The recurring questions are:

1. How early should I start investing?
2. Where should I start to invest?

A few basic answers:

Saving and investing for the future should start before an individual is conceived. Parents should start thinking about this when they are in any relationships because producing a child is always a possibility in any relationships. Setting aside savings and investment plans for the unborn should be part of lovers’ (potential parents) budget. At a minimum, each lover should plan for this probability by himself or herself. If there are no children when the relationship ends, the amount saved can be rolled over to the next relationship for the next potential child or children. The possibility of having a child is always there even without a meaningful relationship.

When should a child start to invest, or when should parents start to expose their children to savings and investments? The answer is very simple: Parents should start, at a minimum, investing on behalf of their children before they are even one month old. For example, anyone at the age of one month or probably less can invest in stocks (stock is still a viable option in an investment portfolio). All that is needed in order to invest in stocks is the following: (a) Name – a child has a name once the child is born for birth certificate and other records. (b) Address/home – a child will go home probably within two days after birth (the hospital will do their best to make sure mommy is discharged as soon as possible unless there are medical complications. (c) Social security number – social security number can be obtained within two weeks after birth. (d) Custodian – the parents can always be the child’s custodian until age of maturity. No amount of investment is too small. Parents should include children’s savings and investment as a line item in their budget.  

Always remember that when you invest in stocks, you own part of the great America. Oh yes, part of the world too. There is no justification for any parent not to invest early for their offspring – teaching him or her the beginning of financial independent.

Here are some rudimentary statistics:

1. 56% of Americans own stocks
2. 37% between 18-34 years old own stock
3. 26% start to invest in stock at the age of 29