Hello -- I was researching portfolio information when I clicked the link to this website. I am a 20-year-old college student with student loans, a car payment, and a part-time job. I have about $1,000 saved and I am willing to invest it. I wanted to know how to get started? What does a portfolio consist of? How do I get one started in New York? What are the safest ways to invest my money? I am in the market to gain money and cannot afford (literally) to lose some. Thank you in advance for any information you can give me =)

Trish Johnson

Dear Trish,

You have a lot of different questions, so lets take it a step at a time. An investment portfolio is a group of securities held by an investor. The purpose of a portfolio is to reduce risk through diversification. In your situation it would be wise to first work on getting out of debt. When your loans are paid off you can consider investing. You must then determine your tolerance for risk and invest accordingly.

Since you currently do not want to risk any losses, your investment choices will be limited to things such as interest-bearing accounts, money market, certificates of deposit. Continue to read and study all that you can about investing. Follow the financial news and markets to become familiar with various investments such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds. By doing your homework now, you will be better able to make good investment decisions in the future.

To Your Success,

Thomas Kane
Financial Advisor
Raymond James Financial Services...

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