Before You Invest
Before you take the plunge and start investing, it is important to assess your overall financial health. You’ll want to make sure you have a sustainable budget, an emergency savings fund with 3-6 months’ worth of expenses, and pay down any high-interest debt you may have. A budget will help you determine how much you can afford to regularly contribute to an investment account and an emergency fund will help cover any unexpected expenses without touching your investments. It’s also essential to pay down any credit card or other high-interest debts that could offset your earnings from investing.
Identify Your Goals
Whether you are saving for a home, retirement or just trying to build your wealth, laying out your financial goals is the first step to successful investing. Before you can make decisions about your investment strategy and risk tolerance, you have to determine the amount of money you need and time you have to reach your goal. For retirement, a common investing goal, we generally suggest an annual contribution of 10-15% of your income, depending on your age. If you have a longer period of time to reach your goal you can afford to take on more risk in your investment strategy.
Understand Your Options
When it comes to investing, there is no shortage of online options or apps to get your feet wet. For larger investments or sustainable portfolio growth, building a relationship with a financial expert is highly recommended. At BankChampaign, we work with you to help develop a strategy, determine your risk and achieve your goals. With over 30 years of investment experiences and over $350 million in assets, you can rest assured that your financial future is in good hands. We invest in a mix of stocks, bonds and mutual funds and adjust regularly to absorb changes in the market so that your portfolio continues to excel even in turbulent times.
Contact Karen Sharp
VP, Wealth Management, BankChampaign
[email protected] or 217.351.2870
For more information on how to get started with investing.
