Part I
Getting Started with ETFs
In this part …
Find out how ETFs work, and how they’re different from other
investment options.
Look into the plusses and minuses of ETFs to determine
whether they’re a good fit for you.
Get the pieces into position for ETF investing, from starting an
account to finding a broker.
Understand the indexers and exchanges.
Chapter 1
The (Sort of Still) New Kid on
the Block
In This Chapter
Distinguishing what makes ETFs unique
Appreciating ETFs’ special attributes
Understanding that ETFs aren’t perfect
Taking a look at who is making the most use of ETFs, and how
Asking whether ETFs are for you
There are, no doubt, a good number of pinstriped ladies and gentlemen
in and around Wall Street who froth heavily at the mouth when they hear
the words exchange-traded fund. In a world of very pricey investment
products and very well paid investment-product salespeople, ETFs are
the ultimate killjoys.
Since their arrival on the investment scene in the early 1990s, more than
2,300 ETFs have been created, and ETF assets have grown faster than
those of any other investment product. That’s a good thing. ETFs enable
the average investor to avoid shelling out fat commissions or paying
layers of ongoing, unnecessary fees. And they’ve saved investors oodles
and oodles in taxes.
Hallelujah.
What the Heck Is an ETF, Anyway?
Banking your retirement on stocks is risky enough; banking your
retirement on any individual stock, or even a handful of stocks, is Evel
Knievel-jumping-the-Snake-River investing. Banking on individual
Investing in ETFs For Dummies (For Dummies (Business and Personal Finance)) by Russell Wild