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 Business Cycle

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

Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

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

How Stocks Work

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

Behavioral Finance

An amusing and whimsical look at behavioral finance best practices for investors.

• Articles

  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 Decision Not Made Is Still a Decision

  Investors who put off important investment decisions may face potential consequences to their future financial security.

  A Look at Diversification

  Diversification is an investment principle designed to manage risk, but it can't prevent against a loss.

  Types of Stock Market Analysis

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

  Estimating the Cost of College

  This worksheet can help you estimate the costs of a four-year college program.

  A Primer on Dividends

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

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• Calculators

  What Is My Net Worth?

  Get a snapshot of your overall financial picture by calculating your total net worth.

  How Can I Save a Million Dollars?

  See what it takes in monthly contributions and time to reach a million-dollar savings goal.

  Debt vs. Investment

  Weigh the potential outcomes of paying off debt versus directing those dollars elsewhere.

  Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator

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

  Student Loan Payoff Calculator: Extra Payments Can Save You

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

  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 Business Cycle

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

  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.

  Behavioral Finance

  An amusing and whimsical look at behavioral finance best practices for investors.

  The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

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

  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 Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

  $1 million in a diversified portfolio could help finance part of your retirement.

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