RENE RIVKIN

To buy shares in your chosen index fund, you can typically open an account directly with the mutual fund company that offers the fund. Alternatively, you can open a brokerage account with a broker that allows you to buy and sell shares of the index fund you're interested in.

Again, in decid...

• You can buy shares or funds from different providers.
• The cheapest offers you'll want to do it through is a website, often called a platform.
• It's a two-stage process. First you need to pick which platform to buy your shares or funds from, then you need to decide wh...

• Find a story line to follow as a way of monitoring a company’s progress.
• Look for companies that consistently buy back their own shares.
• Study the dividend record of a company over the years and also how its earnings have fared in past recessions.
• Look for companies ...