Jump straight to Webull! Get real-time market data, analysis tools and $0 commissions.
$100,000 is a life-changing amount of money. No matter if you’ve worked for it, inherited it, or won it in the lottery, making smart investments now can help you set up a healthier financial future for yourself and your family and grow your money exponentially over time. Before you spend, determine your risk tolerance and consider placing your money into one of these four smart investments.
Table of contents [Hide]
First, determining your risk tolerance
Your “risk tolerance” is the level of tolerance you can withstand when it comes to seeing returns on your money. If you have a high-risk tolerance, small returns are not the end of the world, and you won’t be in serious trouble should you lose all of your money; those with high-risk tolerances can afford to risk more and venture to see larger returns.
On the other hand, if you have a low-risk tolerance, you need to see returns or you will experience immediate negative life consequences. Some of the factors that contribute to your unique risk tolerance level include:
Your funds in the bank
Life comes with surprises—and many of them can be expensive. From a sudden job loss to an unexpected surgery, keeping an emergency fund robust enough to cover six months’ worth of expenses can help protect you and your family from debt in the event of an unfortunate surprise. If you don’t yet have an emergency fund in your budget planning, or your emergency fund is weak, put some of your money into a nest egg before you invest.
Your age
Younger investors have the benefit of time on their side. With more years until retirement, they can afford to be riskier with their money and make more mistakes because compounding interest can make up for dips in the market or poor returns in the long-term. Older investors will want to look for more guaranteed returns—especially if they are a year or two away from retirement.
Your employment stability
Do you know how much money will be on your next paycheck? If you’re in a salaried position, settled with a family, and not planning on making a career change any time soon, you can afford to take more risks with your money because your income stream is predictable. On the other hand, if you are self-employed or work only part-time, your income varies—you’ll want to make more secure investments.
Invest $100k the least risky way
Least risky: pay off your debts and mortgage
From student loan debt to credit card debt, paying back what you owe should be the first thing you do with your money if you’re looking for a secure investment. Debt accrues interest, can lower your credit score, and can also cause unnecessary stress in your home. Paying down your smallest accounts first and working up to your largest debt (likely to be your mortgage if you own a home) is a completely risk-free investment that will put you in a better position to invest your leftover funds.
There is one caveat to paying off your mortgage—if you have what’s called a prepayment penalty written into the terms of your mortgage, you will face a fee if you pay off the mortgage before the completion of the original terms. Prepayment penalties are less common today than they once were, and typically only apply if the homeowner pays off the mortgage within 2 to 5 years of the start of the loan.
Invest $100k with mild risk
Mild risk: invest in high-investment index funds
Most IRA providers draw in younger investors with low-minimum index funds, but many also offer high-minimum investment funds that cut expenses in exchange for a certain deposit.
For example, Vanguard’s “Admiral Shares” function almost identically to its matching normal index funds, but require a minimum investment of $10,000 to $100,000 for actively managed funds. In exchange for this high minimum, the company lowers the expense ratio by about 40% for most Admiral-level funds.
Think of high-investment index funds as a sort of “elite club” for the most prominent investors. Index fund investing is a low-risk investment option; though any stock market venture comes along with an inherent level of risk, index funds are able to mitigate this through portfolio diversification.
Looking to learn more about index funds? Check out the video below for a quick crash course:
Invest $100k with moderate risk
Moderate risk: start currency trading
Currency trading (or forex trading) is the process of buying and selling the currencies of other countries. Most forex traders use an investment process called buying on the margin to see profitable currency trades because the value of currencies usually varies by only a few cents per day.
When you buy on the margin, you put a sort of down payment into your account, and your broker extends leverage to you as a ratio. For example, if you have a 100:1 ratio, your broker will allow you to trade with $100 for every $1 you place into your account. With $100,000 in your hand, you have the potential to become a very profitable forex trader—but it’s important to note that the global market is fickle and forex investing is one of the riskier types of financial ventures.
Totally lost when it comes to finding a forex broker? Check Benzinga’s picks for the Best Forex Trading Brokerages. Don’t have time? Here’s a quick look at our favorites.
Commissions
Spreads start as low as $1 But vary based on trading volumeAccount Min
$2501 Minute Review
FOREX.com is a one-stop shop for forex traders. With a massive range of tradable currencies, low account minimums and an impressive trading platform, FOREX.com is an excellent choice for brokers searching for a home base for their currency trading. New traders and seasoned veterans alike will love FOREX.com’s extensive education and research center that provides free, informative forex trading courses at multiple skill levels. While FOREX.com is impressive, remember that it isn’t a standard broker.
Best For
- MetaTrader 4 users
- Beginner forex traders
- Active forex traders
Pros
- Impressive, easy-to-navigate platform
- Wide range of education and research tools
- Access to over 80 currencies to buy and sell
- Leverage available up to 50:1
Cons
- Cannot buy and sell other securities (like stocks and bonds)
Commissions
$0 $6.95 for OTC StocksAccount Min
$01 Minute Review
This publicly listed discount broker, which is in existence for over four decades, is service-intensive, offering intuitive and powerful investment tools. Especially, with equity investing, a flat fee is charged, with the firm claiming that it charges no trade minimum, no data fees, and no platform fees. Though it is pricier than many other discount brokers, what tilts the scales in its favor is its well-rounded service offerings and the quality and value it offers its clients.
Best For
- Novice investors
- Retirement savers
- Day traders
Pros
- World-class trading platforms
- Detailed research reports and Education Center
- Assets ranging from stocks and ETFs to derivatives like futures and options
Cons
- Thinkorswim can be overwhelming to inexperienced traders
- Derivatives trading more costly than some competitors
- Expensive margin rates
Commissions
Account Min
1 Minute Review
Interactive Brokers is a comprehensive trading platform that gives you access to a massive range of securities at affordable prices. You can buy assets from all around the world from the comfort of your home or office with access to over 135 global markets. Options, futures, forex and fund trading are also available, and most traders won’t pay a commission on any purchase or sale.
IBKR is geared primarily toward experienced traders and investors but now with the availability of free trades with IBKR Lite, casual traders can also acclimate to IBKR’s offerings.
Best For
- Access to foreign markets
- Detailed mobile app that makes trading simple
- Wide range of available account types and tradable assets
Pros
- Comprehensive, quick desktop platform
- Mobile app mirrors full capabilities of desktop version
- Access to massive range of tradable assets
- Low margin rates
- Easy-to-use and enhanced screening options are better than ever
Cons
- Beginner investors might prefer a broker that offers a bit more hand-holding and educational resources
Invest $100k with the most risk
Riskiest: invest in a rental property
Owning and managing a rental property (or two!) can create a steady stream of income and set you up for an early retirement if you are able to buy in a profitable area. More and more of the country is pushing off buying their own home to rent, and you can capitalize on this trend by investing in an asset that is likely to increase in value while it’s earning money. You can even hire a property management company to handle the midnight phone calls for you and limit your landlord status to collecting rent.
Unfortunately, rental property management is not as easy as collecting a check every month and fixing an occasional broken sink. There are rules and regulations surrounding the landlord-tenant relationship that you’ll have to learn about in order to operate within the bounds of the law—for example, in most states, landlords forfeit the right to stop by their property to inspect it without at least 24 hours’ notice.
You’ll also need to be prepared to deal with squatters, delinquent tenants and the expensive eviction process should a tenant refuse to pay rent or leave. This doesn’t even begin to cover some of the horror stories that rental property owners have experienced with delinquent tenants who chose to vandalize the property before being forced out.
Final thoughts
No matter which strategy and risk level is right for you, your first step should be to do plenty of research before you invest. Benzinga has a host of resources available for both new investors and seasoned veterans—our guide to the Best Index Funds of 2018 and Best Books on Investing are two great places to begin your journey.
Turn to Webull
0 Commissions and no deposit minimums. Everyone gets smart tools for smart investing. Webull supports full extended hours trading, which includes full pre-market (4:00 AM - 9:30 AM ET) and after hours (4:00 PM - 8:00 PM ET) sessions. Webull Financial LLC is registered with and regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). It is also a member of the SIPC, which protects (up to $500,000, which includes a $250,000 limit for cash) against the loss of cash and securities held by a customer at a financially-troubled SIPC-member brokerage firm.
