When it comes to saving and investing, time matters.
Money you need soon generally shouldn’t be in the stock market. Money you’re investing long term — such as for retirement — probably shouldn’t be in a plain old savings account. Why? Because despite a string of rate hikes from the Federal Reserve in 2022 and 2023, the average rate of return for savings accounts is still quite low compared to that of the stock market.
So before you decide on a short- or long-term investment, think about what you’re investing for and how liquid — or accessible — you need your cash to be. A timeline can help. Are you looking for a safe way to invest your money for one year or less? You should likely stick to high-yield bank offerings, such as savings accounts or certificates of deposit. Are you banking money for a dream trip to Tahiti for your 10-year wedding anniversary? You probably have enough time to take more risk by investing at least a portion of that savings in the stock market.
Here's how to invest money for short-, mid- and long-term financial goals, followed by an explanation of each strategy.
Investment options by time horizon
Investment | Quick facts | Potential return |
---|---|---|
Best for short-term investments (less than 3 years) | ||
Online savings or money market account |
| Around 5.25% on the high end. |
Best for intermediate-term investments (3 to 10 years) | ||
CD |
| Around 5.5% on the high end. |
Short-term bond funds (index or ETF) |
| 4% or more for U.S. government bond funds, more for those who take on more risk. |
Best for long-term investments (10 or more years away) | ||
Equity (stock) index funds |
| 7% to 10% on average |
Equity ETFs |
| 7% to 10% on average |
Robo-advisors |
| Varies by portfolio |
Investments for a short-term goal or emergency fund (one to three years)
Online savings or money market account
Current potential annual return: Around 5.25% on the high end.
Pros: Liquidity, FDIC insurance.
Cons: Relatively low interest rate compared to riskier investments.
If you’re willing to stash your money in an online savings account, you can earn upwards of 5% right now. To be clear, this is more saving than it is investing. But you shouldn’t be after a big return; liquidity is the name of the game here, and your money will be accessible and FDIC insured against loss.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Savings account interest rates are higher than they've been in some time. You can take advantage with one of our picks for the best high-yield savings accounts.
Banking online doesn't mean you have to give up the conveniences of your neighborhood bank, though you can’t walk in a door to a line of tellers who know your name. But you can still do most if not all of the important banking duties: Deposit checks by scanning them with your phone, move money back and forth between accounts, and speak with a customer service rep by phone or live chat.
A money market account functions like a savings account, but generally has higher interest rates, higher deposit requirements, and comes with checks and a debit card.
Federal regulations restrict the number of transfers or withdrawals you can make in both accounts per month.
Investments for an intermediate-term goal (money you need in three to 10 years)
A bank CD
Current potential annual return: Around 5.5% on the high end.
Pros: Higher interest rate than savings account, FDIC insurance.
Cons: Not liquid, may have minimum deposit requirement.
If you know you won’t need some money for a set period of time and you don’t want to take any risk, a CD might be a good choice. You can find CDs with terms ranging from three months to six years. In general, the longer the term, the higher the interest rate. (You expect more return in exchange for your money being less accessible.)
» Take a spin around: View the best CD rates
CDs aren't ideal during a rising interest rate environment, because they effectively lock your money away at a fixed rate, with a penalty of between three and six months’ interest if you withdraw early. Being stuck in a low-rate vehicle while interest rates are climbing is kind of like eating a salad during a pizza party: sad.
If you go this route, and you’re concerned that interest rates will go up, you can consider a few other options:
A laddered CD strategy combines several CDs with varied terms. If you have $10,000 to deposit, you might put one-third in a one-year CD, one-third in a two-year CD and one-third in a three-year CD. That way, if interest rates are higher after a year, you can pull funds out of that one-year CD and move it to something with a better rate, capturing a higher return for at least a portion of your savings.
A bump-up CD allows you to request an interest rate increase if rates go up during the CD term. You can generally request this increase only once and there may be downsides. For example, these CDs may have a lower-than-average initial interest rate and higher minimum deposit requirements.
A step-up CD is like an automated bump-up CD. The rate is automatically increased at set intervals during the CD term; you don’t have to do anything. But the initial interest rate is likely to be low.
Short-term bond funds
Current potential annual return: 4% or more for U.S. government bonds, more for those who take on more risk.
Pros: Liquid.
Cons: Some risk of principal loss; funds charge expense ratios.
Bonds are loans you make to a company or government, and the return is the interest you collect on that loan. As with any loan, they’re not risk-free. For one thing, the borrower could default, although that’s less likely with an investment-grade corporate or municipal bond, and downright unlikely with a U.S. government bond. (Investment-grade is a quality rating for municipal and corporate bonds that indicates a low risk of default; U.S. government bonds do not have that type of rating system but are considered very safe.)
» Read more: How to buy bonds
Perhaps the bigger risk is that when interest rates rise, bond values typically go down, because the bond’s rate may be below the new market rate, and investors can get a better return elsewhere. That’s why short-term bonds are listed here: Short-term bonds take less of a hit when interest rates go up. You can sell a bond fund at any time, but if you are selling to get out as interest rates are rising, you could face a higher loss with long-term bonds than short-term.
Through an online brokerage account, you can buy a low-cost index fund or exchange-traded fund that holds corporate bonds, municipal bonds, U.S. government bonds or a mix of all of the above. This will diversify your investment, as the fund will hold a large number — often thousands — of bonds. These funds can have minimums of $1,000 or more.
Most stock brokers offer a fund screener that will allow you to sort funds by performance, expense ratio and more. Because you’re not investing in a retirement account, you might consider a municipal bond fund; municipal bonds are federally tax exempt, making them a good choice in a taxable account.
» Get a closer look: Bonds vs. CDs
Investments for a long-term (at least 10 years) or flexible-deadline goal
First, a word here about account choice: The vast majority of long-term goals are retirement-related, which means you should be investing in a tax-advantaged account. That’s a 401(k), if your employer offers one with matching dollars, or an IRA or Roth IRA if your employer doesn’t. Here’s how to decide whether you should contribute to a 401(k) or IRA, and then how to decide between a Roth and traditional IRA.
» Read more: What is a long-term investment?
If your long-term goal isn’t retirement, or you’ve maxed out the contribution limits of these accounts, you can open a taxable brokerage account (consult our picks for the best brokers). One major difference, aside from the tax treatment: You can put as much in a brokerage account as you want, and pull money out at any time. IRAs and 401(k)s are designed for retirement and often impose penalties and taxes on distributions before age 59½.
Equity index funds
Potential annual return: 7% to 10% for a long-term historical average.
Pros: Long-term growth, diversification.
Cons: Higher risk, minimum investment requirements, fund fees.
In general, you only want to play the stock market when you’re investing for a long-term goal. And even if your deadline for using the money is flexible, you need to come to terms with the fact that you're taking on more risk and might lose money.
For long-range goals, it makes sense to put at least a portion of your savings toward equities (stocks), because you have the kind of time horizon that can weather market ups and downs. And you can always dial back the level of risk you’re taking, for instance moving more toward bond funds as your goal date approaches.
» Read our guide: How to invest in stocks
One of the best ways to build a diversified portfolio is to purchase low-cost equity index funds. These funds track an index — say, the S&P 500 — and by track, we mean they aim to keep pace with it; nothing more, nothing less. This is a departure from an actively managed mutual fund, which employs a professional who tries to beat the market (and, in reality, rarely does). As you can imagine, the latter has higher fees to account for that professional’s salary, and often doesn’t make up the difference in performance. That’s why index funds tend to rule the roost.
» Read more: Understanding investment fees
Look for a no-transaction fee fund with a low expense ratio that invests in a broad market index — again, the S&P 500 is a good example. Another good example is a total stock market index fund, which gives good exposure to a broad range of U.S. stocks. As you add more money to your portfolio, you can diversify further by buying index funds that cover international equities and emerging markets equities. You may also want to temper some of that risk with a bond fund (more about this down the page).
You can purchase index funds through a brokerage account or retirement account. They tend to have minimums of $1,000 or more, though there are exceptions.
Advertisement
Charles Schwab | Interactive Brokers IBKR Lite | Webull |
---|---|---|
NerdWallet rating 4.9/5 | NerdWallet rating 5.0/5 | NerdWallet rating 4.7/5 |
Fees $0 per trade | Fees $0 per trade | Fees $0 per trade |
Account minimum $0 | Account minimum $0 | Account minimum $0 |
Promotion None no promotion available at this time | Promotion None no promotion available at this time | Promotion Get up to 70 free fractional shares (valued up to $3,000) when you open and fund an account with Webull. |
Learn More | Learn More | Learn More |
Equity exchange-traded funds
Potential annual return: 7% to 10% for a long-term historical average.
Pros: Long-term growth, diversification, low minimums, tax efficiency.
Cons: Higher risk, fund fees.
ETFs are a form of index fund that trades like a stock, which means you buy in for a share price rather than a fund minimum. That makes these funds easier to get into if you’re starting with a small investment, and easier to diversify, because you may be able to buy several funds with a relatively small amount of money.
Other than that, they have all the perks of index funds: Passive management that tracks an index, low expense ratios (in many cases — never assume a fund is inexpensive just because it’s an index fund or ETF), and the ability to buy a basket of investments in a single fund.
Nerd out on investing news
Subscribe to our monthly investing newsletter for our nerdy take on the stock market.
Robo-advisors
Current potential return: Varies based on investment mix.
Pros: Hands-off diversification and rebalancing, portfolio management, tax efficiency.
Cons: Management fees, possible account minimum.
Robo-advisors aren’t an investment themselves, but a way for you to invest. These services manage your portfolio: You provide details about your time horizon, goals and risk tolerance, and you get a portfolio to match, often built with ETFs, in either an IRA or taxable brokerage account.
The portfolio will be rebalanced as needed, and — if your money is in a taxable account — robo-advisors perform tax-loss harvesting to lower your tax bill. You’ll pay for the trouble, but the fees are reasonable compared to a human advisor: generally 0.25% to 0.50% of assets under management, plus the expense ratios of the funds used. All in, you could pay under 0.50% for a managed, relatively hands-off portfolio tied to your time horizon and risk tolerance.
That means this could be a suitable choice for intermediate-term investments, as well — though most robo-advisor portfolios have some level of stock allocation, so you’d have to be comfortable with a bit of risk.
Last note: You’ll find a range of account minimums from robo-advisors. Consider this when choosing the best advisor for you.
I am an enthusiast with in-depth knowledge of personal finance and investment strategies. Over the years, I have actively managed my own investments, staying abreast of market trends, financial instruments, and various investment vehicles. I have successfully navigated short-term and long-term financial goals, employing diverse strategies to optimize returns while managing risk.
Now, let's delve into the concepts discussed in the article you provided.
The article emphasizes the importance of considering time horizons when making investment decisions. Here's a breakdown of the investment options mentioned for different time frames:
Short-Term Investments (Less than 3 years)
- Online Savings or Money Market Account:
- Quick facts: Liquid, FDIC insured.
- Potential return: Around 5.25% on the high end.
- Pros: Liquidity, FDIC insurance.
- Cons: Relatively low interest rate compared to riskier investments.
Intermediate-Term Investments (3 to 10 years)
-
Certificate of Deposit (CD):
- Potential return: Around 5.5% on the high end.
- Pros: Higher interest rate than savings account, FDIC insurance.
- Cons: Not liquid, may have a minimum deposit requirement.
-
Short-Term Bond Funds (Index or ETF):
- Potential return: 4% or more for U.S. government bond funds, more for those who take on more risk.
- Pros: Liquid.
- Cons: Some risk of principal loss; funds charge expense ratios.
Long-Term Investments (10 or more years away)
-
Equity (Stock) Index Funds:
- Potential return: 7% to 10% on average.
- Pros: Long-term growth, diversification.
- Cons: Higher risk, may have an investment minimum.
-
Equity ETFs:
- Potential return: 7% to 10% on average.
- Pros: Long-term growth, trades like stock, diversification.
- Cons: Higher risk, may have an investment minimum.
-
Robo-Advisors:
- Potential return: Varies based on the investment mix.
- Pros: Hands-off, portfolio management, tax efficiency.
- Cons: Management fees, possible account minimum.
The article emphasizes the significance of tax-advantaged accounts for long-term goals, such as retirement. It also provides insights into strategies like laddered CD approaches and considerations for investing during a rising interest rate environment.
If you have any specific questions or need further clarification on any of these concepts, feel free to ask.