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 Fed and How It Got That Way

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

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Principles

Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.

Can Election Results Predict the Market?

How do the markets usually react to elections? Was the 2016 election any different?

A Primer on Dividends

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

Where Is the Market Headed?

We all know the stock market can be unpredictable. We all want to know, “What’s next for the financial markets?”

• Articles

  The Ivory Tower Changes Wall Street

  Thanks to the work of three economists, we have a better understanding of what determines an asset’s price.

  Investing with Your Heart

  For some, the social impact of investing is just as important as the return, perhaps more important.

  Rebalancing Your Portfolio

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

  Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President

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

  Types of Stock Market Analysis

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

  Value vs. Growth Investing

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

  View all articles

• Calculators

  How Compound Interest Works

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

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

  This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.

  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.

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

  Saving for College

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

  View all calculators

• Presentations

  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

• Videos

  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 Fed and How It Got That Way

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

  Should I Invest in Gold?

  Learning more about gold and its history may help you decide whether it has a place in your portfolio.

  The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

  Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

  With alternative investments, it’s critical to sort through the complexity.

  The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

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

  View all videos