FAP Turbo

Make Over 90% Winning Trades Now!

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Risk Free Investments

By Audrey Kay

The current economic situation has forced many people more into debt, however, while others are going into debt, there are many people out there looking for good investment options. If you have extra money, it does not make sense to let it sit in a savings account; however, many of the investment options out there are also risky. For this reason, there are many individuals who seem skeptical about where to put their money. The good news is there are options for investment that are available today and at the same time are risk free.

It is easy to confuse a good investment with a risk free investment, because not all good investments are good, yet usually all risk free investments are good on some level. When you invest in a risk free investment, you do not have to worry about losing money from the investment; hence, the term risk free investment. When you are deciding which security to invest in, anything that has the potential to cause you to lose money is typically not something that you would classify as a risk free investment. Some securities, however, do not cause loss and therefore are risk free, including, savings bonds, treasury bills, and certificates of deposits (CDs).

Risk free investments are not only a less risky investment, but they can also be a smarter investment for a lot of individuals - especially those investing to save for the future. When it comes to investment securities, these assets are not as liquid as a regular checking or savings account. In other words, you cannot necessarily get the money invested in the assets back tomorrow if you need to. However, when you invest in a risk free investment, you do have a decent guarantee that the money you invested today will be there tomorrow - and, that is nice to know.

Although there are different types of risk free investments, one of the most popular risk free investments is obtained from the government in the form of a bond. A government savings bond is a nice long-term investment security that accrues interest over time; and once it matures, you can count on getting your money because you invested in the government instead of a bank or the stock market. The downside of bonds is obviously the fact that they provide a lower rate of return, yet there is no risk and you are guaranteed at least some return on your investment.

Another option for risk free investing is treasury bills (also known as T-Bills). T-Bills are very similar to bonds and are popular in today's economy the only difference is the time period varies between the two. Unlike bonds that take many years to mature, T-Bills typically mature in one year or less, which makes them a nice, risk free investment for the short-term. And, when you invest in a T-Bill, your money is guaranteed at the date of maturity, so you know that you will get a return on your investment.

In addition to the government securities available, certificates of deposits (CDs) are also great risk free investment options for today's economic climate. CDs usually have a time period that ranges from anywhere between one quarter and 5 years before it reaches maturity. After maturity is reached, you receive payment of the principle and interest like you do with T-Bills and bonds. Also, one thing to consider regarding CDs is that sometimes they do not have the same tax benefits as other investments.

Obviously, not all investments are created alike and this is why many people seek the advice of a financial planner to help them with their investment needs. You might be interested in talking with a finance professional as well, so that you can be best advised on what to do when it comes to investing for the future. Whatever you do decide to do, be careful and cautious and make sure that you do not invest before you are sure - especially when it comes to riskier investments.

Some people get careless when they are investing their money and they put it all in risky investments where a higher rate of return is possible. However, a riskier investment ultimately involves the possible of losing money; and, it is always a great idea to invest money in securities that are sound and risk free to ensure you will get a return. It used to be that the stock market and housing market seemed to always provide some sort of return, however, today that is not always true.

Risk free investments might not provide the highest rate of return, but they do not allow for risk. Invest in savings bonds, T-Bills, and CDs today. You will be better off in the long run. - 23208

About the Author:

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home