: Link your bank account to transfer cash. Many modern brokers have no account minimums, allowing you to start with as little as $1 to $20. 2. Conduct "Due Diligence" (Research)

: A flexible, taxable account with no contribution limits.

Before committing capital, analyze a company’s health using publicly available documents like and 10-Q (quarterly) reports found on the SEC EDGAR database .

You cannot buy stocks directly from an exchange; you must use a regulated middleman known as a .