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

The Business Cycle

How will you weather the ups and downs of the business cycle?

The Cycle of Investing

Understanding the cycle of investing may help you avoid easy pitfalls.

Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions

Information vs. instinct. Are your choices based on evidence of emotion?

What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

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

• Articles

  The Great Debate Continues: Active vs. Passive

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

  Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?

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

  The ABCs of Zero Coupon Bonds

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

  Investment Challenges of the Affluent Investor

  Affluent investors face unique challenges when putting together an investment strategy. Make sure you keep these in mind.

  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.

  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

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• Calculators

  What Is My Risk Tolerance?

  This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

  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.

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  Saving for College

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

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• Videos

  Bridging the Confidence Gap

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

  What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

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

  The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

  It's easy to let investments accumulate like old receipts in a junk drawer.

  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.

  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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