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

From Boats to Brokers

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

The Business Cycle

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

You Would Rather Be...

Are you a thrill seeker, or content to relax in the backyard? Use this flowchart to find out more about your risk tolerance.

What Smart Investors Know

Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

• Articles

  Bull & Bear Markets: A Timeline

  This helpful infographic will define bull and bear markets, as well as give a historical overview.

  A Primer on Dividends

  A company's profits can be reinvested or paid out to the company’s shareholders as “dividends."

  Are You Ready for Your Portfolio to Make a Difference?

  Learn about the rise of Impact Investing and how it may benefit you.

  Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy

  Emotional biases can adversely impact financial decision making. Here’s a few to be mindful of.

  A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses

  Understanding how capital gains are taxed may help you refine your investment strategies.

  Diversification, Patience, and Consistency

  Three important factors when it comes to your financial life.

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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.

  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.

  Impact of Taxes and Inflation

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

  How Compound Interest Works

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

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• Videos

  Finding the Balance

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

  Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder

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

  Bull and Bear Go To Market

  Learn about the difference between bulls and bears—markets, that is!

  The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

  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 Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

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

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