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.
Inflation and Your Portfolio
Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.
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Bursting the Bubble
Tulips were the first, but they won’t be the last. What forms a “bubble” and what causes them to burst?
All Muni Bonds Are Not Created Equal
Gaining a better understanding of municipal bonds makes more sense than ever.
Can Election Results Predict the Market?
How do the markets usually react to elections? Was the 2016 election any different?
The Utility of Sector Investing
Successful sector investing is dependent upon an accurate analysis about when to rotate in and out.
Mutual Funds vs. ETFs
Exchange-traded funds have some things in common with mutual funds, but there are differences, too.
A Primer on Dividends
A company's profits can be reinvested or paid out to the company’s shareholders as “dividends."
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.
The ABCs of Zero Coupon Bonds
Understanding some basic concepts may help you assess whether zero-coupon bonds have a place in your portfolio.
Investing with Your Heart
For some, the social impact of investing is just as important as the return, perhaps more important.
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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 the Dividend Yield?
This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.
What Is My Risk Tolerance?
This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.
How Compound Interest Works
Use this calculator to better see the potential impact of compound interest on an asset.
Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings
Use this calculator to compare the future value of investments with different tax consequences.
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Where Is the Market Headed?
We all know the stock market can be unpredictable. We all want to know, “What’s next for the financial markets?”
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.
What Smart Investors Know
Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.
Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder
Agent Jane Bond is on the case, uncovering the mystery of bond laddering.
Jane Bond: Decoding Diversification
Agent Jane Bond is on the case, discovering how bonds diversify a portfolio.
What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?
$1 million in a diversified portfolio could help finance part of your retirement.