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

When Markets React

When markets shift, experienced investors stick to their strategy.

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Principles

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

Inflation and Your Portfolio

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

All Muni Bonds Are Not Created Equal

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

16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

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

• Articles

  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.

  The Business Cycle

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

  Asset Allocation

  Consider how your assets are allocated and if that allocation is consistent with your time frame and risk tolerance.

  Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

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

  Value vs. Growth Investing

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

  A Decision Not Made Is Still a Decision

  Investors who put off important investment decisions may face potential consequence to their future financial security.

  View all articles

• Calculators

  What Is My Risk Tolerance?

  This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

  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.

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

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

  Saving for College

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

  View all calculators

• Presentations

  5 Smart Investing Principles

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

  5 Smart Investing Strategies

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

  View all presentations

• Videos

  Jane Bond: Decoding Diversification

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

  Can Election Results Predict the Market?

  How do the markets usually react to elections? Was the 2016 election any different?

  Bursting the Bubble

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

  Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder

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

  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.

  Events on Wall Street

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

  View all videos