Before You Invest in Stocks, Here Are 2 Critical Steps You Must Take

Buying your first share of stock can feel like a frightening leap. Savvy investors know, though, that what comes before that first buy order matters far more than which stock ticker symbols you choose.

Experts we spoke with said that getting a plan on paper is the first step to long-term success, which involves some financial housekeeping: Building a solid emergency fundand identifying the “why” behind your investing, before choosing an approach you’ll actually stick with.

1. Build a Safety Net Before You Build Wealth

Stocks have been an excellent way to build long‑term wealth (averaging about 10% in returns annually over the past several decades), but they’re also volatile, with swings in either direction. A 20% drop in a bad year can happen. Without a cash reserve, a surprise medical bill or job loss can force you to sell your stocks at the worst time (when their price is down), instead of waiting for the price is rise again.

For this reason, experts put emergency savings at the top of their investing checklists. “Never invest money you might need in the short term,” Prince Dykes, founder of Royal Financial Investment Group, told Investopedia. “Before diving into stocks, ensure you have an emergency fund that covers three to six months’ worth of living expenses—mortgage, groceries, health insurance, utilities—kept in an account separate from your primary checking, so you won’t have to sell investments to cover expenses in a pinch.”

Set the amount you need to feel secure and automate contributions on paydays, allowing your funds to grow on their own. It’s only after this buffer is in place that you should start putting additional money at risk in the market.

2. Define Your Goals

Investing without a goal is like driving without a destination—you may end up nowhere particularly helpful. So start by naming your “why”—such as “retire at 65,” “save for a down payment in seven years,” or simply “beat inflation over time.”

Then, match each goal with a corresponding time horizon and the amount of risk you’re willing to take (stocks carry more risk than bonds, etc.). “Are you comfortable with high risk, or do you prefer a more conservative approach? These factors will help determine the type of investments you make, so it’s important to clarify them before jumping into the markets,” Dykes said.

For goals that are more than 10 years off, a portfolio weighted toward stocks makes sense. For near-term goals, consider shifting from stocks to bonds or cash-like funds, such as CDs and high-yield savings accounts.

Choose Your Path

Once you’ve built an emergency fund and defined your goals, you can choose how you want to start investing. While you can always change your strategy down the road, most beginners follow one of these common approaches:

• DIY indexing: Low‑cost, broad market index funds instantly diversify and outperform most active stock pickers over time. Liz Frazier Peck, financial advisor and author of Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands: How to Teach Young Kids About Finance, notes that you should only invest in stocks and funds that you understand. “Avoid investing in companies where you don’t understand the fundamentals of their business,” she said.
• Robo-advisor autopilot: Apps and their algorithms manage allocation and rebalancing for a modest fee—great for hands‑off beginners.
• Human-advisor partnership: If your finances are complex, a professional financial advisor can help you take care of your taxes, insurance, and retirement at once.

Whichever route you choose, put the plan on paper. Include your target asset mix, your monthly contribution amount, and a schedule—quarterly or annually—for rebalancing and reviewing your portfolio. Mark dates in your calendar to revisit the plan as your life changes or financial goals evolve.

The Bottom Line

Before you consider looking at a stock chart, secure a cash cushion, set out some clear goals, and put those intentions into a simple, written investment plan. These unglamorous first steps form the quiet scaffolding that lets every future share purchase compound toward the life you actually want.