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Resources in the Investor Learning Center are provided to help you plan for success in your financial journey. Choose from the articles and tools below to help you work towards your personal investment goals.
ETFs
BASICS OF INVESTING
How do I buy / trade an ETF?
Exchange Traded Funds have three distinctive features and many practical uses.
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How ETFs might fit into a portfolio
You can use ETFs to build a new portfolio or augment an existing one.
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Benefits of ETFs
Here are five important benefits offered by Exchange Traded Funds.
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VFLO - Explore the Next-Generation of Free Cash Flow Investing
Learn about this time-tested approach designed to meet the needs of today's dynamic market.
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College savings
How inflation impacts investments
College savings
The benefit of automating your investment plan
Consider this time-tested method to help you reach your most important financial goals.
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Do bear markets create opportunity?
History suggests that you might want to welcome an occasional market downturn.
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How to invest in a volatile market
Basics of Investing
College savings
The difference between ETF price and value
College savings
What are the different ETF categories?
Have an investment objective? Yeah there’s an ETF for that.
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Investment strategies for uncertain times
Open an account to invest in your future
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Retirement
What significant change to 529 Plans was created by the SECURE 2.0 Act
Did saving for retirement and a college education just get easier?
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Key ages in retirement planning
Retirement
The beginners guide to retirement planning
Retirement Planner Calculator
Do you know what it takes to work towards a secure retirement? Use this calculator to help you create your retirement plan.
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A backward and completely comprehensive approach to investing
Using this investment strategy puts your money in separate time-specific buckets.
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Try this simple technique to predict portfolio return
Asset allocation may be a good predictor of your portfolio’s future risk and return.
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Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)
The IRS requires that you withdraw at least a minimum amount - known as a Required Minimum Distribution - from your retirement accounts annually; starting the year you turn age 72 (or 70 1/2 if born before 7/1/1949). Determining how much you are required to withdraw is an important issue in retirement planning. Use this calculator to create a hypothetical projection of your future Required Minimum Distributions (RMD).
Current year FutureRetirement Nestegg Calculator
Do you know how much it takes to create a secure retirement? Use this calculator to help determine what size your retirement nestegg should be.
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Retirement
Three easy ways to augment your employer’s retirement account
Company plan, IRA, Roth IRA. Each of these is a great way to save for retirement.
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What is a Required Minimum Distribution - or RMD?
Factoring RMDs into your plan can help you optimize your retirement cash flow.
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Traditional IRA Calculator
An individual retirement account (IRA) helps you save for retirement with tax advantages that other types of accounts may not have. Once you open an IRA, you can invest the money you contribute in a wide variety of mutual funds, including target retirement funds. Use this tool to compare a traditional IRA with a taxable account.
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Delaying Social Security – are the additional benefits worth the wait?
Should you take Social Security early or wait for bigger benefits down the road?
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What to do with your former employer's retirement plan
Leaving money in a former employer’s retirement plan isn’t a decision you should take lightly.
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Saving for college or retirement, which takes priority?
Your child’s college education vs. your retirement. Consider these 10 points.
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What’s your greater risk: market volatility or outliving your money?
Retirement
Which IRA should you use: Traditional or Roth?
Roth and Traditional IRAs are a lot alike. Their differences are subtle, but beneficial!
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Retirement
Retirement planning curve balls – how spending plans can change
Your retirement lifestyle may completely depend on assumptions you make today.
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What significant change to 529 Plans was created by the SECURE 2.0 Act
Did saving for retirement and a college education just get easier?
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Can a 529 plan be used after graduating college?
Let your careful financial planning inspire your most creative expression.
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EDUCATION SAVINGS VIDEOS
Learn about 529 plans and how they work
Get straightforward answers to your education savings questions in these short videos.
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How to use a 529 plan as an estate planning tool
Avoiding estate taxes isn’t the only reason to have a gift planning strategy.
Read articleEducation Savings Calculator
Saving for your children's education requires a long-term plan. And, like saving for retirement, the earlier you start your plan the better. Use this calculator to help develop or fine-tune your education savings plan.
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Military financial readiness
A servicemembers guide to funding education
There is no military special pay for college, but there are programs to help.
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The savings deposit program
A program exists to help you save the extra cash you earn while deployed.
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A close up of the Thrift Savings Plan and its funds
A close up of the TSP and its funds to help you make an informed decision.
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Recognizing And Avoiding Military Scams
Things those in uniform can do to prevent being scammed. Here’s a list.
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How to secure funding for veteran-owned businesses
How to build wealth with military special pay
There is more to military compensation than just basic pay and your housing allowance.
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Resources for servicemembers and veterans starting a business
Here is a sampling of programs veterans can use to get a business up and running.
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A servicemember and veteran guide to starting a business
Ideas to consider if you contemplate starting a business after your military service.
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Serving with purpose
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