Investment

Investing should be easy – just buy low and sell high – but most of us have trouble following that simple advice. There are principles and strategies that may enable you to put together an investment portfolio that reflects your risk tolerance, time horizon, and goals. Understanding these principles and strategies can help you avoid some of the pitfalls that snare some investors.

Featured Video

Behavioral Finance

An amusing and whimsical look at behavioral finance best practices for investors.

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Principles

Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.

Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

With alternative investments, it’s critical to sort through the complexity.

Best-Performing Asset Classes

Bonds may outperform stocks one year only to have stocks rebound the next.

From Boats to Brokers

From the Dutch East India Company to Wall Street, the stock market has a long and storied history.

• Articles

  All Muni Bonds Are Not Created Equal

  Gaining a better understanding of municipal bonds makes more sense than ever.

  Global vs. International: What’s the Difference?

  International funds invest in non-U.S. markets, while global funds may invest in U.S. stocks alongside non-U.S. stocks.

  Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?

  Even the most seasoned investors have biases affecting their financial choices.

  The Business Cycle

  Understanding the economy's cycles can help put current business conditions in better perspective.

  Estimating the Cost of College

  This worksheet can help you estimate the costs of a four-year college program.

  Rebalancing Your Portfolio

  Over time, different investments' performances can shift a portfolio’s intent and risk profile. Rebalancing may be critical.

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• Calculators

  Contributing to an IRA?

  Determine if you are eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA.

  Saving for College

  This calculator can help you estimate how much you should be saving for college.

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

  Use this calculator to compare the future value of investments with different tax consequences.

  What Is My Risk Tolerance?

  This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

  This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.

  How Compound Interest Works

  Use this calculator to better see the potential impact of compound interest on an asset.

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• Presentations

  5 Smart Investing Principles

  Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.

  5 Smart Investing Strategies

  There are some smart strategies that may help you pursue your investment objectives

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• Videos

  Inflation and Your Portfolio

  Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.

  What Smart Investors Know

  Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

  What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

  $1 million in a diversified portfolio could help finance part of your retirement.

  16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

  Pundits say a lot of things about the markets. Let's see if you can keep up.

  The Fed and How It Got That Way

  Here is a quick history of the Federal Reserve and an overview of what it does.

  Where Is the Market Headed?

  We all know the stock market can be unpredictable. We all want to know, “What’s next for the financial markets?”

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