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 Real Cost of a Vacation Home

What if instead of buying that vacation home, you invested the money?

From Boats to Brokers

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

A Look at Diversification

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

Bursting the Bubble

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

• Articles

  Buying a Home

  A look at what you need to think about when buying a home.

  Pullbacks, Corrections, and Bear Markets

  When the market experiences volatility, it may be a good time to review these common terms.

  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.

  Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?

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

  Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy

  Emotional biases can adversely impact financial decision making. Here’s a few to be mindful of.

  Estimating the Cost of College

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

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• Calculators

  Contributing to an IRA?

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

  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.

  Saving for College

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

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

  This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.

  What Is My Risk Tolerance?

  This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

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• Videos

  The Cycle of Investing

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

  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.

  What Smart Investors Know

  Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

  Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

  There are thousands of ETFs available. Should you invest in them?

  The Business Cycle

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

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