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.

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The Business Cycle

The Business Cycle

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

Diversification, Patience, and Consistency

Diversification, Patience, and Consistency

Three important factors when it comes to your financial life.

What Smart Investors Know

What Smart Investors Know

Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

Buying a Home

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

Value vs. Growth Investing

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

The Great Debate Continues: Active vs. Passive

In investments, one great debate asks the question, “Active or Passive Investing: Which Is Better?”

A Primer on Dividends

A company's profits can be reinvested or paid out to the company’s shareholders as “dividends."

Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

Exchange-traded funds have some things in common with mutual funds, but there are differences, too.

Asset Allocation

Consider how your assets are allocated and if that allocation is consistent with your time frame and risk tolerance.

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Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator

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

Debt vs. Investment

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

Comparing Investments

Compare two different scenarios side by side to see how they stack up over time.

What Is the Dividend Yield?

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

What Is My Net Worth?

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

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.

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The Rule of 72

Do you know how long it may take for your investments to double in value? The Rule of 72 is a quick way to figure it out.

Inflation and Your Portfolio

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

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.

Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

There are thousands of ETFs available. Should you invest in them?

The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

It's easy to let investments accumulate like old receipts in a junk drawer.

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