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

What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

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

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.

Alternative Investments - Going Mainstream

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

When Markets React

When markets shift, experienced investors stick to their strategy.

• Articles

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

  Learn about key investment principles that will help you navigate the unpredictability of the financial markets.

  A Primer on Dividends

  A company's profits can be reinvested or paid out to the company’s shareholders as “dividends."

  Risk Perspective

  Is it possible to avoid loss? Not entirely, but you can attempt to manage risk.

  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.

  Asset Allocation

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

  What’s Your Investment IQ?

  You make decisions for your portfolio, but how much do you really know about the products you buy? Try this quiz

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• Calculators

  Comparing Investments

  Compare two different scenarios side by side to see how they stack up over time.

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  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.

  Debt vs. Investment

  Weigh the potential outcomes of paying off debt versus directing those dollars elsewhere.

  Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator

  Calculate your debt-to-income ratio to understand how lenders may view your financial health.

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

  Compare how the same contribution grows differently in taxable versus tax-deferred accounts.

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• Videos

  The Cycle of Investing

  Understanding the cycle of investing may help you avoid easy pitfalls.

  The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

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

  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.

  Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market

  Agent Jane Bond is on the case, cracking the code on bonds.

  Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder

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

  Bursting the Bubble

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

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