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.
Inflation and Your Portfolio
Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.
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Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy
Emotional biases can adversely impact financial decision making. Here’s a few to be mindful of.
The Sequence of Returns
A look at how variable rates of return impact investors over time.
Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President
The Economic Report of the President can help identify the forces driving — or dragging — the economy.
A Primer on Dividends
A company's profits can be reinvested or paid out to the company’s shareholders as “dividends."
Estimating the Cost of College
This worksheet can help you estimate the costs of a four-year college program.
Asset Allocation
Consider how your assets are allocated and if that allocation is consistent with your time frame and risk tolerance.
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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.
Contributing to an IRA?
Determine if you are eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA.
Saving for College
This calculator can help you estimate how much you should be saving for college.
What Is the Dividend Yield?
This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.
What Is My Risk Tolerance?
This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.
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When Markets React
When markets shift, experienced investors stick to their strategy.
Are Alternative Investments Right for You?
With alternative investments, it’s critical to sort through the complexity.
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.
Bull and Bear Go To Market
Learn about the difference between bulls and bears—markets, that is!
Bursting the Bubble
Tulips were the first, but they won’t be the last. What forms a “bubble” and what causes them to burst?