PENNSYLVANIA, USA — After a year of inflation, volatile global markets, and uncertainty, Americans are looking to get the most out of their investments—but how?
According to a recent Bankrate.com survey, nearly 1 in 5 Americans (18%) said their biggest financial goal in 2022 was to either invest more or save more for retirement.
Bankrate expert James Royal knows that for those looking to make the most of their investments, time is money.
“It's almost hard to overstate the value of that time, it's easy when you’re in your 20s and 30s to have a lot of other priorities...but when you’re thinking about retirement, time is your biggest ally," Royal said.
His advice? Start investing as soon as you can.
"If you're just getting started, the most important thing is to just start...commit to saving a little bit every day or every month; that gets you thinking as an investor," Royal said.
Another tip? Get aggressive if you can.
"Getting aggressive in terms of investing means, the percentage that you're allocating towards a well-diversified portfolio of stocks," Royal explained. "Certainly there’s more risk in investing within a stock portfolio, but the long term returns are much more attractive."
Finally, don’t get shaken by volatility.
"It is easy for investors to get tripped up by volatility, especially in the short term," Royal said "But it's important to remember that volatility is the price you pay for the attractive long term returns."
Royal also noted those over 50 can make “catch-up” contributions of an additional $1,000 in an IRA and $6,500 in an 401(k) each year, and some employers offer to match contributions.