Putting money to work in the stock market is a smart way for people to start building lasting wealth. The initial mental hurdle, though, is that things can seem very complicated at first. And this might keep investors on the sidelines.

But it doesn't have to be this way. Investing in stocks can be incredibly simple. In fact, even small sums of capital can go a long way.

If you've got $1,000 you're ready to invest in the new year, put it in an S&P 500 index fund, like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NASDAQMUTFUND: VFIAX). Here's why that's a smart idea.

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Source Fool.com