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 snarl some investors.

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The Cycle of Investing

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

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5 Smart Investing Principles

Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.

Articles

Asset Allocation

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

Estimating the Cost of College

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

Getting a Head Start on College Savings

A few strategies that may help you prepare for the cost of higher education.

Diversification, Patience, and Consistency

Three important factors when it comes to your financial life.

Investing for Impact

Learn how to build a socially conscious investment portfolio and invest in your beliefs.

Alternative Investments - Going Mainstream

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

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Calculators

Contributing to an IRA?

Determine if you are eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA.

Saving for College

This calculator can help you estimate how much you should be saving for college.

What Is My Risk Tolerance?

This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

Use this calculator to compare the future value of investments with different tax consequences.

How Compound Interest Works

Use this calculator to better see the potential impact of compound interest on an asset.

Impact of Taxes and Inflation

Estimate the potential impact taxes and inflation can have on the purchasing power of an investment.

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Presentations

5 Smart Investing Strategies

There are some smart strategies that may help you pursue your investment objectives

5 Smart Investing Principles

Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.

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Videos

What Smart Investors Know

Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

Behavioral Finance

An amusing and whimsical look at behavioral finance best practices for investors.

The Fed and How It Got That Way

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

The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

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

From Boats to Brokers

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

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