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When is the right time to invest?

You’ve decided to start investing but don’t know when to take the plunge. Is now the right time?

Predicting where the market is headed is extremely difficult, especially if you’re new to investing. So rather than spending time trying to decide when to begin, consider these three simple tips to help you start putting your money to work.

Create a plan and a timeline

Create a plan - think about what you are investing for and when you will need the money. Having a plan can keep you focused on your long-term goals rather than short-term market movements.

Diversify

Invest your dollars across a number of different types of investments. This strategy may help reduce the risk that your progress will be derailed by poor performance of a single investment or single type of investment.

Regularly schedule contributions into your investment account

Consider investing a set amount of money weekly, monthly, or quarterly, no matter what’s going on in the markets. This approach is known as "dollar cost averaging" and it can help to average out the prices at which you buy investments over time.

The key to success is to keep in mind why you’re investing and when you plan to use the money rather than be distracted by day-to-day changes in the market.

Asset allocation and diversification are investment methods used to help manage risk. They do not guarantee investment returns or eliminate risk of loss including in a declining market.

A periodic investment plan such as dollar cost averaging does not assure a profit or protect against a loss in declining markets. Since such a strategy involves continuous investment, the investor should consider his or her ability to continue purchases through periods of low price levels.