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

The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

Pundits say a lot of things about the markets. Let's see if you can keep up.

Value vs. Growth Investing

Among stock-market investors there’s long been a debate between those who favor value and those who favor growth.

The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

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

• Articles

  How Stocks Work

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

  Types of Stock Market Analysis

  Most stock market analysis falls into three broad groups: Fundamental, technical, and sentimental. Here’s a look at each.

  Investment Challenges of the Affluent Investor

  Affluent investors face unique challenges when putting together an investment strategy. Make sure you keep these in mind.

  Asset Allocation

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

  A Primer on Dividends

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

  The Threat of Identity Theft

  An article informing readers about the threats of Identity Theft.

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• Calculators

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

  Debt vs. Investment

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

  Wedding Budget Calculator

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

  Monthly Budget

  Track your monthly income and expenses to get a clearer view of your cash flow.

  Comparing Investments

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

  Student Loan Refinance Calculator

  Compare your current student loan terms to a potential refinance to see if it makes sense.

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• Videos

  What Smart Investors Know

  Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

  Bull and Bear Go To Market

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

  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.

  Finding the Balance

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

  Behavioral Finance

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

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