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I know the HD readers have much in common. I’m interested to find out about our diversity.
What I’m interested in, is not the size of anyone’s portfolio, but it’s contents.
If your portfolio is a thousand, a million, or even multi millions doesn’t matter…. What is it invested in and it’s percentages.
As an example I would answer this inquiry :
70% VT ( Vanguard Total World)
10% VTV (Vanguard Total Value)
10% VUG (Vanguard Growth)
10% Cash Online Money Market
I’m sure a lot are indexers but many are not
We’re 70% Equities split 62/38 US v International (VTSAX and VTIAX), 20% in VG Intermediate Treasury Fund, and 10% Cash (mostly TSP G Fund).
60% is tax deferred, 36% is Roth, 4% is taxable.
Roths are 100% equities. Bonds, Cash and remaining Equities in tax deferred and taxable.
Still doing Roth conversions in next few years, the extent of which is still being contemplated. Debating between nibbling around top of tax bracket vs “go big or go home”.
My percentages:
33% Cash (online money market)
38% Growth – VOO, VTI, VUG
28% Income – SCHD, VNQ, VDE, VYM
2% Risk Plus – MRNA, USAR
But here’s the reality: eight tickers across two sleeves don’t represent eight different bets. VOO, VTI, and VUG all hold the same mega-cap names — Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon — as their top positions. VTI is just VOO plus some small/mid-caps, and VUG is a growth-tilted slice of largely that same large-cap universe. So 38% “Growth” is really one concentrated US large-cap bet, counted three times.
The Income sleeve has some real diversification — VNQ (REITs) is genuinely different — but SCHD and VYM overlap heavily in the same dividend-paying large caps, and VDE’s energy names show up in SCHD too. And those same large caps already appear in VOO/VTI from the Growth sleeve. So there’s overlap within sleeves and across them.
Net result: my 8-ticker, 4-sleeve portfolio is really “US large-cap” + “REITs” + “energy tilt” + cash. Three asset classes, not eight bets.
And here’s your reality, Larry: your 70/10/10/10 has the same issue, just more elegantly disguised. VT (Total World) is a market-cap-weighted blend that already includes value and growth stocks globally — it’s the whole pie. VTV and VUG are just slices of that same pie, split by factor. So your “three equity funds” are really one global equity position with a slight value/growth tilt layered on top.
The lesson for both of us: counting tickers isn’t counting diversification. What matters is the underlying holdings, asset classes, and correlations — not how many fund names appear on the statement. A portfolio with 10 funds that all hold the same top-5 positions isn’t more diversified than one with 2 — it’s just more paperwork.
I will be making changes
Our portfolio target date is 45/45/10. Right now we are off by 1-2%.
Ages 68 1/2, and 67 1/2
Dividend Appreciation 8%
Intermediate Bond 2.5%
Short Term Bond 14%
Short Term TIPS 8.5
Target 2030 7%
Total Bond 16%
Total International Stock 55%
Total (US) Stock 8%
Total World (100% Roth accounts) 22%
When Roth conversions are completed (hopefully year end 28) portfolio will consist of Total World still 100% only in Roths; my traditional, which will be the only RMD account will have bonds (1/3 each total, short term, short term TIPS); and stocks taking into consideration the allocation of the total world allocation, to equal 2/3 US, 1/3 international in our total portfolio. My traditional is split into different funds so at 73 will I be able to withdraw RMDs quarterly from higher return assets.
Great topic. Mine looks a little different from the indexers.
I’m semi-retired, 61, with a long-running dividend reinvestment portfolio as the foundation — 28 positions built through ComputerShare DRIP since 2004. Think PG, JNJ, KO, XOM, LMT, UNP, ABBV and similar.
31% Individual dividend stocks (ComputerShare DRIP, 28 positions, full reinvestment through 2030)
41% Broad index funds — VTSAX, VTIAX, VGSLX, VBTLX across a traditional IRA, plus SCHD building toward a target share count, and index funds in a 401K
16% Cash / money market — intentional 5-7 year expense buffer, not idle cash
10% Individual equities — energy overweight across EPD, XOM, CVX, COP, PSX, SHEL; deliberate thesis given the current macro backdrop
3% Treasury ladder — running off, maturities rolling into SCHD
Account structure: ~57% deferred, ~11% Roth, ~32% taxable
32% USTotal Mkt Index
5% US SCV
13% Total International Index
20% Short term Treasuries and CDs (1-3 years)
20% TIPs (1-5 years) and IBonds
10% Total Bond Index Fund
Currently retired, holding a 50/50 asset allocation. Planning to glide to a 60/40 allocation in a few years when take SS at age 70. Holding small amount in cash to meet 3-4 months expenses.
Interesting topic, I’m sure not two of us will have similar portfolios. Individuality is going to be the name of the game. Hers mine ripped from a spreadsheet.
Asset Allocation
Cash Reserves: 20%
20% Cash / Short-Term Reserves (Held separately from the main portfolio following business sale)
Global Equities: 68%
32% Developed World (ex-UK)
16% Developed Europe (ex-UK)
12% UK High Dividend Yield
8% Asia Pacific
Fixed Income & Defensive: 12%
8% Global Bonds (hedged to Sterling)
4% Individual Inflation-Protected Bonds (Arranged in a declining ladder to fund immediate consumption)
There’s also a ten year term annuity in the mix. I’ve no clue how to incorporate that into the asset allocation since it’s an income stream.
40% FZROX (Total Stock Market Index)
20% FZILX (International Index)
10% FNILX (Large Cap Index)
10% FIMVX (Mid Cap Value Index)
10% SGOV (0-3 Month Treasury)
10% FIPDX (Inflation-Protected Bond Index)
Neat topic, thanks. Our basic setup:
Whilst calculating these percentages, I was pleased to see that our home and cars only came to 20% of our net worth. Here in Australia, there are lots of people with relatively high net worth, but a lot of that is tied up in their home and cars.