About Investing

Investing is the act of using money to make more money. The Investment Calculator can help determine one of many different variables concerning investments with a fixed rate of return.

Variables involved

For any typical financial investment, there are four crucial elements that make up the investment.

Return rate – For many investors, this is what matters most. On the surface, it appears as a plain percentage, but it is the cold, hard number used to compare the attractiveness of various sorts of financial investments.

Starting amount – Sometimes called the principal, this is the amount apparent at the inception of the investment. In practical investing terms, it can be a large amount saved up for a home, an inheritance, or the purchase price of a quantity of gold.

End amount – The desired amount at the end of the life of the investment.

Investment length – The length of the life of the investment. Generally, the longer the investment, the riskier it becomes due to the unforeseeable future. Normally, the more periods involved in an investment, the more compounding of return is accrued and the greater the rewards.

Additional contribution – Commonly referred to as annuity payment in financial jargon, investments can be made without them. However, any additional contributions during the life of an investment will result in a more accrued return and a higher end value.

Different Types of Investments

Our Investment Calculator can be used for almost any investment opportunity that can be simplified to the variables above. The following is a list of some common investments. The investment options available are far beyond what was listed.

CDs

A simple example of a type of investment that can be used with the calculator is a certificate of deposit, or CD, which is available at most banks. A CD is a low-risk investment. In the U.S., most banks are insured by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), a U.S. government agency. This means the CD is guaranteed by FDIC up to a certain amount. It pays a fixed interest rate for a specified amount of time, giving an easy-to-determine rate of return and investment length. Normally, the longer that money is left in a CD, the higher the rate of interest received. Other low-risk investments of this type include savings accounts and money market accounts, which pay relatively low rates of interest. We have a CD Calculator for investments involving CDs.

Bonds

Risk is a key factor when making bond investments. In general, premiums must be paid for greater risks. For example, buying the bonds or debt of some companies rated at a risky level by the agencies that determine levels of risk in corporate debt (Moody’s, Fitch, Standard & Poor’s) will earn a relatively high rate of interest, but there is always a risk that these companies might go out of business, possibly resulting in losses on investments.

Stocks

Equity or stocks are popular forms of investments. While they are not fixed-interest investments, they are one of the most important forms of investments for both institutional and private investors.

Real Estate

Another popular investment type is real estate. A popular form of investment in real estate is to buy houses or apartments. The owner can then choose to sell them (commonly called flipping) or rent them out in the meantime to maybe sell in the future at a more opportune time.

Commodities

Last but not least are commodities. These can range from precious metals like gold and silver, to useful commodities like oil and gas. Investment in gold is complex, as the price of it is not determined by any industrial usage but by the fact that it is valuable due to being a finite resource.