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

The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Principles

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

The Business Cycle

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

Earnings for All Seasons

Earnings season can move markets. What is it and why is it important?

Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder

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

• Articles

  Value vs. Growth Investing

  Among stock-market investors there’s long been a debate between those who favor value and those who favor growth.

  All Muni Bonds Are Not Created Equal

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

  Getting a Head Start on College Savings

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

  How the Federal Reserve Works

  Each day, the Fed is behind the scenes supporting the economy and providing services to the U.S. financial system.

  Alternative Investments - Going Mainstream

  Alternative investments are going mainstream for accredited investors. It’s critical to sort through the complexity.

  Best-Performing Asset Classes

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

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• Calculators

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  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.

  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.

  Contributing to an IRA?

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

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• 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

  Jane Bond: Decoding Diversification

  Agent Jane Bond is on the case, discovering how bonds diversify a portfolio.

  The Fed and How It Got That Way

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

  Events on Wall Street

  Can successful investors predict changes in the markets? Some can but others miss the market’s signals.

  Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

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

  From Boats to Brokers

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

  16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

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

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