Since the launch of the first exchange-traded fund in 1993, the industry has grown to over $1.3 trillion with nearly 1,200 choices available and the exchange-traded fund has characteristics of both stocks and index mutual funds.

Individuals can buy or sell ETF shares daily just like stocks and they can invest in a pool of securities much like a mutual fund. If you are considering an ETF, here are a couple of questions to ask.

Given the size and nature of my portfolio, would ETFs be right for me?
 
There are many factors involved, but if you have a long-term investment time horizon, an ETF might be appropriate.

Are there different tax treatments depending on the investment focus?
 
ETFs are structured to track certain sectors and they follow the tax laws of that sector, so each EFT should be examined for its tax treatment.
Exchange-traded funds are just one investment choice for a diversified portfolio.

Call today and let’s talk about whether an ETF is right for you.