Long kept a secret by financial insiders, index funds are rapidly growing in popularity. Index funds are unit trusts that track the performance of an index. An investor can buy shares comprising the index or buy a sample of shares that make up the index. A fund s value is linked to the index, meaning that if the index rises, the value of the fund also rises. Index funds outperform 80 percent of managed funds, and more and more investors are turning to these funds to reduce the anxiety and expense of trying to beat the market and predict what stocks, bonds, or mutual funds will perform well. In this book you will find out why insiders have kept these funds a secret and how you can benefit from them. In this new, comprehensive book, you will learn the different indexing methods, including traditional indexing, synthetic indexing, and enhanced indexing, and you will learn the advantages of index funds, among them low costs, simplicity, and lower turnovers. You will read about diversification, asset allocation, capital gains tax considerations, enhanced index funds, and the common mistakes investors make with index funds. Furthermore, you will learn how to achieve balance, how individual funds perform, how to use exchange traded funds for effective asset allocation, how to choose the right fund, how to develop a portfolio, how to gauge portfolio risk, and how to determine your risk capacity. We will provide you with a list of funds, specific strategies, and step-by-step guidance on active indexing. We will explain the efficiency of indexing, the flexibility of active portfolio management strategies, and the benefits of index funds compared to traditional mutual funds. Whether you are a first time investor or a stock market pro, you will discover valuable information about how index funds work, what factors to consider before investing, and how to avoid common pitfalls. By reading this guide you will ultimately learn how to maximise your return while minimising your risk.