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INVESTING
Spoiler: It’s Not (That) Hard
Wall Street doesn’t want you to know this: Their “complex strategies” usually underperform versus simple market indexes.
The industry throws around confusing terms like alpha, beta, and expense ratios to justify their fees, but smart investors have figured out the secret: a basic three-fund portfolio could be all you need.
Today, I’ll explain this portfolio, why it works, and why paying a financial advisor might be unnecessary.
The Lazy Portfolio
Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor and this is not financial advice.
I’m not telling you to run and fire your financial advisor, but there’s a “boring” strategy that quietly creates millionaires known as the three-fund portfolio.
The concept is simple. Buy three low-cost funds that own entire markets (like the total US stock market).
Why It Works
There are a few key reasons why the three-fund portfolio works so well:
Diversification: Instead of betting on individual stocks, you own pieces of entire markets.
Low Cost: Index funds typically charge below 0.10% in annual fees compared to the 1-2% fees seen in actively managed funds
Market Matching: You stop trying to beat the market. Instead, you become the market which has worked out well historically.
Now let’s take a look at a sample three-fund portfolio.
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Sample Portfolio
Your exact allocation depends on your age, goals, and risk tolerance, but here’s a typical three-fund portfolio:
Vanguard Total Stock ETF (VTI)
Covers virtually every stock in the US stock market including giants like Apple and Nvidia plus smaller companies.
Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS)
Provides exposure to markets outside of the US, including Europe, Asia, and emerging markets.
Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND)
Adds stability and income with broad exposure to US bonds, balancing out stock volatility.
While building the portfolio is easy, tracking progress can be challenging. That’s why I use this tool to track my net worth:
Delete the Spreadsheet
Instead of juggling spreadsheets, I recommend the free Personal Dashboard from Empower. It pulls everything into one place (including your investments) so you can automatically track your net worth.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, you could spend countless hours analyzing stocks and market trends, or simply invest in three funds. Yes, the three-fund portfolio is “lazy” and “boring” but historically, it works.
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Talk Soon,
Steve
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In Case You Missed It
Jack Bogle, founder of Vanguard, believed investing should be simple. Check out this video to learn some of his rules for investment success.
“Wise investors won’t try to outsmart the market.” - Jack Bogle
Disclaimer: The content provided in this newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional financial advice. Please consult with a financial advisor before making any financial decisions. This newsletter may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you.
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