• You have many options for investing.
• Investments should work together to help you accomplish your financial goals.

Types of investments

Part of the investment planning process is making investment choices that fit your investment strategy. Those investments should work together to help you accomplish your financial goals. We’re dedicated to providing you a wide range of investment products and services to help you meet them. 

As an investor, you have many options. Common types of investments include: 

• Stocks  - An investment giving you partial ownership in a company based on the number of shares you purchase. Stocks tend to fluctuate more in the short term, but may perform well over time. 
• Bonds  - An investment that functions as a loan to a government or institution in return for regular interest payments. Bonds can provide more stability than stocks, even though bonds have historically provided lower returns than stocks. 
• Mutual funds - A fund allowing you to pool your money with others in a professionally managed portfolio. Mutual funds offer diversification through a mix of investments, such as stocks or bonds.¹
• Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) - A basket of securities traded throughout the day — just like individual stocks — on a national stock exchange. Like mutual funds, you purchase shares of an overall fund rather than individual investments.¹
• Annuities - A contract between you and an insurance company requiring the insurer to make payments to you, either immediately or in the future. You make contributions to the annuity for a guaranteed income stream.²
• Brokered certificates of deposit (CDs) - Brokered CDs are issued by banks, purchased in bulk by securities firms and sold to clients. Investors do not receive physical certificates for their brokered CDs, but instead receive a periodic account statement detailing their CD holdings.³  Brokered CDs’ market value may fluctuate over time.   

Contact a Financial Advisor to learn more about the types of investments to consider for your portfolio.

Next steps

• Understand the variety of investments available.
• Talk with your Financial Advisor about investment choices.

¹Investment returns may fluctuate and are subject to market volatility, so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, or sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. 

²Variable annuities are long-term investments appropriate for retirement funding and are subject to market fluctuations and investment risk. Guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Guarantees apply to minimum income from an annuity; they do not guarantee an investment return or the safety of the underlying funds.

³Generally, CDs may not be withdrawn prior to maturity. CDs are FDIC insured up to $250,000 per depositor per insured depository institution for each account ownership category. CDs may be issued by out of state institutions.