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 Real Cost of a Vacation Home
What if instead of buying that vacation home, you invested the money?
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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.
A Look at Diversification
Diversification is an investment principle designed to manage risk, but it can't prevent against a loss.
Behavioral Finance
An amusing and whimsical look at behavioral finance best practices for investors.
Estimating the Cost of College
This worksheet can help you estimate the costs of a four-year college program.
Bull & Bear Markets: A Timeline
This helpful infographic will define bull and bear markets, as well as give a historical overview.
Value vs. Growth Investing
Among stock-market investors there’s long been a debate between those who favor value and those who favor growth.
You Would Rather Be...
Are you a thrill seeker, or content to relax in the backyard? Use this flowchart to find out more about your risk tolerance.
Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions
Information vs. instinct. Are your choices based on evidence of emotion?
A Primer on Dividends
A company's profits can be reinvested or paid out to the company’s shareholders as “dividends."
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How Compound Interest Works
Explore how compound interest can grow your money over time with this interactive tool.
Bi-Weekly Mortgage Payments
See how switching to bi-weekly mortgage payments could reduce interest and shorten your loan.
Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator
Calculate your debt-to-income ratio to understand how lenders may view your financial health.
What Is the Dividend Yield?
Calculate the dividend yield of a holding and see what that means for income over time.
Debt vs. Investment
Weigh the potential outcomes of paying off debt versus directing those dollars elsewhere.
Student Loan Refinance Calculator
Compare your current student loan terms to a potential refinance to see if it makes sense.
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Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?
There are thousands of ETFs available. Should you invest in them?
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.
Bull and Bear Go To Market
Learn about the difference between bulls and bears—markets, that is!
Inflation and Your Portfolio
Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.
Bridging the Confidence Gap
In the world of finance, the effects of the "confidence gap" can be especially apparent.