Building a nest egg can be an overwhelming process, especially if you don’t know where to get started. If you are interested in a hands-on approach to managing your finances, self-directed investing takes the traditional ways and opens new avenues to build money for the future.

But many also want to trade online within the stock market to create a more diverse investment portfolio. And we want you to know the best possible path toward investing in stocks online.

Before you dredge the market for investment inspiration, first take into consideration all the options self-directed investing offers.

With self-directed options, you aren’t tied to the traditional stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, though they certainly round out a portfolio. Self-directed investing opens a few more doors to private lending, real estate, cryptocurrency, and other exchanges. With a wider investment pool, you can really tailor your investment plan to your advantage.

But many still want to round out their investment portfolios, and the easiest way there is through trading markets online. The perk of investing online can make the process not only more accessible but easier to monitor from the palm of your hand. Of course, there’s a bit more to it than that.

Before you jump in, here are the top 13 tips you should know.

1. Know What Stockbrokers Are

Before exploring the online investing world, it’s a good idea to research stockbrokers and their use. A big part of trading, back before online trading became commonplace, investors would have to rely on stockbrokers for handling transactions concerning trades, buying, and selling stocks.

Stockbrokers are people or firms licensed to buy and sell stocks and other securities via stocks. Of course, these old-school communications were costly and time-consuming. With the information age, all transactions can easily take place online and at a much lower price. While they may not be as prominent, they still play a vital role in trading.

2. Gather Your Personal Finances

As you prepare to invest, gather all your financial information. Monitor your accounts, debts, purchases, and determine how much you are willing and can afford to invest. Even the savviest investor isn’t impervious to the market crashing. You don’t want to invest beyond your means, nor do you want to put forward too little. Gather your personal finances and through those details, you can begin to form a meaningful investment plan.

3. Start Developing a Plan

With your finances in order, you can start to develop a systematic plan that will not only bring in money but will work like a well-oiled machine. It’s never a good idea to jump into the investment world and randomly choose assets in the hope they will turn a profit. Come up with goals, milestones, and an endgame you want to strive for.

Consider what you may want to invest in, how you plan to build your nest egg, and how much you need to accumulate. Your plan should be flexible, as life and the market are always unpredictable, but regardless — you should have a guideline for your investment opportunities.

4. Do the Research

It’s all well and good to have a plan in place; however, a plan is only as good as the research you put into it. There are a lot of rules and regulations with self-directed investing, as well as many different investment opportunities. By not performing your due diligence, you are doing yourself a disservice. Taking charge of your investments means rolling up your sleeves and discovering what options are available.

5. Get to Know the Rules

In the online investing world, there is plenty of freedom and opportunity. There’s also a lot of room for error, and not knowing the rules can be costly. You can miss out on investments, lose hard-earned money, or even have your account nullified. These pitfalls can be easily avoided by knowing and following the rules.

Discover what investments are permitted, who you can trade with or collaborate with when investing, and how you can avoid self-dealing. Take the time now to read up on these rules and avoid a problem in the future.

6. Select a Custodian if Your Considering IRA

If your method of self-directed investing involves an IRA, we recommend finding a certified IRA custodian to oversee your account. These figureheads oversee transactions, record investments, and any change and records, and specialize in different assets. While they don’t necessarily have a say in your investment choices or how you set up your portfolio, they can offer valuable advice and quality customer service.

7. Compare Your Company Options

Like custodians, there are a lot of different trading companies: Ameritrade, Ally, Merrill, and E*Trade, just to name a few. Don’t select the first one you see or go with the one your family member has. Research and discover what these companies have to offer. Each has different perks and depending on the assets you are interested in investing in, one may be a better fit than the others.

8. Study the Market

With the logistics and the financials in order, you can look at what exactly you want to invest in. Study the market, and as you do, settle on how much you are willing to risk on an investment. Consider what you’re willing to lose vs. gain and watch the market. Don’t wait too long, however. Make an educated selection.

9. Diversify your Portfolio

With more options comes more opportunity. That doesn’t mean you should spread your selection thin. It also means that it’s a bad idea to put all your investment cash into one asset. Creating a diverse account based on balanced selections can really benefit you in the long run. With a mix of slow-growing, long-term investments and higher-risk ventures, diversity can be the key to investment success.

10. Maintain your Plan

After all this research, it would be a shame to throw it all away by disregarding your plan. Now, maintaining a plan doesn’t mean rigidly sticking to it verbatim; flexibility is required for ultimate success. However, you need to be disciplined. Watch your investments; are they growing as they show? You can’t let your portfolio sit unless, of course, it’s doing well. Keep an eye on things and allocate your funds and assets accordingly.

11. Think Before You Trade

Before you throw away an investment, take a step back and think before you trade. Don’t change your portfolio based on emotion. Monitoring activity, research, and expect the unexpected when it comes to online trading. However, you don’t want to sell, sell, sell on a whim and ultimately lose out based on a feeling. Do the research.

12. Professional Help

Online investing can be difficult. With all the rules, research, and planning, it can be overwhelming for one person to handle. If you want to handle your own investments, but just need a little extra assistance, consider reaching out for professional help. The right advisor can help you stay on track, answer any possible questions, and aid your success in the long run.

Self-directed Online Investing: Bottom Line

Planning for the future can take a great deal of effort, but if you put in the time, the reward is worth the risk. Always perform your due diligence and see if online investing is right for you. With online investing, the sky’s the limit.