As our economy continues to recover, I’ve heard more people wondering if “now” is the right time to invest.

While no one can be certain how the stock market will behave in the short-term, history has repeatedly shown that investing in the market is one of the best ways to reach your long-term financial goals.

Even small amounts invested regularly can make a big difference over time. This is why I am a fan of automatic investment programs - they help you to stay disciplined with your savings and investing - and because it'’'s automatic, many investors find they are less likely to give up when times get tough. Even better, some mutual funds make it easy and will allow you to participate for as little as $50 per month.

So whether you are looking for a way to get back into the markets, or looking to start investing for the first time, an automatic investment program could be right for you.

The information on this page is provided for educational purposes only and is not tax, legal, financial planning or investment advice. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed in this section constitutes an offer to buy or sell any securities or advisory products. The information provided is general and is not information reasonably sufficient upon which to base an investment decision and should not be considered a recommendation to purchase or sell any particular security. You should not regard this information as a substitute for the exercise of your own judgment. Investing involves risk.