4 Fund Combo | Merriman Financial Education Foundation (2024)

FAQs

Is a 4 fund portfolio good? ›

It is suitable for investors with a high risk tolerance who are seeking substantial returns and can withstand large drawdowns. It's exposed for 80% on the Stock Market. In the last 30 Years, the Bogleheads Four Funds Portfolio obtained a 8.05% compound annual return, with a 12.46% standard deviation.

At age 60–69, consider a moderate portfolio (60% stock, 35% bonds, 5% cash/cash investments); 70–79, moderately conservative (40% stock, 50% bonds, 10% cash/cash investments); 80 and above, conservative (20% stock, 50% bonds, 30% cash/cash investments).

The Four Fund Combo is built on four index funds (or exchange-traded funds) that include the most basic U.S. equity asset classes: large-cap blend stocks (the S&P 500 SPX, +0.27%, in other words), large-cap value stocks, small-cap blend stocks, and small-cap value stocks.

The Paul Merriman 4 Fund Portfolio is a simple investment strategy designed by Paul Merriman. It consists of four low-cost index funds, equally weighted, with exposure to large caps, small caps, and small-cap value.

While the rule states that no more than 5% of your portfolio should be invested in a single stock, you can adjust this based on your own risk tolerance. For example, if you're more risk-averse, you may want to limit your exposure to individual stocks even further.

What's the 60/40 portfolio? With a 60/40 portfolio, investors put 60% of their money in stocks and 40% in bonds. This diversification of both growth and income has generally provided a safe, mundane way for investors to grow their money without taking on too much risk.

If you're 70, you should keep 30% of your portfolio in stocks. However, with Americans living longer and longer, many financial planners are now recommending that the rule should be closer to 110 or 120 minus your age.

But now that Americans are living longer, that formula has changed to 110 or 120 minus your age — meaning that if you're 75, you should have 35% to 45% of your portfolio in stocks. Using this formula, if your portfolio totals $100,000, then you should have no less than $35,000 in stocks and no more than $45,000.

In your later years, a conservative allocation of 30% cash, 20% bonds and 50% stocks might be appropriate. Diversified portfolios typically include a core of at least 50% stocks in part because equities alone offer the potential to generate long-term returns exceeding inflation.

A Lazy Portfolio is a collection of investments that requires very little maintenance. It's the typical passive investing strategy, for long-term investors, with time horizons of more than 10 years. Choose your investment style (Classic or Alternative?), pick your Lazy Portfolios and implement them with ETFs.

What is the 4 fund portfolio allocation by age? ›

The common rule of asset allocation by age is that you should hold a percentage of stocks that is equal to 100 minus your age. So if you're 40, you should hold 60% of your portfolio in stocks. Since life expectancy is growing, changing that rule to 110 minus your age or 120 minus your age may be more appropriate.

The three-fund portfolio consists of a total stock market index fund, a total international stock index fund, and a total bond market fund. Asset allocation between those three funds is up to the investor based on their age and risk tolerance.

Maybe 3 at best. Beyond that, it doesn't make sense as there will be a great overlap in the shares owned by your mutual funds. Mid Cap Mutual Funds: Up to 2. While you might get higher returns, the risk you expose yourself to is also higher.

Financial planners say it is difficult to put a cap on the number of schemes in an investor's portfolio, as investors increasingly use mutual funds to meet both long-term and short-term goals. However, they feel investors should restrict themselves to 10 schemes, as a higher number is difficult to monitor and manage.

General ROI: A positive ROI is generally considered good, with a normal ROI of 5-7% often seen as a reasonable expectation. However, a strong general ROI is something greater than 10%.

Some experts recommend at least 15% of your income. Setting clear investment goals can help you determine if you're investing the right amount.