If you are new to investing online, don't put your entire life savings into an online account. Start with a smaller sum, which will be easier to handle and keep track of. Once you feel confident, you can then decide to add more money to your investing online account.

Once online, many investors tend to concentrate on stocks, specifically large-cap domestic stocks. While these stocks should make up part of your portfolio, they shouldn't be ALL of it! Take into account your time horizon and risk tolerance to develop a well-balanced portfolio of stocks, bonds, and cash.

If you're new to investing online and are looking to open a brokerage account, there are some important facts you should know before choosing a broker. Each one has strengths and weaknesses, but not everyone sees a broker in the same way. For example, if you're comfortable finding your own research for investing online, then the deep discount brokers will work well for you.

Ask yourself