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 Cycle of Investing

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

Should I Invest in Gold?

Learning more about gold and its history may help you decide whether it has a place in your portfolio.

Your Shifting Risk Tolerance

Time and market performance may subtly and slowly imbalance your portfolio.

From Boats to Brokers

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

• Articles

  How Stocks Work

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

  Separating the Signal From the Noise

  A good professional provides important guidance and insight through the years.

  All Muni Bonds Are Not Created Equal

  Gaining a better understanding of municipal bonds makes more sense than ever.

  Investment Challenges of the Affluent Investor

  Affluent investors face unique challenges when putting together an investment strategy. Make sure you keep these in mind.

  Value vs. Growth Investing

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

  Buying a Home

  A look at what you need to think about when buying a home.

  View all articles

• Calculators

  Student Loan Refinance Calculator

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

  Debt vs. Investment

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

  Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator

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

  Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

  Compare how the same contribution grows differently in taxable versus tax-deferred accounts.

  What Is the Dividend Yield?

  Calculate the dividend yield of a holding and see what that means for income over time.

  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.

  View all calculators

• Videos

  When Markets React

  When markets shift, experienced investors stick to their strategy.

  Bridging the Confidence Gap

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

  Bull and Bear Go To Market

  Learn about the difference between bulls and bears—markets, that is!

  Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market

  Agent Jane Bond is on the case, cracking the code on bonds.

  The Fed and How It Got That Way

  Here is a quick history of the Federal Reserve and an overview of what it does.

  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?"

  View all videos