Getting started

This exercise should take no more than 15 minutes.
Click and grab the sliders to select your answer.

Well done - we wished we could have made the questionnaire shorter too!

Getting Started

Creating Your Profile

There’s no need to be alarmed! We’re not building a "big brother" database on you, but we are calculating what type of investor you are, what your investment goals are, your time horizons and how experienced you are as an investor.

That way we can bring to the fore the information that’s relevant for you, as there’s a vast amount in this site.

Risk

Risk needn’t be viewed as all bad, but the rule of thumb is the greater the risk the greater the potential for gain (or loss) and the lower the risk, the smaller the potential for gain (or loss).

To filter out the huge number of investment products on the market, it’s very helpful that we (and you) understand your attitude to risk, so you can be comfortable with your decisions.

Very Low Risk (green)

very low risk

A predominant industry classification restricts these funds to include a maximum equity exposure of up to 60%, coupled with at least 30% invested in fixed interest and cash. Cautious managed portfolios are effectively tailored to include an allocation between stocks and bonds that are designed to provide both income and capital appreciation while avoiding excessive risk. They should be held over the longer term, with a five year view, and are aimed at risk averse investors seeking capital preservation, with an exposure to bonds and equities in order to generate returns above simply holding cash.

Low Risk (pale green)

low risk

This refers to funds which invest in a range of assets with a maximum equity exposure restricted to 60% of the fund and with at least 30% invested in fixed interest and cash. There is no specific requirement to hold a minimum percentage of non UK equity within the equity limits. Assets must be at least 50% in Sterling/Euro and equities are deemed to include convertibles.

Medium Risk (pale orange)

This refers to funds which offer investment in a range of assets, with the maximum equity exposure restricted to 85% of the fund. At least 10% of the total fund must be held in non-UK equities. Assets must be at least 50% in Sterling/Euro and equities are deemed to include convertibles.

High Risk (mid orange)

High risk

This refers to funds which offer investment in a range of assets, with the Manager being able to invest up to 100% in equities, at their discretion. At least 10% of the total fund must be held in non-UK equities. There is no minimum Sterling/Euro balance and equities are deemed to include convertibles. At any one time the asset allocation of these funds may hold a high proportion of non-equity assets such that the asset allocation would, by default, place the fund in either the Balanced or Cautious sector. These funds would remain in this sector on these occasions since it is the Manager's stated intention to retain the right to invest up to 100% in equities.

Very High Risk (Red)

Very high risk

Very high risk funds invest up to 100% in the equity markets and will often focus on developing nations or early stage companies where the potential for gain (or loss) is very high. Many emerging markets funds are classed as very high risk as are venture capital funds.

As always risk shouldn't be viewed as bad - it is understanding the relationship between potential growth and potential loss. The higher the potential gain, the more you become exposed to similar levels of loss.

Goals

There are many reasons to invest for the longer term – primarily retirement, but also for school fees, a regular income, holidays, property, other high value goods or just to have that feeling that you’re well prepared for all eventualities.

With low savings rates and high inflation, investing in the stock market is looking attractive against cash and deposit-based alternatives.

Here you’ll find everything you need to invest for all sorts of different scenarios in a straightforward fashion – whether you’re a beginner or an expert investor.

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Retirement

The fastest growing area of investment is private investors managing their own pension funds. Self Invested Personal Pensions (or SIPPs), allow you to collect up all your existing shares, funds and other investments into an account where you can add to - and manage - your retirement fund. And our charges make sure it’s you and not your financial adviser that’ll be retiring early!

Income

income

You may want to derive an income from your investments and we offer many income-paying funds and Model Portfolios here. Look out for funds marked "Inc" in their titles. "Acc", by the way is short fro accumulation which indicate it is a growth fund where any dividends are reinvested rather than paid to investors as income.

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School / University Fees

We need to get used to the fact that we’re on our own now when it comes to providing a decent education for our children. Investing wisely – perhaps using a tax-free ISA every year - can ensure that paying school or university fees comes as less of a shock as your children grow up. We have a whole host of products for all investors, from ‘invest and forget’ managed products, through to self select stocks and shares ISAs.

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Significant Future Purchases

Whether it’s a villa abroad, a Ferrari or Aston Martin or that holiday of a lifetime, then we offer a huge range of funds (unit trusts, investment trusts, Exchange Traded Funds or individual shares) to add into your portfolio. And we’ve made it easier than ever to choose yourself.

Experience

This site is designed to offer the very best information and guidance in the market, from our large team of journalists, first rate information and tools as well as from other users via ratings, comments and recommendations.

sliderWe have designed the site and the products within it to offer a straightforward way to gain control and manage your investment affairs, whether you are a beginner or an expert investor.

By telling us your level of experience, we can assist in how we present information and products to you, without being complex or patronising.

magazinesAnd feel free to use the site to learn – there is a huge library of educational content about the world of investing from our own journalists and experts as well as our sister titles, Money Observer and Moneywise.

If you really are nervous about taking the plunge, then we offer a service called IFA.Net, a financial advisory service for Interactive Investor users that works with the tolls and information on the site. They can help with getting you started as well as more complex ifa.netmatters.