InfoGuides: *Personal Financial Literacy Resource Guide*: Chapter 11: Investing Basics and Evaluating Bonds (includes investing and research resources)

Chapter 11 Introduction

In this chapter, we explain the meaning of life insurance; describe its purpose and principle. We present the four general methods for determining the amount of life insurance needed. Then we stress the importance of life insurance companies—mutual and stock—and distinguish between participating and non-participating life insurance policies. Next, we describe types of life insurance policies—term life, whole life, limited payment life, adjustable life, and universal life are discussed in detail. In addition, other types of life insurance policies; such as group life, credit life, and endowment life insurance are covered. Next we focus on major and important provisions contained in a life insurance contract. We emphasize the need for comparing insurance policy costs and examining a policy before and after the purchase. Various settlement options are also presented in this section. Finally, we conclude the chapter with a discussion on how annuities provide security to individuals.

Staying Current: Predicting Recessions and downturns in the markets

Website for the FRED graph above
The gray sections of the graph show recessions. This metric is considered a good predictor of recessions.
The Buffett Indicator
From currentmarketvlauation.com
REALLY interesting metric here!

Staying Current: Tracking Markets and Your Portfolio

Financial Times Market Data
A good place to start your research.
Franklin Templeton Market Volatility Resources
Several VERY interesting resources here.
FinViz Financial Vizualizations
Track the stock market using visual tools. VERY COOL stuff here.
Yahoo! Finance

LO 11.1: Explain why you should establish an investment program

Investor.gov: Introduction to Investing
Brought to you by the US Securities and Exchange Commission
Investor.gov: Saving And Investing Resources For Teachers
This page is for teachers investing for themselves and their families.
J.P.Morgan's Guide to the Markets
This website has several interesting resources.
LinkedIn Learning: The Dumb Things Smart People Do With Their Money
This is a great audio series with practical advise from Jill Schlesinger
LinkedIn Learning: Developing Investment Acumen
Linked In Learning: Become a Financial Analyst (Learning Path)
This Learning Path includes ten courses.
Vanguard: Investor Education
Some things are FREE. Others are for clients only.
This is a GREAT RESOURCE for many different topic areas.
Vanguard: Turn Your Goals into an Investment Plan

LO 11.2: Describe how safety, risk, income, growth and liquidity affect your investment program

Article: There's No Perfect Way to Inflation-Proof Your Investments -- WSJ
LinkedIn Learning: Understanding Capital Markets
LinkedIn Learning: Managing Your Personal Investments
LinkedIn Learning: Behavioral Finance Foundations
NerdWallet: Bonds vs. Stocks: A Beginner’s Guide
Vanguard: How Risk Reward & Time are Related
Types of Investments
Brought to you by FINRA.
This website has some GREAT investor resources and training.
A New Way to Tackle This Market Moment
Stocks are sky-high and bond yields are near zero. A strategy called 'return stacking' can free up part of your portfolio to put to work in a quieter part of the investing world.
Article: Is gamification in fintech hurting investors?
Brought to you by Financial Planning Magazine

LO 11.3: Identify the factors that can reduce investment risk

Weblink for the "Why diversity?" image above
FINRA: Key Investing Concepts
Brought to you by FINRA
Investopedia: 6 Common Portfolio Protection Strategies
Investopedia: Corporate Credit Ratings / Bond Ratings
What is a bond rating and what does it mean?
Northern Trust: Target Risk Portfolios Engineered to Perform
Options Clearing Corporation
OCC is the world's largest equity derivatives clearing organization.
WARNING: Options trading is VERY risky.
Vanguard: Asset Allocation
Vanguard: Portfolio Allocation Models
Nine different portfolio allocation models are presented with the historical risk/return information from 1926-2019.
Vanguard: The Risk of Different Investment Types
The 3 main types of assets all have different levels of risk and potential reward. You can mix them in order to lower your chance of losing money.

LO 11.4: Understand why investors purchase government bonds

NerdWallet: U.S. Treasury Bonds, Bills and Notes: What They Are and How to Buy
Fidelity: US Treasury Bonds
Yahoo Finance: Treasury Bonds Rates
TreasuryDirect - Marketable Treasury Securities
Fidelity: Municipal Bonds
Investor.gov: Municipal Bonds
This is one of three in a series of investor bulletins regarding Municipal Bonds.
MSRB Education Center
Brought to you by the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.
The MSRB Education Center is a multimedia library of information about the municipal securities market. Free and objective resources are geared toward investors and state and local governments to help them make informed decisions. The MSRB encourages widespread use of its educational materials. Education Center content may be printed, shared or redistributed according to MSRB Terms and Conditions.

LO 11.5: Recognize why investors purchase corporate bonds

Fidelity: Corporate Bonds

LO 11.6: Evaluate bonds when making an investment

LinkedIn Learning: Excel 2007: Analyzing Bond Investments
LinkedIn Learning: Understanding Capital Markets: Bond Markets
Fidelity: Bonds Overview
Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions
Major bond rating agency
You can research all types of bonds on this website.
Understanding Credit Ratings
Brought to you by S&P Global, a major bond rating agency.
You can research all types of bonds on this website.

Choosing a Broker / Investment Advisor

Investopedia: Brokers
What are the differences? Why should I care?
Broker Check
Check up on your Broker or Brokerage Firm here. Brought to you by FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority)
BrokerCheck Help Line (800) 289-9999
FINRA Disciplinary Actions Online (2005 - Present)
Search through all FINRA disciplinary actions
SEC Action Lookup - Individuals
Brought to you by the Securities and Exchange Commission
Contact Your State Regulator
Brought to you by the North American Securities Administrators Association.
Click on your state, province or territory to find helpful resources, including contact information for state and provincial securities regulators and other resources those agencies provide.

Learning to invest on your own

American Association of Individual Investors
Click on the link for their recommended asset allocations by risk tolerance.
This site has a few free resources, but is, primarily, a paid membership site.
Learn to Invest by FINRA.org
FREE resource brought to you by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
Fidelity Learning Center
Franklin Templeton Learn about Investing
Lots of resources here
NASAA Investor Education
Brought to you by the North American Securities Administrators Association
Morningstar Investing Classroom
Build your knowledge of investing with Morningstar's self-study course covering stocks, funds, ETFs, bonds, and portfolio construction.
Registration is required, but FREE.
The Options Industry Council
Learn about options trading
Vanguard Investor Resources and Education
Covers several topics
WallStreetPrep.com
FREE resources to learn about Corporate Accounting and Finance

WallStreetSurvivor.com
Learn to invest in a virtual environment for FREE.

Investment Research (and FUN stuff)

Investor.gov
An EXCELLENT RESOURCE brought to you by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Brought to you by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Office of Inspector General
Dave Ramsey
Some things are FREE. Others are for customers only.
Fidelity Investments
You can research investments, set up portfolios, etc. Some things are FREE. Others are for customers only.
Fidelity Investments (Videos)
How to interact with the Planning and Guidance Center.
financecharts.com Glossary of Stock Market and Financial Investing Terms
Once you're on the website, click on the logo at the top left of the screen and there are many more resources available.

A BIG shout out to the Financial Literacy Girls Club at the Harrison Park Community Center for this GREAT addition to the guide! Thank you ladies! :)
FINRA.org for Investors
Brought to you by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
Investopedia Stock Market Game
Get your feet wet with $100,000 of virtual cash and compete against other traders.
macrotrends.net
Morningstar
Basic Membership is free and gives you access to the Morningstar Investing Classroom
For FREE full access, see the link below under resources from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library.
Natixis Investment Managers
"Latest Insights" News Page
Additional videos and podcasts are available on the "Insights" page
SEC EDGAR Search
All companies, foreign and domestic, are required to file registration statements, periodic reports, and other forms electronically through the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval) system. Anyone can access and download this information for free or query it through a variety of EDGAR public searches.
TD Ameritrade
Some things are FREE. Others are for customers only.
T. Rowe Price (Personal Investing)
You can do some investment research here. Some things are FREE. Others are for customers only.
Value Line
Some things are FREE. Others are for customers only.
For FREE full access, see the link below under resources from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library.
The Vanguard Group
Some things are FREE. Others are for customers only.
Vanguard: Investor News
Includes Articles, Podcasts and Videos related to all types of Personal Finance Topics
GREAT RESOURCE

Investment Research (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card required)

Smart investing with your Char-Meck Library card
Brought to you by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
Char-Meck Library card is required to access these services .
This link has a full list of resources available from the Library, including LinkedIn Learning.
Investing specific resources: include:
- CFRA Marketscope Advisor
- Mergent Online
- Morningstar Investment Research Center
- Value Line Investment Survey
CFRA Marketscope Advisor (Tutorial and Guide)
Brought to you by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. CFRA provides independent, differentiated and actionable analysis to help you make better investment and business decisions. Includes S&P Global’s Equity and Fund Research business, a leading provider of independent research and commentary with offerings focused on stocks, ETFs and mutual funds as well as sectors and industries. To access the online Advisor, click on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library link above and you'll see an alphabetical listing of resources to choose from.
Mergent Online (Guide)
Brought to you by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. Mergent Online is an electronic database that is easy to use and has global business and financial data for companies worldwide. To access the online Mergent research, click on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library link above and you'll see an alphabetical listing of resources to choose from..
Morningstar Investment Research Center (Tutorial and Guide)
Brought to you by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. Morningstar Investment Research Center offers real-time investment research. You have access to many premium features of Morningstar.com, including research and independent opinions on thousands of stocks and mutual funds. To access the online Research Center, click on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library link above and you'll see an alphabetical listing of resources to choose from..
Value Line (Tutorial and Guide)
Brought to you by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. The Value Line Investment Survey features consensus earnings estimates for several companies and a business description of each company. Also included are recent corporate developments, and ranks performance to predict relative price performance over the next six to 12 months. To access the Value Line online Research Center, click on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library link above and you'll see an alphabetical listing of resources to choose from..

Reading: Books

Concise Encyclopedia of Investing by Robert E. Stevens
ISBN: 9780203826447
Publication Date: 2006-12-11
Practical information for investing newcomers! Have you wanted to seriously begin investing but are wary because of confusing and complicated terminology and concepts? Then the Concise Encyclopedia of Investing is for you. This A-to-Z reference provides clear, concise explanations of basic as well as more advanced investment terms to
The Forbes / CFA Institute Investment Course by Vahan Janjigian; Stephen M. Horan; Charles Trzcinka
ISBN: 9780470919651
Publication Date: 2011-02-08
The most up-to-date and all encompassing guide to investing intoday's markets From Forbes and the CFA Institute-two of the most highlyrespected and recognized names in the investment industry-TheForbes/CFA Institute Investment Course is an interactiveroadmap to investing in today's challenging stock markets. Frombuilding capital and asset allocation and diversification tochoosing a broker and reading a financial statement, TheForbes/CFA Institute Investment Course has offered investorsstep-by-step guidance since 1948. The course Includes advice for novices, but also accommodates those whoare more familiar with markets Provides important information on fundamental analysis versustechnical analysis Details different asset classes: fixed income securities,derivatives, mutual funds, and equities With Q&A, links to videos, expert advice, interviews withtop money managers, and much more, The Forbes/CFAInstituteInvestment Course is the perfect resource for anyone looking tolearn about investing in today's markets.

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