Why You Don’t Have To Be Good at Math To Start Investing
Written by
Cindy Lamothe
Edited by
Amber Barkley
Commitment to Our Readers
GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
20 Years
Helping You Live Richer
Reviewed
by Experts
Trusted by
Millions of Readers
You’ve likely heard how important investing is when it comes to your financial future. Every money guru out there tells you to start. There’s only one problem — you suck at math. And isn’t investing all about numbers?
“A lot of people think investing is like the chalkboard Will Hunting wrote on in ‘Good Will Hunting’ — covered in Greek letters, complicated formulas and something only a mathematical genius could understand,” said Sarah Maitre, CFA and founder of Camriel Advisors. “But the good news is, that’s not what it takes to get started with investing.”
Here’s why you don’t have to be good at math to get started.
There Are a Ton of Resources
“There are more than 8,000 stocks listed on U.S. stock exchanges, not to mention bonds, ETFs and at least a dozen other asset classes,” said Maitre.
It can be easy to feel overwhelmed, she noted. “But luckily, there are a ton of books, podcasts and even financial influencers, like HumphreyTalks, PersonalFinanceClub and DelyanneTheMoneyCoach, who break down financial concepts into simple, easy to understand terms.”
She also mentioned target-date funds, which “automatically adjust your investment allocation between stocks and bonds as you get closer to retirement.”
Finally, she said robo-advisors can build and manage a diversified portfolio for you. And there is no shortage of financial advisors who can help you figure out what choices are right given your goals.
Gagan Saini, founder and director of acquisitions at JiT Home Buyers, said modern investment tools have made complex calculations obsolete for everyday investors. “When I started investing, I worried about my average math skills. Then, I discovered that apps and online platforms handle all the number-crunching automatically.”
He said these tools calculate returns, track portfolio performance and even suggest investment allocations — no manual math required.
Success Comes From Understanding Basic Concepts, Not Complex Formulas
According to Saini, his real estate investment success came from understanding basic concepts, not complex formulas. “I remember being intimidated by cap rate calculations until I realized that online calculators could do the math for me.”
The key, he explained, was learning what the numbers meant for his investment goals, not memorizing how to calculate them. “This revelation helped me build a successful property portfolio despite my initial fears about the mathematical aspects.”
Get Over Your Fear of Putting Your Money to Work
“The biggest thing isn’t the math,” Maitre explained, “it’s getting over your fear and putting your money to work.”
She pointed out that, while the stock market is more volatile than cash, it tends to go up over time. Keeping your money in your savings account, which likely has a very low rate of return, means you could be missing out on higher returning asset classes, like equities and even fixed income, she added.
Saini agreed. “Starting small with index funds removed the need for mathematical analysis entirely. I began by investing $100 monthly in a broad market index fund, letting the fund managers handle all the complex calculations and market analysis.”
He said this simple approach taught him that successful investing depends more on consistency and patience than mathematical prowess.
Stick to Your Investment Strategy
“Technology has democratized investing by handling the mathematical heavy lifting,” Saini said.
He said investment apps now offer built-in calculators, automated portfolio rebalancing and visual representations of complex data. “In my experience teaching new investors, I’ve seen how these tools help people overcome their math anxiety and focus on what truly matters: setting clear financial goals and sticking to their investment strategy.”
More From GOBankingRates
