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

What Smart Investors Know

Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

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

Separating the Signal From the Noise

A good professional provides important guidance and insight through the years.

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.

• Articles

  Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?

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

  Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy

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

  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.

  Value vs. Growth Investing

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

  Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President

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

  Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

  Exchange-traded funds have some things in common with mutual funds, but there are differences, too.

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• Calculators

  How Compound Interest Works

  Explore how compound interest can grow your money over time with this interactive tool.

  Bi-Weekly Mortgage Payments

  See how switching to bi-weekly mortgage payments could reduce interest and shorten your loan.

  Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator

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

  Monthly Budget

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

  College Savings

  See how much you may need to save now to cover future college costs for your child.

  The Power of Interest - How Long Will it take My Money to Do

  Use the Rule of 72 to estimate how long it takes your money to double at a given rate.

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• Videos

  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 Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

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

  The Cycle of Investing

  Understanding the cycle of investing may help you avoid easy pitfalls.

  What Smart Investors Know

  Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

  16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

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

  From Boats to Brokers

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

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