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?

What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

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

Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions

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

16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

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

• Articles

  The Great Debate Continues: Active vs. Passive

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

  Risk Perspective

  Is it possible to avoid loss? Not entirely, but you can attempt to manage risk.

  Best-Performing Asset Classes

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

  Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?

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

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

  Learn about key investment principles that will help you navigate the unpredictability of the financial markets.

  Bull & Bear Markets: A Timeline

  This helpful infographic will define bull and bear markets, as well as give a historical overview.

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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.

  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.

  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

  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.

  When Markets React

  When markets shift, experienced investors stick to their strategy.

  What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

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

  Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder

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

  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?”

  The Fed and How It Got That Way

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

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