So da wife and I are in our mid 40's. We each have mutual fund accounts. We started those a few years ago by rolling them under one umbrella, because we each had little retirement accounts from various employers and now they are under one roof.
Her employer and mine have R/A's, and we add to our mutual funds every year for the obvious reasons. What I would like to do is take 1k (I think that's the minimum) and go to Charles Schwab and have them invest in the stock market.
Now I know there will be some of you here that will say "do it yourself". Ah no, I don't know enough about it, stuff like that isn't my thing, thanks anyway.
So the advice I am asking is Charels Schwab a good place to start, or Edward Jones? Any other firms?
What I have noticed over the years is that it seems older guys and guys in the know that have investments don't want to give advice, almost secretive. I knew one old timer that suggested to me 20 some years ago to invest in mutual funds. I took his advice and got started at about 35. I don't understand why guys don't give advice to younger people. It's like it's they just want to be smug about it and look down their noses.
Are you willing to learn about investing? (ie. reading)
To give an opinion on the last paragraph about your perception of "older guys and guys in the know that have investments . . ." giving investment advice is a highly regulated professional service. Giving investment opinions is what we do on the fire. I am very careful about giving my opinion because if someone follows my recommendation and it doesn't turn out well for them, then I will be the one they blame. I don't like being in that situation. In your situation, I think dollar cost averaging in your mutual fund accounts is probably the best idea, since you do not currently have the willingness to educate yourself in the finer points of investing. When I was your age, I was the same way. The light did not come on for me until a dozen years ago, and I'm 65. I'm a real Johnny come lately to the investing game, but I dove in head first and have read hundreds of investing books and spent hours on Seeking Alpha to help educate myself. Anything written by William O'Neil "How to Make Money in Stock" and a subscription to "Investors Daily" would be my recommendation for you. However, if you are not ready to commit to educating yourself, I'd put that $1,000 back in your pocket, before you piss it away.
