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 Principles

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

16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

Pundits say a lot of things about the markets. Let's see if you can keep up.

Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

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

Jane Bond: Decoding Diversification

Agent Jane Bond is on the case, discovering how bonds diversify a portfolio.

• Articles

  Alternative Investments - Going Mainstream

  Alternative investments are going mainstream for accredited investors. It’s critical to sort through the complexity.

  How Financial Professionals Are Compensated

  Read this overview to learn how financial advisors are compensated.

  The Anatomy of an Index

  The S&P 500 represents a large portion of the value of the U.S. equity market, it may be worth understanding.

  Pullbacks, Corrections, and Bear Markets

  Clearing up confusion from the economic downturn following COVID-19 and how it might affect your financial strategy.

  Inflation & Your Money

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

  The Great Debate Continues: Active vs. Passive

  In investments, one great debate asks the question, “Active or Passive Investing: Which Is Better?”

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• Calculators

  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.

  Saving for College

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

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  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.

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• Presentations

  5 Smart Investing Strategies

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

  5 Smart Investing Principles

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

  View all presentations

• Videos

  When Markets React

  When markets shift, experienced investors stick to their strategy.

  16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

  Pundits say a lot of things about the markets. Let's see if you can keep up.

  The Fed and How It Got That Way

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

  Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder

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

  Events on Wall Street

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

  From Boats to Brokers

  From the Dutch East India Company to Wall Street, the stock market has a long and storied history.

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