Dealing with your finances is not always easy. Some would argue that it is never really easy since there are so many aspects that people know nothing about. Picking a new thing to back up with your money and invest in is always hard as there are no guarantees that it will be even remotely successful. On top of that, doing it all on your own is also not viable because it is a field where expertise is needed to stay on top and build a meaningful career. That is why you need help when setting up any sort of investment account regardless of size and purpose.
Anyone who wants to do something new with their financial plan needs to get in touch with those who have dedicated decades of their life working in the field. As with anything else, you will need the right experts and professionals to help you along the way and assist you in setting everything up. In this article we focus on these people who are collectively known as brokers. A broker is somebody who buys and sells goods and/or assets on behalf or for others. They are also known as agents, dealers, and liaisons, but the term broker is typically used the most. A broker can help you with your investment plans and allow you to realize your dreams and visions, but picking one is not that easy.
Source: financeguru.com
Therefore, in an effort to help you and bring this entire thing closer to you, right here and now we are exploring the world of brokers. Actually, we are talking differences between two distinct types of brokers, the managed and the self-directed brokers. Which one do you need? Which one does what? How do you even make the choice and why should you care about this at all? Read along to find out answers to all of these questions and more. In addition to this, make sure to visit this site for extra advice on this important topic.
The Managed Approach?
We cannot really be talking about brokers without mentioning the accounts they will help you with. Because of this, when mentioning managed brokers, we actually also mean managed accounts. We start off with this because it is the one where the broker has more control and where you will be doing less of the work. As such, this is the model that most clients pick as it is in their best interest to have a professional dealing with most of the work. In managed accounts, the investment advisor you are working with has complete control over your money. He or she decides what you but and what you sell, whether to hold your money in cash or assets, what type of investments to make and when to do so.
They do so by first learning your investment goals, your potential, exploring your assets and the history of your account management. When they have all the relevant info they can make a financial plan for your account, which is also when they can start running your investment portfolio for you. Since the broker chooses the securities to buy and sell, the account has to be active. However, passive portfolios also exist that allow them to buy and sell while tracking the market changes over a certain period.
Source: investopedia.com
So why does a managed account even exist and why does it make sense for an investor to relegate all of these responsibilities to a broker? Well, first of all, you as the investor have more time to do other things. Giving such freedom to your broker frees you from the day-to-day decision making and constant tracking of potential changes. Instead of doing everything on your own, a qualified expert does it for you and does the necessary research on which stocks to buy, which to sell, and when to do either of the to. Allowing them time and trusting them to do so are key, but they have to earn it of course with good decision making and track record.
Another great thing that a managed broker account allows you is professional supervision. As mentioned already, everything is done by a qualified professional, an expert in economy and a broker who knows the stock market well. Handing over the reins to them and allowing them to have control over it all means you are giving them something that is already in their job description. Managing your money is what they went to school to learn how to do. You cannot become an expert while doing it, or overnight before you start. Employing an already established professional means that the right person for the job will be doing it for you. It makes much more sense particularly if you are new and know nothing about the stock market and investment. After all, it removes emotions on your end and the constant worry you would have. The broker worries for you and reacts accordingly.
The Self-Directed Approach
As opposed to managed brokers and accounts, a self-directed approach does not give control over your finances and investments to anyone, but keeps them for you. You manage everything directly and chose which securities you want to deal with. There is no broker to advise you, worry for you, or make the big moves instead of you. For those who want to make their own decisions this is the ultimate option. It is also the main advantage, provided you know what you are doing and what needs to be done. For better or for worse, the destiny of your investment portfolio and your money is entirely in your own hands.
Source: cnbc.com
Another reason why this is preferred by some people is the lower costs of the entire account and investment endeavor. Self-directed brokerage accounts cost less overall because you do not have a broker on your payroll. There is nobody you are hiring to do things for you as you are in charge of things. So if you want to save on the costs and know a thing or two about managing your savings and investments, by all means go for it. Just know that in case something bad happens it is entirely your own fault. Also, remember that it is time consuming since you are completely on your own, without any professional financial advice. A single bad call can destroy years of work despite you yourself spending hours of each day worrying about it and losing sleep over it. It is a stressful thing to worry about this all on your own.
