A prospectus is a document issued by a mutual fund company to explain the details of a mutual fund it is offering for investment. A mutual fund is required by law to provide detailed information to an investor before they choose to invest with the company. Do you know what is in a prospectus?

Socially Responsible Funds are one way to invest for your future while helping the environment. The funds screen the companies they invest in. This helps an investor avoid supporting companies who use environmentally damaging practices. Do you know some socially responsible funds?

An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is an investment that is composed like a mutual fund but trades like a stock. Do you want an investment that is low-cost, diversified and tax efficient? Then an exchange-traded fund may be for you.

Do you want a simple portfolio? One that covers all the basics but leaves out the hassle. You can have such a portfolio. It consists of three index mutual funds or exchange-traded funds.

Are you ready to invest? That is an important question to ask yourself. It is natural to want to jump right into investing. However, a few steps of preparation will help to have a more successful investing experience.

Do you want to invest but question where the money will come from? Finding the money to invest can be hard on a tight budget. It can be done though. There are many ways to do this.

Do you know what socially responsible investing means? Socially responsible investing is a term used to describe investing in companies that conduct their business in morally and ethically appropriate ways.

Have you thought about the risks of investing? The Most Important Thing Illuminated: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor by Howard Marks discusses and explains the nature of risk. This book offers a good overview of how to think critically about the risks we take as investors

Do you rebalance your portfolio? Have you put it off? Many people fail to rebalance their portfolios. Do you know why portfolio rebalancing so important?

Reading and learning about investing is how you can become a successful investor. It pays to know how each type of investment works. Also, it is important to know the risks involved in investing. The more you know, the better you can build a profitable portfolio.