A DRIP is a program run in-house by a publicly listed company. They are often offered to employees of the company, but they are also open to external investors who can meet the companies minimum share threshold to participate – usually this threshold is quite low.

The benefit of DRIP investment is that you can start with a very low volume of shares, and gradually increase your shares over time. You usually set a fixed cash amount that you will use every month to buy more shares, and this can be set up to be automatically deducted from your bank account – in essence, it is a forced savings system. The strength of a DRIP lies in the fact that any dividends paid by the company on your shares are automatically reinvested, and this has a compounding effect on your number of shares over time. Many companies also offer shares to participants in the program at a reduced rate, and of course you pay no brokers fees if dealing directly with the company!

Although it might not suit day traders out for short term gain, a DRIP is a great tool to have in your arsenal when building a long term portfolio.

Related posts

• Beginner Investing – Learn About Channel Trading (0)
• Who to Trust: Where to Invest Your Money Online (0)
• Save Your Money When Investing In Long-Term Growth Stock Picks (0)
• Learn to Earn: A Beginner’s Guide To The Basics Of Investing and Business (10)
• Investing Online For Dummies (2)

1. What is the fund’s goal?
The fund’s goal should match your own. If your goals change over time, you may need to reevaluate your investments. If you invest primarily for growth, your goal is to increase the value of your investment over the long term. If you invest primarily for income, your goal is to receive a regular flow of earnings from your investment. If you invest primarily for stability, your goal is to protect your investment from loss. No investment can maximize all three goals simultaneously. Some funds emphasize one goal; others try to assign priorities among goals; still others try to strike a balance among different goals.

2. What is the fund’s investment strategy?
The prospectus describes the range of securities the fund may purchase, how it selects them, the types of securities it emphasizes, and investment practices the fund may use. The fund’s investment strategy relates to its, and  your goals.

3. What are the fund’s fees and expenses?
All funds must fully disclose their fees and expenses in a table at the front of the prospectus. To make it easy to understand and compare to different funds, all fee tables must follow a standardized format. You must decide if the cost of owning a particular fund is acceptable to you.

4. How are the fund’s distributions made and taxed?
Fund distributions—your earnings—include dividends earned on the investments the fund holds, and any capital gains made when the fund sells investments for more than it paid for them. Funds must make distributions at least once each year. Many shareholders elect to have their distributions reinvested in the purchase of additional shares of the fund, rather than taking them out as cash. It may also be important to you to determine when distributions are made and how they’re taxed. You will be taxed on all taxable distributions, whether you take them as cash or reinvest them in additional shares. Of course, if you sell your fund shares, you may realize a gain or loss which is subject to taxation.

5. How can you buy fund shares?
Some mutual funds offer their shares through investment professionals who provide investment advice, such as brokers, bank representatives, and financial planners. Other funds offer shares directly to investors through the mail, by telephone, over the Internet, or at their own retail offices. Funds may also be offered through employer retirement plans. No matter how or where you invest, mutual funds, unlike bank deposits, are not insured or guaranteed by the federal government.

6. How can you sell fund shares?
By law, the fund must stand ready to buy back your shares on any business day. Depending on their value at the time you redeem, you may receive more or less than you paid for them. Redemptions may be made by contacting the fund company directly or through your investment professional

Related posts

• Beginner Investing – Commissions And Fees (0)
• Zachs Investment Research Free Trial Offer (0)
• Technical Vs Fundamental Analysis Explained (0)
• Investing Online For Dummies (2)
• Investing Online for Dummies (10)