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

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 Business Cycle

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

Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?

Even the most seasoned investors have biases affecting their financial choices.

Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

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

• Articles

  Understanding Equity Compensation

  Net Unrealized Appreciation and how it affects tax responsibilities.

  TIPS for Inflation

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

  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.

  Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions

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

  How the Federal Reserve Works

  Each day, the Fed is behind the scenes supporting the economy and providing services to the U.S. financial system.

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• Calculators

  Impact of Taxes and Inflation

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

  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.

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  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.

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• Videos

  Inflation and Your Portfolio

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

  Behavioral Finance

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

  The Fed and How It Got That Way

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

  Should I Invest in Gold?

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

  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?”

  Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market

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

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