Introduction to Hedge Fund Investments

With the economic recovery well underway, investors across the country are looking to start recouping some of the losses they incurred when the markets took a hit. This is a great time to be more aggressive, which is why hedge fund investments are becoming increasingly popular. Savvy investors already know all about these funds, and have been participating in them for decades. But if you're new to the game, there are a few things you should know before putting your money in play.

Perhaps the most important thing you need to know about hedge fund investments is that they're a high-risk, high-reward proposition. This is not the route to go if you want to build a nest egg for retirement or save for your children's college tuition. If you're looking for relative safety, then you should stick to more traditional blue-chip stocks and bonds. Hedge fund investments employ very aggressive strategies to yield the highest returns to participants. This means investing in riskier sectors such as emerging markets, technology, and healthcare. To offset the risk a bit, managers might simultaneously try hedging their bets via short selling or derivatives. Still, this is definitely not something to get into if you can't afford to lose the money.

A second aspect of hedge fund investments you need to be aware of is their limited availability. You can't just throw some dollars into the best performing funds out there and expect to get in on the action. Most of these groups feature closed memberships, which means you have to be invited and approved by existing participants. There are some open funds, but be sure to perform proper due diligence before handing over your cash.

Besides checking the fund's general performance, you should also have a good look at the manager. Behind all good hedge fund investments is a smart manager with years of experience and a proven track record of earning positive returns. Managers earn fees and massive performance bonuses based on what they do, so it's always in their best interest to succeed. Nevertheless, there are some mavericks out there that don't mind playing fast and loose with other people's money, so you definitely have to beware of who you partner up with. This is especially true after the recent number of high-profile investors who have been taken down by the SEC for running elaborate Ponzi schemes. Once the situation deteriorates to that point, there's little to no chance of ever seeing your money again.

This is just some very basic information about hedge fund investments that everyone should know beforehand. But there is still a lot to learn before jumping in with both feet, so I recommend reading as much as you can about the topic. If you're still willing to risk your money after you've learned all you can, then go for it. You might just catch on with the hottest manager and score some big returns!