[BMW!]

Hi, Sorry I am totally new to investing, trading... blah blah... I had 2 accounts /w Fidelity since I was small but it was my parents that does all the stuffs for me... And now I am taking back the accounts.. which means I'll have to learn how to invest or trade... I tried learning it on Fidelity.com but after hours... I am still clueless... the websites just like a bible to me ... Can someone give me some ideas how this thing works? Thanks ahead..

[jdink]

Originally Posted by BMW!

Hi, Sorry I am totally new to investing, trading... blah blah... I had 2 accounts /w Fidelity since I was small but it was my parents that does all the stuffs for me... And now I am taking back the accounts.. which means I'll have to learn how to invest or trade... I tried learning it on Fidelity.com but after hours... I am still clueless... the websites just like a bible to me ... Can someone give me some ideas how this thing works? Thanks ahead..

look for low cost mutual funds.

[iatacs19]

Fidelity is just a brokerage, a place where you go to buy whatever you want to invest in.

You can actually schedule a consultation for free with a Fidelity rep who can actually guide you and design a retirement plan to meet your goals.

[BMW!]

ya I've asked few friends for help and they all said to get a rep to help me out...
With fidelity should I first decide if I am investing by myself or have their brokers to invest for me?

[iatacs19]

Originally Posted by BMW!

ya I've asked few friends for help and they all said to get a rep to help me out...
With fidelity should I first decide if I am investing by myself or have their brokers to invest for me?

I think the representative is not a broker (not 100% sure on this), but he will give you guidance and explain what the major investment products are, which sounds like what you are asking. Once you get more familiar with funds, stocks, bonds, etc. then you can start to invest and move your money around.

Just call them, I think they can explain it better than most people since that's what they do all day.

[BMW!]

Originally Posted by iatacs19

I think the representative is not a broker (not 100% sure on this), but he will give you guidance and explain what the major investment products are, which sounds like what you are asking. Once you get more familiar with funds, stocks, bonds, etc. then you can start to invest and move your money around.

Just call them, I think they can explain it better than most people since that's what they do all day.

Cool~ thanks, I will call them ASAP and get the best knowledge

[oldaccount]

Originally Posted by jdink

look for low cost mutual funds.

+1

mutual/index funds always outperform a high percentage of brokers picks.

set it and forget it.

[asdflkijd]

I have a good friend that might be working there.

[BMW!]

Originally Posted by Suareezay

+1

mutual/index funds always outperform a high percentage of brokers picks.

set it and forget it.

I sure will keep this tip in mind

[PBmadness]

If you are going to invest on your own, please do your research first. Learn about different asset classes, diversification and allocation. What are your financial goals, risk tolerance, etc.? You should know the answer to these.

Originally Posted by Suareezay

+1

mutual/index funds always outperform a high percentage of brokers picks.

set it and forget it.

[c0nstant]

lol i thought this thread was going to be about being a faithful partner

[Makushr1]

What are your investment goals? Are you saving for retirement? Are you looking to invest in just funds, if so, any specific sector or global region? I've been doing this stuff for awhile, and I'll answer any questions you may have. Send me a PM if you would like.

[Neurorad]

2 kinds of brokerage houses, historically - 'regular' and discount (though recently the 'regular' companies are offering some cheaper alternatives).

Regular brokerage house will charge you more (higher fees), with a theoretical advantage of more broker involvement in the process.

Discount brokerage houses (Fidelity, Vanguard) have lower fees, but less broker involvement in transactions (consultations, fees).

If you want your money 'aggressively managed' (lots of movement between different investments) by someone else, go with a 'regular'. If you want to invest and forget about it (mutual funds covering different markets (diversified)), go with the brokerage.

If you talk to a rep from a brokerage house, they will usually choose investments that make the brokerage house more money (they aren't stupid, they're in the business to make money).

Ideally, you'll pay an independent investment counselor (certified financial planner) an hourly fee to tell you what to do.

Don't get talked into something stupid - read, read, read about the recommendations of anyone before signing on the dotted line. Fidelity will offer some free consultation time.

I have an IRA through Fidelity from an old job (small amount of money), that I haven't done anything with in 7 years. I don't really know anything about Fidelity.

My current, main IRA is with Vanguard (which I suspect is very similar to Fidelity). It's all in mutual funds and bond funds, covering different business sectors, from around the world (it's 'diversified').

Get a book or 2 from the library, or buy 1 or 2.

I am of the belief that you cannot beat the market by timing or using professional fund managers. Investing in the stock market is gambling - a waste of time, money, and effort. I am a proponent of this 'Boglehead' view; a good resource online would be bogleheads.org forum:

http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/index.php

Check out the sticky 'Investment Planning' in the 'Investing-Portfolio Help' subforum.

Some good books that espouse this tact:

The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing
The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio

More book tips on the bogleheads.org site.

[BMW!]

Originally Posted by Neurorad

2 kinds of brokerage houses, historically - 'regular' and discount (though recently the 'regular' companies are offering some cheaper alternatives).

Regular brokerage house will charge you more (higher fees), with a theoretical advantage of more broker involvement in the process.

Discount brokerage houses (Fidelity, Vanguard) have lower fees, but less broker involvement in transactions (consultations, fees).

If you want your money 'aggressively managed' (lots of movement between different investments) by someone else, go with a 'regular'. If you want to invest and forget about it (mutual funds covering different markets (diversified)), go with the brokerage.

If you talk to a rep from a brokerage house, they will usually choose investments that make the brokerage house more money (they aren't stupid, they're in the business to make money).

Ideally, you'll pay an independent investment counselor (certified financial planner) an hourly fee to tell you what to do.

Don't get talked into something stupid - read, read, read about the recommendations of anyone before signing on the dotted line. Fidelity will offer some free consultation time.

I have an IRA through Fidelity from an old job (small amount of money), that I haven't done anything with in 7 years. I don't really know anything about Fidelity.

My current, main IRA is with Vanguard (which I suspect is very similar to Fidelity). It's all in mutual funds and bond funds, covering different business sectors, from around the world (it's 'diversified').

Get a book or 2 from the library, or buy 1 or 2.

I am of the belief that you cannot beat the market by timing or using professional fund managers. Investing in the stock market is gambling - a waste of time, money, and effort. I am a proponent of this 'Boglehead' view; a good resource online would be bogleheads.org forum:

http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/index.php

Check out the sticky 'Investment Planning' in the 'Investing-Portfolio Help' subforum.

Some good books that espouse this tact:

The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing
The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio

More book tips on the bogleheads.org site.

Bookmarked that forum and will go through it tomorrow at work
I learned that stocks are way too risky for me.

[ADHD]

VANGUARD Is the SHIT!!!!
I love that place!! Ive made a buck or two there for sure!!
THe site is so easy to understand no need to pay some rep to do the shit for you when all the info is right therE!!

[jdink]

brokers typically make their money off comissions. meaning, the mutual funds they try to sell you into will most likely be that of their own (i.e. selling their own product) or those that they get higher comissions off of (which will most likely have higher fees)

for simplicity sake, i would say take half and put it in a high quality bond index fund (PIMCO) and another half in a low cost US Large Cap Equity Fund (Think S&P 500)

many mutual funds out there aim to capture the s&p. for the most part their track records will be relatively the same. therefor, you should look for the one with the lowest cost.

also keep in mind, past performance is no guarantee of future returns.

[Neurorad]

Try not to get too frustrated with the investment process. It will take years to figure out. Just stick with it.

Read all you can for a few months, then sit down with the free Fidelity counselor.

Then read for a few more months (make a list of questions as you go), and then meet with a free counselor again.

Then read more, and hit up the counselor again for free advice.

The counselor will tell you what percentage of your IRA fund should be in Fidelity mutual funds, and what percentage in Fidelity bond funds. He won't be very helpful to decide which funds, though, I bet.

That Bogleheads.org forum is a great resource.

Keep us posted.

[ideliver]

Originally Posted by jh valley

lol i thought this thread was going to be about being a faithful partner

+1 or trying to get away with being an unfaithful one