Automatic investment program

Automatic investment program

A program in which an investor can invest or withdraw funds automatically. A mutual fund, for example, automatically withdraws a pre determined specified amount from the investor's bank account on a regular basis.

Dollar-Cost Averaging

An investment strategy in which one makes investments in the same dollar amount at regular times. For example, one may buy $1,000 in Stock A every month, regardless of Stock A's current price. Because this means one buys fewer shares when the price is high and more when the price is low, dollar-cost averaging aims to reduce the average cost of the shares one buys. This increases the profit per share when one sells the stock. Dollar cost averaging is most common with shares of a mutual fund or a retirement plan. It is also called a constant dollar plan.