WHAT SHOULD I DO BEFORE MAKING AN INVESTMENT DECISION?

Before making any decision on where you should invest your dollars, you need to do your homework. Begin by trying to understand how the investment you are about to make is likely to perform in accordance with your plan. Prior to your investment, you’ll want to know if you should anticipate a high degree of volatility, stability, or slow growth.

Research Resources

• Online Research and Order Status
  With the abundance of information on the Internet, a good rule of thumb is to use a firm you know and trust. Just because you read it on the Internet does not make the information true. In addition to commentary, there are many tools to help you plan. Our Online Brokerage site offers access to your investments. You can get real-time quotes, keep track of the market, or research a company—or an entire industry.
• Company News and Reports
  Companies, by law, are required to keep shareholders current on how the business is doing. A company’s annual report summarizes its operations for individual investors. Current company performance is also provided in a quarterly report.
• Analyst Reports
  Financial analysts research and analyze companies that have issued stock and make recommendations to buy, sell, or hold specific securities.
• Prospectuses
  Your prospectus will provide you with a general overview of a security’s objectives, risks, fees, and other vital data. By reviewing each element, you’ll be able to compare one fund with another.
  • Investment Objectives—Tells you whether the fund’s objective is growth, income, stability, or a combination thereof. The strategy outlines the types of securities the fund uses to achieve goals.
  • Risks—Compare the risk level with your risk tolerance and the need for growth to reach your goals.
  • Past Performance—Historical data on a fund’s behavior can be a useful research tool, but remember that the past is no guarantee for future results.
  • Fees—Look at the charts provided to see how fees affect your return.
  • Management—Look at the experience, qualifications, and tenure of the account managers to give you insight into how they will invest and how this affects your returns along with your fees.

Article: How to Read a Mutual Fund Prospectus

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Wachovia Securities is the trade name used by two separate, registered broker-dealers and non-bank affiliates of Wachovia Corporation providing certain retail securities brokerage services: Wachovia Securities, LLC, Member NYSE/SIPC, and Wachovia Securities Financial Network, LLC, Member FINRA /SIPC.

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Periodic investment plans do not assure a profit and do not protect against loss in declining markets. Since such a plan involves continuous investment in securities, investors should consider their financial ability to continue purchases through periods of low price levels.

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