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

From Boats to Brokers

From the Dutch East India Company to Wall St., the stock market has a long and storied history.

The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

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

Best-Performing Asset Classes

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

Bull and Bear Go To Market

Learn about the difference between bulls and bears—markets, that is!

• Articles

  Alternative Investments - Going Mainstream

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

  Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President

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

  Estimating the Cost of College

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

  A Look at Diversification

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

  Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?

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

  Types of Stock Market Analysis

  Most stock market analysis falls into three broad groups: Fundamental, technical, and sentimental. Here’s a look at each.

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• Calculators

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  Contributing to an IRA?

  Determine if you are eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA.

  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.

  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.

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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.

  Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market

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

  Bursting the Bubble

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

  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?”

  Bridging the Confidence Gap

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

  Inflation and Your Portfolio

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

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