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.

The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

It's easy to let investments accumulate like old receipts in a junk drawer.

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Should I Invest in Gold?

Learning more about gold and its history may help you decide whether it has a place in your portfolio.

The Sequence of Returns

A look at how variable rates of return impact investors over time.

The Business Cycle

How will you weather the ups and downs of the business cycle?

Bull & Bear Markets: A Timeline

This helpful infographic will define bull and bear markets, as well as give a historical overview.

Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

Exchange-traded funds have some things in common with mutual funds, but there are differences, too.

A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses

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

Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions

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

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.

Value vs. Growth Investing

Among stock-market investors there’s long been a debate between those who favor value and those who favor growth.

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Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

Compare how the same contribution grows differently in taxable versus tax-deferred accounts.

Debt vs. Investment

Weigh the potential outcomes of paying off debt versus directing those dollars elsewhere.

Comparing Investments

Compare two different scenarios side by side to see how they stack up over time.

Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator

Calculate your debt-to-income ratio to understand how lenders may view your financial health.

How Long Will Your Money Last?

See how long a lump sum of savings could last based on your withdrawal rate and return.

What Is the Dividend Yield?

Calculate the dividend yield of a holding and see what that means for income over time.

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What Smart Investors Know

Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

Bridging the Confidence Gap

In the world of finance, the effects of the "confidence gap" can be especially apparent.

The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

It's easy to let investments accumulate like old receipts in a junk drawer.

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.