If you're new to investing, ING Direct's Orange Investment Accounts are a great way to get your feet wet. Investing your money for the future is very important, but the Orange Investment Account makes everything easy.

You can use ING Direct investments to fund your long-term financial goals. For example, you may need money in the future for your child's college education or for you to have a comfortable retirement. The earlier you get started with an ING Direct investment portfolio, the better.

Some of the great things about ING Direct's Orange Investment Accounts are:

1. The variety of options. There are a number of different ING investment banking vehicles and you can choose the one that best suits your current financial situation and goals.

2. Low charges for stock purchases. If you choose to open an ING online stock trading account, you can easily purchase the stocks that you want for a small fee.

3. No minimums. Most other investment companies require a hefty start up fee. There are no minimums for an Orange Investment Account, which makes it easy for anyone to open an account.

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

Start your Orange investments with an IRA plan

Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are a great first step for the novice investor. These help you put money towards your retirement, but are easy to understand and manage.

I recommend: Decide whether a traditional or Roth IRA is right for you and check your eligibility at the ING Direct IRA Center. An IRA savings account through ING will offer you security because your investments are FDIC insured. For higher returns with more risk, open an IRA through ING's ShareBuilder.

Open an ING Direct investment account to trade stocks

ING partnered with ShareBuilder to make buying stocks easy and cheap. You can have control over your portfolio, so you can buy what you want to buy.

I recommend: ShareBuilder has a simple tutorial on how to get started. In no time at all, you will have your account and can begin investing. Make sure that you research current stock trends before you make a purchase. Mistakes can be costly.

Play it safe with your ING Direct Orange Investment Account

If you can't afford to lose your money, then you should stick with investments that are safer. This is especially great for new investors who don't want to make mistakes. Your money can safely grow while you learn about the more complicated aspects of investing.

I recommend: The ING Orange CDs and Orange Savings Accounts are FDIC insured, which means that you will not lose money on your investments. Park your money here if you will need the money soon or simply want to learn more.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You can lose money when you invest in the stock market. Before you open an ING Direct investment account, make sure you understand your long term financial goals. It's OK to lose money in the short term if you make gains in the long run.