What Do Investment Bankers Do?

What Do Investment Bankers Do?

Investment banking is a specialized area of the financial services industry that focuses on aiding governments, corporations and other entities to raise capital and complete mergers and acquisitions. The term “investment banker” refers to an individual who works for an investment bank that offers these services.

Investment banking is typically considered to be a prestigious career, and becoming an investment banker can be lucrative for those willing to complete the necessary education and training.

What Is an Investment Banker?

Investment bankers work for investment banks, which are effectively middlemen between entities that need capital and entities that provide it. In simpler terms, investment bankers help their clients to expand and grow their businesses or operations.

Another way to think of an investment banker is as a financial advisor to governments, corporations, and other businesses. As part of their professional duties, they may guide clients in making financial decisions that directly or indirectly affect their bottom line.

Investment bankers are most often associated with Wall Street, though they work in cities throughout the world. Some of the largest investment banks in the United States include Goldman Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Blackstone.


💡 Quick Tip: All investments come with some degree of risk — and some are riskier than others. Before investing online, decide on your investment goals and how much risk you want to take.

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What Do Investment Bankers Do?

Investment bankers play an important role in helping companies achieve their financial goals. When a corporation is planning an upcoming expansion project, for instance, its board may turn to an investment bank for help. An investment banker can analyze the company’s financial situation to determine the best way to meet its needs.

In terms of the specific tasks an investment banker may carry out, that depends largely on the type of clients they work with.

Assisting With Initial Public Offerings

Investment bankers can play a critical role in helping clients secure capital. Depending on the client, this can be done through a variety of means, including the launch of an initial public offering (IPO).

An initial public offering, or IPO, allows private companies to offer shares of its stock to the public for the first time. The investment banker assists by creating a prospectus explaining the details of the IPO, marketing it to potential investors, and navigating Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) compliance rules.

Investment bankers are key to whether the company’s IPO is a success. They help determine the initial price of the offering, which is critical. Pricing too high could scare off investors, while going too low could undercut their client’s profits.

Bond Issuance

Government agencies and corporations often use bonds as a fundraising tool. For example, if a city government needs money to improve local roads they might issue a municipal bond to fund the project. Investors purchase the bonds on the bond market, giving the government the capital it needs to complete the road updates. Investors can hold onto the bond and earn interest on it, or they can sell it to another investor.

As with an IPO, an investment banker’s role in issuing bonds may include preparing the bond issuance documents, setting a price, submitting it to the SEC for approval, and marketing the bond to investors to raise capital.

Recommended: Federal Reserve Interest Rates, Explained

Equity and Debt Financing

Equity and debt financing are two other ways that companies can tap into funding. With equity financing, companies raise capital by selling an ownership share in the business. Venture capital and private equity are common examples of equity financing.

Debt financing involves taking out loans or lines of credit, without giving up ownership stakes. An investment banker can help companies assess which type of financing makes more sense for their business model, and help them work through the process of securing the funding.

For example, investment bankers may work with startups to pitch angel investors, while they might help more established companies compare and select loan options.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Another common task that investment bankers assist companies with is mergers and acquisitions. In a merger, two companies enter into an agreement to become a single business entity. Each company is treated as an equal in the transaction. An acquisition, on the other hand, involves one company purchasing another.

In either type of arrangement, companies may use investment bankers to oversee the process. This could involve negotiating the terms of a merger or acquisition and reporting the details of the transaction to the SEC to ensure compliance. When a company considers an acquisition, investment bankers can also help identify and vet potential targets.

Recommended: What Happens to a Stock During a Merger?

Investing and Asset Management

While investment bankers’ duties primarily revolve around raising capital for their clients, there are other services they may perform. This can include things like:

•   Investment research and analysis

•   Buying and selling securities

•   Offering advisory services

•   Asset management

These services are similar to what a personal financial advisor might offer their clients.


💡 Quick Tip: Distributing your money across a range of assets — also known as diversification — can be beneficial for long-term investors. When you put your eggs in many baskets, it may be beneficial if a single asset class goes down.

How to Become an Investment Banker

If you’re interested in a career in investment banking, there are a few things to know. In terms of education, a bachelor’s degree is typically a minimum requirement for most investment banker jobs. Though some investment banks may look for candidates that have earned a higher degree of education, such as an MBA or a graduate-level degree in finance.

Aside from education, there are certain skills that may help you be successful as an investment banker. Those include:

•   Ability to perform under pressure

•   Good communication skills

•   Solid marketing skills

•   Firm grasp of financial markets and modeling

•   Strong attention to detail

Depending on your responsibilities, you may also need a securities license. That may include completing one of more of the following licensing exams:

•   Series 7 General Securities Representative Qualification Examination (GS)

•   Series 79 Investment Banking Representatives Exam

•   Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent State Law Exam

Before you can take these exams, you first have to be employed and sponsored by a FINRA-member firm or other self-regulatory organization member.

Taking and passing the Securities Industries Essentials (SIE) Exam could help improve your chances of being hired as an intern or junior employee. That process begins early, with many banks hiring summer interns more than a year ahead of the start of the program.

How Much Do Investment Bankers Make?

Investment bankers generally earn above-average salaries. Even at the entry level, it’s possible to make $100,000 or more, and salaries for top Wall Street bankers can easily range into the millions or tens of millions. But investment banking is one of the hardest jobs on Wall Street. So, if you’re not prepared to routinely work 100-hour weeks or constantly be on-call for your clients, it may not be the job for you.

The Takeaway

Investment bankers work primarily with institutional investors, governments and corporations rather than individual investors. But you can still benefit from the work investment bankers do behind the scenes indirectly.

Investment bankers may work in a variety of roles, such as helping facilitate IPOs, or mergers and acquisitions. It can be a lucrative career path, too, but generally requires a graduate-level education, and additional licensing.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, 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.


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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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How to Make Talking About Finances Fun, Not a Fight

How to Make Talking About Finances Fun, Not a Fight

Ask couples what they fight about most, and money is sure to be at the top of the list. Decades of research have shown that common clashes are sparked by different spending habits, different financial values (which influence spending habits), and how to raise financially smart kids.

While dealing with money isn’t always easy, it doesn’t have to drive a wedge in your relationship. These strategies will ensure your financial discussions with your partner are productive and — dare we suggest — maybe even something to look forward to.

Meet Regularly — but Don’t Discuss Money

When couples fight about money, the classic mistake is to think that having a regular “money talk” will help solve things. Unlikely.

That’s because the source of most financial disagreements is that one person’s values don’t line up with the other’s. In order to truly ease money stress, you have to start by understanding the bigger wants and needs and priorities of your partner.

Make time to meet regularly and focus on things you both want out of life. It doesn’t have to be a long conversation — maybe 30 minutes, or an hour.

Come Prepared

Consider bringing a list of topics to each meeting, but don’t expect to cover them all. There will be other meetings, and it’s more important to leave each conversation with a sense that you understand each other better. You might raise some common questions:

Do you want kids? Do you want pets? Do you want to live a certain lifestyle? Start a business? Retire early? Send the kids to private school vs. public?

How important is it to have a vacation each year, or is it more important to have a beautiful home — or both?

Do you both believe in working hard and playing hard? Working to live or living to work? These may sound like cliches, but dig into each topic to get at each person’s core feelings.

Create a Safe Space

A key aspect of these non-money talks has to be a spirit of openness, not criticism or judgment. You’re trying to get to know one another in a slightly different way. Ask questions, take time to listen to each other’s answers.

While these sessions may seem uncomfortable at first, having these non-financial conversations may actually prevent important issues from causing conflicts.

Again, keep these conversations fairly short. The idea is to find common ground, and that may not happen right away. So don’t expect to agree, expect to learn something new about your partner.

Look for Shared Goals and Points of Agreement

Even couples that fight about money, also agree on plenty of financial issues. Be sure to pay attention as you discover these points in common, and celebrate the fact that you have them.

Knowing that you have financial goals and priorities in common, not just pain points, can build your confidence and momentum and lead to the good part of all this: Having more fun because you’re not stressed about money squabbles!

Address Financial Topics as Organically as You Can

Rather than set up more meetings (who has time?), you can use your newfound empathy and sense of shared values to tackle topics as they come up naturally in your day-to-day lives.

Now you can talk about spending when you get the credit card bill, or when you have to make a tough choice between two competing priorities. In some ways it’s less stressful to discuss whether to refinance the house or set up a Roth IRA when that question comes up organically, rather than trying to anticipate bigger issues.

Be sure to take the opportunity to make sure you’re including something fun in your financial plan. Money is for the future, and it’s also for the present, so make sure you enjoy it.

Let Go of Resentment

Financial inequity between partners — say, if one person has a lot of debt or there’s a large disparity between incomes — can be a common source of tension.

If you feel like one person’s debt is holding you both back, remember that it doesn’t have to last forever. There are many strategies for paying off debt — talking it through will help you find the right path for you both. You might also decide to meet with a financial advisor who can help you prioritize, budget, and sometimes even refinance to break even faster.

In cases of income disparity, it may help to reframe each partner’s contribution to the household. Yes, one person may bring in more (or all) of the household income, but be clear on the non-monetary intangibles that the other person is contributing. Cooking, cleaning, watching the kids, caring for aging relatives — these duties all add up and represent what each of you is bringing to the household.

Reward Yourselves

Create incentives to stick with your financial meeting schedule. Maybe that means taking your laptops to your favorite coffee shop, or treating yourselves to a movie night afterward.

Another idea is to reward yourselves as a couple after you hit a predetermined financial goal or milestone. For example, every month you successfully increase your emergency fund by a target amount, you might choose to enjoy a nice restaurant meal.

Even a free indulgence — like a walk around your favorite lake after the discussion — can be effective. Just make it something that you both enjoy (bonus points if it’s something that you don’t do all the time so it feels extra special). That way, you’ll look forward to it.

The Takeaway

The best way to take the sting out of discussing finances with your partner is to start by getting in sync as people, understanding each other’s values and perspectives. Scheduling time to talk monthly (or whatever cadence works for you) allows you to also savor the ways you are on the same page already, and what some of those shared goals are.

Don’t try to meet about big hairy financial goals that aren’t on the table yet. You do have to plan ahead, but it’s also important (and less stressful) to address money matters as they arise naturally. Then, get back to the fun of living your lives together the rest of the time.

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 (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.

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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What Are Hedge Funds and How Do They Work?

What Are Hedge Funds and How Do They Work?

A hedge fund is an investment vehicle that invests in securities and other assets with money pooled from investors. They’re similar to mutual funds or exchange-traded funds, but hedge funds rely on high-risk strategies and come with much higher fees. Because of this, they’re subject to less stringent regulations, and only certain types of investors have access to these funds.

While most investors may not engage with a hedge fund, especially younger ones, it can be useful to know what they are and how they work.

What Is a Hedge Fund?

Hedge funds are set up by a registered investment advisor or money manager, often as a limited liability company (LLC) or a limited partnership (LP). They differ from mutual funds in that they have more investment freedom, so they’re able to make riskier investments.

By using aggressive investing tactics, such as short-selling, debt-based investing, and leveraging hedge funds can potentially deliver higher-than-market returns, but they also have higher risks than other types of investments. In addition to traditional asset classes, hedge funds can a diverse array of alternative assets, including art, real estate, and currencies.

Hedge funds tend to seek out short-term investments rather than long-term investments. Of course assets that have significant short-term growth potential can also have greater short term losses.

Historically, hedge funds have not performed as well as safer investments, such as stock market indices. However, the goal of hedge funds isn’t necessarily to outperform the stock market. Investors also use hedge funds to provide growth during all phases of market growth and decline, providing diversification to a portfolio that also contains stocks, cash, and other investments.

Generally speaking, only qualified investors and institutional investors are able to invest in hedge funds, due to their risks and the high fees that get paid to fund managers.

Types of Hedge Funds

Each hedge fund has a different investing philosophy and invests in different types of assets. Some different hedge fund strategies include:

•   Real estate investing

•   Junk bond investing

•   Specialized asset class investing such as art, music, or patents

•   Long-only equity investing (no short selling)

•   Private equity investing, in which the fund only invests in privately-held businesses. In some cases the hedge fund gets involved in the business operations and helps to take the company public.

What Is a Hedge Fund Manager?

Hedge funds are run by investment managers who make investment decisions and manage the risk level of the fund. If a hedge fund is profitable, the hedge fund manager can make a significant amount of money, often up to 20% of the profits.

Before selecting and investing in a hedge fund, it’s important to look into the fund manager’s history as well as their investing strategy and fees. This information can be found on the manager’s Form ADV, which you can find on the fund’s website as well as through the Security and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) website.

Who Can Invest in a Hedge Fund?

Hedge funds are not open to the general public, and there are several requirements to be able to invest in them. In order for an individual to invest, they must be an accredited investor. This means that they either:

•   Have an individual annual income of $200,000 or more. If the married investors must have a combined income of $300,000 per year or more. They must have had this level of income for at least two consecutive years and expect to continue to earn this level of income.

•   Or, the investor must have an individual or combined net worth of $1 million or more, excluding their primary residence.

If the investor is an entity rather than an individual, they must:

•   Be a trust with a net worth of at least $5 million. The trust can’t have been formed solely for the purpose of investing, and must be run by a “sophisticated” investor, defined by the SEC as someone with sufficient knowledge and experience with investing and the potential risks involved.

•   Or, the entity can be a group of accredited investors.

How to Invest in a Hedge Fund

Investing in hedge funds is risky and involves a deep understanding of financial markets. Before investing, there are several things to consider:

The Fund’s Investing Strategy

Start by researching the hedge fund manager and their history in the industry. Look at the types of assets the fund invests in, read the fund’s prospectus and other materials to understand the opportunity cost and risk. Generally speaking, the higher the risk, the higher potential returns.

In addition, you need to understand how the fund evaluates potential investments. If the fund invests in alternative assets, these may be difficult to value and may also have lower liquidity.

Understand the Minimums

Investment requirements can range between $100,000 to $2 million or more. Hedge funds have less liquidity than stocks or bonds, and some require that money stays invested in the fund for a specific amount of time before it can be withdrawn. It’s also common for there to be lock-up periods for funds and for there to only be certain times of year when funds can be withdrawn.

Confirm You Can Make the Investment

Make sure that the fund you’re interested in is an open fund, meaning that it accepts new investors. Financial professionals can help with this research process. Each hedge fund will evaluate an individual’s accreditation status using their own methods. They may require personal information about income, debt, and assets.

Understand the Fees

Usually hedge funds charge an asset management fee of 1-2% of invested assets, as well as a performance fee of 20% of the hedge fund’s profits.

The Takeaway

Hedge funds offer investors — usually, wealthier investors — the chance to invest in funds that are usually high-risk, but offer high potential returns. There are many rules surrounding hedge funds, and many investors may not even consider them as a part of an investing strategy.

For accredited investors, investing in a hedge fund may be one part of a diversified portfolio, although it depends on the investor’s risk tolerance, time horizon, and investing goals. If you’re not an accredited investor, or you’re worried about the risks associated with hedge funds, it may make more sense for you to consider other types of investments or to stick with ETFs, mutual funds, or funds of funds that emulate hedge fund strategies.

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.


Photo credit: iStock/gece33

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.

Fund Fees
If you invest in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) through SoFi Invest (either by buying them yourself or via investing in SoFi Invest’s automated investments, formerly SoFi Wealth), these funds will have their own management fees. These fees are not paid directly by you, but rather by the fund itself. these fees do reduce the fund’s returns. Check out each fund’s prospectus for details. SoFi Invest does not receive sales commissions, 12b-1 fees, or other fees from ETFs for investing such funds on behalf of advisory clients, though if SoFi Invest creates its own funds, it could earn management fees there.
SoFi Invest may waive all, or part of any of these fees, permanently or for a period of time, at its sole discretion for any reason. Fees are subject to change at any time. The current fee schedule will always be available in your Account Documents section of SoFi Invest.


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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Getting Through Financial Hardship

Many people hit a period of financial hardship at some point in their lives. Maybe there’s a medical emergency and big bills, a job layoff, or a family member in serious need: These and other scenarios can put your money management in a precarious position.

Approximately 70% of Americans report feeling stressed about money, according to a CNBC/Momentive survey. This can be centered on anything from living paycheck to paycheck to worrying about saving for one’s (and one’s family’s) future.

Here, you’ll learn more about what happens when financial hardship hits and how to take steps to improve the situation, from applying for assistance to negotiating with lenders to discovering new sources of income.

What is Financial Hardship?

Everyone probably has their own definition of “economic hardship” that’s based on their own needs and wants. And the federal government has its own criteria for what counts as a “hardship” when it comes to taking an IRA distribution, looking for tax relief, or requesting a student loan deferment.

But generally, a financial hardship is when an individual or family finds they can no longer keep up with their bills or pay for the basic things they need to get by, such as food, shelter, clothing and medical care.

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Warning Signs

Sometimes financial difficulties can sneak up on a person, and catch them completely off guard. And sometimes, the warning signs have been there for a while, but were missed or ignored.

Identifying the root cause of financial distress can help give you a head start on working through your money issues. Here are some red flags that might signal a person is headed for financial distress:

Having Credit Card Balances At or Above the Credit Limit

While using credit cards may seem like a good way to get around a short-term lack of funds, the practice could lead to extra fees and a lower credit score. The percentage of available credit someone is using — known as a credit utilization ratio — can indicate to lenders how heavily they’re depending on credit cards to get by. And because it’s one of the major factors in determining a person’s overall FICO score (a credit score lenders use to determine whether to extend credit to a borrower), financial advisors typically recommend keeping card balances at or below 30% of the limit.

Juggling Which Bills Get Paid Each Month

It may be tempting to skip a payment from time to time, hoping to catch up eventually — but there can be short- and long-term consequences for juggling bills. Insurance coverage may be lost. There may be a late fee, or a bill could be turned over to a collection agency.

Utilities can also be shut off, and a deposit might be required to restart the account. Making late payments on a credit card could lead to a higher interest rate on the account. And late payments and defaults can hurt credit scores.

Only Making Minimum Payments on Their Credit Cards

It may be necessary to make minimum payments if times are especially tight, and there likely won’t be any short-term harm. But even if the cardholder stops making purchases, just the interest charged will keep the account balance growing, possibly extending the amount of time it takes to pay down that debt by months or years.

Often Paying Late Fees or Overdraft Fees

A one-time mistake may serve as an annoying reminder to be more cautious with money management, but if late fees, overdraft and non-sufficient funds fees, and overdraft protection transfers become a regular thing, they can add another layer of worry to a person’s financial burden. (Using alerts, automatic payments, and apps from your financial institution may offer a more effective method to track bills as well as deposits and withdrawals.)

Having a High Debt-to-Income Ratio

Lenders often use a person’s debt-to-income ratio — a personal finance measure that compares the amount of debt you have to your income—to determine if a borrower might have trouble making payments. If a person’s debt-to-income ratio is high, it could make it more difficult to borrow money, or to get a good interest rate on a loan.

Tapping Retirement Savings to Pay Monthly Bills

In certain cases, the IRS will allow an account holder to withdraw funds from a 401(k) or IRA to cover an immediate and heavy financial need (such as medical expenses, payment to avoid eviction or repair home damage) without paying the 10% early withdrawal penalty. But taxes will still have to be paid on those distributions. And taking that money now, instead of letting it grow through the power of compound interest, could have serious repercussions for the future.

Dealing with Financial Hardship

For those who’ve been struggling for a while, or who’ve had a sudden but substantial financial loss, it might feel as though they’ll never recover. But there are several options those who are experiencing financial trouble might consider taking to get back on track. Some they can do for themselves, while others might require getting financial hardship help from others. And while some might be temporary, others take a longer view. Here are a few:

Reducing Monthly Spending

Creating a monthly budget can help individuals and families prioritize and guide their spending decisions. This may involve prioritizing your monthly expenses, starting with the essentials and going down to the “nice to haves.” Once you’ve established which expenses are the most important, you may then be able to look for places to cut back or cut out of your budget altogether. Cutkacks may not feel fun, but they can help jump-start your recovery.

For example, could you cut costs if you cooked meals yourself more often? Are you trying too hard to keep up with what friends and family are spending on clothes, vacations, and cars? Are there monthly bills that could be reduced (could you save money on streaming services, internet, and phone services; manicures and other beauty treatments; or even rent, insurance, or car payments)? It may help to start by tracking expenses for a month or so to get an idea of where money is going, and then sit down and map out a more realistic path for the future.

Creating a Debt Reduction Plan

Along with a budget, it also may be useful to come up with a plan for paying down credit card balances, student loans and other long-term debt. It’s important to always make the minimum payment on all these bills, if possible, but a personal debt reduction plan could help with prioritizing which bill any leftover money might go toward after all the household expenses are paid each month — or the money might come from a tax refund, bonus check from work, or a gift. Knocking down debts that include high amounts of interest can eventually free up more cash to put toward short- or long-term savings goals.

Looking for Ways to Earn Extra Income

Is there a way to turn a hobby, skill, or interest into some extra funds? Maybe a favorite local business could use some part-time help. Or, if a second job is out of the question, perhaps a side hustle with flexible hours is a possibility. Writers, artists, and designers, for example, may be able to turn their talents into a side business. Babysitting the neighbor’s kids or running errands for an older person are also options. And, of course, on-demand services like Uber and DoorDash are employing drivers, delivery persons, and other workers.

Considering a Loan to Consolidate Bills

Getting a personal loan for debt consolidation won’t make money problems go away completely—but it might make managing payments a little simpler. With just one monthly payment (instead of separate bills for every credit card or loan) it can be easier to keep tabs on how much is owed and when it’s due.

Because interest rates for personal loans are typically lower than the interest rates credit card companies offer (especially if a rate went up because of late payments), the payoff process for that debt could go faster and end up costing less. (Generally, lenders offer a lower interest rate to those who have a higher credit score, borrowers who are already behind on their bills may pay a higher interest rate or have more trouble getting a loan.)

Student loan borrowers also may want to look into consolidating and refinancing with a private lender to get one manageable payment and, possibly, save money on interest with a shorter term or a lower interest rate.

Refinancing may be a solution for working graduates who have high-interest, unsubsidized Direct Loans, Graduate PLUS loans, and/or private loans.

Federal loans carry some special benefits that private loans don’t offer, including public service forgiveness and economic hardship programs, so it’s important for borrowers to be clear on what they’re getting and what they might lose if they refinance.

Notifying and Negotiating

Ignoring credit card payments and other debts won’t make them disappear. Borrowers who can clearly see they’re headed for financial trouble may wish to notify their credit card company or lender and try to work out a more manageable payment arrangement. (There are debt settlement companies that will do the negotiating, but they charge a fee for their services.)

A credit card issuer may agree to a reduced, lump-sum payment or a repayment plan based on the borrower’s current income, or it may offer a hardship program with a lower interest rate, lower minimum payments, and/or reduced penalties and fees. The options available could depend on why a customer fell behind, or if they’ve had problems before.

Financial hardship assistance is sometimes offered by mortgage lenders. Because these lenders generally don’t want their borrowers to foreclose on their homes, it’s in their best interest to work with borrowers when they get in trouble. The lender may be willing to help the borrower get caught up by forgiving late payments, or they may change the interest rate of the loan or lower the payment.

If you have federal student loans and are experiencing financial hardship, you might qualify for a special repayment plan, such as pay-as-you-earn, or an income-based repayment plan.

It can also be helpful to reach out to service providers (such as water, electricity, internet) and let them know you are experiencing financial difficulties. Providers may be willing to work with you and you may be able to come to an agreement well before any shut-off actions go into effect. This can also save you from late fees, or going into collections.

Getting Financial Help

There are also a number of government programs designed specifically to help people overcome sudden financial hardships. Those who’ve lost a job may be entitled to unemployment benefits. If that job provided health insurance, you may want to look into COBRA to see if you can maintain affordable health insurance. Those who were injured at work may be entitled to workers’ compensation.

Also, some people facing financial hardship may qualify for state or federal benefits like Medicaid or Social Security Disability.

Though not free, a financial professional who specializes in planning, saving, and investing may be a worthwhile investment. He or she may be able to offer a fresh perspective and help create a path to financial freedom. There may also be free or low-cost debt counselors available via non-profit organizations.

Preparing for Current and Future Challenges

Once you’ve developed your personal plan for overcoming financial hardship, you can begin working on your goals of becoming more financially independent. If the cause of your hardship is temporary (you were out of work but quickly found a new job, for example), it may take just a few months to get back on your feet. If the problems are more difficult to overcome (you’ve lost income through a divorce, or you or a loved one has an ongoing medical condition that requires expensive treatment), the timeline could be much longer. Once you’ve put your plan in place, you may want to review it on a regular basis, and perhaps do some fine-tuning.

The Takeaway

Many people go through periods of financial hardship, and often for reasons that are beyond their control. But that doesn’t mean they are out of options. There are many simple and effective steps people can take. Cutting monthly expenses, consolidating debt, and getting outside assistance are moves that can help them get back on the right financial track.

Ready to get your finances organized? You also may find it easier to track expenses and stay on budget by separating your money into virtual buckets or “vaults.” SoFi Checking and Savings is an online account that features Vaults to allow members to set aside money for different financial goals, track their progress, as well as set up recurring monthly deposits. What’s more, a SoFi Checking and Savings account offers a competitive annual percentage yield (APY) and charges no account fees, plus you can spend and save in one convenient place.

SoFi: The smart and simple way to bank now.


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SoFi members with direct deposit activity can earn 4.60% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Direct Deposit means a deposit to an account holder’s SoFi Checking or Savings account, including payroll, pension, or government payments (e.g., Social Security), made by the account holder’s employer, payroll or benefits provider or government agency (“Direct Deposit”) via the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) Network during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Deposits that are not from an employer or government agency, including but not limited to check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc.), merchant transactions (e.g., transactions from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.), and bank ACH funds transfers and wire transfers from external accounts, do not constitute Direct Deposit activity. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate.

SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits can earn 4.60% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Qualifying Deposits means one or more deposits that, in the aggregate, are equal to or greater than $5,000 to an account holder’s SoFi Checking and Savings account (“Qualifying Deposits”) during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Qualifying Deposits only include those deposits from the following eligible sources: (i) ACH transfers, (ii) inbound wire transfers, (iii) peer-to-peer transfers (i.e., external transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc. and internal peer-to-peer transfers from a SoFi account belonging to another account holder), (iv) check deposits, (v) instant funding to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, (vi) push payments to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, and (vii) cash deposits. Qualifying Deposits do not include: (i) transfers between an account holder’s Checking account, Savings account, and/or Vaults; (ii) interest payments; (iii) bonuses issued by SoFi Bank or its affiliates; or (iv) credits, reversals, and refunds from SoFi Bank, N.A. (“SoFi Bank”) or from a merchant.

SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder’s Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits throughout each 30-Day Evaluation Period to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Upon receiving a Direct Deposit or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits to your account, you will begin earning 4.60% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% on checking balances on or before the following calendar day. You will continue to earn these APYs for (i) the remainder of the current 30-Day Evaluation Period and through the end of the subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period and (ii) any following 30-day Evaluation Periods during which SoFi Bank determines you to have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits without interruption.

SoFi Bank reserves the right to grant a grace period to account holders following a change in Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits activity before adjusting rates. If SoFi Bank grants you a grace period, the dates for such grace period will be reflected on the APY Details page of your account. If SoFi Bank determines that you did not have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits during the current 30-day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, then you will begin earning the rates earned by account holders without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits until you have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits in a subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period. For the avoidance of doubt, an account holder with both Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits will earn the rates earned by account holders with Direct Deposit.

Members without either Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits, as determined by SoFi Bank, during a 30-Day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances.

Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 10/24/2023. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.


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.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website .

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.

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Learn The Basics of Investment Funds: Man reading newspaper

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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