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.

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Inflation and Your Portfolio

Inflation and Your Portfolio

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

Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy

Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy

Emotional biases can adversely impact financial decision making. Here’s a few to be mindful of.

Global and International Funds

Global and International Funds

Investors seeking world investments can choose between global and international funds. What's the difference?

Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President

The Economic Report of the President can help identify the forces driving — or dragging — the economy.

The Business Cycle

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

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.

Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions

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

The ABCs of Zero Coupon Bonds

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

Estimating the Cost of College

This worksheet can help you estimate the costs of a four-year college program.

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What Is My Risk Tolerance?

This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

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.

Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

Contributing to an IRA?

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

Saving for College

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

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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

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Behavioral Finance

An amusing and whimsical look at behavioral finance best practices for investors.

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.

Bursting the Bubble

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

The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

What if instead of buying that vacation home, you invested the money?

What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

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

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