Individual

In this type of Internet piracy, thieves use phony e-mails and web sites to extract personal financial information, including account numbers and passwords, from unwary consumers. Read this article for more informaiton and for tips to protect your information.

The SEC’s Web site, focused on the needs of individual investors, Investor.gov, offers a wealth of information on how to become a smarter investor. Use retirement calculators, tools, and games to increase your financial knowledge. Or, read articles on products such as mutual funds, variable annuities, and 529 college savings plans. The site also can help you figure out what questions to ask before investing and where to get the answers.

Knowing how to secure your financial well-being is one of the most important things you’ll ever need in life. This brochure covers the basics of saving and investing and includes key tips on making money grow over time.  Sections include: (i) Define Your Goals, (ii) Make a Financial Plan, (iii) Determine Your Risk Tolerance, (iv) Investment Products: Your Choices, (v) How to Pick a Financial Professional, and (vi) Avoid Problems.

Over the past decade, American investors increasingly have turned to mutual funds to save for retirement and other financial goals. Mutual funds can offer the advantages of diversification and professional management. But, as with other investment choices, investing in mutual funds involves risk. In addition, fees and taxes can diminish a fund’s returns. This article explains the basics of mutual fund investing — how mutual funds work, what factors to consider before investing, and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Ask questions - that’s the best advice about how to invest wisely. This on-line brochure provides some questions that you should ask about investment products, the people who sell those products, and the people who provide investment advice to you. It also includes some helpful tips on how to monitor your investments and handle any problems.

Are you thinking about starting a business of your own? Congratulations! It’s a huge step, and you’ll need to be prepared. That’s where SBA comes in: Learn the aspects of starting a business, plus get the answers and information you need to startup. This website provides guidance, hints and tips.

The SBA offers podcast feeds to you on a range of small business topics. Podcast feeds deliver audio broadcasts to your desktop. You can listen to these files on your computer or download them to your MP3 player and take them with you. For your convenience, we will be adding additional feeds every month on small business topics.

Guidance and information on purchasing funeral services.

The Small Business Training Network is a virtual campus offering online courses, publications and other forms of technical assistance.

The Publications.USA.Gov website allows users to order from the hundreds of publications in the Catalog on topics such as credit, saving for retirement, investing and more.