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

Behavioral Finance

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

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Principles

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

Emerging Market Opportunities

What are your options for investing in emerging markets?

Your Shifting Risk Tolerance

Time and market performance may subtly and slowly imbalance your portfolio.

The Fed and How It Got That Way

Here is a quick history of the Federal Reserve and an overview of what it does.

• Articles

  Inflation and the Real Rate of Return

  Learn about the role of inflation when considering your portfolio’s rate of return with this helpful article.

  Diversification, Patience, and Consistency

  Three important factors when it comes to your financial life.

  Pullbacks, Corrections, and Bear Markets

  Pullbacks, corrections, and bear markets are all a part of the investing cycle. When the market experiences volatility, it may be a good time to review these common terms.

  The ABCs of Zero Coupon Bonds

  Understanding some basic concepts may help you assess whether zero-coupon bonds have a place in your portfolio.

  A Primer on Dividends

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

  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.

  View all articles

• Calculators

  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.

  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.

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  View all calculators

• 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

  View all presentations

• Videos

  Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

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

  What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

  $1 million in a diversified portfolio could help finance part of your retirement.

  Global and International Funds

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

  It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times

  All about how missing the best market days (or the worst!) might affect your portfolio.

  The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

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

  Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market

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

  View all videos