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Tools › Foundation › Tool 03
Free tool 03 · Foundation · From Course 03
First Investment Portfolio Checklist
Five phases and 25 points, from getting your finances ready to opening an account and running a portfolio. Tick what is in place and see the phase you are in and the next open point. Works with any exchange, in any market.
Open the checklistHow the result is worked out
25 points5 phasesAny exchangeTicks stay in your browser
Built in T&T · Made for the world · Education, not advice
What you get
Where you are, and what comes next.
01
The phase you are in
The first phase with a point still open, and the next open point in it.
02
Progress by phase
How many of the five points in each phase are ticked, and how many of the 25 in all.
03
A printable checklist
Your ticks, the date and the phase you are in, on one page you can print or save as a PDF.
Sample progressIllustrative ticks
7 / 25
You are in Phase 2 · Learn and profile. Next open point: You can find a company’s five core numbers in its annual report.
1 · Personal foundation5 / 5
2 · Learn and profile2 / 5
3 · Build the portfolio plan0 / 5
4 · Open your account0 / 5
5 · Invest and maintain0 / 5
What it asks
Five phases, in the order Course 03 teaches them.
Each phase prepares the next: the foundation before the learning, the plan before the account, the account before the first purchase.
The tool
How ready is your first portfolio?
One phase at a time. Tick each point that is already in place. Your ticks stay in your browser: nothing is stored or sent, and closing the page clears them.
0 / 25
You are in Phase 1 · Personal foundation. Next open point: An emergency reserve sized to your own costs is in place.
0 of 25 ticked0%
How your progress is worked out
The same four stages as “How the result is worked out” further down the page, with your own ticks. It updates as you tick.
Course 03 · How to Start Investing
Teaches each asset class, how markets work, and how to write and keep a first portfolio plan.
This checklist lists common preparation steps in the order Course 03 teaches them, for financial education. It does not recommend any investment, broker or allocation, and it is not financial advice.
Caribbean business, finance, and wealth — translated.
caribbeanambition.com
Free tool 03 · Foundation · From Course 03
First Investment Portfolio Checklist
Your checklist · · caribbeanambition.com/tools/first-investment-portfolio-checklist/
/ 25
1 · Personal foundation
An emergency reserve sized to your own costs is in place
Every debt is listed with its rate, and any high-interest debt has a payoff plan
Your investment goal is written down, with a time horizon
You know the amount you can invest each month without touching your reserve
Your risk tolerance is assessed, and how you would respond to a fall is written down
Phase complete when: all five points are in place. · Course 01 · Course 02 · Course 03, Module 07
2 · Learn and profile
You can explain what shares, bonds, mutual funds and index funds are
You know how the exchange you plan to use works: trading hours, settlement and how prices are quoted
You can find a company’s five core numbers in its annual report
You have compared the fees of any fund you are considering
You know where each company’s or fund’s information comes from
Phase complete when: you can explain each option and profile a company or fund from its own documents. · Course 03, Modules 02–06 · Course 04
3 · Build the portfolio plan
An allocation model (conservative, balanced or growth) is chosen as your starting point
Your plan spreads money across more than one asset class
Your plan sets a limit on how much any single holding can be
You have looked at spreading across sectors and markets, not only your home market
Your plan is written down: allocation, limits, monthly amount and time horizon
Phase complete when: the plan is written down and you can explain each part of it. · Course 03, Modules 07–08 · Course 08
4 · Open your account
The broker is licensed by the regulator in your market
You have compared every fee: account, trading and currency conversion
You know which markets and exchanges the account gives you access to
You have read how the broker holds client assets
Your account is open, your identity verified and a funding transfer set up
Phase complete when: your account is open, verified and funded. · Course 03, Module 09
5 · Invest and maintain
Your first purchase follows your written plan
A regular contribution schedule is set up
You keep records: contract notes, statements and tax documents
Your first review date is in your calendar
A rebalancing rule is written down: a set date, or a drift you choose
Phase complete when: all five points are in place; from then on, the review date sets the rhythm. · Course 03, Module 10 · Course 08
The course behind the tool · Course 03 · How to Start Investing
5 weeks · 10 modules · US$149 · Launch list open · caribbeanambition.com/courses/
This checklist lists common preparation steps in the order Course 03 teaches them, for financial education. It does not recommend any investment, broker or allocation, and it is not financial advice.
This content is financial education only — not investment advice. Ambition Media holds no position in any company covered and has no commercial relationship with the companies featured unless explicitly disclosed. Past financial performance does not indicate future results. Always consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decision.
How the result is worked out
Five phases, in order.
Here are the sample ticks followed through four stages. The same steps run every time you tick or untick a point.
Good to know
The checklist counts what you tick. It names no investment, broker or allocation, and nothing you tick is stored or sent.
See the formulas
Progresspoints ticked, out of 25
A phase is completeall five of its points are ticked
The phase you are inthe first phase with a point still open
The next open pointthe first unticked point, in phase order
What is keptnothing; closing the page clears the ticks
Sample ticks · seven points ticked.
Read more
More from Money & Wealth.
What a TT$10,000 Emergency Fund Looks Like on Any Salary
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Assets vs Liabilities: The Framework Behind Every Money Decision
What assets and liabilities mean, where a car or a home fit, and how net worth is worked out, with current T&T rates shown per $1,000.
Questions
About the tool.
Is the checklist free?
Yes. The checklist is free.
Are my ticks saved?
No. They stay in your browser while the page is open and are cleared when it closes. Print or save as PDF keeps a copy.
Does it work for any exchange?
Yes. The points apply to any exchange and any market; where rules differ by country, the point asks what applies to you.
Does the checklist recommend an investment or a broker?
No. It names no investment, broker or allocation. It lists the preparation steps in the order Course 03 teaches them.
Why are the phases in this order?
Each phase prepares the next: a reserve and a plan come before an account, and the account before a first purchase. The order is the one Course 03 follows.
Is the result financial advice?
No. The checklist counts what you tick, for financial education. Decisions about your money stay with you, made with a licensed professional where one is needed.
This content is financial education only — not investment advice. Ambition Media holds no position in any company covered and has no commercial relationship with the companies featured unless explicitly disclosed. Past financial performance does not indicate future results. Always consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decision.