Investment | Ben Batiste

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?

The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

Investing with Your Heart

For some, the social impact of investing is just as important as the return, perhaps more important.

The Fed and How It Got That Way

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

Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?

Even the most seasoned investors have biases affecting their financial choices.

Required Reading: The Economic Report of the President

The Economic Report of the President can help identify the forces driving — or dragging — the economy.

The Anatomy of an Index

The S&P 500 represents a large portion of the value of the U.S. equity market, it may be worth understanding.

It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times

Learn about key investment principles that will help you navigate the unpredictability of the financial markets.

Best-Performing Asset Classes

Bonds may outperform stocks one year only to have stocks rebound the next.

Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions

Information vs. instinct. Are your choices based on evidence of emotion?

View all articles

Student Loan Payoff Calculator: Extra Payments Can Save You

See how extra payments toward your student loans could shorten your payoff timeline.

Wedding Budget Calculator

Estimate total wedding costs and see how different choices affect your overall budget.

How Long Will Your Money Last?

See how long a lump sum of savings could last based on your withdrawal rate and return.

Debt vs. Investment

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

Monthly Budget

Track your monthly income and expenses to get a clearer view of your cash flow.

College Savings

See how much you may need to save now to cover future college costs for your child.

View all calculators

Global and International Funds

Investors seeking world investments can choose between global and international funds. What's the difference?

Bridging the Confidence Gap

In the world of finance, the effects of the "confidence gap" can be especially apparent.

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.

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.