Investment | Phil Wheat, CFP® and Lori Givens, CFP®

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.

Inflation and Your Portfolio

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

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5 Smart Investing Strategies

Getting what you want out of your money may require the right game plan.

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Emerging Market Opportunities

What are your options for investing in emerging markets?

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.

The Business Cycle

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

How Stocks Work

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

The Investment Risk No One’s Ever Heard Of

You face a risk for which the market does not compensate you, that can not be easily reduced through diversification.

Asset Allocation

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

The ABCs of Zero Coupon Bonds

Understanding some basic concepts may help you assess whether zero-coupon bonds have a place in your portfolio.

TIPS for Inflation

If you are concerned about inflation and expect short-term interest rates may increase, TIPS could be worth considering.

Rebalancing Your Portfolio

Over time, different investments' performances can shift a portfolio’s intent and risk profile. Rebalancing may be critical.

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What Is My Risk Tolerance?

This questionnaire will help determine your tolerance for investment risk.

Saving for College

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

How Compound Interest Works

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

What Is the Dividend Yield?

This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.

Impact of Taxes and Inflation

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

Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

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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.

Keys to Investing for Retirement

There are some key concepts to understand when investing for retirement

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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.

Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

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

Can Election Results Predict the Market?

How do the markets usually react to elections? Was the 2016 election any different?