Index Funds S&P 500 Concentration: What "Owning the Index" Actually Means When Ten Stocks Are a Third of It Buying "the S&P 500" sounds like buying 500 companies in equal measure. The math behind market-cap weighting says otherwise.
Retirement Sequence-of-Returns Risk: Why the First Five Years of Retirement Decide Everything Two retirees can earn the same average return over 30 years and end up in completely different places. The difference is when the bad years arrive. Here is how to defend against the worst of it.
cryptocurrency Crypto Allocation: 1% or 5% of a Real Portfolio, Not 50% Bitcoin might go to $500,000 or $0 — the honest answer is nobody knows. At 1-5% of portfolio, either outcome is survivable. At 30%, the bad case is career-ending.
rebalancing Rebalancing: When to Do It, When to Skip It Quarterly rebalancing costs taxes and trading fees without improving returns. Annual rebalancing at 5% bands is the sweet spot the research actually supports.
Asset Allocation Asset Allocation by Age: The 120-Minus-Age Rule Needs an Update 110 minus your age was the old rule. At 40 that's 70% stocks. With longer lifespans and lower bond yields, the right number for most is 85-90%.
target date funds Target-Date Funds in Your 401(k): Convenience at a Cost The 2055 fund is probably your default. It's also holding 15% bonds you don't need at 35, and charging 0.65% for the privilege. The math says rebuild it.
international stocks International Diversification: How Much VXUS Should You Actually Own Vanguard says 40%. Buffett says 0%. The historical data says the answer depends on a question most investors skip.
