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The simplest, cheapest, most reliable way to build wealth. Index funds beat 90% of professionals over 15+ years.
After fees, 90% of actively managed funds underperform a simple S&P 500 index fund over 15 years. The secret? Ultra-low fees compound into massive differences.
0.03%
Index Fund Fee
$3/year per $10K
0.75-1.5%
Active Fund Fee
$75-$150/year per $10K
90%
Active Funds That Lose
Over 15-year periods
$10K: Index Fund 0.03% fee (green) vs Active Fund 1% fee (gray)
Simple & Complete
| Feature | Fund | Allocation |
|---|---|---|
| US Total Market (VTI/VTSAX) | Entire US stock market | 60% of portfolio |
| International (VXUS/VTIAX) | All non-US stocks | 30% of portfolio |
| Bonds (BND/VBTLX) | Stability & income | 10% of portfolio (age-based) |
Even Simpler: 1 Fund
Open a Brokerage Account
Fidelity, Vanguard, or Schwab. All offer $0 commission on index funds.
Set Up Auto-Invest
Every paycheck, auto-buy your chosen fund. Remove emotion from investing.
Never Check Daily
Set a quarterly review. Daily checking leads to panic selling.
Increase with Raises
Every raise, increase monthly investment by 50% of the raise amount.
Don't Do These
Market Crashes Are Sales
Key Takeaways