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.
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.
Mutual Funds vs. ETFs
Exchange-traded funds have some things in common with mutual funds, but there are differences, too.
The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing
It's easy to let investments accumulate like old receipts in a junk drawer.
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.
Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?
Even the most seasoned investors have biases affecting their financial choices.
Best-Performing Asset Classes
Bonds may outperform stocks one year only to have stocks rebound the next.
How Financial Professionals Are Compensated
Read this overview to learn how financial advisors are compensated.
The Pros and Cons of an NUA Strategy
Learn the advantages of a Net Unrealized Appreciation strategy with this helpful article.
Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President
The Economic Report of the President can help identify the forces driving — or dragging — the economy.
View all articles 
What Is My Risk Tolerance?
This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.
Saving for College
This calculator can help you estimate how much you should be saving for college.
How Compound Interest Works
Use this calculator to better see the potential impact of compound interest on an asset.
Contributing to an IRA?
Determine if you are eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA.
Impact of Taxes and Inflation
Estimate the potential impact taxes and inflation can have on the purchasing power of an investment.
Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings
Use this calculator to compare the future value of investments with different tax consequences.
View all calculators
The Fed and How It Got That Way
Here is a quick history of the Federal Reserve and an overview of what it does.
The Business Cycle
How will you weather the ups and downs of the business cycle?
The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing
It's easy to let investments accumulate like old receipts in a junk drawer.
What Smart Investors Know
Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.
Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market
Agent Jane Bond is on the case, cracking the code on bonds.
16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds
Pundits say a lot of things about the markets. Let's see if you can keep up.