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Smart Investing
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FINRA Education Modules

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1 Preparing to Invest
1. Introduction:  Saving and Investing 1-1
2. Create a Budget-and Pay Yourself 1-5
3. Set Investment Goals 1-7
4. Establish an Emergency Fund 1-10
5. Choose Investments Wisely 1-12
6. Practice Good Habits 1-14
   
2 Key Investment Concepts
1. Introduction 2-1
2. Return and Rate of Return 2-2
3. The Risk-Return Relationship 2-5
4. Time and Your Portfolio 2-12
5. Allocating Your Portfolio 2-16
6. Diversifying Your Portfolio 2-21
7. Rebalancing Your Portfolio 2-24
8. Dollar Cost Averaging 2-26
9. Investing Tax Strategies 2-28
   
3 Bank Products
1. Introduction 3-1
2. Safety in Banking:  FDIC Insurance 3-2
3. Transaction Accounts 3-4
4. Deposit Accounts 3-7
5. International Remittances 3-13
6. Beyond Banking 3-14
   
4 US Treasury Securities
1. Treasury Debt 4-1
2. Marketable Securities:  Bills, Notes, and Bonds 4-2
3. Investment Risk 4-5
4. Buying and Selling Treasuries 4-8
5. Using Treasuries 4-11
6. Nonmarketable Securities:  Savings Bonds 4-12
   
5 Common Types of Investments
1. Introduction 5-1
2. Stock 5-3
3. Bonds 5-17
4. Mutual Funds 5-26
5. Exchanged Traded Funds 5-37
6. Real Estate Investment Trusts 5-39
   
6 Retirement Savings Vehicles
1. Introduction 6-1
2. Individual Plans 6-3
3. Employer-Sponsored Plans 6-13
4. Small Business Plans 6-22
   
7 Choosing the Right Investments
1. Introduction 7-1
2. General Rules of Investing 7-2
3. Planning for Your Financial Goals 7-4
4. Investing for Short-Term Goals 7-7
5. Investing for Medium-Term Goals 7-8
6. Investing for Long-Term Goals 7-9
7. Your Risk Tolerance 7-13
8. Managing Your Portfolio 7-14
9. Investing in Your Twenties 7-18
10. Investing in Your Thirties and Forties 7-22
11. Investing in Your Fifties 7-24
12. Investing in Your Sixties and Beyond 7-26
   
8 Managing Investment Risk
1. Introduction 8-1
2. Why Take Risks? 8-2
3. Types of Investment Risk 8-3
4. Assessing Risk 8-7
5. Investing to Minimize Risk 8-13
6. Modern Portfolio Theory 8-17
7. Risk Protection 8-18
   
Evaluating Performance
1. Introduction 9-1
2. Yield 9-3
3. Return 9-6
4. Capital Gains and Losses 9-9
5. Tracking Performance 9-11
6. Reading Your Statement 9-14
7. Using Research 9-16
   
10 Investment Professionals
1. Introduction 10-1
2. Types of Investment Professionals 10-2
3. Choosing an Investment Professional 10-9
4. Checking an Investment Professional's Background 10-13
5. Working with an Investment Professional 10-17
6. Discretionary vs. Non-Discretionary Accounts 10-18
   
11 Safeguarding Your Investments
1. Introduction 11-1
2. Recordkeeping 11-2
3. Protecting Your Investments 11-5
4. Investor Rights and Protections 11-8
5. Investment Scams 11-12
6. Filing a Complaint 11-16
     

Worksheet:  Retirement

Worksheet:  Financial Planning

Worksheet:  Net Worth

Worksheet:  Risks