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

Bridging the Confidence Gap

In the world of finance, the effects of the "confidence gap" can be especially apparent.

The Business Cycle

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

A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses

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

From Boats to Brokers

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

• Articles

  Separating the Signal From the Noise

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

  Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions

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

  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.

  TIPS for Inflation

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

  A Primer on Dividends

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

  It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times

  Learn about key investment principles that will help you navigate the unpredictability of the financial markets.

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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 My Risk Tolerance?

  This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

  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.

  Saving for College

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

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• Videos

  Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market

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

  What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

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

  Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

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

  Finding the Balance

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

  What Smart Investors Know

  Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

  The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

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