How do I choose my first ETF?
Before purchasing an ETF there are five factors to take into account 1) performance of the ETF 2) the underlying index of the ETF 3) the ETF's structure 4) when and how to trade the ETF and 5) the total cost of the ETF.
Ultimately, investors choosing an ETF need to ask 3 questions: What exposure does this ETF have? How well does the ETF deliver this exposure? And how efficiently can I access the ETF? Look at the ETF's underlying index (benchmark) to determine the exposure you're getting.
- Open a brokerage account. You'll need a brokerage account to buy and sell securities like ETFs. ...
- Find and compare ETFs with screening tools. Now that you have your brokerage account, it's time to decide what ETFs to buy. ...
- Place the trade. ...
- Sit back and relax.
Experts agree that for most personal investors, a portfolio comprising 5 to 10 ETFs is perfect in terms of diversification.
ETFs don't have minimum investment requirements -- at least not in the same sense that mutual funds do. However, ETFs trade on a per-share basis, so unless your broker offers the ability to buy fractional shares of stock, you'll need at least the current price of one share to get started.
An index ETF-only portfolio can be a straightforward yet flexible investment solution. There are plenty of advantages in using exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to fill gaps in an investment portfolio, and lots of investors mix and match ETFs with mutual funds and individual stocks and bonds in their accounts.
| ETF | Assets Under Management | Expense Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) | $2.6 billion | 0.95% |
| Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) | $254 billion | 0.20% |
| Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) | $70 billion | 0.10% |
| VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) | $16.3 billion | 0.35% |
We recommend Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) (minimum investment: $1; expense Ratio: 0.03%); Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ) (minimum investment: NA; expense Ratio: 0.2%); and SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA). (minimum investment: none; expense Ratio: 0.16%).
Why Invest in ETFs Rather Than Mutual Funds? ETFs can be less expensive to own than mutual funds. Plus, they trade continuously throughout exchange hours, and such flexibility may matter to certain investors. ETFs also can result in lower taxes from capital gains, since they're a passive security that tracks an index.
ETFs make a great pick for many investors who are starting out as well as for those who simply don't want to do all the legwork required to own individual stocks. Though it's possible to find the big winners among individual stocks, you have strong odds of doing well consistently with ETFs.
Should I invest in QQQ or VOO?
For conservative-minded investors, VOO's lower expense ratio and higher dividend yield is more appealing but risk-seeking investors may prefer QQQ in spite of its higher volatility.
Generally speaking, fewer than 10 ETFs are likely enough to diversify your portfolio, but this will vary depending on your financial goals, ranging from retirement savings to income generation.
Market risk
The single biggest risk in ETFs is market risk. Like a mutual fund or a closed-end fund, ETFs are only an investment vehicle—a wrapper for their underlying investment. So if you buy an S&P 500 ETF and the S&P 500 goes down 50%, nothing about how cheap, tax efficient, or transparent an ETF is will help you.
If you buy substantially identical security within 30 days before or after a sale at a loss, you are subject to the wash sale rule. This prevents you from claiming the loss at this time.
Reinvest Your Payments
The truth is that most investors won't have the money to generate $1,000 per month in dividends; not at first, anyway. Even if you find a market-beating series of investments that average 3% annual yield, you would still need $400,000 in up-front capital to hit your targets. And that's okay.
Imagine you wish to amass $3000 monthly from your investments, amounting to $36,000 annually. If you park your funds in a savings account offering a 2% annual interest rate, you'd need to inject roughly $1.8 million into the account.
ETFs are designed to track the market, not to beat it
But many ETFs track a benchmarking index, which means the fund often won't outperform the underlying assets in the index. Investors who are looking to beat the market (potentially a riskier approach) may choose to look at other products and services.
The low investment threshold for most ETFs makes it easy for a beginner to implement a basic asset allocation strategy that matches their investment time horizon and risk tolerance. For example, young investors might be 100% invested in equity ETFs when they are in their 20s.
Before purchasing an ETF there are five factors to take into account 1) performance of the ETF 2) the underlying index of the ETF 3) the ETF's structure 4) when and how to trade the ETF and 5) the total cost of the ETF.
- 9 Safest Index Funds and ETFs to buy in 2024. ...
- Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO 1.03%) ...
- Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM 0.49%) ...
- Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ 0.44%) ...
- iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT 1.0%) ...
- Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP 0.15%) ...
- iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV 0.01%)
What are the big 4 ETFs?
- iShares (BlackRock): $2.59 trillion.
- Vanguard: $2.36 trillion.
- SPDR (State Street): $1.22 trillion.
- Invesco: $454.78 billion.
- Charles Schwab: $320.21 billion3.
| Symbol | Name | 5-Year Return |
|---|---|---|
| XNTK | SPDR NYSE Technology ETF | 20.24% |
| SSO | ProShares Ultra S&P 500 | 20.17% |
| IGM | iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF | 19.67% |
| QQQ | Invesco QQQ Trust Series I | 19.63% |
One of the biggest reasons Ramsey cautions investors about ETFs is that they are so easy to move in and out of. Unlike traditional mutual funds, which can only be bought or sold once per day, you can buy or sell an ETF on the open market just like an individual stock at any time the market is open.
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, VOO is a great option for investors seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend segment of the market.
ETFs offer advantages over stocks in two situations. First, when the return from stocks in the sector has a narrow dispersion around the mean, an ETF might be the best choice. Second, if you are unable to gain an advantage through knowledge of the company, an ETF is your best choice.
