It’s important to not put all your eggs into one basket when it is time to invest. There are significant losses if one investment fails. A better option is to diversify across asset classes, such as stocks (representing shares in individual companies), bonds, and cash. This helps reduce investment returns volatility and may allow you to benefit from higher long term growth.

There are a number of types of funds, including mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and unit trusts (also known as open-ended investment companies or OEICs). They pool money from many investors to purchase stocks, bonds or other assets and share in the gains or losses.

Each type of fund has its own characteristics and risk factors. For instance, a money market fund invests in short-term investment issued by federal, state and local governments as well as U.S. corporations, and generally has a low risk. These read more funds usually have lower yields, but they have historically been less volatile than stocks and provide steady income. Growth funds seek out stocks that don’t pay dividends but are capable of growing in value and producing higher than average financial gains. Index funds follow a specific index of the stock market, such as the Standard and Poor’s 500. Sector funds focus on specific industries.

It is crucial to be aware of the types of investments available and their terms, regardless of whether you choose to invest with an online broker, roboadvisor, or any other service. The most important factor is cost, as charges and fees can cut into your investment returns over time. The best online brokers, robo-advisors and educational tools will be open about their minimums and charges.