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

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.

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Strategies

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

The Business Cycle

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

Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions

Information vs. instinct. Are your choices based on evidence of emotion?

The Cycle of Investing

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

• Articles

  Risk Perspective

  Is it possible to avoid loss? Not entirely, but you can attempt to manage risk.

  TIPS for Inflation

  If you are concerned about inflation and expect short-term interest rates may increase, TIPS could be worth considering.

  Best-Performing Asset Classes

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

  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 Look at Diversification

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

  Four Really Good Reasons to Invest

  There are four very good reasons to start investing. Do you know what they are?

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• Calculators

  What Is My Risk Tolerance?

  This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

  Saving for College

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

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

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

  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.

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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

  The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

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

  When Markets React

  When markets shift, experienced investors stick to their strategy.

  Finding the Balance

  The sandwich generation faces unique challenges. For many, meeting needs is a matter of finding a balance.

  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.

  Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

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

  Inflation and Your Portfolio

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

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