Tracking Fidelity Investments: A Comprehensive Guide

If you're looking to track your investments with Fidelity, there are a few ways to do so. Fidelity offers a range of tools and resources to help you monitor your investments and stay on top of your financial goals. You can track your account activity, including transactions, transfers, and previous purchases. You can also manage your bank accounts, beneficiaries, and security settings, all from your online account. Additionally, Fidelity provides investment analysis and insights to help you make informed decisions about your portfolio, including comparisons between different investment vehicles such as mutual funds and ETFs.

Tracking account activity

Tracking your account activity is essential to staying informed about your finances and making informed decisions. Here are some ways to effectively track your Fidelity Investments account activity:

Monitor Transactions and Account Activity:

Log in to your Fidelity account to view and monitor your transactions and account activity. This allows you to keep a close eye on money movements, including deposits, withdrawals, and transfers to and from your Fidelity accounts. You can also search for specific previous transactions to review historical activity.

Categorize Transactions and Identify Trends:

Fidelity offers tools to categorize your transactions, helping you understand where your money is going. This enables you to identify spending trends and make more informed financial choices.

Set Up Regular Transfers and Recurring Transactions:

Fidelity allows you to schedule regular transfers between your accounts to save, invest, or allocate funds for everyday spending. This feature helps you automate your financial management and ensure that your money is directed according to your goals.

Stay Informed with News and Insights:

Fidelity provides timely news, insights, and educational resources to keep you informed about markets, investing, and personal finance. Subscribe to Fidelity Viewpoints to receive newsletters and updates directly in your inbox.

Utilize the Virtual Assistant:

Fidelity's Virtual Assistant is a helpful resource for answering common questions and providing guidance. It can assist with various tasks, connecting you to a representative if needed.

By utilizing these tools and staying engaged with your account activity, you can make more informed decisions about your investments and work towards your financial goals. Remember to review your activity regularly and consider seeking professional advice for more complex financial situations.

Monitor transfers and account activity

Monitoring your transfers and account activity is an important part of staying on top of your finances. Here are some ways to effectively track your Fidelity Investments:

Utilize Fidelity's Online Platform:

Log in to your Fidelity account to access a comprehensive overview of your finances. The platform allows you to monitor transfers and account activity, search previous transactions, and categorize your transactions to identify spending trends. This can help you understand where your money is going and make more informed financial decisions.

Set Up Regular Transfer Alerts:

Fidelity offers the ability to schedule regular transfers to and from your accounts. You can easily save, invest, and manage cash for everyday spending by setting up recurring transfers. This feature ensures you stay informed about incoming and outgoing funds, helping you maintain control over your finances.

Link Your Bank Accounts:

By linking your bank accounts to your Fidelity account, you can conveniently manage all your financial activities in one place. This includes adding bank wire details and linking multiple bank accounts for seamless money movement between accounts.

Stay Informed with Email and Newsletter Subscriptions:

Fidelity offers email notifications and newsletter subscriptions to keep you updated on your investments. You can choose the topics you want to learn more about and receive timely news and insights directly in your inbox. This helps you stay informed about market trends, investment strategies, and personal finance tips.

Explore the Learning Center and Webinars:

Fidelity provides a Learning Center with educational resources to enhance your financial knowledge. You can also attend webinars and explore topics like trading tools, investment choices, and retirement planning. These resources can empower you to make more confident decisions regarding your investments and transfers.

By utilizing these tools and staying engaged with your Fidelity account, you can effectively monitor transfers and account activity, ultimately helping you work towards your financial goals and make more informed decisions about your investments.

Manage account security

Fidelity is committed to safeguarding your accounts with strong encryption, firewalls, secure email, and proactive 24/7 system surveillance. Here are some additional ways to manage the security of your Fidelity account:

• Multi-factor authentication: Protect your identity by enabling multi-factor authentication for extra protection during logins and sensitive transactions. You can choose to receive a push notification or security code to verify your identity.
• Money transfer lockdown: Instantly lock your accounts to block electronic money transfers and protect your balances from unauthorized transactions.
• Security text alerts: Stay informed about account activity by setting up instant security alerts on your mobile device. You will receive notifications for certain transactions, profile updates, and password changes.
• Fidelity voice biometrics: Fidelity uses voice biometric technology to verify your identity through voiceprint over the phone or any microphone-enabled digital device.
• Monitor your accounts regularly: Log in at least once a month to review your account activity and look out for any suspicious or unusual activity. Also, check that your address, phone number, and email address are up to date to ensure you receive important notifications.
• Secure data sharing with third-party apps: If you connect your Fidelity account to third-party websites or apps, such as money management apps or payment services, be cautious about sharing your login credentials. Review the privacy policies and terms of use to understand how your data is being accessed, stored, and protected.

View and manage beneficiaries

To view and manage your beneficiaries, follow these steps:

• Log in to your Fidelity account.
• Navigate to the "Customer Service" or "Account Management" section.
• Look for the option to "Manage" or "View" your beneficiaries. This may be found under a broader category, such as "Profile" or "Settings".
• Review and update your beneficiary information as needed. Ensure that your beneficiaries are up to date to guarantee that your assets are distributed according to your wishes.

Keeping your beneficiary information current is essential to ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes. Review your beneficiaries regularly, especially after significant life events such as marriage, divorce, or death.

Additionally, consider the following best practices:

• Keep a record of your beneficiary designations outside of your online account, such as in a secure physical location or password manager.
• Discuss your plans with your beneficiaries to ensure they are aware of your intentions and how to access your accounts if needed.
• Consult a legal or financial professional for personalized advice regarding your beneficiary designations and estate planning.

By following these steps and best practices, you can effectively manage your beneficiaries and ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes.

Understand the different types of funds

Understanding the different types of funds is essential for making informed investment decisions. Here's a detailed overview of some common types of funds available through Fidelity Investments:

Money Market Funds

Money market funds focus on highly liquid, short-term securities, such as Treasury bills and certificates of deposit. They are considered low-risk investments, making them suitable for investors seeking capital preservation.

Bond Funds

Bond funds are professionally managed and invest in various individual bonds. These funds have specific objectives, often focusing on sectors like corporate or Treasury bonds, or broad categories like investment-grade or high-yield bonds. They offer different levels of interest rate sensitivity based on their focus on short, intermediate, or long-term bonds.

Municipal Bond Funds

Municipal bond funds invest in municipal bonds issued by state and local governments. These bonds finance capital projects and day-to-day obligations. They provide a source of income, diversification, and tax advantages, as the interest income is typically exempt from federal income tax and may also be exempt from state and local taxes for residents of the issuing state.

Asset Allocation Funds

These funds invest in different mixes of securities, depending on their goals. Target date funds, for example, adjust their asset allocation over time, while target allocation funds maintain a fixed mix. Income replacement funds are also popular for creating an income stream in retirement.

Domestic Stock Funds

Domestic stock funds focus on stocks issued by US companies, including those of different sizes, growth stocks, or value stocks.

Sector Funds

Sector funds concentrate on a specific segment of the economy, investing in securities issued by companies within that sector. This specialization makes them more volatile than diversified funds but can provide focused exposure to particular industries.

International and Global Stock Funds

International and global stock funds invest in stocks from companies worldwide, including US stocks. They may include emerging market countries, adding an element of risk and the potential for higher returns.

Commodity Funds

Commodity funds invest in companies heavily involved in commodity-intensive industries like energy exploration or mining. Their performance can loosely track commodity prices, making them a hedge against inflation, but they are also more volatile than most stock funds.

Alternative Mutual Funds

Alternative mutual funds invest in non-traditional assets and often employ complex investment and trading strategies. They may invest in real estate, managed futures, derivatives, currencies, options, and traditional investments like stocks, bonds, and cash. These funds have a wide range of investment objectives and are suitable for investors comfortable with their unique characteristics and potential risks.

Remember, investing involves risk, and it's essential to understand your financial goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon before choosing any investment type.

Frequently asked questions