Making a Deposit: Tips & Tricks

Name: findependent
Brand: findependent
Rating: 4.9 (123 reviews)

To get your journey to financial freedom up to speed right away, we’ve made depositing as effortless as possible for you. You have two ways to send your money to work:

Option 1: scan & start

The easiest way is with your personal QR code. You can find it in the email we sent you when you opened your investment solution (Subject: “Hurray, your findependent account is ready” or “You have successfully opened your new goal”).

Open your banking app
Scan the QR code
(just open our email on your laptop/PC or upload the QR code directly into your banking app)
Enter your desired amount – done!

All tedious details like the reference number are automatically transferred. This leaves you more time for the beautiful things in life.

Option 2: copy & paste

If you prefer to enter the data manually, you can also find your IBAN directly in the app under “Deposit” for the respective investment solution or in the email we sent you when you opened your goal (Subject: “Hurray, your findependent account is ready” or “You have successfully opened your new goal”).

Our tip: Use the green symbol in the app to the right of the IBAN to easily copy it to your clipboard. You can then paste the IBAN directly into the recipient field in your online banking. The same works for the other details, such as the reference number of the goal. This way you avoid typos and everything lands effortlessly in the right place.

A small but important note

If we manage different investment solutions for you, each goal has its own reference number. Please make sure to always include it so that your money arrives exactly where it should work for you. Without this number, we unfortunately have to send the amount back to you. 😢

Is now the right time to invest?

Nobody knows – at least not for certain. No one can reliably predict how the financial markets will develop in the future. Consequently, the “perfect” times to get in and out only become clear in hindsight. Speculating on this often backfires, as you usually end up chasing market trends.

Instead, it’s advisable not to wait, but to start investing as early as possible – regardless of how the market seems at the moment. After all, the longer your investment horizon, the significantly lower the risk of loss becomes. Plus, you benefit more from the power of compound interest.

Furthermore, it’s advantageous in the long run to hold onto your investments through all market conditions. This is the strategy findependent follows. It requires perseverance during a crisis but ultimately leads to higher returns and minimized risk.

The best approach is to automate your deposits with a standing order. That way, you don’t have to think about it and won’t be tempted to speculate on market timing.

What are the minimum / maximum deposit amounts? Do I have to make regular deposits?

We have very few restrictions. Here’s the most important information at a glance:

To open your account: To activate your account, an initial deposit of just 1 franc within the first 3 months is all that’s needed.
For your first investment: As soon as a total of 500 francs has been accumulated in one of your investment goals, we will automatically invest the money for you. You can deposit this amount all at once or in smaller installments.
For subsequent deposits: For us to invest your money directly, further deposits should be at least 50 francs. We simply collect smaller amounts in your account until the total is sufficient for an investment.
For your custom investment solution: If you have created your own ETF solution, we’ll start investing once you’ve reached 5’000 francs for this goal.

There is no maximum amount. For larger sums, we recommend depositing them over a longer time period. This makes you less exposed to short-term market fluctuations. However, regular deposits are of course voluntary.

How can I deposit money into a specific goal?

It’s simple: Each of your goals has its own QR code with a unique reference number. You can find it in the app by selecting your desired goal and tapping on “Pay in“. Either scan this QR code with your banking app or enter the QR reference number manually. This ensures your money automatically goes to the right place.

A quick note: Once your money is invested in a goal, it cannot be moved to another goal. It would have to be sold and then reinvested in the other goal.

Why can’t I see my deposit in the app yet?

Your first deposit: For regulatory reasons, we need to briefly check this manually. It’s a one-time security check. It usually takes one business day for the money to appear in the app. We will notify you by email immediately afterwards.

All subsequent deposits: You will typically see these in the app on the same business day. You’ll also receive an email confirmation from us.

How long does it take for my money to be invested? How is it invested?

Provided your deposit is large enough (initially at least 500 francs, subsequent deposits at least 50 francs), we typically invest it within 1-2 days. We do this automatically according to your chosen investment solution and without speculating on the “right” moment.

How much does it cost to deposit money? What is the most cost-effective approach?

We do not charge our own fees for deposits or withdrawals. The small transaction costs (e.g., stamp duties) incurred when buying ETFs are mostly percentage-based. This means that it makes little to no difference whether you deposit small amounts frequently or large amounts infrequently.

Our tip for effortless wealth accumulation: Set up a monthly standing order. This way, you invest regularly, benefit from the cost-averaging effect, and don’t have to think about it anymore.