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.

Have A Question About This Topic?

Thank you! Oops!
From Boats to Brokers

From Boats to Brokers

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

A Primer on Dividends

A Primer on Dividends

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

The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

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

How Stocks Work

Understanding how a stock works is key to understanding your investments.

Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions

Information vs. instinct. Are your choices based on evidence of emotion?

Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

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

A Look at Diversification

Diversification is an investment principle designed to manage risk, but it can't prevent against a loss.

Best-Performing Asset Classes

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

The ABCs of Zero Coupon Bonds

Understanding some basic concepts may help you assess whether zero-coupon bonds have a place in your portfolio.

View all articles

Contributing to an IRA?

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

Impact of Taxes and Inflation

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

Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

What Is My Risk Tolerance?

This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

Saving for College

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

How Compound Interest Works

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

View all calculators

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

The Cycle of Investing

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

Bridging the Confidence Gap

In the world of finance, the effects of the "confidence gap" can be especially apparent.

The Business Cycle

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

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.

Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market

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

Bursting the Bubble

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

View all videos