Investing & Retirement

I Am 7 Years Old and I Want To Invest in Stocks. What Should I Do?

  | 
Team Clark is adamant that we will never write content influenced by or paid for by an advertiser. To support our work, we do make money from some links to companies and deals on our site. Learn more about our guarantee here.

Welcome to Ask Clark, a column designed to answer your financial questions, by money expert Clark Howard.

Where Should a 7-Year-Old Invest $50?

Briggs from North Carolina asks: “I want to invest and I have $50. What do I do?”

Clark’s Take on Where a 7-Year-Old Should Invest His Money

Clark loves the idea of a child wanting to invest in their future. And he’s got just the thing: Fidelity Investments’ Fidelity Zero Funds.

Clark says: “An adult has to help you to open an account at Fidelity Investments. You can invest that $50 completely commission-free, meaning you’re not going to pay somebody to take that $50 from you.”

These zero-expense ratio index mutual funds have the following benefits for investors:

  • No minimums to open an account
  • No account fees for retail brokerage accounts
  • 24/7 live customer service

“Fidelity absorbs all of the investment costs for you as an individual. I love this as a place for you to start,” Clark says.

As for which type of fund to choose, Clark recommends the Fidelity Zero Total Market Index Fund (FZROX).

“Look at this fund and explain to whoever is going to own the account as your custodian,” Clark says, “that the money that you add to it will be yours to completely control once you turn either 18 or 21, depending on the state where you live.”

“If you keep adding to this fund whatever money you have over the years, it will make you a lot of money,” Clark says.

New to investing? Learn how to do it with little or no money.

To hear Clark’s full take on this question, listen to the segment:

Do you have a question for Clark? Use this form to ask him! And remember that you can listen to the Clark Howard Podcast at any time here.

If you have a question but don’t want to go on-air, contact Clark’s Consumer Action Center for free money help.

More Resources From Clark.com:

This post was last modified on February 17, 2021 2:55 pm

Recent Posts

Chase Increases Sign-up Bonus for Popular Credit Cards for Limited Time

If you've been considering signing up for one of the Chase Sapphire credit cards, now…

3 days ago

6 Home Expenses You Have To Budget For (Beyond Your Mortgage)

The costs associated with owning a home go way beyond the amount on the mortgage. …

3 days ago

Should I Pay Off My Mortgage Before Retirement or Invest?

Inflation hits people on a fixed income the hardest. Say you're retired. You're living off…

3 days ago

Should I Fire My 1% Financial Advisor To Save on Fees?

Deciding to save and invest are great habits. But once you check that box, your…

4 days ago

Fubo Drops Popular Channels Amid Dispute with Warner Bros. Discovery

If you're considering subscribing to Fubo, you need to be comfortable missing out on some…

5 days ago

5 Things To Know About the Wells Fargo Signify Business Cash Card

Are you looking for a way to earn 2% back on every purchase you make…

5 days ago