May
17
2023
Learn The Basics of Investment Funds: Man reading newspaper

Learn the Basics of Investment Funds

By | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off on Learn the Basics of Investment Funds

Investment funds are financial tools that effectively allow investors to pool their resources to buy into a collection of securities. It’s relatively common and easy for beginning investors to dip their toes in the market with investment funds for a variety of reasons.

But there are many types of investment funds, and the purported benefits of a specific fund may not be the right choice for each investor. With that in mind, it’s generally a good idea to have a deeper understanding of investment funds before buying into one.

What Is an Investment Fund?

Broadly speaking, an investment fund is a collection of funds from different people that is used to buy financial securities. Investors get the advantages of investing as a group (purchasing power) and own a portion, or percentage of their investments equal to the money they have contributed.

There are different types of investment funds, including mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and hedge funds. Typically, these funds are managed by a professional investment manager who allocates investors’ money based on the type of fund and the fund’s goal. For this service, investors are generally charged a small fee that is a percentage of their investment amount.

What Is a Mutual Fund?

Mutual funds are a popular type of investment fund for a reason: they are an easy way to purchase diversified assets — from stocks and bonds to short-term debt — in one transaction.

One of the fundamental ideas that led to the creation of mutual funds was to provide individual investors with access to investments that might be more difficult to obtain or manage on their own. A retail investor with $1,000 probably wouldn’t be able to effectively recreate a portfolio that tracks the S&P 500, let alone rebalance it quarterly.

But thanks to the creation of mutual funds, investors can pool all of their money together into a collective fund to invest in the same markets by choosing from custom-packaged funds with specific focuses and inexpensive share prices.

Different Types of Mutual Funds

There are a number of different types of mutual funds, each of which offer something distinct to the investor.

Equity Funds

Also known as stock funds, equity funds are a type of mutual fund that invests in a specific asset class, principally in stocks. Equity fund managers seek to outperform the S&P 500 benchmark by actively investing in growth stocks and undervalued companies that may provide higher returns over a period of time than the fund’s benchmark.

Equity funds have higher potential returns but are also subject to higher volatility as well. It’s common for equity funds to be actively managed and thus typically charge higher operating fees. Funds with higher stock allocations are more popular with younger investors as they allow for growth potential over time.

While equity is a specific asset investment by itself, some mutual funds focus on more precise criteria:

Fund Size (Market Cap)

Some funds only include companies with a defined market cap (market value). Different tiers of company sizes can perform differently in different economic conditions and companies can be viewed as more or less risky based on their market cap. Fund sizes are categorized by the following:

•   Large-Cap (Over $10 billion)

•   Mid-Cap ($2 billion to $10 billion)

•   Small-Cap ($300 million to $2 billion)

Industry/Sector

Funds that focus specifically on a single industry or sector such as technology, healthcare, energy, travel, and more. Owning shares in different sector mutual funds provides portfolio diversity and can potentially enhance returns if a particular industry experiences a tailwind.

Growth vs Value

Some funds differ in their investment style, focusing on either value or growth. Growth stocks are expected to provide outsized returns, whereas value stocks are considered to be undervalued.

International/Emerging Markets

Domestic stocks are not the only equity investment options, as some funds focus exclusively on international and emerging markets. International and emerging market funds provide geographic diversity — exposure to companies operating in different countries and countries with growing markets.

Bond Funds

Like stock mutual funds, bond funds are a pool of investor funds that are invested in short- or -long-term bonds from issuers such as the U.S. government, government agencies, corporations, and other specialized securities. Bond funds are a common type of fixed-income mutual funds where investors are paid a fixed amount on their initial investment.

Seeing as how bonds are frequently thought of as a safer investment than stocks and offer less growth, bond funds are popular among investors who are looking to preserve their wealth as opposed to aggressively growing it.

Index Funds

This type of fund is constructed to track or match the makeup and performance of a financial market index such as the S&P 500. They provide broad market exposure, low operating expenses, and relatively low portfolio turnover. Unlike equity funds, an index fund’s holdings only change when the underlying index does.

Index fund investing has exploded in popularity in recent years due to its low costs, passive approach, and abundance of options to pick from. Investors may choose from a number of indices that focus on different sectors such as the S&P 500 (financial and consumer), Nasdaq 100 (technology), Russell 2000 (small-cap), and international indices.

Balanced Funds

Also known as asset allocation funds, these hybrid funds are a combination of investments in equity and fixed-income with a fixed ratio, such as 80% stocks and20% bonds. Balanced funds offer diversity to different asset classes and consequently trade some growth potential in an attempt to mitigate some risk.

One example of a balanced fund is a target-date retirement fund which automatically rebalances the investments from higher-risk stocks to lower-risk bonds as the fund approaches the target retirement date.

Money Market Fund

This low-risk, fixed-income mutual fund invests in short-term, high-quality debt from federal, state, or local governments, or U.S. corporations. Assets commonly held by money market funds include U.S. Treasuries and Certificates of Deposit. These funds are usually among the lowest-risk types of investments.

Alternative Funds

For those seeking true portfolio diversity beyond traditional stocks and bonds, it may be worth considering alternative investment funds. Alternative funds focus on other specific markets, such as real estate, commodities, private equity, or others.

These asset classes generally make up a small percentage of one’s portfolio, if at all, and serve as a hedge to heavier-weighted allocations to traditional sectors. Rather than investing in companies of a particular index or market cap, alternative funds may be composed of shares of natural gas drilling companies, real estate investment trusts (REITs), intellectual property rights, or more.

Benefits of a Investing in Mutual Funds

While no two funds are the same, mutual funds are a popular choice for investors of all types for a variety of reasons.

Diversification

Mutual funds serve as a sort of investment basket that contains many different assets, some with the same general focus and others with multiple focuses. Rather than being all-in on one particular investment, mutual funds offer diversity across multiple investments.

This allows investors to cast a wider net and benefit when one or multiple of their basket investments performs well. Conversely, when one investment in a mutual fund does poorly, the loss may be mitigated by also having other investments that are performing comparatively well. Some types of funds offer greater diversification across different asset classes, such as stocks and bonds.

Performance

Mutual funds that aim to track indices or focus on growth stocks typically yield similar market performance compared to the benchmark index. This is more or less the same goal of a buy-and-hold strategy, as fund performance often, but not always, mirrors the tracked index.

Low Maintenance

Mutual funds are relatively easy to use and require little to no maintenance. They allow investing in multiple asset classes through one investment vehicle without having the investor sift through and make individual decisions. All of these decisions are usually provided by an active fund manager whose responsibility is to provide profitable returns for investors based on the fund’s general focus or target.

Mutual funds also provide a degree of functionality. One convenient feature is the ability to set a passive monthly investment amount and to automatically reinvest dividends. Many mutual funds pay investors dividends on an annual, quarterly, or even monthly basis. Dividends are calculated based on the underlying companies’ earnings and distributed to the fund which then passes them along to fund investors. Another feature of mutual funds is the ability to reinvest dividends, thus compounding both mutual fund holdings and dividends in perpetuity.

High Liquidity

Mutual funds are transacted frequently. Investors are able to easily buy or redeem mutual fund shares daily at the market open. Shares in funds tend to be relatively affordable as they typically have a low net asset value (NAV), allowing even novice investors to buy shares with a low starting amount. Compare this to ETFs which can be transacted repeatedly at any time during market hours, but the price can rise to seemingly out-of-reach levels for a beginner.

Active Management

Mutual funds are usually actively-managed by a professional fund manager who’s responsible for operating the fund, whether it be to allocate investor money, rebalance the fund’s investments, or distribute dividends to investors.

While mutual funds tend to have relatively low fees, investors are subject to an annual fee, also known as an also known as an expense ratio, that is calculated as a percentage of each individual’s holdings in the fund and automatically paid to the fund manager for their services. Fund fees vary, so in some cases it may be helpful to compare funds based fees before investing.

Can I Lose Money in a Mutual Fund?

With investing, there is no such thing as a sure thing. So, yes, you can lose money in a mutual fund. It is possible to lose all of your money in a mutual fund if the securities in the fund drop in value.

That said, some mutual funds aim to be conservative and designed to offer slow but incremental gains over time. As always, it’s prudent to research exactly what’s contained in a particular mutual fund before investing any capital. Ultimately, it’s every investor’s responsibility to determine their own risk tolerance and investing strategy that meets their personal needs.

The Takeaway

Investment funds are a practical and beginner-friendly way to start investing in financial markets. Even with beginner knowledge concerning what is a mutual investment fund, mutual funds have the propensity to provide a hands-off and a potentially low-cost way to start building wealth. But again, your mileage may vary, as not all funds are alike.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an Active Invest account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.


Investment Risk: Diversification can help reduce some investment risk. It cannot guarantee profit, or fully protect in a down market.

Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $25 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

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May
17
2023
How to Find the Right Investment Advisor

How to Find the Best Investment Advisor for You

By | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off on How to Find the Best Investment Advisor for You

Investment advisors help investors figure out their goals, create financial plans, and put those plans into action. There are a lot of them out there, too, meaning that finding the right professional for you or your family may seem daunting. But finding the best investment advisor for you can be a fairly painless process.

You’ll need to start with some basics, though, by learning the difference between an investment advisor and a registered investment advisor, what to look for when you hire an advisor, and more.

What Is an Investment Advisor?

An investment advisor is an individual or company that offers advice on investments for a fee. The term itself — “investment advisor” — is a legal term that appears in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. It may be spelled either “advisor” or “adviser.”

Investment advisors might also be known as asset managers, investment counselors, investment managers, portfolio managers, or wealth managers. Investment advisor representatives are people who work for and offer advice on behalf of registered investment advisors (RIAs).

What Is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA)?

A registered investment advisor, or RIA, is a financial firm that advises clients about investing in securities, and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), or other financial regulator. While you may think of RIAs as people, an RIA is actually a company, and an investment advisor representative (IAR) is a financial professional who works for the RIA.

That said, an RIA might be a large financial planning firm, or it could be a single financial professional operating their own RIA.

An RIA has a fiduciary duty to its clients, which means they must put their clients’ interests above their own. The SEC describes this as “undivided loyalty.” This is different from non-RIA companies whose advisors are often held only to a suitability standard, meaning their recommendations must be suitable for a client’s situation. Under a suitability standard, an advisor might sell a client products that are suitable for their portfolio but which also result in a sales commission for the advisor.

RIAs generally offer a range of investment advice, from your portfolio mix to your retirement and estate planning.

What’s Required to Become a Registered Investment Advisor?

The following steps are required to become a registered investment advisor (RIA).

•   Pass the Series 65 exam, or the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam, which is administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Some states waive the requirement for this exam if applicants already hold an advanced certification like the CFP® (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™) or CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst).

•   Register with the state or SEC. If an RIA has $100 million in assets under management (AUM), they must register with the SEC — though there are sometimes exceptions to this requirement. If they hold less in AUM, they must register with the state of their principal place of business. This requires filing Form ADV.

•   Set up the business. These steps require making a variety of decisions about company legal structure, compliance, logistics and operations, insurance, and policies and procedures.

How to Choose an Investment Advisor

Finding the right investment advisor is about finding the right fit for you. While personal preference plays a part, there are a variety of other things you might consider when you’re searching:

Start Local

Look to helpful databases of financial professionals that can help you pinpoint some advisors in your area. Here are a few to consider:

•   Financial Planning Association. Advisors in this network are CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS™ (CFP®s) and you can search by location, area of specialty, how they’re paid and any asset minimums that may exist.

•   National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. All advisors in this database are fee-only financial planners, meaning they receive no commissions for selling products.

•   Garrett Planning Network. All advisors in this network charge hourly.

Get Referrals

One of the best ways to find a financial professional is to ask friends, family, and acquaintances if they’ve worked with someone they can recommend. While there are ways to build wealth at any age, it may be beneficial to ask people who are in a similar financial situation or stage of life. For instance, if you’re relatively young with a lot of debt and very little savings, you may not want the same investment advisor who’s working with wealthy retirees.

Ask About Credentials

Ask investment advisors what certifications they have, what was required to get the certification, and whether any ongoing education is necessary to keep it. Some certifications require thousands of hours of professional experience or passing a rigorous exam, while others may only require a few hours of classroom time.

Other certifications are geared toward investors at a specific life stage or with specific questions. The Retirement Income Certified Professional (RIPC) certification, for instance, focuses on retirement financial planning. Those with a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification are probably good sources for tax planning.

Check Complaint History

Depending on who oversees the advisor or the firm, you should be able to check whether there are complaints on record. If FINRA provides oversight, you can research them on FINRA’s BrokerCheck tool. If the SEC oversees them, the SEC has an investment advisor search feature to find information on the advisor and the company. Remember: One complaint might not be a red flag, but multiple complaints might give you pause.

Find Out About Fees

Investment advisors may be paid, or charge fees, several different ways. They may charge a percentage of assets under management, meaning that the fee will depend on the assets they’re managing for you. For example, if the fee is 1% of assets under management and you’re having them manage $500,000, you’d pay $5,000 annually for their services.

Others may charge an hourly fee or a flat project fee for specific services. There are also advisors that are paid commissions from the products that they sell to clients. It’s important to understand how an investment advisor makes money and how much you’ll pay in fees each year, and then decide what you’re comfortable with.

Get Details on Their Work Style

Communication and working style may be just as important as credentials and expertise. For instance, how often do they want to meet with you? Would you be working with them directly or with a wider team of people? Do they like to communicate via phone call, email, or text? This is something else to consider.

Take a Test Drive

Many advisors will offer a phone consultation or in-person visit to see if you’re a good fit. You may want to take them up on it. Finding the right investment advisor is as much a matter of chemistry as credentials.

Questions to Ask an Investment Advisor Before Hiring Them

It can be a good idea to find out as much as possible about an investment advisor so you can make an informed decision. Here’s a list of questions you might want to ask:

•   What are your qualifications?

•   What type of clients do you typically work with?

•   Are you a fiduciary?

•   How are you paid? And how much will I be charged?

•   Do you have any minimum asset requirements?

•   Will you work with me, or will members of your team work with me?

•   How (and how often) do you prefer to communicate? (Phone, email, text?)

•   How often will we meet?

•   What’s your investment philosophy?

•   What services do you provide for your clients?

•   How do you quantify success?

•   Why would your clients say they like working with you?

The Takeaway

An investment advisor can help you think about investing for the future, plan to save enough for all your goals, and understand how to get it all done. Finding one isn’t hard, but it does take time and some research to connect with an investment advisor that meets your expectations and feels like a good match.

With that in mind, getting the right advice can be critical even before you start investing. Someone with experience in the markets helping guide you can be invaluable.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an Active Invest account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Third Party Trademarks: Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, CFP® (with plaque design), and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $25 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

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May
11
2023
What Is the U.S. Debt Ceiling?

The US Debt Ceiling, Explained

By | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off on The US Debt Ceiling, Explained

These days, the U.S. debt ceiling is in the headlines and on everyone’s mind. Although the debt ceiling is technically the amount of money the country can legally borrow to pay its bills, that doesn’t do justice to the hotly debated issue the debt ceiling has become.

As the country’s fiscal obligations continue to grow, Congress periodically must increase the limit the government can borrow, so that the U.S. can issue bonds to have enough money to continue to operate. The U.S. reached its current debt ceiling on January 19, 2023.

Many lawmakers and economists worry that increasing the debt ceiling continually could have a negative impact on the U.S. economy over the long term, as it allows the federal government to spend more than it takes in.

The danger, however, is that failing to raise the debt ceiling would have an immediate negative impact because the U.S. could default on its debts — pushing domestic and global markets into turmoil.

What Is the Debt Ceiling?

The U.S. debt ceiling — sometimes called the debt limit — is the legal limit on how much money the U.S. federal government can borrow to fund government operations. The debt ceiling only authorizes borrowing to cover existing obligations; it does not allow for new spending.

The U.S. government owes more than $31 trillion, which it accrues by issuing bonds. That includes more than $24 trillion owed to the public, including individuals, businesses, and foreign governments, and nearly $7 trillion to itself, borrowed from government agencies, such as the Social Security Administration.

💡 Recommended: Who Owns the U.S. National Debt?

Recent Changes to the Debt Ceiling

When federal spending pushes up against this limit, as it is right now, Congress must vote to raise the debt ceiling.

For example, in August of 2021, Congress reinstated the debt ceiling to about $28.5 trillion after suspending it in 2019. In October 2021, Congress voted to raise the debt ceiling limit by $480 billion to keep the government running through early December.

Next, Congress passed a $2.5 trillion increase in the debt ceiling in December 2021, which President Biden promptly signed, bringing the debt limit up to about $31.4 trillion. Analysts expected the U.S. government to hit the debt ceiling in January 2023, which it did on January 19.

What Will Happen to the Debt Ceiling?

As of May 9, 2023, the debt ceiling battle was front and center, with a few possible outcomes:

•   Congress could vote to raise the debt limit, as it has done since the debt ceiling was first created in 1917 (see more on the history of the debt ceiling below).

•   Both parties could negotiate a way forward, by agreeing to cut spending while also raising the debt ceiling.

•   The president could use his executive powers to bypass the debt ceiling.

Finally, although very unlikely, the government could default on its debts. This has never occurred, and would be unprecedented — potentially leading to a global financial crisis.

Where Did the Debt Ceiling Come From?

Congress first enacted the debt ceiling in 1917 at the beginning of World War I through the Second Liberty Bond Act. That act set the debt ceiling at $11.5 billion. The creators of the debt ceiling believed it would make the process of borrowing easier and more flexible. In 1939, as World War II loomed on the horizon, Congress established a debt limit of $45 billion that covered all government debt.

Before the creation of the debt ceiling, Congress had to approve loans individually or allow the Treasury to issue debt instruments for specific purposes. The debt ceiling granted the government greater freedom to borrow funds via issuing bonds, allowing it to spend as needed. And over time the ceiling was often raised, and rarely contested.

The debt ceiling has, however, become a partisan pain point in recent years.

Benefits and Drawbacks of the Debt Ceiling

The debt ceiling has several advantages. It allows Congress to fund government operations and simplifies the process of borrowing. It also, theoretically, serves as a way to keep government spending in check because the federal government should consider the debt ceiling as it passes spending bills.

However, there are also some drawbacks. Congress has consistently raised the debt ceiling when necessary, which some analysts claim dampens the legislative branch’s power as a check and balance. And if Congress does not increase the debt ceiling, there is a risk that the government will default on its loans, lowering the country’s credit rating and making it more expensive to borrow in the future.

Debt Ceiling and Congress

In the last 10 or 15 years, Congress has found itself embroiled in partisan battles over raising the debt ceiling. For example, during the Obama administration, there were two high-profile debt ceiling standoffs between the president and Congress. In 2011, some members of Congress threatened to allow the U.S. government to hit the debt ceiling if their preferred spending cuts were not approved.

This standoff led Standard & Poor’s, a credit rating agency, to downgrade U.S. debt from a AAA to a AA+ rating.

Moreover, in 2013 there was a government shutdown when members of Congress would not approve a bill to fund the government and raise the debt ceiling unless the president made their preferred spending cuts. This standoff ended after 16 days when Congress finally approved a spending package and a debt ceiling increase partially due to the potential for a further downgrade of U.S. debt.

However, only some debt ceiling increases have been a partisan battle. Congress has raised or made changes to the debt ceiling nearly 100 times since World War II, usually on a bipartisan basis.

What Happens if Congress Fails to Raise the Debt Ceiling?

The current debate centers on finding a long-term solution for raising the debt ceiling. If the executive and legislative branches can not reach an agreement, there could be several consequences.

•   The government will swiftly run out of cash if it can not issue more bonds. At that point, the money the government has coming in would not cover the millions of debts that come due each day. The government may default, at least temporarily, on its obligations, such as pensions, Social Security payments, and veterans benefits.

•   A U.S. government default could also have a ripple effect throughout the global economy. Domestic and international markets depend on the stability of U.S. debt instruments like Treasuries, which are widely considered among the safest investments.

•   Interest rates for Treasury bills could rise, and interest rates across other sectors of the economy could follow suit, raising the borrowing cost for home mortgages and auto loans, for example.

•   A default could also create stock volatility in global equity markets, turmoil in bond markets, and push down the value of the U.S. dollar.

💡 Recommended: What Is the U.S. Dollar Index?

Even the threat of a default can have serious economic ramifications. In 2011, delays in raising the debt limit increased the cost of borrowing by $1.3 billion, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office estimates.

What Are Extraordinary Measures?

When the government hits the debt limit, there are certain “extraordinary measures” it can take to continue paying its obligations. For example, the government can suspend new investments or cash in on old ones early. Or it can reduce the amount of outstanding Treasury securities, causing outstanding debt to fall temporarily.

These accounting techniques can extend the government’s ability to pay its obligations for a very short amount of time.

Once the government exhausts its cash and these extraordinary measures, it has no other way to pay its bills aside from incoming revenue, which doesn’t cover all of it. Revenue from income tax, payroll taxes, and other sources only cover about 80% of government outlays, according to the U.S. Treasury.

Can Congress Get Rid of the Debt Ceiling?

As noted above, the debt ceiling debate has become fertile ground for partisan fighting in Congress, but theoretically, it doesn’t have to be that way. For example, Congress could give responsibility for raising the debt ceiling to the president, subject to congressional review, or pass it off to the U.S. Treasury. Congress could also repeal the debt ceiling entirely.

The Takeaway

A failure to raise the debt ceiling and a subsequent default could have a significant impact on financial markets, from increased volatility to a decline in the value of the dollar to a lower national credit rating or even a recession. Given such consequences, it’s likely that Congress will continue to find ways to raise the debt ceiling, although political battles around the issue may continue.

Even if the debt ceiling continues to go up, the growing national debt could lead to economic instability, according to some economists. It’s hard to predict, since the debt ceiling has been raised about 100 times since World War I, when it was first established, and the U.S. has yet to face grave consequences as a result.

While it’s important to keep an eye on macroeconomic trends, it’s also wise to stay focused on your own investment goals. One way to start is by opening an investment account with SoFi Invest®. With a SoFi online brokerage account, you can build a portfolio suited to your financial needs.

Take a step toward reaching your financial goals with SoFi Invest.

Photo credit: iStock/William_Potter

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

In our efforts to bring you the latest updates on things that might impact your financial life, we may occasionally enter the political fray, covering candidates, bills, laws and more. Please note: SoFi does not endorse or take official positions on any candidates and the bills they may be sponsoring or proposing. We may occasionally support legislation that we believe would be beneficial to our members, and will make sure to call it out when we do. Our reporting otherwise is for informational purposes only, and shouldn’t be construed as an endorsement.

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May
11
2023
woman in kitchen

What Is a Pension Plan & How Does It Work?

By | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing, Preparing for Retirement | Comments Off on What Is a Pension Plan & How Does It Work?

A pension plan is a retirement plan offered by employers that guarantees income to workers after retirement. Pension plans are also known as defined-benefit plans because the monthly benefits the worker will receive during retirement is defined.

When defining those benefits, a pension may offer an exact dollar amount to be paid in retirement, such as $100 per month. But more often, the benefit involves calculating a number of factors, including how much the worker earned while working, how long they served the company, and how senior they were when they retired.

How to Get a Pension Plan

Unlike other different types of retirement plans, such as IRAs and Roth IRAs, an investor who wants to save for retirement can’t just go out and invest in a pension. Like 401(k)s, pensions need to be offered by an employer.

While pension plans were once a mainstay of how companies took care of their workers, they’ve become increasingly rare in recent decades. Only a small relative percentage of private sector employers offered some form of pension to their employees as of 2023.

The biggest reason why companies no longer offer pensions is that it’s cheaper for them to offer defined contribution plans, such as 401(k) or 403(b) plans. But if an American works for the federal, state or local government, there’s a good chance that they may qualify for a pension. Among state and local government workers who participate in a retirement savings plan, a majority are in a pension plan.

How Pension Plans Differ from Other Retirement Plans

The key difference between pension plans and other retirement plans comes down to the difference between a “defined benefit” plan like a pension, and a “defined contribution” plan.

In a defined benefit plan, such as a pension, it’s clear how much workers will receive. In a defined contribution plan, it’s conversely clear to employees how much they put into it. Unlike a pension, a defined contribution plan doesn’t promise a given amount of benefits once the employee retires.

There are some plans, such as a 401(k) plan or 403(b) plans, in which an employer has the option to contribute. They are not, however, required to. In these plans, the employee and possibly the employer will invest in the employee’s tax-advantaged retirement account. At the time of the employee’s eventual retirement, the amount in the fund can depend heavily on how well the investments in the account performed.

There are still other retirement plans, like IRAs and Roth IRAs, which a worker can also fund. Like 401(k) plans, the ultimate payout often depends largely on the performance of the investments in the plan. But unlike 401(k)s, an employer isn’t involved or required to sponsor an IRA.

One big advantage that pensions have over defined contribution plans is that pensions are guaranteed by the federal government through the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. It effectively guarantees the benefits of pension-plan participants. But the PBGC does not cover people with defined contribution plans.

Recommended: What Is a Money Purchase Pension Plan (MPPP)?

What to Do If You Have a Pension Plan

Workers with pension plans should talk to a representative in their human resources department and find out what the plan entitles them to. Every pension plan is unique. An employee may benefit from looking into the specifics, especially in terms of how much the plan might pay, whether it includes health and medical benefits, and what kind of benefits it will offer a spouse or family members if the worker dies first.

For someone just starting in their career, they may also want to ask when their pension benefits vest. In many plans, the benefits vest immediately, while others vest in stages, over the course of as many as seven years, which could affect their plans to move on to a new job or company.

One way to get a better handle on what a pension may pay over time is to inquire about the unit benefit formula. Utilizing that formula is how an employer tallies up its eventual contribution to a pension plan based on years of service.

Most often, the formula will use a percentage of the worker’s average annual earnings, and multiply it by their years of service to determine how much the employee will receive. But an employee can use it themselves to see how much they might expect to receive after 20 or 30 years of service.

Pros of a Pension Plan

Perhaps the biggest pro of a defined-benefit plan is the guarantee of predictable income from the day a worker retires until the day they die. That’s the core promise that the PBGC protects.

Many pension plans also include related medical and other benefits for the employee, as well as related benefits for surviving spouses. Those benefits vary widely from plan to plan and are worth investigating for workers with a pension. Employees who are considering a new role in an organization that offers a pension should also research such features.

A defined contribution plan can also motivate the worker to regularly calculate the amount they’ll have to live on after they retire, and when they can retire. That can open up questions about what they’ll do if they get sick or need at-home care. And by asking those questions, they can look into things like supplemental medical insurance or long-term care insurance, in order to better protect themselves down the road.

Cons of a Pension Plan

But the greatest strength of a pension plan — its reliability and its guarantee — can also be its biggest weakness from a planning standpoint. That’s because a pension can give would-be retirees a false sense of security.

A pension, with its well-insured promise of income, can lead people to ignore important questions and avoid strict budgeting for basic living expenses. That flat monthly income can also lead people to believe that their expenses will be the same each month.

And that can lead retirees to avoid planning for increased overall living expenses due to the effects of inflation or sudden, unexpected expenses that inevitably crop up. There’s also the likelihood that their expenses later in life could be significantly higher, as they’re able to accomplish fewer daily necessities themselves.

That’s why, regardless of how thorough a pension plan is, it can pay to save for retirement in other ways, including through a 401(k), IRA or Roth IRA. Just because a worker has a pension, that doesn’t mean that it’s the only retirement plan that’s right for them. And employees will benefit from preparing for retirement early.

The Takeaway

Pension plans are a type of savings plan that are offered by employers, potentially guaranteeing income to workers after they retire. Pension plans are defined-benefit plans, and differ in some key ways from IRAs or 401(k)s. Pensions have become less common in recent decades, and they have their pros and cons, like any other financial product or service.

Workers could get started investing today by opening an account with SoFi Invest®. SoFi Invest offers an active investing platform that allows users to choose their stocks and ETFs without paying commissions, but other fees apply.

SoFi Invest also offers an automated investing solution that invests users’ money based on their goals and risk tolerance without charging a advisory fee.

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $25 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

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May
04
2023
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What Is an Accredited Investor?

By | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing, Terminology | Comments Off on What Is an Accredited Investor?

An accredited investor is either a person or an institution, like a bank, qualified to invest in certain private investments, like a hedge fund or a venture capital fund.

Individuals must meet specific financial criteria, or have the necessary industry experience to be accredited.

First, many hedge funds have high minimums in order to invest. Investment minimums like $100,000 or even $1 million may immediately preclude the average retail investor from participating.

Further, some private investment firms may follow legal guidelines that allow only the participation of accredited investors, those who meet certain net worth or income criteria as determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Accredited Investor Defined

There are two major categories of accredited investors: individuals and legal entities, which can include trusts, limited liability companies, and businesses.

Businesses like banks, investment broker-dealers, insurance companies, and pension or retirement plans are common examples of accredited investors.

Many private placement investment firms — some of which may take on a high level of risk, use complicated investment products and strategies, or change strategies rapidly — require investors to be accredited in order to circumvent the SEC’s legal requirements.

“One reason these offerings are limited to accredited investors is to ensure that all participating investors are financially sophisticated and able to fend for themselves or sustain the risk of loss, thus rendering unnecessary the protections that come from a registered offering,” according to the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy.

If an investment firm sells its product only to accredited investors, it may avoid the SEC’s many rules and regulations.

When an investment is sold to the public, it is under the regulatory authority of the SEC. (For example, a mutual fund that is sold to retail investors falls under the purview of the SEC.) This includes certain disclosures and extensive reporting requirements to the SEC.

Why might an investment firm choose this route? For one, adhering to the SEC regulations can be an expensive and labor-intensive process. So private investment companies are able to circumvent the arduous filing and disclosure requirements by selling only to accredited investors.

In the eyes of the law, accredited investors are savvier or have the means to take on the risk that such investment opportunities produce.

Who Qualifies as an Accredited Investor?

For individuals to qualify as accredited investors, they must prove that they have the means necessary to take the risk involved in such investments. This can be done in one of a few ways:

First, the individual must have earned income that exceeded $200,000 (or $300,000 if married) in each of the prior two years, and reasonably expects the same for the current year.

Or they must have a net worth over $1 million, either alone or with a spouse or spousal equivalent. That does not include the value of their primary residence.

On Aug. 26, 2020, the SEC updated the qualification criteria. Individuals who have Series 7, Series 65, or Series 82 licenses in good standing can now be considered accredited investors.

The SEC said this was done to allow those with knowledge and expertise to invest in private investment markets even if they do not yet meet the financial qualifications.

General partners, directors, and executives with the private fund also qualify as accredited investors.

With the recent expansion of the qualification parameters, “knowledgeable employees” of the investment fund also now qualify as accredited investors.

Get up to $1,000 in stock when you fund a new Active Invest account.*

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*Probability of Member receiving $1,000 is a probability of 0.028%.

For a trust to qualify as an accredited investor, assets must total more than $5 million, and the trust cannot have been formed specifically to purchase the investment.

The trust must also be directed by a “sophisticated” person — someone who the investment company reasonably believes has the requisite experience and ability to understand the risks associated with the investment.

As of the most recent changes, LLCs with assets of over $5 million may also qualify.

Alternatively, an entity can qualify as an accredited investor when all of the equity owners are individually accredited investors.

Because this is not reporting that is siphoned through the SEC, investment companies typically collect the information necessary to confirm that a person is an accredited investor, or may require that potential customers sign off that they are accredited investors.

The Net Worth Requirement

One of the qualifications for being an accredited investor is to have a net worth of $1 million. How do you calculate your net worth?

Generally, individual net worth is calculated by taking a person’s assets and subtracting liabilities.

Assets are things of value that a person owns, and liabilities are debts owed.

For example, imagine a person has the following assets: a primary residence, a checking account, a 401(k) account, and a car.

They also have a mortgage loan and two student loans — those are their liabilities.

To determine their net worth, they would first total the value of the assets and then the liabilities, and subtract the value of the latter from the former.

That said, the SEC has a few specific rules about what is counted in a net worth calculation.

As mentioned, a primary residence is not to be included in the person’s net worth calculation.

A mortgage on a primary residence is also not to count in the net worth calculation, unless the value of the mortgage is greater than the value of the home.

If the mortgage is “under water,” then the amount of the loan that exceeds the fair market value of the home should be included.

When considering other real estate holdings with a spouse or spouse equivalent, it is not necessary that they be held under both names. For example, a property held by just one of the two parties would count.

How Can Non-Accredited Investors Invest?

You don’t need to be an accredited investor to begin building wealth for the future.

There are plenty of opportunities for investors of every level to get involved and earn returns in the stock exchange.

It’s important to understand that all investments carry some amount of risk. Otherwise, there would be no opportunity to earn a rate of return.

It’s always a good idea for investors to familiarize themselves with the risks involved with their desired investments.

To start, investors can open an account at a brokerage or with an online trading platform to buy and sell securities like stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

New investors will want to be mindful of investing fees, as those will reduce any potential investment returns. This includes account fees, trading commissions, and the fees built into the funds themselves, called expense ratios.

The Takeaway

An accredited investor — a person or an entity — is qualified to invest in certain private investments like a hedge fund or a venture capital fund. Individuals must meet a substantial financial bar or have industry expertise to be accredited.

The rules for accredited investors can be seen as both protections for those investing, as well as advantageous for private investment firms.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an Active Invest account with SoFi invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, and other fees apply (full fee disclosure here). Members can access complimentary financial advice from a professional.

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $25 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

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