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

Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder

Agent Jane Bond is on the case, uncovering the mystery of bond laddering.

Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

There are thousands of ETFs available. Should you invest in them?

Inflation and the Real Rate of Return

Learn about the role of inflation when considering your portfolio’s rate of return with this helpful article.

The Fed and How It Got That Way

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

• Articles

  How Stocks Work

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

  Understanding ETFs: Building Blocks of Modern Investing

  Educational ETF infographic explaining benefits, types & mechanics. Features current statistics and citations.

  The Pros and Cons of an NUA Strategy

  Learn the advantages of a Net Unrealized Appreciation strategy with this helpful article.

  Alternative Investments - Going Mainstream

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

  Asset Allocation

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

  Best-Performing Asset Classes

  Bonds may outperform stocks one year only to have stocks rebound the next.

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• Calculators

  Student Loan Payoff Calculator: Extra Payments Can Save You

  See how extra payments toward your student loans could shorten your payoff timeline.

  Monthly Budget

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

  Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator

  Calculate your debt-to-income ratio to understand how lenders may view your financial health.

  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.

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

  Calculate the dividend yield of a holding and see what that means for income over time.

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• Videos

  The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

  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.

  Should I Invest in Gold?

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

  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!

  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?"

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