Browsing public site

New to investing

We believe investing should be for everyone. But we also understand that it can be a complex subject to understand. While at its most simple, investing is about putting money into an asset with an expectation of gain, the options for investing run from something simple like earning interest on a deposit at a bank, through to something more complex like purchasing a selection of diversified local and overseas shares.

Perhaps the most important things to understand are that not all investments are equal – values will vary and may go up or down depending on the current return and perceived risk relative to other investments – and that your specific situation (your goals, how long you intended to keep the money invested, your attitude towards risk etc) will determine what kind of investment is appropriate for you. There are a few ways we suggest you think about getting started. 

View our choosing an advice service page for information to help you decide if our financial advice services meet your needs.

We’ve produced a simple Introduction to Investing guide. It will help you understand some basic topics and get you thinking about what type of investments might be right for you.

Our guide covers topics like:

  • things to consider before investing
  • types of investments
  • risk and credit ratings
  • creating an investment portfolio
  • ongoing management
  • the Forsyth Barr approach
  • next steps

Find out more

You can also speak to one of our Investment Advisers.

They will talk to you about your specific situation, and be able to help answer your questions. Click here to connect to an adviser.