ll types of investments carry inherent risk(s): a stock price may drastically decline; the issuer of a bond may default; even cash investments (U.S. Treasury bills or money market funds) may lose ground to inflation. So, you are probably asking yourself, “Why would I risk losing some or all of my money?” No matter what investment vehicle you choose, the objective is always the same: to generate more cash for yourself in the future than you have today. If you keep all your money under your mattress, for example, your balance will never grow beyond the amount you save. By investing your money, the potential exists for you to come out ahead—perhaps even far ahead.
