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

Bull and Bear Go To Market

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

Behavioral Finance

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

The Sequence of Returns

A look at how variable rates of return impact investors over time.

16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

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

• Articles

  Best-Performing Asset Classes

  Bonds may outperform stocks one year only to have stocks rebound the next.

  Separating the Signal From the Noise

  A good professional provides important guidance and insight through the years.

  Bull & Bear Markets: A Timeline

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

  How Stocks Work

  Understanding how a stock works is key to understanding your investments.

  A Primer on Dividends

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

  Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy

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

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• Calculators

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  Saving for College

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

  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.

  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.

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• Videos

  The Cycle of Investing

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

  What Smart Investors Know

  Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

  Investments

  You’ve made investments your whole life. Work with us to help make the most of them.

  Bursting the Bubble

  Tulips were the first, but they won’t be the last. What forms a “bubble” and what causes them to burst?

  From Boats to Brokers

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

  Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

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

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