With the rising cost of living, it’s very crucial that we put our money in something that will benefit us in the future. One way to do that is to invest our hard-earned cash in financial plans that will reap the highest returns possible. But a common misconception is that if you want to generate a higher return, you should invest in higher risk investment. But this isn’t true all the time. The following are some of the low risk investments, which have potential high return value. Certificates of Deposits
A certificate of deposit (CD) is a savings certificate entitling you, the payee, to receive interest. With the CD, you give your money to a financial institution for a specific length of time. In exchange for this, you get a fixed set of interest rate over a specific term period. If you choose to withdraw your funds before the term of CD terminates, you will be charged a penalty fee, which usually equals to three month’s worth of interest.
Treasury Inflation Protected Securities
Also known as TIPS, these types of bond investments are designed to protect the investors against the negative impact of inflation. With TIPS, you’re guaranteed that you get your principal back, along with the interest rate. TIPS can be purchased directly from the government, or through banks and financial brokers. The minimum investment is $100, with $100 increments.
US Savings Bonds
US savings bonds are one of the safest and low risk investments available, since they are backed up by the federal government. They offer a fixed rate of interest over a certain period of time, and are not subject to income taxes. There are two types of US savings bonds: the Series I and the Series EE bonds. The Series I bond works similarly with TIPS – the fixed rate is never changed, but the inflation return rate is adjusted every six months. The Series EE, on the other hand, has a fixed interest rate that is automatically added to the bond at the end of each month.
Annuities
An annuity is a trade investment, wherein the insurance company pays you a guaranteed income at your retirement in exchange of your large sum of money. It works almost similar with CD. However in annuities, the interest rate is tax-deferred. There are many types of annuities, each of which has varying benefits and disadvantages. Talk to your financial advisor to know more about them.
Money Market Accounts
Money market account is a type of savings account that offers competitive interest rate in exchange for a larger sum of deposits. This is a great investment option for those who want to gain higher returns. However, you may be required to maintain a certain balance to qualify for higher interest value, which is usually $1000.
Cash Value Life Insurance
This is a type of life insurance that pays out the policy holder once a certain amount of premium has been paid to it. In addition, the amount contributed to the policy can also be used as a cash value that can be borrowed by the policy holder. In the event of death of the policy holder, the accrued value is transferred to his or her heirs, tax-free. Whole life, universal life, and variable life are all types of cash value life insurance.
Municipal Bonds
Municipal bonds, also known as munis, are a debt security issued by a state or locality to finance its investment projects, such as schools, bridges, hospitals, and highways. The issuer of the bond receives cash from investors, like you, to fund its projects and gives it back on the agreed period of time. Municipal bonds carry interest, which is paid either in a fixed or variable rate, depending on the agreement. What makes this bond a better deal is aside from the higher interest rate, you also yield tax-free earnings.
Preferred Stock
Preferred stock is a type of stock issued by corporations that has both equity (stock) and a debt (bond) instrument. Preferred stockholders have a larger distribution portion to company’s assets and earnings compared to common stockholders. If you want to own a share in a company, while getting dividends, then buy a preferred stock.
Dividend Paying Stocks
Dividends are a distribution of portion of a company’s earnings to its stockholders. When you buy a share from a corporation, you are entitled to receive a dividend. If you’re looking for a way to increase your investment but worried where to put your money, then dividend paying stocks are a great choice. They are usually considered safe, especially if you choose to buy stocks from solid companies.
Peer to Peer Lending
In P2P, instead of buying shares from a company or paying a financial institution, you lend your money to someone in the hope of gaining income. This type of investment can be a little risky, especially if don’t screen the person or company well. But with thorough screening, you can guarantee higher return value.
The truth is every type of investment is risky. But if you’re too worried that you might lose all your money in the end, then consider the medium to low risk investments mentioned above.
Michelle Mitch is a blogger who really likes to write about crocktock.com to get more information and updated.
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