Investment | Madison Financial Planning Group

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.

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.

Have A Question About This Topic?

The Cycle of Investing

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

How Stocks Work

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

The Real Cost of a Vacation Home

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

All Muni Bonds Are Not Created Equal

Gaining a better understanding of municipal bonds makes more sense than ever.

Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?

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

How Financial Professionals Are Compensated

Read this overview to learn how financial advisors are compensated.

How Stocks Work

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

What’s Your Investment IQ?

You make decisions for your portfolio, but how much do you really know about the products you buy? Try this quiz

Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions

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

View all articles

What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

$1 million in a diversified portfolio could help finance part of your retirement.

The Fed and How It Got That Way

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

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.

Global and International Funds

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

Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market

Agent Jane Bond is on the case, cracking the code on bonds.

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.

View all videos

Articles

A Look at Diversification

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

Types of Stock Market Analysis

Most stock market analysis falls into three broad groups: Fundamental, technical, and sentimental. Here’s a look at each.

A Taxing Story: Capital Gains and Losses

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

A Primer on Dividends

A company's profits can be reinvested or paid out to the company’s shareholders as “dividends."

The ABCs of Zero Coupon Bonds

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

How the Federal Reserve Works

Each day, the Fed is behind the scenes supporting the economy and providing services to the U.S. financial system.

View all articles
Videos

The Business Cycle

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

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.

The Junk Drawer Approach to Investing

It's easy to let investments accumulate like old receipts in a junk drawer.

From Boats to Brokers

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

Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market

Agent Jane Bond is on the case, cracking the code on bonds.

What Smart Investors Know

Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.

View all videos