This is a vertical infographic from Raymond James. The design depicts a winding road leading toward white mountain peaks beneath a blue sky, symbolizing the journey of long-term investing. Along the road are six circular illustrations representing each investing principle.

Title:
6 principles for informed investing

Headline:
While you can’t predict the path ahead, these investment basics can put you on sure footing.

Spread the wealth

Think of asset allocation as distributing your “eggs” into a variety of “baskets” – like stocks, bonds and cash – so your portfolio doesn’t rely on a single investment and can help shield against market volatility.

Put time on your side

Your time horizon – the period between today and when you’ll need to start using invested funds – will determine whether you weight your investments toward growth and greater risk (long time horizon), or toward stability (short time horizon).

Start multiplying

The longer you hold an asset, the greater your opportunity to earn interest on your interest. This is known as compounding and can grow a modest investment into a substantial sum over time.

Give yourself a raise

Contributing fresh funds into your portfolio can accelerate its growth, whether through lump sum investing – investing a full amount at once – or through strategies like dollar cost averaging, which invest a fixed amount over time.

Hold the line

Though past performance does not guarantee future results, the stock market has historically trended upward over the long term. Staying invested with a diversified portfolio can help reduce your risk and improve your opportunities for gain.

Schedule annual checkups

Staying invested doesn’t mean staying the same. You should revisit your portfolio at least annually to account for market shifts and changes in your goals or circumstances.


RAYMOND JAMES

INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS: THE RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL CENTER 880 CARILLON PARKWAY
ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33716
800.248.8863
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Disclosures:
The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete, it is not a statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision, and it does not constitute a recommendation.

Investing involves risk and