There are many different types of investments available, but how do you know which ones are right for you?

Common investment types are property and shares, and many Australians are invested in either one or both of these assets.

There are many other types of investments available, each of which have a place in a properly diversified investment portfolio.

Which investment are right for you will really depend on your own needs and objectives, and we recommend that you speak with your financial adviser before making any investment decissions.

Investment	Description
Fixed Interest	Cash is generally considered to be the safest investment, and is generally held in the form of savings accounts and term deposits with banks and credit unions etc. The return on cash is generally linked to the target rate set by the reserve bank (RBA). As the RBA increases rates, cash returns will generally increase. As the RBA lowers rates, cash returns will usually decline.
Property (direct)	Direct property investment involves purchasing property, such as residential homes, offices or commercial property.
Property (indirect)	Indirect property investment usually involves investing through property trusts and funds. These trusts allow investors to gain exposure to large property investments such as office towers and retail complexes without the huge amounts of capital usually required for such investments.
Shares	Share investments, also known as stocks or equities, are investments in companies which list their shares on the stock exchange. By purchasing a share in a company, you are entitled to a share of that company's profits, which are distributed to investors in the form of dividends.
Managed Funds	Managed funds enable investors to access the expertise of professional fund managers whose job it is to invest their client's money. Managed funds can also provide a greater level of diversification, as an investment in a single managed fund will generally be spread across many individual investments. Click here to read more about managed funds.
Separately Managed Account	A Separately Managed Account (SMA) is an investment vehicle that is somewhat similar to a managed fund, but with some important differences. An SMA allows the investor to own the underlying assets, where as with a managed fund the underlying assets are owned by the fund, with the investor only owning units in the fund. More information on separately managed accounts can be found by following the link.

There are many other investments available, speak with your Equita adviser for more information on which investments are right for you.