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

What Smart Investors Know

Smart investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Principles

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

Should I Invest in Gold?

Learning more about gold and its history may help you decide whether it has a place in your portfolio.

How Stocks Work

Understanding how a stock works is key to understanding your investments.

Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder

Agent Jane Bond is on the case, uncovering the mystery of bond laddering.

• Articles

  You Would Rather Be...

  Are you a thrill seeker, or content to relax in the backyard? Use this flowchart to find out more about your risk tolerance.

  The Great Debate Continues: Active vs. Passive

  In investments, one great debate asks the question, “Active or Passive Investing: Which Is Better?”

  How the Federal Reserve Works

  Each day, the Fed is behind the scenes supporting the economy and providing services to the U.S. financial system.

  The Ivory Tower Changes Wall Street

  Thanks to the work of three economists, we have a better understanding of what determines an asset’s price.

  What’s Your Investment IQ?

  You make decisions for your portfolio, but how much do you really know about the products you buy? Try this quiz

  All Muni Bonds Are Not Created Equal

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

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• Calculators

  What Is My Risk Tolerance?

  This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

  Contributing to an IRA?

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

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

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

  Impact of Taxes and Inflation

  Estimate the potential impact taxes and inflation can have on the purchasing power of an investment.

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• Presentations

  5 Smart Investing Strategies

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

  5 Smart Investing Principles

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

  Keys to Investing for Retirement

  There are some key concepts to understand when investing for retirement

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• Videos

  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 Good Ship IPO

  The seas of the market are constantly shifting. Whether the good ship IPO can set sail may depend heavily on the tides.

  Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

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

  Bridging the Confidence Gap

  In the world of finance, the effects of the "confidence gap" can be especially apparent.

  Jane Bond: Decoding Diversification

  Agent Jane Bond is on the case, discovering how bonds diversify a portfolio.

  It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times

  All about how missing the best market days (or the worst!) might affect your portfolio.

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