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

What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

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

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Strategies

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

Behavioral Finance

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

Getting a Head Start on College Savings

A few strategies that may help you prepare for the cost of higher education.

Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

There are thousands of ETFs available. Should you invest in them?

• Articles

  All Muni Bonds Are Not Created Equal

  Gaining a better understanding of municipal bonds makes more sense than ever.

  Investing with Your Heart

  For some, the social impact of investing is just as important as the return, perhaps more important.

  TIPS for Inflation

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

  Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

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

  Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President

  The Economic Report of the President can help identify the forces driving — or dragging — the economy.

  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

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

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

  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.

  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.

  Impact of Taxes and Inflation

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

  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

  16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

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

  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 Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

  The Fed and How It Got That Way

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

  The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

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

  The Business Cycle

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

  View all videos