To invest money for high rates of return, you usually either need to take on increased risk, increased volatility, or decreased liquidity.

Here’s an overview of how to achieve your target rate of return. Usually you’ll want a blend of several of these asset classes for optimal diversification:

How to produce 0-3% annually:

• Treasuries
• Corporate bonds
• Municipal bonds
• Savings accounts

How to produce 3-8% annually:

• Preferred stock
• Peer-to-peer lending
• Index funds

How to produce 8-12% annually:

• High-yielding dividend stocks 
• Emerging markets and other international stocks or ETFs trading at low valuations.
• High-quality Real Estate Investment Trusts and Master Limited Partnerships
• Investment strategies employing the use of cash-secured puts and covered calls to give good returns even in overvalued markets
• Certain alternative investments that offer decent returns in exchange for lower liquidity

How to produce 12-15% annually:

• Top-quartile private equity
• Direct real estate investing

How to produce 15%+ annually:

• Be a world-class investor
• Start a successful business