nvesting in shares of individual stocks can be a great way to earn impressive investment returns and build wealth. But that's the case only if you have the knowledge and are willing to put in the time necessary to make sound investments. 

Not everyone enjoys the process of researching businesses or keeping tabs on how companies are performing. But if that's not your cup of tea, you don't want that to discourage you from getting your money into the stock market -- especially not when there is a simple solution. 

If you hate picking stocks, this could be the investment for you

If you want to invest money so you can build wealth, but you have no interest in researching different assets to invest in, you should think seriously about buying an S&P 500 index fund.

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Index funds track the performance of financial indexes. When you invest in one, your money is distributed into all the assets that make up the fund. If you buy an S&P 500 index fund, for example, your investment will give you exposure to around 500 of the largest U.S. companies. Your single purchase of that one fund will actually allow you to invest in businesses ranging from Apple and Amazon to Caterpillar and Charles Schwab to DISH Network and Dollar Tree. You will essentially be making a bet on all the big businesses in America that are spread across all different industries. 

Betting on American businesses has always paid off in the past, with the S&P 500 producing average annual returns of around 10% over time and never producing losses for anyone who has consistently remained invested for at least 20 years. 

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