What is the best way to invest $10,000 if I want to take it out in 3 years? Of course I don't want to lose it.
456175
conservative-semi-aggressive:  50% I bonds, 30% stocks for companies that you've heard of before, 15% stocks that are recommended in the health care sector, 5% the latest, hot IPO. \n\nYou might also try to find a 0% loan for three years (most likely one for one year) for the amount of $10,000.  Credit card offers sometimes do this, but make sure to read the fine print.  Put the entire amount in a money market fund and get the interest at the end and pay off the loan before interest accrues.
87614
Since you're already just throwing money at the market, Here's three suggestions:\n\n1. Save up $1000 and make one good trade at a time. Don't worry about being left behind. Check out how William O'Neil trades, how Gary Kaltbaum trades, how Warren Buffett trades.\n\n2. Put it in mutual funds.\n\n3. Buy a single call option on awesome companies. Read William J. O'Neil's How to Make Money in Stocks. This is the most risky proposition of the three. Highest possible pay off too. You seem to like risk though! :-) Just keep in mind, if they're out of the money when they expire, they go to zero!\n\nOptions are not for everyone, they are very risky.
1039178
First, pay off any and all of your debts leftover from it. Second, treat yourself to something nice. If you don't want to and/or have many leftover after that, third, you can put that money into a high-interest bearing CD for 2 or 3 years yielding 4 or 5%. I would normally suggest a mutual fund with moderate risk (60% stocks/40% bonds) but the way the markets are right now, it may be a mistake. If you want a promising return, put the money into a IRA and either invest in mutual funds or individual stocks. Some good mutual funds right now are probably International Stocks/Bonds, US Bonds, Money Market Funds, and Balanced funds (containing bonds and equities).
185751
3 years or less I would have to say a CD or ING Direct.  That is not enough time for a mutual fund.
204968
Break it up into two strategies - aggressive and safe.\n\nFor aggressive, invest in a mutual fund of stocks after talking to a stock broker(s).\n\nFor safe, invest in either bonds or an Orange Savings Account CD.\n\nThis all assumes you are an adult and not over 50. If you are over 50, put it all into something safe if this is your only networth source.\n\nIf this is the best answer, please rate it the best answer. Thanks!
72424
it depends if you are going to invest it take the up front. your opportunity cost of not getting even the modest 3.5% gain from a CD would be worth the getting the 4mil up front. if you plan or know your going to go nuts take the over time so at least you cant blow it all at once
186392
Put the money where it can give you the most value at this particular point in your lives.\n\nConsider this order: Emergency fund (3-6 months of living expenses), high interest rate loans, retirement.\n\nMortgage is a long term debt, if it is comfortable for you at this time, leave it. Car? - does it run? Have you had trouble with it? Do you do the regular maintenance on it? If it works, and has no sign of giving up, then continue using the car - should you need to upgrade, consider recently used.\n\nChildren's college fund? Make sure your retirement is good first, then look after the children. It makes no sense to make sure their college education is great, and then have no where to go come retirement.\n\nInvesting in stocks - this is probably where your retirement money will be going. Stock investing is a 10year activity.\n\nWhat would I do with it? I would use it on whatever is the most important thing to me at the time I had the money. Emergency fund, high interest debt, retirement, family, entertainment, work.\n\nGood luck\n\nI am available - you can contact me directly via my website
897653
Your investment is in an IRA so there won't be a taxable distribution (unless you pull the money out of the investment).  Sometimes there can be account closure fees that mutual funds may charge or the financial institution you are working with.  If you are in a bad investment, it can be worth any fee to move into a stronger investment.  Look for long-term results rather than just the past 3 or 5 years.  Good Luck.
634009
I would suggest that you talk with someone in your bank to begin with. They do have experts in the field.\n\nNow, I have my 401K with Fidelity and like them fine. They are huge and offer many different investment options. They also can give you pretty good advice if you tell them what kind of investments you are interested in (long-term, very stable, higher risk but higher pay-off, gold - not a bad investment these days). \n\nI also have some stock through Scot Trade. It costs only $7 per transaction no matter how many shares you are buying or selling.\n\nNo matter what you do, understand that people can and do both make and lose money in stock markets and real estate. \n\nAnd as strange as it may seem, some of us are able to make over 50% return on our investments per year. Right now, today, I am out of the market and waiting to go back in. *grin*
505855
Leave it.  its a very broad investment that has very little chance of being lost.  Sure, it may have bad days and good days, but over the long term it will only go up.
376469
The best advice I can give you is to consult with a financial professional.  He can do a risk profile on you and help work with you to invest your money in a way that best suits your needs.
299613
I would go to Savingforcollege.com and enter my state on the left hand side.  They have many investment options \nI would recommend investing predominately in stocks when they are young and slowly switching to bonds as they get older.  If you don't like stocks you can invest in bonds or money market funds.
1158763
You can honestly do it trading options.  You could get a margin account which would automatically give you a $20000 account, $10k yours and $10k borrowed.  Then buy "calls" on stocks you think are going to go up and "puts" on stocks you think are going to go down.  If you chose wisely you will get rich quick, if foolishly you will be over $20,000 in debt in a matter of days.
517192
Buy a diversified series of mutual funds. Individual stocks are just way too risky in most cases, especially for novice investors, even if they look like a sure thing.  How are Enron and Worldcom doing right now?\n\nMake sure you hit all the assets classes, like Large cap stocks, small/mid cap stocks, international stocks, emerging markets stocks, government debt, corporate debt, hi-yield debt, foreign debt, emerging markets debt, real estate, commodities, and precious metals. That's 12 categories right there, so let's say you get started with with $1200, you're talking about $100 each. \n\nThen sit back and rebalance each year, back to your original percentages. This is called asset allocation. The thinking being, what's BEEN hot is more than likely not going to STAY hot. All markets, after all, are cyclical.  This is why people who invest their 401(k) by just putting in whatever's had the most recent best numbers never get anywhere--they're investig in something that DID will and IS probably NOT doing well.\n\nThis sort of portfolio should average 8-12% per year, so just split the difference and say 10%. Will it do 10% EVERY year? Of course not. I'd be surprised if it ever did EXACTLY 10%. That's an annual average. With that average, your money should double roughly every 7 years. \nSo, in 7 years you should have about $2,000\nin 14 years you should have about $4,000\nin 21 years you should have about $8,000\nin 28 years you should have about $16,000\nin 35 years you should have about $32,000\nin 42 years you should have about $64,000\nin 49 years you should have about $128,000\nin 56 years you should have about $256,000\nin 63 years you should have about $512,000\nin 70 years you should have about $1,024,000!\n\nOf course, if you keep adding money in, say $100 a month, you'll become a millionaire MUCH sooner. The key is discipline, and sticking in when markets are up OR down. Don't try to time the market--you'll NEVER get it right.\n\nHere's a handy formula:\n\n$100/month x 12% retutn x 20 years = $100,000.  \n\nSo if you invest $300 a month, you can expect to have $300,000 or so in 20 years, depending on what return you get.  And remember, even if you stop there, that money itself will double again in 7-10 years, depending.  Then double again.  Then double again.  You get the idea.\n\nIn short, you can make a HELL of a lot of money, with a small output on your part, if you do it right, and are patient.\n\nOh, and if you qualify, and do this all in a Roth IRA? Then every penny will be 100% TAX-FREE. That's a deal that's too good to pass up. That's why I tell all my under-30 clients--if you make under $90,000, and therefore qualify to do a Roth, you'd be a fool not to. Just having the power of youth (and therefore time) on your side is such an advantage, to squander it would be such a waste!\n\nHope this helps!\n--J.\n\nP.S. The previous answerer's advice about contacting Edward Jones is gold.  I would go to their website at www.edwardjones.com, enter your zip code, and find the closest office to you.  Chances are there's one within 10 miles.  They have 10,000 office in the US, UK, and Canada.  And they will take care of you right if you decide you don't want to go it alone.
423889
The best way to do anything yourself is to learn something about it first. You'd be surprised at the thousands of books available on this one subject at your local library.\n\nBut most people spend more time deciding the color of their new car, than they do on a mutual fund advisor, for example. \n\nAre you really wanting to do this yourself, or are you asking about someone who is an expert who can do it for you?\n\nIf you invest in the stock market right now, or just buy into all the ETF's you can afford, it's a crap shoot, like rolling the dice, and the odds are probably not in your favor, whether you have an expert fund manager or not, because mutual funds are always "in" the market.\n\nThey say "Buy and Hold" for the long term is better, but that depends on when you get in, and what your definiton of "long term" is. \n\nThe Dow is now approaching all-time highs last seen in Jan 2000, so if your long-term definition is more than seven years, then you won't mind waiting another seven years for a profit.\n\nIn my opinion, the name of the game is capital preservation. When the risks are high, like right now, you get out of the stock and bond markets and park your cash in a interest bearing money market fund or CD or Treasury Bill.\n\nThis is simply not a good entry point for investors. Be patient, wait a few months, and you'll be able to buy much more stock a lot cheaper, the risks will be lower (even though they will seem higher), and your chance of success greater.\n\nIf you wish to research the “Buy and Hold Strategy” further, or perhaps trade yourself, I recommend two book titles. One is called "Which Is Better, Buy-and-Hold or Market Timing?" The other is "Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Market Timer?" They will give you plenty to think about.
189440
The fastest way to turn $100.00 into $10,000.00 is of course a Horse Race.\n\nAll you need to do is bet $100.00 on a 10:1 horse and if you win you get $1000.00 \n\nAfter you win you bet $1000.00 on a 10:1 horse and if you win you get $10,000.00\n\nThe chances of winning two longshots races in a roll are very low.\n\nTherefore the fastest way to turn $100.00 into $10,000.00 IS NOT THE EASIEST WAY. \nThis two options are mutually exclusive.\n\nThe easiest way to turn $100.00 into $10,000.00 is this:\nYou invest $100.00 in something that gets you a return on your investment of 10,000%\n\nYou cannot open a business with $100.00 therefore the option of starting your own Microsoft, Yahoo! or Google is out.\n\nHowever, you can invest in the stock market and buy $100.00 in shares and wait until the price has risen 10,000%\n\nIn the last decade only 2 stocks rised more than 10,000% \n\nThis decade more stocks will rise more than 10,000% \n\nIt is highly unlikely that you will pick either of them among thousands of companies.\n\nHere are the 10 Best Stocks of the last Decade\n01 Hansen Natural 24,185%\n02 Chico's 17,600%\n03 NVR 7,150%\n04 Christopher & Banks 6,795%\n05 Meritage Homes 5,860%\n06 American Eagle Outfitters 4,850%\n07 Comtech Telecommunications 4,315%\n08 SCP Pool 4,090%\n09 Engineered Support Systems 3,800%\n10 Jos. A. Bank 3,790%\n\nIn other words, it is not impossible to turn $100.00 into $10,000.00 but it is not easy.\n\nHowever, if you save at least $100.00 each week you will have $10,000.00 in less than 2 years.\n\nYou don't have to wait a decade. All you have to do is save.\n\nI hope this helps.
147476
Watch out for some of these answers. 20% return (with no time frame mentioned...hmmm) with little risk is not realistic. A private equipment leasing investment is a huge risk, not only if construction slows and business drops off, but there is zero transparency, who are they?\n\nHigh yield (junk) bonds aren't a terrible idea, but only for a portion of your money, not all. What you have to ask yourself is:\n\nDo I already have a sufficient emergency fund (3 months worht of expenses, min) set aside NOT counting the 9Gs? If so, you can invest for the longer term. If not, find a good money market account (INGDirect or HSBC Direct) and plug enough of the $9,000 in there to make up the 3 months. Depending on your expenses you may need to add money to $9,000.\n\nOnce your emergency fund is taken care of, you can invest the rest. You now have to ask yourself (or have a financial planner ask you) what am I saving this money for? Is it ok to lock it up for retirement or do I expect to use these funds to buy a house in 5 years or send someone to school 16 years from now? Your time horizon(how long you have to stay invested) is the single largest determinant of how much risk can be built into your portfolio through asset allocation. Your attitudes towards risk will fine tune your allocations. A competent financial planner can help you through this process.\n\nALSO, AVOID these spammers talking about Daily12 or Swisscash or any other pyramid scheme. They're garbage.