The goal of investing is to have your assets appreciate at a higher rate than your money would sitting in a savings account. Many consider a “good” investment to be around 7% per year, based on the S&P 500’s historical average return, adjusted for inflation.
But what if your goal is an even higher return, such as 10% or more? While no investment is guaranteed to secure that significant of a return, many investments have and are likely to continue to do so in the future.
Currently, you pay no taxes on long-term capital gains if your income falls below $40,400. If you earn more than that, but less than $445,850, you pay 15% of your gains. If you earn a higher income, those gains get taxed at 20%.
While long-term stock investments give you a better chance at making a profit, some people can make significant gains through short-term stock trading.
Real estate is one of the most popular investment options and there are many ways to get involved in it. Real estate acts as an inflation hedge and can create multiple sources of income.
Usually, these are high-end or commercial properties. Unlike most other types of real estate investments, REITs are a liquid investment you can sell at any time. They pay out dividends to investors.