LIFE STAGES

START INVESTING

By deciding you want to start investing, you're taking the first step toward building a more financially secure future. Of course, once you've made the decision to invest, you immediately face a lot of important questions.

You'll need to decide how much money you can afford to invest, how much money you should keep in your savings and checking accounts, and which investments are right for you (did you know there are more than 14,000 mutual funds alone?). The truth is, today's wide range of alternatives can be confusing for novice and seasoned investors alike.

Why are there so many choices today? Because there are so many different types of investors. Your needs for safety, liquidity, growth and income are not the same as your neighbors'. Not all investors have the same goals, tax issues, financial resources or even the same attitudes about risk and reward.

Of course, the real answer is that no matter how much, or how little, you plan to invest, a financial plan built just for you is the best way to reach your long-term financial goals.

In fact, before CFS* Financial Advisors at CommunityAmerica Credit Union help clients invest their money, we make sure they have an adequate contingency fund set aside for emergencies. We also make sure their life insurance needs have been fully addressed.

Then, we help our clients develop an investment strategy that fits their plans. Here's an example. If your goal is to accumulate wealth, then like most investors, you would probably want to defer paying taxes until a later date. That's why many first-time investors start with tax-advantaged accounts such as IRAs, Custodial Accounts, 529 Plans, Annuities, Trusts and, of course, their Employer's Qualified Retirement Plan.

Your CFS* Financial Advisor can help answer all your investment questions - from helping you understand the stock, bond and mutual fund listings in the local newspaper to preparing for important life events like marriage, buying a home and growing your family.

An important step is to start planning today by contacting CommunityAmerica. The CFS* Financial Advisor can help you take the guesswork out of investing for your future.

How? Through our CFS* Financial Advisor –– dedicated career professionals, carefully selected and trained to serve credit union members.

Most of all, we want you to have confidence your CFS* Financial Advisor to act in your best interest — which means you can expect our advice to be objective, fair and honest.

CommunityAmerica offers you the benefit of professional guidance so you can make measured, conscious decisions that match your needs with suitable investment alternatives.

We invite you to call your CFS* Financial Advisor today, so we can begin working with you to develop the right plan for your retirement.

We'll help you prepare for life's most important events.

• Marriage.

Starting a life together can be an overwhelming experience. But it's also the perfect time to plan much more than your wedding. The decisions you make today can have a huge impact on your long-term future. We can help you with advice for everything from meeting your insurance needs, to building a “nest egg,” establishing an IRA and developing a long-range retirement plan.

• Buying a new home.

Whether you're planning to own your own home or remodel your existing home, our job is to help turn your hopes into reality. We can help guide you through all the confusing issues facing today's current and prospective homeowners.

For example, we can work with you to calculate important fundamental questions, such as how much money you can afford to borrow and how long you should finance your home. Of course, we can also ensure you know what interest rates are available, whether it makes sense to refinance your house, and how it all affects your insurance needs.

*Investments and investment advisory services offered through CUSO Financial Services, L.P. (CFS), an independent broker-dealer and SEC Registered Investment Advisor are Not NCUA/NCUSIF insured, are Not credit union guaranteed and May lose value. CommunityAmerica Credit Union is affiliated with CFS. Financial Advisors are employees of CommunityAmerica Credit Union and registered through CFS. (Member FINRA/SIPC)