Financial expert shares the basics of investing [Video]

(InvestigateTV) — Gallup reports that 62% of Americans own stocks, one of the two main types of investments with the other being bonds.

Michael Joyce with the financial firm Agili said investing often comes down to personal goals and when owners need to use their investments.

People who need to spend their investments in a few years might use different strategies versus people who need the money returned in 10 or more years.

Joyce said one of the biggest questions he gets regularly is what is a stock?

“A stock is basically where you’re a part owner of the company,” Joyce explained. “And really what you want the company to do is to grow, is to grow their cash flows. And maybe pay you dividends along the way because that would be part of your return as well.”

Joyce said a bond is debt.

“In essence you’re lending money to the government or to …