Data & Research December 15, 2006

A Third of Online Investors Flag Year End Gains for Retirement

Nearly one-third (27%) of online investors plan to focus some or all of their end-of-year investment gains on retirement and 22% plan to put them into savings.
Reported by

However, the majority (63%) plan to reinvest those gains in an online brokerage account. Significantly smaller numbers of the nearly 400 online investors surveyed by The Link Group for Scottrade plan to use the money to buy a home (14%), make a personal purchase (11%), or give to a charitable organization (6%).

The survey asked investors what they would do if they cashed in their investments. (Each participant was allowed to select multiple responses.) The options were:

  • Reinvest it in an online brokerage account (63%)

  • Use it for retirement (27%)

  • Put it into savings (22%)

  • Purchase a home (14%)

  • Reinvest in a full service brokerage account (14%)

  • Make a personal purchase (11%)

  • Invest in my own business (10%)

  • Use it for a vacation (9%)

  • Use it for fun/leisure activities (7%)

  • Give it to a charitable organization (6%)

  • Other (6%)

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