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.

Featured Video

The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

It's easy to let investments accumulate like old receipts in a junk drawer.

Featured Presentation

5 Smart Investing Principles

Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.

Inflation and Your Portfolio

Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.

Alternative Investments - Going Mainstream

Alternative investments are going mainstream for accredited investors. It’s critical to sort through the complexity.

What Smart Investors Know

Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

• Articles

  A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses

  Understanding how capital gains are taxed may help you refine your investment strategies.

  Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President

  The Economic Report of the President can help identify the forces driving — or dragging — the economy.

  Types of Stock Market Analysis

  Most stock market analysis falls into three broad groups: Fundamental, technical, and sentimental. Here’s a look at each.

  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

  Estimating the Cost of College

  This worksheet can help you estimate the costs of a four-year college program.

  Earnings for All Seasons

  Earnings season can move markets. What is it and why is it important?

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• Calculators

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

  This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.

  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.

  Impact of Taxes and Inflation

  Estimate the potential impact taxes and inflation can have on the purchasing power of an investment.

  How Compound Interest Works

  Use this calculator to better see the potential impact of compound interest on an asset.

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• Presentations

  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

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• Videos

  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.

  From Boats to Brokers

  From the Dutch East India Company to Wall Street, the stock market has a long and storied history.

  The Cycle of Investing

  Understanding the cycle of investing may help you avoid easy pitfalls.

  Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

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

  Investments

  You’ve made investments your whole life. Work with us to help make the most of them.

  Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

  With alternative investments, it’s critical to sort through the complexity.

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