I’ve Probably Got a Model Portfolio for That

Newly updated, these model portfolios depict sane allocations for every life stage and account type. [Morningstar](?utm_source=eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_improvingfinances&utm_content=44305&elqTrackId=80697c2caa6748fcac31e2b3585f986d&elq=d77e4892925c4a74a93a020df3b37919&elqaid=44305&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=21445) [Improving Your Finances] Improving Your Finances with [Christine Benz]( [Christine Benz] I’ve been busily working behind the scenes and—with the help of my colleagues Margaret Giles and Nura Husseini-Yoon—have fully updated all of my model portfolios. We’ve gathered them onto [a handy landing page]( that you can bookmark and refer to as needed. Some are geared toward young accumulators, while others are bucket portfolios for people actively spending in retirement; some are meant for tax-sheltered accounts, while others are for taxable. And while most of them are focused on investing for retirement, there’s [a series meant for short- and intermediate-term goals](. The portfolios are meant for educational purposes; my hope is that you’ll find them useful as you build and monitor your own holdings list. Speaking of premixed portfolios, I appreciated[our multi-asset manager research team’s closer look at the Lifecycle (L) funds on offer through the Thrift Savings Plan]( for federal government workers, which has nearly more than 7 million participants in all. Our analysts conclude that the funds’ ultra-low costs and solid underlying investment options make them worthy one-stop choices for people who have access to them. But they also point to excruciatingly slow decision-making as a drawback that keeps the TSP L funds from being best in breed. Social Security is a linchpin of retirement spending for most older adults, and I always appreciate Mark Miller’s close study of the topic, including the program’s solvency. One “fix” that often gets floated as a means of shoring up the Social Security trust fund is increasing the age for claiming, especially for younger workers. [Mark’s latest column]( researched and well-argued—delves into the pros and cons of that idea, as well as other potential changes under consideration. Finally, three years after the start of the pandemic, it feels like life is finally getting back to normal(ish). Jill Schlesinger, who hosts the popular “Jill on Money” podcast and writes a syndicated column of the same name, believes that the pandemic, while painful in many ways, was a catalyzing force for many people to improve their lives, including their finances. [She came on The Long View podcast]( to discuss her latest book, The Great Money Reset, which is chock-full of examples of people taking actions, both big and small, to live their best lives. It was one of the most inspiring conversations I’ve had in a while—I hope you enjoy it. With warm regards, Christine Benz [Our Best Investment Portfolio Examples for Savers and Retirees]( This series of portfolios from Morningstar's director of personal finance Christine Benz can help investors reach their financial goals. [Read More]( Share: [facebook]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( ADVERTISEMENT [media]( [media] [Model Portfolios for Short- and Intermediate-Term Goals]( Investing for shorter time horizons can be harder than it looks. Here’s how to make sense of it. [Read More]( [U.S. Government's Investment Options Are Good but Could Be Great]( The U.S. Federal Thrift Savings Plan's Lifecycle Funds'€™ unique status as part of a huge government entity is a blessing and a curse. [Read More]( [Jill Schlesinger: ‘The Great Money Reset’]( The popular author and podcast host discusses navigating financial transitions in the wake of the pandemic, the current financial environment, and how to negotiate in the workplace. [Listen Today]( [What Beat the S&P 500 Over the Past Three Decades? Doing Nothing]( A strategy of buying a basket of stocks and leaving them untouched outperformed the index, not to mention scores of active managers. [Read More]( [Does Factor Analysis Support Jack Bogle's Key Principles?]( Putting his core beliefs to the test. [Read More]( [When It Comes to Retirement Spending, Flexibility Pays]( But dynamic strategies entail trade-offs—namely, more volatile cash flows and lower ending balances. [Read More]( [Where Should Investors Stash Their Safe Money Today?]( Financial planning expert Michael Kitces shares a framework for balancing yield and safety in investors’ cash holdings. [Watch Now]( [6 Steps for Smart Long-Term-Care Planning]( How to get your arms around the costs and resources available. [Watch Now]( Listen Now Get the latest investing insights and market updates with [Morningstar’s podcasts]( available on your iPhone, iPad, Android, PC, or smart speaker. 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