How to Buy Stocks for Beginners in the USA: The Complete Guide

HomeWARHow to Buy Stocks for Beginners in the USA: The Complete Guide

July 29, 2023

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Investing in stocks can be an exciting yet daunting venture for beginners. With the right knowledge and preparation, anyone can learn how to buy stocks and build a profitable portfolio over time. This comprehensive guide provides everything you need to know to start investing in stocks as a beginner in the USA.

Understanding Stocks and the Stock Market

Stocks represent ownership shares in publicly traded companies. When you purchase a company’s stock, you become a partial owner of that company and can benefit as the company grows and becomes more profitable. Stocks are traded on stock exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq.

The stock market refers to the collection of exchanges where stocks are bought and sold each day by investors. Stock prices fluctuate throughout the trading day, based on supply, demand, current events, and investors’ sentiment.

It’s important for beginners to understand that stock investing is typically a long-term strategy. While some investors try to make money by trading stocks frequently, most build wealth slowly over years by buying stocks in successful, reputable companies and holding them for the long run.

Patience, discipline, and diversification are keys to success when building a stock portfolio.

Choosing an Online Broker

To start buying stocks, you’ll need to open an account with an online brokerage firm. Discounts brokers are the most popular choice for beginner investors today.

Some top recommended brokers for beginners include:

Look for a broker that offers $0 minimum deposits, low trading commissions, and educational resources for new investors. Avoid brokers with high account minimums or complex fee structures.

You can open a taxable brokerage account, or you may want to consider a retirement account like an IRA which offers tax benefits. Some brokerages also offer fractional share trading, allowing you to buy a portion of a share if unable to afford the full price.

Opening a Brokerage Account

Opening a brokerage account online is straightforward and can usually be done in 10–15 minutes. You’ll need to provide some personal identification such as:

Social Security Number
Driver’s License or State ID
Contact Information
Employment Details
Income Source
Bank Account for Transfers

Many brokers also require you to answer investment experience questions to determine your risk tolerance. Be honest in your responses.

Once your application is approved, you can fund your account and start trading!

Funding Your Brokerage Account

You’ll need to transfer money into your new brokerage account to start buying stocks. Most brokers offer multiple funding options such as:

Electronic bank transfer — Connect your checking account to transfer funds easily.
Wire transfer — Your bank wires cash into your brokerage account quickly.
Check — Mail a personal check to your brokerage firm.
Payroll direct deposit — Have a portion of your paycheck deposited directly into your investing account.
Mobile payment apps — Some brokers accept PayPal, Apple Pay, etc.

I recommend using a bank transfer to move a lump sum into your new brokerage account. Contribute as much as your budget allows to start investing in stocks.

Researching and Selecting Stocks

Now comes the fun part — finding stocks to buy! With thousands of publicly traded companies, how do you decide what to invest in?

Before buying any stock, thoroughly research the company to gain an understanding of their business, competitive advantages, leadership team, financial health, growth prospects, risks and more.

Here are some tips for researching stocks as a beginner:

Review company earnings reports, financial statements, presentations to look for growth and profitability.
Check news sites, investment websites, and stock analysis apps like Yahoo Finance for expert projections.
Learn about the company’s industry and competitors to gauge the competitive landscape.
Identify economic moats — unique advantages that allow sustained success.
Favor companies with competent, ethical leadership and good company culture.
Consider adding shares of proven blue chip companies — giants known for weathering downturns well.

Take your time to deeply understand your potential investments before purchasing. Stay objective in your analysis and don’t fall for hype or hysteria.

Reading Stock Tables

When researching stocks, you’ll want to become familiar with reading stock tables, quotes, and charts containing key investing metrics and data, such as:

Share price — Current market price per share of the stock.
Market Cap — Total value of all company’s outstanding shares (share price x total shares).
P/E Ratio — Share price divided by earnings per share. Higher ratios signal growth expectations.
EPS — Earnings per share, or the company’s net income divided by shares outstanding. Rising EPS is good.
Volume — The number of shares traded during a period. High volumes signal interest.
Dividend Yield — How much a company pays shareholders in dividends annually, shown as a percentage of share price.

Don’t let the numbers intimidate you. With experience, reading stock data will become second nature.

Placing a Trade

Once ready to invest, it’s time to place your first trade! To buy shares of a stock:

Log into your brokerage account online or via mobile app.
Look up the stock ticker symbol (for example, AAPL for Apple).
Enter number of shares and order type — usually a market order to buy at current market price.
Review and submit the trade order.
Confirmation will appear once your trade executes.
Congrats, you now own shares of that stock!

Start small — investing $100 to $500 is fine when just starting out. Learn the process first before risking more money.

Buying Your First Stock

Looking for a strong starter stock pick? Consider investing in a stable, blue chip company you know and trust for your first purchase.

Popular beginner stocks include:

Apple (AAPL) — Tech giant famous for iPhones, Macs, and more.
Microsoft (MSFT) — Leading software and cloud computing provider.
Disney (DIS) — Global media and entertainment icon.
Coca-Cola (KO) — Beverage king with a decades-long track record.

Choose an established, reputable company operating in an industry you understand. While not the most exciting stocks, blue chip shares are a prudent way to start investing safely.

Building a Balanced Portfolio

Rather than buying individual stocks, many beginners wisely choose to invest in index funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs) for instant diversification. These funds bundle together hundreds or thousands of stocks from an index like the S&P 500, allowing you to effectively invest in the overall market.

I recommend developing a balanced portfolio by buying:

Index funds or ETFs to establish a core portfolio covering major stock categories like US stocks, international stocks, and bonds.
Individual stocks in industries and companies you know and believe in for potential outperformance.

Maintain a mix of assets across market caps, sectors, and geographic regions. Rebalance periodically to control risk exposure. Partner with a fiduciary financial advisor if needed.

Managing Your Portfolio

As a new investor, getting used to market volatility can take some time. Stay calm during price swings and resist the urge to constantly buy and sell stocks. Successful long-term investors take a buy-and-hold approach.

Here are some best practices for managing your stock portfolio:

Hold quality stocks for 5+ years when possible for maximum gains. Don’t panic sell during temporary dips.
Add new money on a regular schedule, like monthly. This allows dollar-cost averaging into positions over time.
Reinvest dividends to compound your returns.
Periodically rebalance your portfolio weights to control risk and ensure proper asset allocation based on goals.
Track your performance but don’t obsess over daily changes.
Sell non-performers at a loss to offset capital gains taxes after holding for at least one year.
Work with a trusted financial advisor to plan smart tax moves.

Proper portfolio management combines patience with discipline. The work pays off over decades.

Resources for Beginner Investors

The key to success with investing is lifelong learning. Take advantage of free educational resources to expand your skills:

Online brokers provide courses, virtual seminars, video tutorials, and more. For example, Fidelity offers investor centers packed with research and education for clients.
Investing websites like Investopedia have libraries of articles and investopedias to boost your financial and investing literacy.
Personal finance blogs offer investing tips for beginners. Listen to investing podcasts during your commute.
Follow Warren Buffett, the greatest investor ever. Read his annual reports and study his principles.
Subscribe to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine for their renowned investing advice.
Books like The Intelligent Investor and A Random Walk Down Wall Street are investor classics with timeless wisdom.

Never stop striving to learn. Combine study with practice to become a knowledgeable, successful market investor.

Conclusion

I hope this comprehensive guide empowers you to confidently start investing in stocks as a beginner. Take it step-by-step. Stay patient, disciplined, and diversified. Keep learning. With the right foundation, you can grow your wealth through the financial markets over your lifetime.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Take that important first step and open your brokerage account today! Wishing you success.