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.
What Smart Investors Know
Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.
5 Smart Investing Principles
Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.
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Inflation and Your Portfolio
Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.

A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses
Understanding how capital gains are taxed may help you refine your investment strategies.

Bridging the Confidence Gap
In the world of finance, the effects of the "confidence gap" can be especially apparent.
How Stocks Work
Understanding how a stock works is key to understanding your investments.
Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions
Information vs. instinct. Are your choices based on evidence of emotion?
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.
Diversification, Patience, and Consistency
Three important factors when it comes to your financial life.
Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President
The Economic Report of the President can help identify the forces driving — or dragging — the economy.
Why Regular Rebalancing Makes Sense
Without your knowing, your investment portfolio could be off-kilter.
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What Is the Dividend Yield?
This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.
How Compound Interest Works
Use this calculator to better see the potential impact of compound interest on an asset.
Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings
Use this calculator to compare the future value of investments with different tax consequences.
Impact of Taxes and Inflation
Estimate the potential impact taxes and inflation can have on the purchasing power of an investment.
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.
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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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The Real Cost of a Vacation Home
What if instead of buying that vacation home, you invested the money?
The Fed and How It Got That Way
Here is a quick history of the Federal Reserve and an overview of what it does.
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 Junk Drawer Approach to Investing
It's easy to let investments accumulate like old receipts in a junk drawer.
Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?
There are hundreds of ETFs available. Should you invest in them?
The Cycle of Investing
Understanding the cycle of investing may help you avoid easy pitfalls.
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