I received a call this past week while in the office. The person on the other end of the phone was jovial, charismatic, and selling me something. I could tell by their introduction and approach. Something in me shut off at that point. I have an aversion to buying or being sold anything over the phone. I’m more of a research and then make a decision type of consumer. This person, though, was selling me stock opportunities — critical financial moves he felt could make me significant returns. I let him know I probably wouldn’t take his advice, having only talked to him over the phone and not having a face-to-face with him. He hung up.

This story is not unique. Millions of Americans have been looking for ways to invest their money with the help of strangers. These financial professionals take the money we earn and put it into stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and IRAs. We often times give them our money with only a small amount of research. Although it is true many of these professionals have our best interest at heart, we should still be organized, informed, and ready to move our money if need be.

An IRA makes sense for a certain amount of annual investment. Mutual funds also provide significant returns if done correctly. It’s important to diversify as well. Don’t let your money languish. If you’re really ambitious you could take five or ten percent of your investment and research stocks to buy and sell through sites like E-trade. This is not for the faint of heart, and you really need enough time to do the due diligence on the stocks you’re purchasing. It can be a nightmare if done incorrectly.

Our future’s may be brightly lit with retirement funds and IRA earnings, but we really need to know where and how each fund and investment affects us now and when we cash it out. Where does your money go? Do you know all you need to know about your investments? Do you have a financial professional to consult?