It's been a rough few months in the stock market. Recently, the S&P 500 index officially entered bear market territory, defined as 20% below its high. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq is down about 23% so far this year, on top of last year's 39% beating. If your stomach churns every time you look at your portfolio, you're not alone.

Now more than ever, it's time to be careful out there, and to think carefully before you act. Should you sell stocks or buy them? Are you in the right mutual fund? What can you do to calm your nerves? We've assembled five recent articles to help you answer these questions:

Don't Lose Faith
It's easy to question your judgment when the market takes a dive, but don't give up. Trust yourself. You can learn how to be a better investor by listening, reading, and doing. Understand your investments, and stick with investing in what you know and love.

Five Reasons to Buy Now
If you see bargains everywhere you look, won't be dipping into vital savings, can take advantage of dollar cost averaging, have a stomach for volatility, and can afford to wait for years to see your investment decisions pan out, it may be a good time to shop for stocks.

Five Reasons to Sell Now
If you expect to need money soon, aren't closely familiar with your holdings, are eyeing better opportunities, have watched your favorite company morph into something unfamiliar, or can't sleep at night -- you might want to consider pressing the "Sell" button.

The One Mutual Fund We Love
We can boil down the confusing world of mutual funds into four little words: Buy an index fund. Find out why we love low-fee index funds, and how you can buy them.

Taking Advantage of Market Ups and Downs
Great companies survive market fluctuations. Great investors take advantage of them.