After working with a reputable lawyer to achieve a settlement figure you’re happy with, you may be wondering what to do with the money. You will likely put some of it toward repaying your related costs, but there may be some leftover that’s simply burning a hole in your pocket.
Rather than let it sit in your bank account doing nothing, consider whether you can put it to work. Here are some of the many investment options that may be worth learning more about.
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Gold
When this law firm in Las Vegas shakes your hand and bids you farewell after a successful outcome, you may have many ideas about the soundest investment options for your hard-won funds. Even though gold may not seem like one of the most natural choices, it’s proving to be a popular one.
It’s protected against inflation in the long term, and many investors consider it one of the safest investment options. It’s also a monetary asset, which means it can provide a balance in your portfolio against your dollar-denominated purchases.
If you decide to go down the gold-investing path, ensure you do your homework to understand what you need to buy, how to buy it, and where to buy it.
Real Estate
As you become savvier with your settlement funds, you may start looking at different long-term investment options that are potentially riskier but profitable in the future. Real estate ticks this box.
Depending on your chosen investment area’s conditions, real estate can offer consistent income while even igniting a passion for more involvement in the property purchasing world. However, if you prefer to work with figures rather than tenants, a real estate investment trust (REIT) may be more to your liking.
A REIT can provide investors with slow and steady growth while typically riding the waves of different interest rates and economic changes with relative ease. However, this investment type requires you to play the long game, with significant gains unlikely during your investment’s early few months.
Certificates of Deposit
Feelings of safety can be paramount for any new investor, which is why so many people look at certificates of deposit (CDs). CDs are a reasonably safe investment option and a form of passive income.
Rather than putting your money into a savings account, you can earn slightly more interest by tying up your funds in CDs. As long as you secure a high annual percentage yield and put money into multiple CDs to form a ‘CD ladder,’ you may see earnings of hundreds or thousands annually.
Stocks
Even if you have never paid stocks much attention in the past, your successful settlement may have you doing so to put your money to work. Stocks are pieces of a company that represent a portion of its capital. The higher the number of stocks you own, the more ownership you have.
Purchasing stocks requires you to keep an eye on what’s going on in the trading world, especially to know what’s worth buying, but it may just pay off. Pick an industry that interests you, use a screener to filter out your options, and analyze their position in the market.
As tempting as it can be to sit on your settlement money, you have an opportunity to explore your investment options. Some of these investment types might be how you secure a long-term income for yourself without having to lift a finger.
Please also read How to Choose the Right Forex Broker
