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?

Have A Question About This Topic?

Emerging Market Opportunities

What are your options for investing in emerging markets?

Estimating the Cost of College

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

Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

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

Alternative Investments - Going Mainstream

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

How Stocks Work

Understanding how a stock works is key to understanding your investments.

The ABCs of Zero Coupon Bonds

Understanding some basic concepts may help you assess whether zero-coupon bonds have a place in your portfolio.

Value vs. Growth Investing

Among stock-market investors there’s long been a debate between those who favor value and those who favor growth.

TIPS for Inflation

If you are concerned about inflation and expect short-term interest rates may increase, TIPS could be worth considering.

The Business Cycle

Understanding the economy's cycles can help put current business conditions in better perspective.

View all articles

The Power of Interest - How Long Will it take My Money to Do

Use the Rule of 72 to estimate how long it takes your money to double at a given rate.

Student Loan Payoff Calculator: Extra Payments Can Save You

See how extra payments toward your student loans could shorten your payoff timeline.

Student Loan Refinance Calculator

Compare your current student loan terms to a potential refinance to see if it makes sense.

Wedding Budget Calculator

Estimate total wedding costs and see how different choices affect your overall budget.

Debt vs. Investment

Weigh the potential outcomes of paying off debt versus directing those dollars elsewhere.

What Is My Net Worth?

Get a snapshot of your overall financial picture by calculating your total net worth.

View all calculators

What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

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

The Business Cycle

How will you weather the ups and downs of the business cycle?

Bursting the Bubble

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

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.

Global and International Funds

Investors seeking world investments can choose between global and international funds. What's the difference?