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 Strategies

Getting what you want out of your money may require the right game plan.

Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

There are hundreds of ETFs available. Should you invest in them?

A Primer on Dividends

A company's profits can be reinvested or paid out to the company’s shareholders as “dividends."

Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder

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

• Articles

  Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President

  The Economic Report of the President can help identify the forces driving — or dragging — the economy.

  The ABCs of Zero Coupon Bonds

  Understanding some basic concepts may help you assess whether zero-coupon bonds have a place in your portfolio.

  The Anatomy of an Index

  The S&P 500 represents a large portion of the value of the U.S. equity market, it may be worth understanding.

  Pullbacks, Corrections, and Bear Markets

  Clearing up confusion from the economic downturn following COVID-19 and how it might affect your financial strategy.

  How Stocks Work

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

  A Look at Diversification

  Diversification is an investment principle designed to manage risk, but it can't prevent against a loss.

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• Calculators

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

  Saving for College

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

  Impact of Taxes and Inflation

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

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  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.

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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

  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 Real Cost of a Vacation Home

  What if instead of buying that vacation home, you invested the money?

  Bursting the Bubble

  Tulips were the first, but they won’t be the last. What forms a “bubble” and what causes them to burst?

  The Rule of 72

  Do you know how long it may take for your investments to double in value? The Rule of 72 is a quick way to figure it out.

  Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

  There are hundreds of ETFs available. Should you invest in them?

  What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

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

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