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.
Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?
There are hundreds of ETFs available. Should you invest in them?
5 Smart Investing Strategies
Getting what you want out of your money may require the right game plan.
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From Boats to Brokers
From the Dutch East India Company to Wall Street, the stock market has a long and storied history.

Inflation & Your Money
It's important to understand how inflation is reported and how it can affect investments.

Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder
Agent Jane Bond is on the case, uncovering the mystery of bond laddering.
Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President
The Economic Report of the President can help identify the forces driving — or dragging — the economy.
Mutual Funds vs. ETFs
Exchange-traded funds have some things in common with mutual funds, but there are differences, too.
Separating the Signal From the Noise
A good professional provides important guidance and insight through the years.
Earnings for All Seasons
Earnings season can move markets. What is it and why is it important?
Getting a Head Start on College Savings
A few strategies that may help you prepare for the cost of higher education.
Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions
Information vs. instinct. Are your choices based on evidence of emotion?
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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.
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.
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.
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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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The Real Cost of a Vacation Home
What if instead of buying that vacation home, you invested the money?
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.
The Fed and How It Got That Way
Here is a quick history of the Federal Reserve and an overview of what it does.
Inflation and Your Portfolio
Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.
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.