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.

Featured Video

The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

What if instead of buying that vacation home, you invested the money?

What Smart Investors Know

Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

The Sequence of Returns

A look at how variable rates of return impact investors over time.

Finding the Balance

The sandwich generation faces unique challenges. For many, meeting needs is a matter of finding a balance.

• Articles

  In the Markets Now: Quick Crash, Quick Bounce

  A look at the 24 other times since 2010 that the market sold off 6% in three days (and what it looked like one year later).

  The Year of Living Dangerously

  What did sitting at home and watching the stock market for 12 months teach young people about investing?

  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.

  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.

  Bull & Baird: What Gets Attention is Rarely Valuable

  The present moment often feels chaotic, but the stock market's advance across decades is strewn with such moments.

  In the Markets Now: Bubbles

  Amid FOMO, the attention economy, and talk of bubbles, every investor must run their own race.

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• Calculators

  Monthly Budget

  Track your monthly income and expenses to get a clearer view of your cash flow.

  Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator

  Calculate your debt-to-income ratio to understand how lenders may view your financial health.

  Student Loan Payoff Calculator: Extra Payments Can Save You

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

  What Is My Net Worth?

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

  College Savings

  See how much you may need to save now to cover future college costs for your child.

  View all calculators

• Videos

  Finding the Balance

  The sandwich generation faces unique challenges. For many, meeting needs is a matter of finding a balance.

  What Smart Investors Know

  Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

  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?"

  Inflation and Your Portfolio

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

  The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

  What if instead of buying that vacation home, you invested the money?

  View all videos