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

Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market

Agent Jane Bond is on the case, cracking the code on bonds.

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Principles

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

Bursting the Bubble

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

Estimating the Cost of College

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

What Smart Investors Know

Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

• Articles

  Alternative Investments - Going Mainstream

  Alternative investments are going mainstream for accredited investors. It’s critical to sort through the complexity.

  Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

  Exchange-traded funds have some things in common with mutual funds, but there are differences, too.

  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.

  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.

  A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses

  Understanding how capital gains are taxed may help you refine your investment strategies.

  Your Shifting Risk Tolerance

  Time and market performance may subtly and slowly imbalance your portfolio.

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• Calculators

  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.

  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.

  Impact of Taxes and Inflation

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

  Saving for College

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

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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.

  View all presentations

• Videos

  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.

  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.

  Behavioral Finance

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

  Bursting the Bubble

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

  View all videos