How to invest $50K

4 best ways to invest $50,000 right now

If you’ve got $50,000, there are a lot of investment opportunities available to you. You can get into a number of individual stocks or diversify your portfolio with ETFs. What’s more, you can easily max out your IRA account — which should take around 12% of your available funds — or you can get into real estate investment trusts (REITs).
However, which route you take and how much you’ll put into each investment depends largely on your age and how much risk you’re willing to take.

• If you’re nearing retirement, a more conservative investment route with stable companies and low risk is often the way to go.
• If you’re in your 20s and 30s, you can add in some risky investments, such as penny stocks or new companies with disruptive technology and services.

1. Dividend and blue-chip stocks are good choices

Why it’s a good option now: Having $50,000 allows you to invest in multiple individual stocks. You can choose from dividend stocks, where you can earn up to 4% or more, or you can go with growth stocks if you’re willing to take some risk for a potentially higher return in the future. And if you want to speculate — consider penny stocks. These are often known to fail, but if you invest in the right one, your rewards can far outweigh any other return on the stock market in a short period.
Blue-chip stocks are another alternative for investors looking for stability and low risk. What’s more, a lot of blue-chip stocks also pay dividends, which makes them a solid option for investors nearing retirement or those who want to minimize risk.
If you’re willing to diversify your investments even further, consider adding ETFs. ETFs have two main advantages over individual stocks: instant diversification and saving money on fees. That’s because you hold multiple stocks or assets with one purchase instead of buying them all by yourself. Similar to individual stocks, you can invest in blue-chip ETFs and dividend ETFs if you want lower risk and passive income. Or you can invest in ETFs in growth sectors such as tech and healthcare if you’re willing to take the risk for potentially higher reward.
What to watch out for: Individual companies may go bankrupt or get into legal problems. Avoid investing a huge chunk of your money into one stock.

2. Automate your investment with a robo-advisor

Why it’s a good option now: You can invest in the stock market without doing a lot of research. Robo-advisors are algorithms that allocate your money based on parameters that you set –– like risk tolerance. Once you set it up, the robo-advisor will invest your money in mutual funds or ETFs.
What to watch out for: Computer algorithms aren’t perfect. Also, there may not be a high variety of investment options. Plus, robo-advisors typically charge an annual fee. This can be a flat fee or in the form of a percentage, say 0.3% of your invested funds. Some robo-advisors, such as SoFi®’s automated investing feature, have no fees.

3. Dip your toe in real estate

Why it’s a good option now: In this day and age, you don’t have to directly buy a house or any other property to get into real estate — you can invest in REITs or through crowdfunding platforms. REITs can be either in the form of publicly-traded stocks that you can buy on the stock market or privately owned stocks that you can buy via the investment company’s platform for any amount you want. For private REITs, though, there are often minimums you have to meet.
REITs often come with dividend payments from tenants. This makes it a decent investment option for those who want passive income and relatively low risk. Also, to make it work, you often have to hold your investment for many years.
What to watch out for: Private REITs aren’t as liquid as publicly-traded ones, meaning you may find it hard to sell them whenever you want. Also, private REITs may lock your funds for at least five years, or you’ll pay a penalty if you withdraw sooner.

4. Max out your retirement account

Why it’s a good option now: Timing in the market is everything. The sooner you max out your retirement account, the faster you can reach your retirement goals. If you have already maxed out your 401(k) or will do so by the end of the year, consider opening and maxing out an IRA account if you don’t already have one. You can deposit a lump sum whenever you want in your IRA with an annual maximum of $6,000, or $7,000 if you’re age 50 or older. That’s 12% of your initial $50,000. What’s more, you can invest in stocks and ETFs with your IRA. This makes it an excellent add-on to your individual investment account. What to watch out for: In most cases, you’ll pay a penalty if you withdraw your money before the age of 59½. Also, consider whether Roth or traditional IRA works best for you. The main difference between the two is when you pay taxes. With a Roth IRA, you contribute after-tax dollars, and you can make tax-free withdrawals when the time comes. With a traditional IRA, your investment grows tax-free, but you have to pay taxes when you withdraw.

How $50,000 can grow

With $50,000 you can start building serious wealth with enough time and wise decisions. Here’s a look at how it might grow in three common investment classes.

For this table we assumed a 1% annual return on a savings account, CD or money market fund (which is optimistic these days); an average 6% return for bonds or bond funds; and 10% on stocks, the market’s long-term annual return. Bond returns vary widely based on bond types, and the stock market has down years while individual stocks can go to zero. So consider these benchmarks only and consider risk as well as return.

Before you invest

One thing is certain; $50,000 is a lot of money. Make sure you prepare and understand your investment options before you invest this money. It may be better suited elsewhere.

• Pay off your debt. You may earn more money by investing your $50,000 in the right way and then paying off your debt. But you could also lose money if market conditions change or you make a wrong investing choice. Make sure to pay off your liabilities first or at least have a repayment plan before you invest your money.
• Create an emergency fund. An emergency fund will protect you in case of emergencies like job loss or a catastrophic event. If you invest all your money, you could suffer losses if you have to withdraw your investment sooner than you otherwise would.
• Diversify your holdings. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invest all of your $50,000 in the stock market alone; it means you should avoid putting them all in one stock or sector.

Alternative investments

Aside from the investment options we mentioned, you can consider other alternatives.

• Cryptocurrencies. This is a relatively new investment option that comes with high risk and high reward. If you’re willing to take the risk, you could consider investing a small amount from your $50,000.
• College savings plans. If you plan to send your kids to college, consider investing in a 529 college savings plan. The cool thing about this option is that you can withdraw your money tax-free for eligible college expenses when the time comes.

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Finder Score	Available asset types	Stock trade fee	Minimum deposit	Cash sweep APY	bullet point infobox
Promoted Finder score 8.2 Great Zacks Trade	Finder score 8.2 Great	Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, CDs	$0.01	$250	2.83%	Leverage powerful trading tools and low margin rates to trade stocks, options, ETFs, mutual funds and bonds.	Go to site More info	loading
Promoted Finder score 9.4 Excellent Robinhood	Finder score 9.4 Excellent	Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Futures, Event contracts, High-yield cash account	$0	$0	3.50%	Get a free stock when you successfully sign up and link your bank account. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, options, crypto and more, with advanced trading tools, fractional shares and exclusive perks for Gold members.	Go to site More info	loading
Promoted Finder score 9 Excellent Public.com	Finder score 9 Excellent	Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Investments, Retirement, Treasury Bills, High-yield cash account	$0	$0	3.6%	Get up to $10,000 and transfer fees covered when you move your portfolio to Public. T&Cs apply.	Build a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, ETFs and crypto, with a high-yield cash account and options contract rebates.	Important information *Yield as of 04/09/2025. Learn more.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9 Excellent SoFi Active Invest	Finder score 9 Excellent	Stocks, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Alternatives	$0	$0	0.01%	Get up to $1,000 in stock when you open and fund a new account. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, ETFs, and options with zero commissions, invest in IPOs or automate your portfolio, with exclusive perks available through SoFi Plus.	Important information INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view our fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees. Investing in alternative investments and/or strategies may not be suitable for all investors and involves unique risks, including the risk of loss. An investor should consider their individual circumstances and any investment information, such as a prospectus, prior to investing. Interval Funds are illiquid instruments, the ability to trade on your timeline may be restricted. Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org) /SIPC(www.sipc.org). There are limitations with fractional shares to consider before investing. During market hours fractional share orders are transmitted immediately in the order received. There may be system delays from receipt of your order until execution and market conditions may adversely impact execution prices. Outside of market hours orders are received on a not held basis and will be aggregated for each security then executed in the morning trade window of the next business day at market open. Share will be delivered at an average price received for executing the securities through a single batched order. Fractional shares may not be transferred to another firm. Fractional shares will be sold when a transfer or closure request is initiated. Please consider that selling securities is a taxable event. Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire investment Before trading options please review the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Utilizing a margin loan is generally considered more appropriate for experienced investors as there are additional costs and risks associated. It is possible to lose more than your initial investment when using margin. Please see https://www.sofi.com/wealth/assets/documents/brokerage-margin-disclosure-statement.pdf for detailed disclosure information SoFi Plus members can schedule an unlimited number of appointments with a financial planner during periods in which the SoFi Plus member meets the eligibility criteria set forth in section 10(a) of the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions. SoFi members who are not members of SoFi Plus can schedule one (1) appointment with a financial planner. The ability to schedule appointments is subject to financial planner availability. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this benefit at any time with or without notice. Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Information about SoFi Wealth’s advisory operations, services, and fees is set forth in SoFi Wealth’s current Form ADV Part 2 (Brochure), a copy of which is available upon request and at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. Probability of Member receiving $1,000 is a probability of 0.026%; If you don’t make a selection in 45 days, you’ll no longer qualify for the promo. Customer must fund their account with a minimum of $50.00 to qualify. Probability percentage is subject to decrease Robo Advisor: Automated investing is offered through SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. 0.25% fee is based on your account value. The wrap program fee may cost more or less than purchasing brokerage, custodial, and record keeping services separately. Terms and conditions apply*. For 401k rollovers, existing SoFi IRA members must complete 401k rollovers via this link For SoFi members without a SoFi IRA, a SoFi IRA must first be opened, and 401k rollover must be completed utilizing Capitalize via this link. SoFi and Capitalize will charge no additional fees to process a 401(k) rollover to a SoFi IRA. SoFi is not liable for any costs incurred from the existing 401k provider for rollover. Please check with your 401k provider for any fees or costs associated with the rollover. For IRA contributions, only deposits made via ACH and cash transfer from SoFi Bank accounts are eligible for the match. Click here for the 1% Match terms and conditions.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 8.2 Great eToro	Finder score 8.2 Great	Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Investments	$0	$0	3.75%	No commission stock, ETF and options trades, with 3.9% interest on your options account balance and no options contract fees. See full disclosure.	Important information eToro securities trading offered by eToro USA Securities, Inc. (‘the BD”), member of FINRA and SIPC. Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes only, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance. Finder is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the BD.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9.2 Excellent Interactive Brokers GlobalTrader	Finder score 9.2 Excellent	Stocks, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Cryptocurrency	$0	$0	3.83% Lite 4.83% Pro	Trade in a simulated trading environment and access a wide range of tradable assets.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9.4 Excellent Webull	Finder score 9.4 Excellent	Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Futures, Money market funds	$0	$0	3.60%	Deposit or transfer $100,000+ to earn a 4% Match Bonus, or $2,000+ to earn a 3% Match Bonus. Plus: Get a $100 transfer fee reimbursement on your first brokerage transfer of $2,000 or more. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, ETFs and equity options commission-free, with access to futures, advanced charting tools, a robo-advisor and event trading powered by Kalshi.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 8 Great Acorns	Finder score 8 Great	Stocks, ETFs	$0	$0	N/A	Get a $20 bonus when you set up an account and make your first recurring investment (min. $5). T&Cs apply.	Automate investing with recurring contributions starting at $5 and invest spare change from everyday purchases.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 7.4 Great Stash	Finder score 7.4 Great	Stocks, ETFs	$0	$0	0.1%	Get $5 when you sign up and deposit $5. T&Cs apply.	Bank, automate your portfolio or invest in individual stocks and ETFs for as low as $3 per month.	Important information Investment advisory services offered by Stash Investment LLC, a SEC registered investment advisor. Investing involves risk and investments may lose value. Holdings and performance are hypothetical. *Offer is subject to T&Cs	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9 Excellent Wealthfront	Finder score 9 Excellent	Stocks, ETFs, High-yield cash account	$0	$500	3.75%	Get a $50 bonus when you sign up and fund a taxable automated investing account with at least $500. T&Cs apply.	Automate your stock and bond portfolio or trade individual stocks for as little as $1 apiece. Plus, earn 3.50% APY on your cash.	Go to site More info	loading

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Written by

Kliment Dukovski

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Kliment Dukovski was a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in investments and cryptocurrency. He's written more than 700 articles to help readers compare the best trading platforms, understand complex investment terms and find the best credit cards for their needs. His expert commentary has been featured in such digital publications as Fox Business, MSN Money and MediaFeed. He’s also well-versed in money transfers, home loans and more — breaking down these topics into simple concepts anyone can understand. In another life, Kliment ghostwrote guides and articles on foreign exchange, stock market trading and cryptocurrencies. See full bio

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