Home >  Education >     Investing           Asset Allocation and Diversification   Diversification If variety is the spice of life, diversification is the heart and soul of investing.   Investing Basics   Investing When you invest, you're trying to increase your income, build the value of your assets, or both. Figuring Your Return Return is what you get back in relation to the amount you invested. Investing in Bonds Bonds are loans that investors make to corporations and governments. The lenders earn interest, and borrowers get the cash they need. Investing in Mutual Funds Mutual funds offer investors the benefits of economy, diversification and the expertise of a professional manager. The Right Moves To earn more with your investments, consider what they cost as well as what they pay.   Investing Strategies   Buying on Margin Buying on margin lets investors borrow some of the money they need to buy stocks. Tax Planning for Investments Don't overlook the tax consequences when you make investment decisions.   Tax Planning   Tax-Free Investments Federal, state and local governments pay bond interest that is partly or fully tax-free.         For more information     Put this knowledge to work for you. Take a look at the different types of accounts we offer. Read more   Begin your journey to financial success. Get started           Branch Locator | Site Map | Privacy | Terms of Use | Disclosures | Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated Financial Statement     The Global Wealth Management Group of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and the Smith Barney division of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. have combined into Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, a new investment adviser and broker-dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.   In general, references to Morgan Stanley in this section of the site should be read as Morgan Stanley Smith Barney; however, some services will continue to be provided by Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated. Click here to read the Statement of Responsibilities, which explains the respective roles and functions of Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney.   The information and services provided on the website are intended for persons in the U.S. only. Non-U.S. persons are directed to our Global Offices page.   © 2010 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, member SIPC. All rights reserved.