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.
Have A Question About This Topic?

Jane Bond: Decoding Diversification
Agent Jane Bond is on the case, discovering how bonds diversify a portfolio.

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

Events on Wall Street
Can successful investors predict changes in the markets? Some can but others miss the market’s signals.
TIPS for Inflation
If you are concerned about inflation and expect short-term interest rates may increase, TIPS could be worth considering.
The Utility of Sector Investing
Successful sector investing is dependent upon an accurate analysis about when to rotate in and out.
A Decision Not Made Is Still a Decision
Investors who put off important investment decisions may face potential consequence to their future financial security.
The Great Debate Continues: Active vs. Passive
In investments, one great debate asks the question, “Active or Passive Investing: Which Is Better?”
Best-Performing Asset Classes
Bonds may outperform stocks one year only to have stocks rebound the next.
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
What Is My Risk Tolerance?
This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.
Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings
Use this calculator to compare the future value of investments with different tax consequences.
What Is the Dividend Yield?
This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.
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.
View all calculators
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
View all presentations
Are Alternative Investments Right for You?
With alternative investments, it’s critical to sort through the complexity.
The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing
It's easy to let investments accumulate like old receipts in a junk drawer.
The Real Cost of a Vacation Home
What if instead of buying that vacation home, you invested the money?
Where Is the Market Headed?
We all know the stock market can be unpredictable. We all want to know, “What’s next for the financial markets?”
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.
Emerging Market Opportunities
What are your options for investing in emerging markets?