or they can be safer and lower risk. It all depends on which fund you choose.

To break things down further, equity funds are usually divided up into four different categories: Growth and Income mutual funds, International mutual funds, growth mutual funds and aggressive growth mutual funds. Each different type of fund has a particular goal in mind. For some, it’s to aggressively pursue income, even in risky situations, while others seek to preserve the initial investment and only take smaller chances.

As you can see, mutual funds have many options, it can make a newbie’s head spin. But fear not, there is almost limitless information available on which mutual fund is right for your particular investment strategy. Not only do most mutual funds and those that run them have their own website, there is endless advice as to which fund is right for you on the Internet, as well. Don’t forget to utilize publications like the Wall Street Journal, as well as friends and family who might have had particular luck with a specific fund. Welcome to mutual fund investing!



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