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

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.

Bull and Bear Go To Market

Learn about the difference between bulls and bears—markets, that is!

Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

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

Finding the Balance

The sandwich generation faces unique challenges. For many, meeting needs is a matter of finding a balance.

• Articles

  Risk Perspective

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

  Alternative Investments - Going Mainstream

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

  Rebalancing Your Portfolio

  Over time, different investments' performances can shift a portfolio’s intent and risk profile. Rebalancing may be critical.

  The Investment Risk No One’s Ever Heard Of

  You face a risk for which the market does not compensate you, that can not be easily reduced through diversification.

  The Sequence of Returns

  A look at how variable rates of return impact investors over time.

  Buying a Home

  A look at what you need to think about when buying a home.

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• Calculators

  Debt vs. Investment

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

  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.

  Wedding Budget Calculator

  Estimate total wedding costs and see how different choices affect your overall budget.

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  College Savings

  See how much you may need to save now to cover future college costs for your child.

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• Videos

  What Smart Investors Know

  Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

  The Business Cycle

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

  Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market

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

  From Boats to Brokers

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

  The Fed and How It Got That Way

  Here is a quick history of the Federal Reserve and an overview of what it does.

  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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