5 Steps to a Minimalist Portfolio

Plus: What Your Asset Mix in Retirement Should Be During Higher Interest Rates. [Morningstar](?utm_source=eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_improvingfinances&utm_content=53963&elqTrackId=9c16416487824f3b9de4070425382401&elq=bab0dcc3e381429ba425706b4cf097f1&elqaid=53963&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=27368) [Improving Your Finances] Improving Your Finances with [Christine Benz]( [Christine Benz] [5 Steps to a Minimalist Portfolio: A guide to building an effective, low-maintenance portfolio.]( Even if you’re not an investment collector—ahem, you know who you are—it’s a good bet that the number of holdings and accounts in your portfolio have grown right along with your age and net worth. As assets grow, it’s only natural to want to diversify across investment types and perhaps even delve into investment arcana, such as commodities or private real estate. Accounts can also stack up as the years go by, especially 401(k)s and IRAs. Thanks to all of these forces, investors can readily end up with what I think of as “portfolio sprawl”—too many accounts and too many holdings within them. Diversification is desirable, but when taken to an extreme, it can become difficult to keep tabs on what you have. That’s particularly true if you have individual stocks and actively managed mutual funds, which require at least some level of ongoing oversight. Portfolio sprawl can also make portfolio maintenance a heavier lift, since it’s harder to get your arms around your total asset allocation. Tax time may be more complicated than it needs to be, too. The good news is that with a little bit of effort, it’s possible to arrive at a minimalist portfolio with fewer moving parts—both accounts and holdings. [See 5 Steps]( Share: [facebook]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( ADVERTISEMENT [media]( [media] [What Your Asset Mix in Retirement Should Be During Higher Interest Rates]( Despite attractive yields on cash and bonds, some retirees may still need a more aggressive portfolio. [Watch Now]( [What I’ve Done Right With My Portfolio]( Christine Benz shares some of her investing wins. Was it luck or skill? [Find Out More]( [Carl Vine: Japan Holds the ‘Most Fascinating Little Pocket of the Global Equity Market’]( A longtime Asian equities investor talks structural change, a new shareholder focus, and opportunity in Japan (and China). [Listen Now]( [It’s Easier Than Ever for Fund Investors to Build a Good Portfolio]( While the fund industry isn’t perfect, here’s how it has improved in the past 40 years. [Learn More]( [There’s No Evidence of a Retirement Crisis]( The New York Times stretches too far. [Read the Full Commentary]( Get Top Stock Picks and Market Insights Every Week on The Morning Filter. Every Monday morning, Susan Dziubinski sits down with Morningstar Chief U.S. markets strategist Dave Sekera to discuss what's on his radar, new Morningstar research, and stock picks or pans for the week ahead. [Watch Now.](morningstar/streams?utm_source=eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_improvingfinances&utm_content=53963) Stay connected: [twitter]( [facebook]( [linkedin]( [instagram]( [YouTube]( [Apple News]( [View online]( | [See all newsletters]( | [Share your feedback]( [Unsubscribe]( from this newsletter. Or update your [email preferences](. © 2024 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 22 W. Washington St. Chicago, IL 60602