A 401 K is a retirement plan offered by a company to its employees. This gives employees a convenient way to save a portion of pay for their retirement. Do you know the advantages and rules of investing in a 401K?

A corporate bond is a debt obligation issued by a company. You loan a company money through a bond. In return, they promise to repay your initial investment plus interest for the use of your money. A company issues a corporate bond to raise money it needs for operating the company.

A stock is a part ownership in a company. A share represents that part ownership. Stock is issued by a company to raise money for its operations. Stock in a company gives you the right to share in the profits that the company makes.

You've probably heard lots of advice to invest internationally. What does that mean? International investing is investing in assets sold or issued by a company or country that is not your home country. Why would you do that?

Do you wonder if you are saving enough for retirement? One way to check your progress is with a retirement calculator. Many exist but I recently had the opportunity to review a Monte Carlo Simulation calculator app called Retire-Sure.

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.