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

Finding the Balance

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

Behavioral Finance

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

How Financial Professionals Are Compensated

Read this overview to learn how financial advisors are compensated.

The Business Cycle

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

• Articles

  What It Takes to Become an Accredited Investor

  What does it take to be an accredited investor? Explore the details, & the types of investments offered to those who qualify.

  Estimating the Cost of College

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

  Pullbacks, Corrections, and Bear Markets

  When the market experiences volatility, it may be a good time to review these common terms.

  Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

  Exchange-traded funds have some things in common with mutual funds, but there are differences, too.

  All Muni Bonds Are Not Created Equal

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

  The Business Cycle

  Understanding the economy's cycles can help put current business conditions in better perspective.

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• Calculators

  Monthly Budget

  Track your monthly income and expenses to get a clearer view of your cash flow.

  How Compound Interest Works

  Explore how compound interest can grow your money over time with this interactive tool.

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

  Calculate the dividend yield of a holding and see what that means for income over time.

  The Power of Interest - How Long Will it take My Money to Do

  Use the Rule of 72 to estimate how long it takes your money to double at a given rate.

  Wedding Budget Calculator

  Estimate total wedding costs and see how different choices affect your overall budget.

  How Long Will Your Money Last?

  See how long a lump sum of savings could last based on your withdrawal rate and return.

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• Videos

  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.

  What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

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

  The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

  Inflation and Your Portfolio

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

  The Fed and How It Got That Way

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

  Global and International Funds

  Investors seeking world investments can choose between global and international funds. What's the difference?

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