The stock market may seem like a dangerous place at times.

The truth is that individual investors who try to beat professional traders will almost always lose. No investor can have the resources of hundreds of professionals working every day in the market like the big institutional investors.

Does that mean individual investors should avoid the stock market? Not at all, however it does mean that you need to be careful.

Here is a series of five articles that discusses why you should be an investor in the stock market:

The Five-Part Series

Part 1: The stock market doesn’t care about you.

Part 2: Stocks are poised for growth.

Part 3: New regulations will level the playing field.

Part 4: Stocks offer the potential for current income and long-term growth.

Part 5: You Can Trade or Buy and Hold Stocks