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.
Are Alternative Investments Right for You?
With alternative investments, it’s critical to sort through the complexity.
5 Smart Investing Strategies
Getting what you want out of your money may require the right game plan.
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From Boats to Brokers
From the Dutch East India Company to Wall Street, the stock market has a long and storied history.

Bull & Bear Markets: A Timeline
This helpful infographic will define bull and bear markets, as well as give a historical overview.

Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market
Agent Jane Bond is on the case, cracking the code on bonds.
Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President
The Economic Report of the President can help identify the forces driving — or dragging — the economy.
Why Regular Rebalancing Makes Sense
Without your knowing, your investment portfolio could be off-kilter.
Estimating the Cost of College
This worksheet can help you estimate the costs of a four-year college program.
A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses
Understanding how capital gains are taxed may help you refine your investment strategies.
Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions
Information vs. instinct. Are your choices based on evidence of emotion?
Best-Performing Asset Classes
Bonds may outperform stocks one year only to have stocks rebound the next.
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How Compound Interest Works
Use this calculator to better see the potential impact of compound interest on an asset.
Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings
Use this calculator to compare the future value of investments with different tax consequences.
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.
Contributing to an IRA?
Determine if you are eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA.
What Is the Dividend Yield?
This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.
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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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The Business Cycle
How will you weather the ups and downs of the business cycle?
Should I Invest in Gold?
Learning more about gold and its history may help you decide whether it has a place in your portfolio.
Behavioral Finance
An amusing and whimsical look at behavioral finance best practices for investors.
Inflation and Your Portfolio
Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.
Bridging the Confidence Gap
In the world of finance, the effects of the "confidence gap" can be especially apparent.
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.