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.

Have A Question About This Topic?

Thank you! Oops!
What Smart Investors Know

What Smart Investors Know

Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

The Utility of Sector Investing

The Utility of Sector Investing

Successful sector investing is dependent upon an accurate analysis about when to rotate in and out.

Bridging the Confidence Gap

Bridging the Confidence Gap

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

Buying a Home

A look at what you need to think about when buying a home.

What’s Your Investment IQ?

You make decisions for your portfolio, but how much do you really know about the products you buy? Try this quiz

Bull & Bear Markets: A Timeline

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

Inflation and the Real Rate of Return

Learn about the role of inflation when considering your portfolio’s rate of return with this helpful article.

How Will the Economy React to AI?

What do concerns or uncertainty about AI mean for your future and your financial strategy?

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.

View all articles

The Power of Interest - How Long Will it take My Money to Do

Use the Rule of 72 to estimate how long it takes your money to double at a given rate.

College Savings

See how much you may need to save now to cover future college costs for your child.

What Is the Dividend Yield?

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

Monthly Budget

Track your monthly income and expenses to get a clearer view of your cash flow.

Debt vs. Investment

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

How Can I Save a Million Dollars?

See what it takes in monthly contributions and time to reach a million-dollar savings goal.

View all calculators

What Smart Investors Know

Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

There are thousands of ETFs available. Should you invest in them?

Bull and Bear Go To Market

Learn about the difference between bulls and bears—markets, that is!

The Business Cycle

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

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 Fed and How It Got That Way

Here is a quick history of the Federal Reserve and an overview of what it does.

View all videos