Investment Objectives

Investment objectives define what a customer wants to achieve with their investments. Understanding these objectives is fundamental to making suitable recommendations.

The Risk-Return Spectrum

Investment objectives fall along a spectrum from most conservative to most aggressive:

Capital Preservation

Goal: Protect principal from loss

Characteristics:

• Safety is the primary concern
• Willing to accept lower returns for security
• Short time horizon or specific near-term need
• Cannot afford any loss of principal

Suitable Investments:

• Money market funds
• Short-term government bonds
• Bank CDs (not securities)
• Treasury bills

Typical Investors:

• Elderly investors living on savings
• Those saving for near-term purchase (home down payment)
• Emergency fund savings
• Risk-averse individuals

Key Point: Capital preservation investors prioritize safety over growth. They need investments with minimal risk of loss.

Income

Goal: Generate regular cash flow

Characteristics:

• Need current income from investments
• Willing to accept modest growth
• Moderate time horizon
• Some tolerance for principal fluctuation

Suitable Investments:

• Bond funds (government, corporate, municipal)
• Dividend-focused stock funds
• Balanced funds
• Fixed annuities

Typical Investors:

• Retirees needing income
• Those supplementing earned income
• Conservative investors wanting steady returns

Income with Capital Preservation

The most conservative income objective:

• Emphasis on current income
• Minimal risk of capital loss
• Often combines income and preservation goals

Growth and Income (Balanced)

Goal: Balance between appreciation and current income

Characteristics:

• Want some growth AND some income
• Moderate risk tolerance
• Medium to long time horizon
• Diversified approach

Suitable Investments:

• Balanced funds
• Equity income funds
• Growth and income funds
• Dividend growth funds

Typical Investors:

• Pre-retirees building wealth while generating some income
• Moderate investors seeking diversification
• Those wanting "best of both worlds"

Growth (Capital Appreciation)

Goal: Long-term increase in investment value

Characteristics:

• Focus on "buy low, sell high"
• Can tolerate market fluctuations
• Long time horizon
• Less need for current income

Suitable Investments:

• Growth stock funds
• Index funds
• International/global funds
• Sector funds

Typical Investors:

• Younger investors with long time horizons
• Those saving for retirement decades away
• Investors who don't need current income
• Those with stable income from employment

Key Point: Growth investors can accept short-term volatility because they have time to recover from market downturns.

Speculation

Goal: Maximum returns through aggressive strategies

Characteristics:

• Highest risk tolerance
• Willing to lose substantial principal
• Short-term focus often
• Seeking outsized returns

Suitable Investments:

• Aggressive growth funds
• Leveraged/inverse ETFs
• Sector concentration
• Emerging market funds

Typical Investors:

• Sophisticated investors who understand risks
• Those with substantial other assets
• "Play money" they can afford to lose
• Experienced traders

Warning: Speculation is only suitable for the most aggressive, experienced investors who can afford significant losses. Most retail investors should not speculate.

Matching Products to Objectives

Tax Considerations

Key Point: Municipal bond funds are most suitable for high-income investors in taxable accounts. In an IRA, there's no benefit to tax-exempt income.

Objective Changes Over Time

Investment objectives typically evolve:

Key Exam Points

1. Capital preservation - Safety first, lowest risk/return
2. Income - Generate cash flow, moderate risk
3. Growth - Capital appreciation, higher risk, long time horizon
4. Speculation - Highest risk, only for aggressive investors
5. Muni bonds - Best for high-tax-bracket investors in taxable accounts
6. Time horizon - Longer horizon allows more growth focus
7. Objectives change - Typically become more conservative with age