How to start investing in stocks with little or no experience

New York CNN Business — Investing for the first time can be downright intimidating. Figure out your game plan Before making your first investment: “it’s important to assess what your goals are,” said Trina Patel, a financial advice manager at financial service Albert. “To start investing well, you need to take care of the prerequisites,” said Corbin Blackwell, a certified financial planner at Betterment, a financial advisory company that offers cash management and retirement advice. If you’re saving for something other than retirement or need access to your money more quickly, you can opt for a taxable brokerage account, with a company like Fidelity, TD Ameritrade or Vanguard, instead.That means you’ll have to pay taxes on any investment income within the account. The bottom line No matter what route you take, investing is another way to grow your wealth, or as the saying goes “make your money work for you.” Investing can help you reach your financial goals such as buying a house, saving for retirement or even starting your own business.