Investment | Anne M. Ward

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.

Behavioral Finance

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

Have A Question About This Topic?

Emerging Market Opportunities

What are your options for investing in emerging markets?

A Look at Diversification

Diversification is an investment principle designed to manage risk, but it can't prevent against a loss.

The Business Cycle

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

Value vs. Growth Investing

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

How Financial Professionals Are Compensated

Read this overview to learn how financial advisors are compensated.

A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses

Understanding how capital gains are taxed may help you refine your investment strategies.

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.

Understanding ETFs: Building Blocks of Modern Investing

Educational ETF infographic explaining benefits, types & mechanics. Features current statistics and citations.

View all articles

Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator

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

How Compound Interest Works

Explore how compound interest can grow your money over time with this interactive tool.

Comparing Investments

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

What Is My Net Worth?

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

How Can I Save a Million Dollars?

See what it takes in monthly contributions and time to reach a million-dollar savings goal.

Taxable vs. Tax-Deferred Savings

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

View all calculators

The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

Bursting the Bubble

Tulips were the first, but they won’t be the last. What forms a “bubble” and what causes them to burst?

16 Wall Street Cliches in 60 Seconds

Pundits say a lot of things about the markets. Let's see if you can keep up.

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.