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.

What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

$1 million in a diversified portfolio could help finance part of your retirement.

Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President

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

Inflation and Your Portfolio

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

• Articles

  How the Federal Reserve Works

  Each day, the Fed is behind the scenes supporting the economy and providing services to the U.S. financial system.

  Inflation & Your Money

  It's important to understand how inflation is reported and how it can affect investments.

  Pullbacks, Corrections, and Bear Markets

  Clearing up confusion from the economic downturn following COVID-19 and how it might affect your financial strategy.

  Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy

  Emotional biases can adversely impact financial decision making. Here’s a few to be mindful of.

  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."

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• Calculators

  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.

  Contributing to an IRA?

  Determine if you are eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA.

  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.

  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

  Bursting the Bubble

  Tulips were the first, but they won’t be the last. What forms a “bubble” and what causes them to burst?

  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?”

  Bridging the Confidence Gap

  In the world of finance, the effects of the "confidence gap" can be especially apparent.

  What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

  $1 million in a diversified portfolio could help finance part of your retirement.

  From Boats to Brokers

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

  Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

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

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