It is the time that an investor expects to hold an investment before requiring access to the money. It's a very important factor in determining investment strategies, risk tolerance, and asset allocation.
It's the time period that an investor intends to hold an investment, which could be as short as a few days or as long as several years.
Short-Term (Within 1-3 years):
Investments allocated for short-term goals.
Investors tend to choose safer options with more liquidity in an attempt to minimize risk.
Medium-Term (3-10 years):
Long-Term (10+ years):
Investment in growth in the long run, like retirement savings.
Investors can afford to take more risks since they have time to recover from market ups and downs.
Risk Tolerance:
In principle, the longer the time horizon, the more risk an investor can take because there is enough time to recover from market volatility.
Investment Strategy:
The time horizon dictates what kind of investments make sense. A short-term investor may be interested in stability, whereas a long-term investor can aim at higher growth opportunities.