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

From Boats to Brokers

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

The Business Cycle

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

The Pros and Cons of an NUA Strategy

Learn the advantages of a Net Unrealized Appreciation strategy 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

  Investing with Your Heart

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

  The ABCs of Zero Coupon Bonds

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

  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.

  Getting a Head Start on College Savings

  A few strategies that may help you prepare for the cost of higher education.

  Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?

  Even the most seasoned investors have biases affecting their financial choices.

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• Calculators

  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.

  Saving for College

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

  Contributing to an IRA?

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

  How Compound Interest Works

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

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• 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?

  From Boats to Brokers

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

  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 Fed and How It Got That Way

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

  The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

  Bridging the Confidence Gap

  In the world of finance, the effects of the "confidence gap" can be especially apparent.

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