Investment firms in VA invest in equities, income securities, real estate and derivative products. Investment management of Virginia are the customers that represent the "buy side" of the investment business while investment bankers are on the "sell side."

Virginia investment services categorize themselves by the type of asset managed by the investment firms. Virginia companies may dedicate themselves to a specific client base while others serve all client types, including businesses that have assets to invest.

You must be able to identify the following three basic types of investments when you select investment services in Virginia:

1. Hedge funds typically invest in public securities or their financial derivatives and come from members of private partnerships. A Virginia investment management company may use many strategies for making a profit.

2. Mutual funds typically come from individual investors that do not have a high net worth. Investment management firms in Virginia combine the individual contributions and invest them as a single asset.

3. The basis for institutional funds is pensions, endowments and foundations for non-profit organizations. This type of investment management agency in VA must adopt a more conservative investment strategy than for mutual funds.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate investment firms in VA that seek long-term results

Creating a highly diversified portfolio to minimize the risks is the goal for these investment firms. Virginia investment managers for these portfolios should pick stocks with a high earnings potential and a value that is not reflected in their current prices.

I recommend: Complete the form at Retirement Job Center and a single agent licensed to sell retirement planning services in Virginia will contact you. The Service Employees International Union is the fastest growing union in North America and you can find several investment firms in Virginia that specialize in retirement planning on its website.

Select investment firms in Virginia that cater to wealthy investors

Wealthy clients often need an investment plan customized to their unique needs. Investment services in Virginia with experience working with affluent clients will work closely with their financial advisers to increase each client's worth over the long-term.

I recommend: Smith Barney provides a range of financial services including wealth management. You will begin the financial consultation questionnaire on its website by entering your zip code or city and state along with the search radius. Wealth management is one of the core businesses of Wachovia. You can locate its nearest financial center by entering your city and state or zip code on its website.

Select investment management firms in Virginia to support local businesses

Local money managers are best able to select the businesses in your area in which to invest your funds. That local knowledge will put your money to good use, not only increasing your own worth, but helping other local business owners expand and prosper as well.

I recommend: Yeske Buie has an office in Vienna and features a disciplined structured approach to investment management. Lifetime Financial Planning, which has two Virginia locations, can help you build a diversified portfolio based on low-cost mutual funds.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You should use the type of assets invested to predict the performance of long-term investments. For example, investment management of Virginia usually finds that the investment of equities produces a higher return than bonds, which in turn are more profitable than cash. Financial theory predicts this because equities have a higher risk than bonds, which are more volatile than cash.