The stock market always has some surprises for investors. However, for almost two years now, a specific factor is being used to determine the most profitable stocks. Yes, you guessed that right—COVID-19. Last year, the top-performing stocks were those of companies that profited from the lockdowns. However, as the market picks up following a healing economy and a return to normalcy, a few other companies are expected to join the fray.

A 401k account is a largely preferred option for retirement savings. It gives you the option of saving your money and investing a large sum each year, which may be used as a corpus once you retire and have no financial stability. At the moment, the current maximum amount that workers under the age of 50 may save each year is $18,500.

Exchange traded funds (ETFs) allow investors to build an investment portfolio at low cost. ETF is a marketable security which tracks a commodity or an index and the prices of the same constantly change. Most ETFs include index funds that track a collection of securities. Before you make an investment, it is best to choose the right fund that fits your needs.

The primary thing to know about a stock market for beginners is the definition of stocks. Stocks refer to the ownership certificates of a company. A share, however, stands for a stock certificate of a company. When you hold a particular share of a company, you become a shareholder. Various companies make their stocks public, and the investment market runs on stocks.

Planning for retirement is easy. What is difficult is the estimation of the tenure. While you are making a plan to save money for your retired days, you have no idea how long you will be able to survive with that money. If you may determine the tenure of how long the money will last, you may be in a better position to estimate the amount you will need to invest today.

An individual retirement account (IRA) is similar to a savings account that helps you save for retirement and make the most of tax savings. IRA accounts have two types—one is a traditional account and the other one is a Roth account. It is a retirement plan provided to individuals by various financial institutions in the country.