Buying a stock is the easy part.

Knowing when to sell is the tough part.

That’s why it always pays to establish guidelines for what would force you to consider selling. After all, planning ahead can – and will remove the stress and the potential for error.

No. 1 – The Stock Hits your Stop Loss

When you buy a stock, the best thing to do is set a stop loss. Some folks use anywhere from 5% to as much as 25%. When it’s hit, you’re automatically out of the position. Or, perhaps you have a trailing stop loss set up to protect current gains. When and if the trailing stop is hit, you’re automatically kicked out of the position.

No. 2 – The Stock has Hit an Unsustainable Level

A good rule of thumb is to consider exiting a stock when the company’s valuation becomes significantly higher than its peers. Or, for example, it’s P/E begins to exceed its average P/E over the last five to 10 years. Or, let’s say the company’s revenues are beginning to decline. These are just some fundamental reasons to consider selling.

Or, let’s say you’re a technical trader.

Let’s say gets overbought on Bollinger Bands (2,20), MACD, relative strength (RSI) and Williams’ %R, that’s a good time to consider trimming a position.

No. 3 – The Company Cuts its Dividends

When a company starts to cut its dividends, it’s time to seriously consider selling the stock. A company dividend cut is a serious issue, and it can signal financial issues you should watch for.