What are investments?

It's a simple question, but there are hundreds of books, and thousands of media articles written that try to explain investments and investing. But, really, there are two fundamental types of investments:

One type of investment helps you build your money to help achieve your goals. You know what your goals are – common goals many people have include saving for retirement, educating your child, buying a home or furniture, or taking a vacation. Financial companies like Sun Life Financial offer a huge range of investment "products" to help you build your money.

The other type is designed to return your money to you efficiently. Whether you've saved for retirement or a shorter-term goal, there are financial products designed to return your money in a way that helps you achieve your goal.