Investing has become increasingly important over the years, as the future of Social Security benefits becomes unknown.

People want to secure their future, and they know that if they rely on Social Security benefits and, in some cases, retirement plans, they may be in for a rude awakening when they no longer have the ability to earn a steady income. Investing is the answer to the unknowns of the future.

You may have been saving money in a low-interest savings account over the years. Now, you want to see money grow at a faster rate. Maybe you’ve inherited money or realized some other kind of windfall and need a way to grow that money. Again, investing is the answer.

Investing is also a way to get the things you want, like a new house, a college education for your kids, or expensive ‘toys’. Of course, your financial goals will determine what type of investment you will make.

If you want or need to make a lot of money quickly, you would be more interested in higher risk investments, which will give you a higher return in a shorter period of time. If you’re saving for something in the distant future, like retirement, you’ll want to make safer investments that grow over a longer period of time.

The general purpose of investing is to create wealth and security, over a period of time. It’s important to remember that you won’t always be able to earn an income…eventually you’ll want to retire.

Nor can you count on the social security system to do what you expect it to do. As we’ve seen with Enron, you also can’t necessarily depend on your company’s retirement plan. So again, investing is the key to securing your own financial future, but you need to make smart investments!

Many people like to rely on 401K plans and other investments to supplement their retirement savings. This is a good practice because Social Security may not exist after the year 2029. It’s never too early to start investing in stocks and bonds on your own. However, it is very important to speak with a qualified financial advisor before investing any money.

So contact a financial advisor, such as a qualified stockbroker, and talk to them about your financial future.