What advice would you give to an investor for the first time?

1. Do you think it wise to invest in the stock market on their own? Why or why not both.?
2. How do I know if an action is a good buy or not.?
3. What is a rate of return?
4. Why can you chose to have the assistance of a financial professional to help you invest in the market?

Suggestions

(1). Read a good book first: the lazy person guide to investment by Paul B. Farrell

(2). Index mutual funds, yes. Individual actions, no. (a) Most people do not have the skills or the discipline of analysis needed to do the job. (b) Individual companies lie, cheat, steal, cheat and abuse their shareholders ... esp. small.

(3). I (me personally) do something similar to the methods explained in this book: You can be a Stock Market Genius by Joel Greenblatt. (But only with my venture capital ... money you can afford to lose)

(4). The simple definition is the total return on an investment over time is yours, including income and capital gains.

(5). For specific advice outside their knowledge or experience level.

(6). The higher the risk, the greater the reward.

(7). Yes, if you know what you're doing.

(8). Check the companies financial history, current prices, prices of past actions. Also invest in what you want, time is something that grows at a steady pace for the long term, or something with a rapid increase that is performance.

(9). I prefer it as a return on investment (ROI), is a relationship between money earned and lost the amount invested.

(10). May have some good advice and suggestions, and possibly experience.