How to Set Up Automatic Investment Contributions in 15 Minutes or Less

Hey there investor, 

Are you struggling to find the time and energy to actively manage your investments amidst the chaos of everyday life?

You're not alone. Many hardworking individuals face the same frustrating challenge, leading to missed opportunities and suboptimal financial growth.

Why you can't afford to sleep on automation

Picture this: you're a dedicated professional, juggling a demanding career, family responsibilities, and personal aspirations.

Your days are packed, and the last thing on your mind is spending hours researching and monitoring your investment portfolio.

In today's fast-paced world, it's more crucial than ever to find efficient ways to manage your finances and secure your future without compromising your well-being or sacrificing precious time with loved ones.

The problem with traditional investment strategies

Traditional investment strategies often require constant attention, regular manual contributions, and a deep understanding of financial markets.

For busy professionals, this hands-on approach is simply unsustainable and overwhelming. Ignoring your investments or relying on outdated methods can lead to missed growth opportunities, suboptimal returns, and increased financial stress.

The longer you wait to address this issue, the more challenging it becomes to achieve your long-term financial goals and enjoy a comfortable retirement.

The automatic index investment blueprint

If I could go back in time and give my younger self one piece of investing advice, it would be this.

Start early, invest often, automatically. 

What if we told you there's a simple, hands-off solution that can help you grow your wealth while focusing on what matters most?

Introducing the power of automatic index fund investment contributions – the hands-off approach that puts your money to work for you, without the hassle. By setting up automatic transfers from your bank account to your investment portfolio, you can leverage the benefits of dollar-cost averaging, ensuring consistent investments regardless of market fluctuations.

This approach eliminates the need for constant monitoring and manual contributions, allowing you to maintain a disciplined investing habit effortlessly.

The best part, the peace of mind that comes with knowing your investments are growing steadily in the background, while you focus on your career, family, and personal well-being.

Could it really be that easy? Yes, but you still need to pick the right investments. I'll show you how. 

How to use the automatic investment blueprint

If you're like me, then you will spend years deciding to do something that takes less than an hour setup. Don't wait on this. You'll thank me later.

Setting up automatic investment contributions is a breeze, and it can be done in just 15 minutes or less. Here's a summary step-by-step guide:

1. Choose a reputable, low-cost investment platform that aligns with your goals and risk tolerance. I like Interactive Brokers and Fidelity. 
2. Create an account and link it to your bank account for seamless transfers.
3. Decide on a comfortable contribution amount and frequency (e.g., every payday or monthly).
4. Schedule your automatic transfers and let the magic happen!

Each step is crucial in establishing a solid foundation for your automated investing strategy. By carefully selecting the right platform, determining an appropriate contribution amount, and setting up a regular transfer schedule, you'll be well on your way to financial success.

Here's how I would set this up in 15 min or less. Don't over-complicate this. 

Step 1: Open Account and Link Your Bank (5-Min) 

Choose a reputable, low-cost investment platform that aligns with your goals and risk tolerance.

I am a little bias but I like Interactive Brokers because they are low cost and offer the higher interest rates on cash nearly 5% at the time of this writing. 

Step 2: Decide On Your Contribution Amount (5 Min) 

Decide on a comfortable contribution amount and frequency (e.g., every payday or monthly).

Use online tools like www.calculator.net to calculate how much you need to set aside to reach your goals.

I really like the retirement calculator because it takes all the factors into consideration and a provides a detailed schedule for your draws in retirement.

Here are the inputs I like to use for client. Just swap in your personal information and bam!.. 

Step 3: Schedule Your Automatic Transfers and Investments (5 Min) 

Scheduling your automatic transfers couldn't be easier.

It turns out that brokerage firms want you to deposit your money with them, so they make it super convenient. 

Once you've scheduled your automatic transfers, you will want to pick your automatic investments. If you don't yet have a growth strategy and want to take a passive investing approach, I recommend picking an index ETF like SPY. 

Index ETF's like SPY seek to mimic the S&P 500 investment allocation and performance. The 100-year average return of the S&P is 10%. 

The secret: Keep a long-term winning attitude 

The true power of automatic investment contributions lies in its long-term potential.

By consistently investing a portion of your income over time, you can take advantage of compound growth, potentially turning small, regular contributions into a substantial nest egg.

I've personally helped investors plan and built impressive portfolios through automated investing. For example, Sarah, a 35-year-old marketing executive, rolled over a $100,000 401K into an IRA and started automatically investing in an S&P Index fund (100-year average return 10%), just $500 per month.

After 25 years, her portfolio will grow to over $2.5M, providing her with a solid foundation for a comfortable retirement.

Action Steps

Don't let the busyness of life hold you back from securing your financial future. Take action now and experience the empowerment that come with taking action and automating your investments.

Even if this process takes you and hour and you pay yourself $200/hr, this one action will easily 1000X your investment.