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?

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Principles

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

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?”

Investing with Your Heart

For some, the social impact of investing is just as important as the return, perhaps more important.

Finding the Balance

The sandwich generation faces unique challenges. For many, meeting needs is a matter of finding a balance.

• Articles

  The Great Debate Continues: Active vs. Passive

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

  How Financial Professionals Are Compensated

  Read this overview to learn how financial advisors are compensated.

  Best-Performing Asset Classes

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

  Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions

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

  How Stocks Work

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

  Diversification, Patience, and Consistency

  Three important factors when it comes to your financial life.

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• Calculators

  What Is My Risk Tolerance?

  This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  Impact of Taxes and Inflation

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

  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.

  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 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.

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• Videos

  Inflation and Your Portfolio

  Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.

  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 Fed and How It Got That Way

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

  Global and International Funds

  Investors seeking world investments can choose between global and international funds. What's the difference?

  Finding the Balance

  The sandwich generation faces unique challenges. For many, meeting needs is a matter of finding a balance.

  Bridging the Confidence Gap

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

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