Keeping track of your investments is an important
part of being a smart investor. Your brokerage firm will send
you an account statement either monthly or quarterly, which details
all of your holdings with the firm. Some firms also provide password-protected
online access to real-time information.
If you review your statement, you’ll
be up to date on where your account stands and the progress you’re
making in meeting your investment objectives.
Remember, though, that the
portfolio will
reflect what’s happening in the financial markets, as well
as report on profits and losses in your individual account. When
stocks are down overall, your equity accounts are likely to lose
some value. In fact, you might have more to be concerned about
if those accounts don’t increase in value during periods
when the stock market is expanding.
