Types of Investment

• Shares & Stocks
• Investment Bonds
• SSIA
• Geared Property

Why do I need to Invest?
We all have reasons to save. The holiday of a lifetime, a family wedding, an extension to your home or helping a child to get started on the property ladder. To save you need dedication - after all, saving means giving up today, in order to enjoy the future.

When investing there are few simple questions you need to ask yourself.
·  How much risk am I prepared to take?
·  What sort of return do I expect?
·  How long do I need to invest for?

Generally speaking, the longer the investment term, the more risk you can afford to take and therefore attempt to maximise the return on your investment.
I have a sum of money to invest. What are my options?
·  One option is to put your money in the bank or building society. Your capital is secure but, with interest rates so low, the potential for growth is minimised.
·  Investing in company stocks and shares is another option. This option offers excellent growth potential in return for varied levels of risk to your capital. It has been demonstrated that over the medium to long term, equity investment (stocks and shares) consistently outperforms deposit accounts.

By spreading your investment over a wide range of shares, you reduce your exposure to risk. If one share falls, another may rise and this balances out performance. The easiest and most cost effective way to invest in a wide range of stocks and shares is to invest your money in a bond. This will give you access to the stock market through unit linked funds and allows you to decide on the level of risk and return that best suits you.