The Investment Calculator can be used to compute a certain investment plan parameter. The tabs represent the parameters that need to be found. Click the 'Return Rate' tab, for example, to determine the return rate required to meet an investment target with specific inputs. Investing is the act of putting money to work in order to make more money. The Investment Calculator can assist in determining one of many distinct variables associated with fixed-rate investments.
There are four critical components that comprise every average financial investment.
Return rate - For many investors, this is the most important factor. It looks to be a simple percentage on the surface, but it is the cold, hard number used to compare the attractiveness of various types of financial investments.
Starting amount - Also known as the principal, this is the amount visible at the start of the investment. In practical terms, it can be a big sum saved for a property, an inheritance, or the cost of a quantity of gold.
End amount - The desired amount at the end of the investment's life.
Investment length - The duration of the investment. In general, the longer an investment is held, the riskier it becomes owing to the unknown future. Generally, the longer an investment is held, the more return compounding occurs and the bigger the rewards.
Additional contribution - Also known as an annuity payment in financial jargon, investments can be made without them. Any more payments to the principal made during the life of an investment, on the other hand, will result in a more accrued return and a higher final amount.
Our Investment Calculator can be applied to almost any investment opportunity that can be reduced to the factors listed above.
A certificate of deposit, or CD, is a simple example of an investment that may be utilised with the calculator and is available at most institutions. A certificate of deposit is a low-risk investment. Most banks in the United States are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), a federal organisation in the United States. This indicates that the FDIC will guarantee the CD up to a specified amount. It pays a fixed interest rate for a set period of time, providing a simple rate of return and investment length. Generally, the longer money is held in a CD, the higher the interest rate received. Other low-risk investments of this type include savings and money market accounts, which provide modest interest rates.
When considering investments, the risk is an important consideration. In general, higher risks necessitate higher premiums. Purchasing the debt of some companies rated as risky by the agencies that determine risk levels in corporate debt (Moody's, Fitch, Standard & Poor's) will earn a relatively high rate of interest, but there is always the risk that these companies will go out of business, potentially resulting in losses on investments.
Purchasing bonds from corporations that have been rated as low-risk by the aforementioned organizations is safer, but it earns a lesser rate of interest. Bonds can be purchased for either the short or long term.
Rather than holding a bond to maturity, short-term bond investors choose to acquire it while the price is low and sell it when the price has risen. Bond prices normally decline when interest rates rise and rise when interest rates fall. Differences in supply and demand within the bond market can potentially create short-term trading opportunities.
Stocks or equity are common types of investments. While they are not fixed-income investments, they are a significant type of investment for both institutional and private investors.
A stock is a share of a firm, or a proportion of ownership. It allows a public company's shareholders to partake in its profits, and shareholders get income in the form of dividends for as long as the shares are retained (and the company pays dividends). Most stocks are traded on exchanges, and many investors buy stocks with the intention of selling them at a greater price later (hopefully). Many investors prefer to invest in mutual funds or other types of stock funds that pool equities. A financial manager or organisation actively manages these funds to bring together as many performing equities as possible.