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.

What Smart Investors Know

Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President

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

Behavioral Finance

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

• Articles

  The Business Cycle

  Understanding the economy's cycles can help put current business conditions in better perspective.

  Understanding ETFs: Building Blocks of Modern Investing

  Educational ETF infographic explaining benefits, types & mechanics. Features current statistics and citations.

  A Primer on Dividends

  A company's profits can be reinvested or paid out to the company’s shareholders as “dividends."

  Rebalancing Your Portfolio

  Over time, different investments' performances can shift a portfolio’s intent and risk profile. Rebalancing may be critical.

  Bull & Bear Markets: A Timeline

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

  Asset Allocation

  Consider how your assets are allocated and if that allocation is consistent with your time frame and risk tolerance.

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• Calculators

  What Is My Risk Tolerance?

  This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

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

  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.

  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.

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• Videos

  The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

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

  Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder

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

  Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

  With alternative investments, it’s critical to sort through the complexity.

  Bursting the Bubble

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

  What Smart Investors Know

  Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

  The Business Cycle

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

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