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 Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

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

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Strategies

Getting what you want out of your money may require the right game plan.

Should I Invest in Gold?

Learning more about gold and its history may help you decide whether it has a place in your portfolio.

All Muni Bonds Are Not Created Equal

Gaining a better understanding of municipal bonds makes more sense than ever.

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?”

• Articles

  A Look at Diversification

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

  Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President

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

  Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy

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

  Best Performing Asset Classes

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

  The Utility of Sector Investing

  Successful sector investing is dependent upon an accurate analysis about when to rotate in and out.

  A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses

  Understanding how capital gains are taxed may help you refine your investment strategies.

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• Calculators

  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.

  Contributing to an IRA?

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

  Impact of Taxes and Inflation

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

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

  How Compound Interest Works

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

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• Presentations

  5 Smart Investing Principles

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

  Keys to Investing for Retirement

  There are some key concepts to understand when investing for retirement

  5 Smart Investing Strategies

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

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• Videos

  The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

  Inflation and Your Portfolio

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

  Bursting the Bubble

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

  The Good Ship IPO

  The seas of the market are constantly shifting. Whether the good ship IPO can set sail may depend heavily on the tides.

  Events on Wall Street

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

  Should I Invest in Gold?

  Learning more about gold and its history may help you decide whether it has a place in your portfolio.

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