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

Emerging Market Opportunities

What are your options for investing in emerging markets?

Behavioral Finance

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

A Decision Not Made Is Still a Decision

Investors who put off important investment decisions may face potential consequences to their future financial security.

When Markets React

When markets shift, experienced investors stick to their strategy.

• Articles

  Your Shifting Risk Tolerance

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

  Estimating the Cost of College

  This worksheet can help you estimate the costs of a four-year college program.

  A Look at Diversification

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

  Asset Allocation

  Consider how your assets are allocated and if that allocation is consistent with your time frame and risk tolerance.

  Investment Challenges of the Affluent Investor

  Affluent investors face unique challenges when putting together an investment strategy. Make sure you keep these in mind.

  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.

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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.

  Impact of Taxes and Inflation

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

  What Is My Risk Tolerance?

  This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

  Contributing to an IRA?

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

  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.

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• Videos

  The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

  Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder

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

  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 Cycle of Investing

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

  Should I Invest in Gold?

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

  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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