Function

• The Internet provides investors with access to stock quotes, stock charts and investment analysis and research. This allows an investor to chose what strategies to implement and which sources to use when analyzing investment opportunities.
  
  

Features

• Most online brokers allow investors to start an account with a small initial investment. Online brokers cater to the self-starter who wants to learn and take on the responsibility for analyzing individual investment options.
  
  

Benefits

• The online investment horizon has allowed investors to trade and research investments from the comfort of their own homes.
  
  

Warning

• While online investing has many benefits, an investor should maintain a community of other investors in order to collaborate on investment ideas. In addition, online investors should make prudent asset allocation decisions as well as understand the risks of investing.
  
  

Considerations

• While the online investment journey can provide many tools and research with little expense to the investor, paying a fee for outside investment research and advice can be an invaluable tool.