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

Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

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

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Principles

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

What Smart Investors Know

Smart investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

How Financial Advisors Are Compensated

Read this overview to learn how financial advisors are compensated.

Global and International Funds

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

• Articles

  Inflation & Your Money

  It's important to understand how inflation is reported and how it can affect investments.

  Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

  Exchange-traded funds have some things in common with mutual funds, but there are differences, too.

  The Investment Risk No One’s Ever Heard Of

  You face a risk for which the market does not compensate you, that can not be easily reduced through diversification.

  How the Federal Reserve Works

  Each day, the Fed is behind the scenes supporting the economy and providing services to the U.S. financial system.

  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.

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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.

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

  Use this calculator to compare the future value of investments with different tax consequences.

  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.

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• Presentations

  5 Smart Investing Principles

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

  5 Smart Investing Strategies

  There are some smart strategies that may help you pursue your investment objectives

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• Videos

  Bridging the Confidence Gap

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

  Events on Wall Street

  Can successful investors predict changes in the markets? Some can but others miss the market’s signals.

  Global and International Funds

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

  The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

  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?

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