I was going through my emails from the past week when I came across an interesting one from a reader.

In a nutshell, the reader stated that he had been watching the stock markets for a while and was looking to start off investing some money he had slowly been setting aside. His risk tolerance was low and his initial investment was $10,000. He currently was working, had a house and was single.

Now every investor is unique. For some, this might fight your situation, for others, it might be the total opposite.

With the obligation of having a home mortgage, some do find their level of risk decrease as more financial obligations arise. Being single on the other hand, might allow you to be more willing to invest a greater deal and take risks because you are not responsible for another person and their finances.

So getting to the answer,

To start off, I would recommend staying off the stock market and rather, getting into the mutual funds. They tend to offer greater diversification with a smaller amount of money invested. With only $10K, there is not a great deal of break you can create. Most mutual funds require $2500 minimum investments. Also, there are funds that are “load” and “no-load”.

I’m pro no-load because they are the ones that do not require you to pay fees each time your buying and selling. Those fees can eat away at your potential profits or force you to hold longer to offset and potential profits. Not a fair thing.

To try and keep the risk and diversity maximized to my advantage, I would use the $2500 min to invest in a mutual fund as my maximum entry. This would mean I can pick 4 different mutual funds.

Some great options:
1. Westcore Plus Bond [[WTIBX]]
-The investment seeks long-term total rate of return. The fund invests primarily in investment-grade debt securities, those rated in the top four rating categories by at least one nationally recognized rating agency. It normally invests at least 80% of net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes in bonds of varying maturities. The fund may (i) invest up to 35% of assets in below investment- grade securities, (ii) invest up to 20% in equity securities, generally in preferred stocks and (iii) invest up to 25% in non-U.S. dollar denominated securities.
-in it’s category, on the 3yr return, the fund has a below average risk ratio while maintaining an above average return. The 1yr return was 4.8% while over the past 5yrs, the return was been around 5.72% which is much better than what a bank account of CD would give.

2. Artisan International Inv [[ARTIX]]
-The investment seeks long-term capital growth. The fund substantially fully invests in common stocks and similar securities, and invests up to 65% of net assets at market value in stocks of foreign companies in a portfolio that is broadly diversified by country, industry and company. It invests primarily in developed markets but also may invest up to 20% of net assets at market value in emerging and less developed markets. The fund may invest up to 10% of net assets in equity-linked securities that provide economic exposure to a security of one or more non-U.S. companies without a direct investment in the underlying securities.
-its 1yr return was 20.97%, while the 5yr return was 3.05%. This drop was due to the market crisis a couple years back which pushed the stock down 46% in 2008. With markets recovering, its looks to be more stable and an attractive addition to the portfolio.

3. Wasatch Large Cap Value [[FMIEX]]
-The investment seeks capital appreciation and income. The fund invests primarily in equity securities. It invests at least 80% of net assets primarily in equity securities, including common stock and securities convertible into common stocks. It typically invests in the securities of companies with market capitalizations of at least $5 billion at the time of purchase. The fund may invest in fixed income securities consisting of corporate notes, bonds and debentures that are rated investment grade at the time of purchase.
-its 1yr return has been 22.86%, with a 5yr return of 5.25%. The fund has been popular with many personal brokers as this is how I was introduced to this particular fund. This has been rated 5-stars by Morningstar.

4. FMI Large Cap [[FMIHX]]
-The investment seeks long-term capital appreciation. The fund invests in a limited number of large capitalization (companies with more than $5 billion market capitalization) value stocks of companies listed or traded on a national securities exchange or on a national securities association. It uses fundamental analysis to look for stocks of good businesses that are selling at value prices in an effort to achieve above average performance with below average risk. The fund is non-diversified.
-its 1yr return has been 18.47%, with a 5yr return of 5.71%.

*Remember, as always, do your research and make choices based on what works for your portfolio. Mutual Funds do have an element of risk and the potential for a negative rate of return. There is no promise of easy money. I always tell my clients that investing is like having a business, you need to research and watch your employees (money) to make sure they are producing. There is no difference when investing your money into stocks, bonds, real estate or precious metals. Its your money, and you expect a specific return on that investment. Some might find a greater desire to take risks, while others would rather sleep knowing their money is safe. Do not let the emotion of investing cloud your judgment.

Happy Investing!

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