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.
Bursting the Bubble
Tulips were the first, but they won’t be the last. What forms a “bubble” and what causes them to burst?
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.
Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?
Even the most seasoned investors have biases affecting their financial choices.
From Boats to Brokers
From the Dutch East India Company to Wall St., the stock market has a long and storied history.
Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions
Information vs. instinct. Are your choices based on evidence of emotion?
A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses
Understanding how capital gains are taxed may help you refine your investment strategies.
Inflation and the Real Rate of Return
Learn about the role of inflation when considering your portfolio’s rate of return with this helpful article.
Getting a Head Start on College Savings
A few strategies that may help you prepare for the cost of higher education.
A Primer on Dividends
A company's profits can be reinvested or paid out to the company’s shareholders as “dividends."
Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy
Emotional biases can adversely impact financial decision making. Here’s a few to be mindful of.
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Bi-Weekly Mortgage Payments
See how switching to bi-weekly mortgage payments could reduce interest and shorten your loan.
Student Loan Refinance Calculator
Compare your current student loan terms to a potential refinance to see if it makes sense.
Comparing Investments
Compare two different scenarios side by side to see how they stack up over time.
How Long Will Your Money Last?
See how long a lump sum of savings could last based on your withdrawal rate and return.
Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings
Compare how the same contribution grows differently in taxable versus tax-deferred accounts.
Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator
Calculate your debt-to-income ratio to understand how lenders may view your financial health.
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Finding the Balance
The sandwich generation faces unique challenges. For many, meeting needs is a matter of finding a balance.
Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market
Agent Jane Bond is on the case, cracking the code on bonds.
Bridging the Confidence Gap
In the world of finance, the effects of the "confidence gap" can be especially apparent.
The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing
It's easy to let investments accumulate like old receipts in a junk drawer.
The Fed and How It Got That Way
Here is a quick history of the Federal Reserve and an overview of what it does.
Bull and Bear Go To Market
Learn about the difference between bulls and bears—markets, that is!