Today, online investors come from the entire spectrum of society. Online investors range from young to old, beginners to professionals, and so on. Each of these groups has specific needs and interests. Many of the individuals in these special-interest groups are looking to online communities for answers and information about their special investment needs. Others see communities as a way to make online investing simpler because information is geared to their way of thinking.

The Internet provides special Web sites targeted to online investors with specific interests. The following is a sample of what you’ll find on the Internet. Investor Web sites for children Every day you’re bombarded with information about the stock market. Turn on the car radio, walk through a hotel lobby, or watch the news on television, and you get updates about the stock market whether you want to or not. In a recent Merrill Lynch survey of 512 teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17, about 9 percent who save their money invest in mutual funds or stocks. How can young people invest? A parent must open a custodial account because a minor can’t make securities transactions without the approval of an account trustee. The Merrill Lynch statistic indicates an interest in investing that’s supported by a number of online Web sites aimed at children.

Here are a few examples of the wide range of online resources that can meet the needs of even the youngest investor:

Big Money Adventure (www.agedwards.com/public/content/fcgi/ bma/frontpage.fcgi) is a site in which you select your guides and adventure based on your age: 2 to 6, 6 to 10, and 10 to adult. Visit the Rainbow Castle, jump into a storybook adventure, and learn about investing, or you can play a stock-picking game and win prizes.

The Young Investor Web site (www.younginvestor.com) is an interactive community designed for children and parents. Find out the fundamentals of managing money and investing. Don’t forget to visit the game room and play a few investing games. Web sites for young investors A recent NASDQ (National Association of Securities Dealers) survey showed that college-aged individuals (18 to 34 years old) account for about 20 percent of all U.S. investors. Online brokerages target these investors as their next revenue source. Many online brokerages understand that college-aged investors don’t have a lot to invest now but will likely become substantial investors over time. Here are a few examples of sites that target this group:

Edustock (library.thinkquest.org/3088) is an educational Web site designed by high school students for investors young and old. The Web site includes beginning investor tutorials about how to select stocks, company profiles, and a free 20-minute delayed online stock market simulation.

Independent Means (www.anincomeofherown.com) is a Web site designed for women under 20 (and their over-20 mentors) to find an income of their own. The motto of the Web site is “girls, money, and power.” Discover articles about money and investing, teen business pages, and more.

TeenAnalyst (www.teenanalyst.com) is staffed by a group of young investors aged 15 to 16 years old. Using their experience and knowledge of investing, they bring young investors information in a fun and informative manner. Other investor special-interest sites Many financial institutions sponsor special-interest Web sites that provide selected groups with the information they need to be educated investors. These and other specialty Web sites (which are often nonprofit) understand that many investor sites attempt to educate online investors but fail to do so correctly because they don’t understand the unique needs, top issues, and interests of the Internet users they serve. The following sections present a sampling of the various special-interest investor Web sites available: Senior investors Older investors can turn to the following sites for investment information:

Money & Investing (www.eldernet.com/money.htm) is geared to senior citizens. You access this site from the ElderNet home page. ElderNet’s Money & Investing site provides tutorials on the basics of investing, mutual funds, stocks, and bonds. Also, it includes sound advice on how to select a financial advisor.

ThirdAge (www.thirdage.com/money) provides information about investing, money management, and retiring well for adults in their mid- 40s through 50s. If you’re investing for an early retirement, this Web site can help you. Socially responsible investors If you have an active social conscience, consider these sites as starting points for your investment research:

SocialFunds.com (www.socialfunds.com) has more than 1,000 pages of strategic content to help investors make informed decisions regarding socially responsible investing. The Web site provides news, information, research, investment analysis, and financial services.

The Investor Responsibility Research Center (www.irrc.org) provides research related to corporate governance, social issues, and environmental practices. Get information about corporate benchmarking and environmental indexes.

The Social Investment Forum (www.socialinvest.org) offers comprehensive information, contacts, and resources on socially responsible investing. The Web site includes an online guide, financial services, news, and research. Minority and women investors The following sites are representative of Internet investment resources targeted specifically at minority and women investors:

The Gay Financial Network (www.gfn.com) provides free financial news, information, and services. The site also includes articles by featured columnists and a weekly poll.

WIFE.org (www.wife.org) is the Web site of the Women’s Institute for Financial Education (WIFE), a nonprofit organization dedicated to financial independence for women.

iVillage MoneyLife Personal Finance for Women (www.ivillage.com/ money) targets women who want to take control of their finances and start investing. Other topics include handling credit and debt, life and money, and money talk.