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

Inflation and Your Portfolio

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

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Principles

Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.

Behavioral Finance

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

Diversification, Patience, and Consistency

Three important factors when it comes to your financial life.

The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

• Articles

  Estimating the Cost of College

  This worksheet can help you estimate the costs of a four-year college program.

  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.

  Investing with Your Heart

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

  Your Shifting Risk Tolerance

  Time and market performance may subtly and slowly imbalance your portfolio.

  How to Conquer the World - 5 Financial Strategies for Savvy

  Learn more about women taking control of their finances with this infographic.

  Getting a Head Start on College Savings

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

  View all articles

• Calculators

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

  Use this calculator to compare the future value of investments with different tax consequences.

  Contributing to an IRA?

  Determine if you are eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA.

  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.

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

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

  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 Strategies

  There are some smart strategies that may help you pursue your investment objectives

  5 Smart Investing Principles

  Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.

  View all presentations

• Videos

  The Business Cycle

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

  The Fed and How It Got That Way

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

  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.

  Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

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

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

  All about how missing the best market days (or the worst!) might affect your portfolio.

  View all videos