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.

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The Rule of 72

Do you know how long it may take for your investments to double in value? The Rule of 72 is a quick way to figure it out.

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5 Smart Investing Principles

Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.

Inflation and Your Portfolio

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

Types of Stock Market Analysis

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

The Cycle of Investing

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

• Articles

  The ABCs of Zero Coupon Bonds

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

  How Financial Advisors Are Compensated

  Read this overview to learn how financial advisors are compensated.

  How the Federal Reserve Works

  Each day, the Fed is behind the scenes supporting the economy and providing services to the U.S. financial system.

  Investing with Your Heart

  For some, the social impact of investing is just as important as the return, perhaps more important.

  A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses

  Understanding how capital gains are taxed may help you refine your investment strategies.

  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.

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• Calculators

  Impact of Taxes and Inflation

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

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

  This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.

  Saving for College

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

  Contributing to an IRA?

  Determine if you are eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA.

  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.

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• Presentations

  5 Smart Investing Strategies

  There are some smart strategies that may help you pursue your investment objectives

  5 Smart Investing Principles

  Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.

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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.

  Bursting the Bubble

  Tulips were the first, but they won’t be the last. What forms a “bubble” and what causes them to burst?

  What Smart Investors Know

  Smart investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

  From Boats to Brokers

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

  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?”

  Can Election Results Predict the Market?

  How do the markets usually react to elections? Was the 2016 election any different?

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