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

Jane Bond: Decoding Diversification

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

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Principles

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

Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder

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

How Financial Professionals Are Compensated

Read this overview to learn how financial advisors are compensated.

Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

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

• Articles

  The Ivory Tower Changes Wall Street

  Thanks to the work of three economists, we have a better understanding of what determines an asset’s price.

  How to Conquer the World - 5 Financial Strategies for Savvy

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

  Estimating the Cost of College

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

  Inflation & Your Money

  It's important to understand how inflation is reported and how it can affect investments.

  Best-Performing Asset Classes

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

  Investing with Your Heart

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

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• Calculators

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

  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.

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  Impact of Taxes and Inflation

  Estimate the potential impact taxes and inflation can have on the purchasing power of an investment.

  Saving for College

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

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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.

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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 Smart Investors Know

  Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

  The Rule of 72

  Do you know how long it may take for your investments to double in value? The Rule of 72 is a quick way to figure it out.

  Bursting the Bubble

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

  Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

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

  The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

  It's easy to let investments accumulate like old receipts in a junk drawer.

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