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.
What Smart Investors Know
Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.
5 Smart Investing Principles
Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.
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Behavioral Finance
An amusing and whimsical look at behavioral finance best practices for investors.

Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions
Information vs. instinct. Are your choices based on evidence of emotion?

Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market
Agent Jane Bond is on the case, cracking the code on bonds.
Earnings for All Seasons
Earnings season can move markets. What is it and why is it important?
All Muni Bonds Are Not Created Equal
Gaining a better understanding of municipal bonds makes more sense than ever.
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 Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses
Understanding how capital gains are taxed may help you refine your investment strategies.
How Financial Professionals Are Compensated
Read this overview to learn how financial advisors are compensated.
You Would Rather Be...
Are you a thrill seeker, or content to relax in the backyard? Use this flowchart to find out more about your risk tolerance.
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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.
What Is the Dividend Yield?
This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.
Contributing to an IRA?
Determine if you are eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA.
Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings
Use this calculator to compare the future value of investments with different tax consequences.
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5 Smart Investing Principles
Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.
5 Smart Investing Strategies
There are some smart strategies that may help you pursue your investment objectives
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Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?
There are thousands of ETFs available. Should you invest in them?
Inflation and Your Portfolio
Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.
Global and International Funds
Investors seeking world investments can choose between global and international funds. What's the difference?
From Boats to Brokers
From the Dutch East India Company to Wall Street, the stock market has a long and storied history.
The Cycle of Investing
Understanding the cycle of investing may help you avoid easy pitfalls.
Bursting the Bubble
Tulips were the first, but they won’t be the last. What forms a “bubble” and what causes them to burst?