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.

Have A Question About This Topic?

Thank you! Oops!
The Business Cycle

The Business Cycle

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

The Anatomy of an Index

The Anatomy of an Index

The S&P 500 represents a large portion of the value of the U.S. equity market, it may be worth understanding.

16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

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

Asset Allocation

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

The ABCs of Zero Coupon Bonds

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

Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President

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

A Primer on Dividends

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

Your Shifting Risk Tolerance

Time and market performance may subtly and slowly imbalance your portfolio.

Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?

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

View all articles

Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

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.

Impact of Taxes and Inflation

Estimate the potential impact taxes and inflation can have on the purchasing power of an investment.

Saving for College

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

What Is My Risk Tolerance?

This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

View all calculators

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.

Inflation and Your Portfolio

Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.

The Business Cycle

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

View all videos