Exchange-Traded Funds For Dummies (2024)

FAQs

What is an exchange-traded fund in simple terms? ›

ETFs or "exchange-traded funds" are exactly as the name implies: funds that trade on exchanges, generally tracking a specific index. When you invest in an ETF, you get a bundle of assets you can buy and sell during market hours—potentially lowering your risk and exposure, while helping to diversify your portfolio.

"ETFs are similar to mutual funds in that they hold a collection of stocks and bonds in a single fund," writes Kiplinger contributor Will Ashworth in his feature "How to Invest in ETFs for Beginners." However, unlike mutual funds, ETFs "are bought and sold on stock exchanges, can be traded anytime the exchange is open, ...

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.

Most ETF income is generated by the fund's underlying holdings. Typically, that means dividends from stocks or interest (coupons) from bonds. Dividends: These are a portion of the company's earnings paid out in cash or shares to stockholders on a per-share basis, sometimes to attract investors to buy the stock.

ETFs have several advantages for investors considering this vehicle. The 4 most prominent advantages are trading flexibility, portfolio diversification and risk management, lower costs versus like mutual funds, and potential tax benefits.

A hedge fund can provide high returns, but with higher risk. An ETF will generally provide lower, more predictable returns but with a much lower risk profile. A hedge fund offers an outsized risk/return profile, although they are restricted to institutions and accredited investors.

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.

Exchange-traded funds work like this: The fund provider owns the underlying assets, designs a fund to track their performance and then sells shares in that fund to investors. Shareholders own a portion of an ETF, but they don't own the underlying assets in the fund.

ETFs can be a great investment for long-term investors and those with shorter-term time horizons. They can be especially valuable to beginning investors. That's because they won't require the time, effort, and experience needed to research individual stocks.

An exchange-traded fund, or ETF, allows investors to buy many stocks or bonds at once. Investors buy shares of ETFs, and the money is used to invest according to a certain objective. For example, if you buy an S&P 500 ETF, your money will be invested in the 500 companies in that index.

What is the best ETF for beginners? ›

So, if you want to keep it simple, you could go with two ETFs: a total world stock market ETF such as the Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT), which gives you exposure to stocks in the U.S. and elsewhere, and a total bond market ETF such as the iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG), which tracks the performance of ...

You expose your portfolio to much higher risk with sector ETFs, so you should use them sparingly, but investing 5% to 10% of your total portfolio assets may be appropriate. If you want to be highly conservative, don't use these at all.

ETF trading generally occurs in-kind, meaning they are not redeemed for cash. Mutual fund shares can be redeemed for money at the fund's net asset value for that day. Stocks are bought and sold using cash.

Holding an ETF for longer than a year may get you a more favorable capital gains tax rate when you sell your investment.

By participating in an exchange fund, you are essentially swapping your concentrated stock position(s) for a diversified portfolio of stocks selected by professional managers. There is no guarantee that the portfolio will outperform your original stock position(s), but diversification can reduce portfolio volatility.

Passive, or index, ETFs generally track and aim to outperform a benchmark index. They provide access to many companies or investments in one trade, whereas individual stocks provide exposure to a single firm. As such, ETFs remove single-stock risk, or the risk inherent in being exposed to just one company.

Some ETFs follow a particular approach of investing like value or growth investing. Certain ETFs combine style with the size or market capitalization (large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap). Examples include Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Value ETF (SCHV), Vanguard Small-Cap ETF (VB), and Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK).

An exchange-traded fund is an investment vehicle that combines some features from mutual funds and some from individual stocks. They are typically structured as open-end mutual fund trusts.