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Asset allocation: Key to your investment climate
How to invest
Asset allocation: Key to your investment climate
As you decide which investments to buy, start with the big picture, not the details.
Vanguard portfolio allocation models
How to invest
Vanguard portfolio allocation models
How do you choose how much you want to invest in stocks or bonds? These allocation models can help you understand different goals-based investment strategies. There's no right or wrong model, so it's important to tune in to what you feel best fits your goals and risk tolerance.
5 investing principles that are built to last
How to invest
5 investing principles that are built to last
Markets are unpredictable and investment fads come and go. Here’s some sound investing advice to help you achieve long-term financial success.
Save for retirement IRAs offer an opportunity to save for retirement and benefit from long-term tax advantages. |
Start a college fund A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged account for education savings. You can save for your child, another family member, or even for yourself. |
Get help choosing investments The investments you choose for your portfolio should depend on your goals and investing style. Here's how to decide. |
4 principles are at the heart of Vanguard’s investing philosophy There are 4 core investing principles at the heart of Vanguard's philosophy: goals, balance, controlling costs, and discipline. |
Understand our costs and fees Our commissions and fees lead with low costs no matter what you trade. |
Keep up with market news and trends Stay informed on market trends and news with insights from our experts. |
Lower costs can add up to big savings
Say you invested $50,000. If it earned 6% per year and you subtracted the costs, here's what you'd have over time.*
10 years
20 years
30 years
*As of December 31, 2021, Vanguard's average expense ratio is 0.09%. Industry average mutual fund and ETF expense ratio: 0.49%. All averages are asset-weighted. Industry averages exclude Vanguard. Sources: Vanguard and Morningstar, Inc., as of December 31, 2021. This hypothetical example assumes a 6% return on a $50,000 investment. If the rate of return were altered, results would vary from those shown. The shaded amounts represent both the amount paid in expenses as well as the "opportunity costs"—the amount you lose because the costs you paid are no longer invested. The final balance shown is after costs. This example doesn't represent any particular investment and doesn't account for inflation. There may be other material differences between investment products that must be considered prior to investing.
*As of December 31, 2021, Vanguard's average expense ratio is 0.09%. Industry average mutual fund and ETF expense ratio: 0.49%. All averages are asset-weighted. Industry averages exclude Vanguard. Sources: Vanguard and Morningstar, Inc., as of December 31, 2021. This hypothetical example assumes a 6% return on a $50,000 investment. If the rate of return were altered, results would vary from those shown. The shaded amounts represent both the amount paid in expenses as well as the "opportunity costs"—the amount you lose because the costs you paid are no longer invested. The final balance shown is after costs. This example doesn't represent any particular investment and doesn't account for inflation. There may be other material differences between investment products that must be considered prior to investing.
*As of December 31, 2021, Vanguard's average expense ratio is 0.09%. Industry average mutual fund and ETF expense ratio: 0.49%. All averages are asset-weighted. Industry averages exclude Vanguard. Sources: Vanguard and Morningstar, Inc., as of December 31, 2021. This hypothetical example assumes a 6% return on a $50,000 investment. If the rate of return were altered, results would vary from those shown. The shaded amounts represent both the amount paid in expenses as well as the "opportunity costs"—the amount you lose because the costs you paid are no longer invested. The final balance shown is after costs. This example doesn't represent any particular investment and doesn't account for inflation. There may be other material differences between investment products that must be considered prior to investing.
*As of December 31, 2021, Vanguard's average expense ratio is 0.09%. Industry average mutual fund and ETF expense ratio: 0.49%. All averages are asset-weighted. Industry averages exclude Vanguard. Sources: Vanguard and Morningstar, Inc., as of December 31, 2021. This hypothetical example assumes a 6% return on a $50,000 investment. If the rate of return were altered, results would vary from those shown. The shaded amounts represent both the amount paid in expenses as well as the "opportunity costs"—the amount you lose because the costs you paid are no longer invested. The final balance shown is after costs. This example doesn't represent any particular investment and doesn't account for inflation. There may be other material differences between investment products that must be considered prior to investing.
*As of December 31, 2021, Vanguard's average expense ratio is 0.09%. Industry average mutual fund and ETF expense ratio: 0.49%. All averages are asset-weighted. Industry averages exclude Vanguard. Sources: Vanguard and Morningstar, Inc., as of December 31, 2021. This hypothetical example assumes a 6% return on a $50,000 investment. If the rate of return were altered, results would vary from those shown. The shaded amounts represent both the amount paid in expenses as well as the "opportunity costs"—the amount you lose because the costs you paid are no longer invested. The final balance shown is after costs. This example doesn't represent any particular investment and doesn't account for inflation. There may be other material differences between investment products that must be considered prior to investing.
*As of December 31, 2021, Vanguard's average expense ratio is 0.09%. Industry average mutual fund and ETF expense ratio: 0.49%. All averages are asset-weighted. Industry averages exclude Vanguard. Sources: Vanguard and Morningstar, Inc., as of December 31, 2021. This hypothetical example assumes a 6% return on a $50,000 investment. If the rate of return were altered, results would vary from those shown. The shaded amounts represent both the amount paid in expenses as well as the "opportunity costs"—the amount you lose because the costs you paid are no longer invested. The final balance shown is after costs. This example doesn't represent any particular investment and doesn't account for inflation. There may be other material differences between investment products that must be considered prior to investing.
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Frequently asked questions
The type of account you open will depend on several factors, including your investment goals and overall financial situation. Understanding your investment goals is important because certain accounts are geared toward specific goals and may have different tax implications or penalties. Common account types include general investing, retirement, and higher-education savings.
Read more about account types at Vanguard or use our Quick Start tool to help you decide.
At Vanguard, you can invest in many different investment products, including mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), stocks, bonds, CDs, and money market funds.
A mutual fund is a pooled collection of assets, like stocks, bonds, and other securities, priced once per business day.
An ETF is also a pooled collection of securities but trades on an exchange, like the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq, and changes price throughout the business day.
You’ll never pay a fee to open your account or a commission to buy or sell Vanguard mutual funds or ETFs in your Vanguard account. There’s a $20 annual fee for each brokerage and mutual fund-only account, but you can easily avoid this fee.
Most Vanguard mutual funds have a $3,000 minimum, but you can invest in any Vanguard Target Retirement Fund or Vanguard STAR® Fund with as little as $1,000. (Some funds have minimums greater than $3,000 to protect the funds from short-term trading activity.)
The minimum investment for ETFs or other individual securities, like stocks and bonds, is the price of 1 share.
We believe you should consider your overall asset allocation (i.e., your mix of investment types) before picking individual investments for your portfolio.
By mixing different types of investments, you can help lower your overall portfolio risk since different types of assets usually perform differently at any one time. It doesn't mean you can't lose money—it just means you may not lose as much.
Also, including riskier investments, like stocks, allows your portfolio to grow at a higher rate than a portfolio with less risky investments, like cash. It’s all about finding the right balance for you.
Read more about the benefits of mixing assets and get some tips on picking an asset mix appropriate for your situation.
Opening a Vanguard investing account is free, easy—and fast! (It should only take around 5–10 minutes.) Start by choosing Open an account from the menu, then select Start your new account.
Most investors fund their new accounts with an electronic bank transfer. If you choose this option, make sure you have your bank account and routing numbers readily available.
Sharp drops in the market can be hard to stomach and it may feel difficult to stay invested. However, market increases since 1980 have compensated investors well for the risk they take on by investing in stocks.†
Yes! If you’d like help investing, Vanguard has 2 options for professional money management: Vanguard Digital Advisor® and Vanguard Personal Advisor Services®.
Vanguard Digital Advisor is our robo-advisor—an all-digital financial planning and investment management service. Digital Advisor will help keep you focused on your retirement savings goal while still being flexible to adjust for your other goals along the way.
To enroll in Vanguard Digital Advisor, you’ll need at least $3,000 in eligible advised assets.
Vanguard Personal Advisor Services is also a personalized financial planning and portfolio monitoring service. However, in addition to an online dashboard, you'll also have access to human advisors ready to collaborate with you around your portfolio and goals, as well as more complex financial needs.
To enroll in Vanguard Personal Advisor Services, you’ll need at least $50,000 in eligible advised assets.
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For more information about Vanguard mutual funds or ETFs, obtain a mutual fund or ETF prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are contained in the prospectus; read and consider it carefully before investing.
All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of money you invest.
†Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. The performance of an index is not an exact representation of any particular investment, as you cannot invest directly in an index.
Commission-free trading of Vanguard ETFs applies to trades placed both online and by phone. Commission-free trading of non-Vanguard ETFs excludes leveraged and inverse ETFs and applies only to trades placed online; most clients will pay a commission to buy or sell non-Vanguard ETFs by phone. It also excludes leveraged and inverse ETFs, which can't be purchased through Vanguard but can be sold with a commission. Commission-free trading of non-Vanguard ETFs also excludes 401(k) participants using the Self-Directed Brokerage Option; see your plan’s current commission schedule. Vanguard Brokerage reserves the right to change the non-Vanguard ETFs included in these offers at any time. All ETFs are subject to management fees and expenses; refer to each ETF's prospectus for more information. Account service fees may also apply. All ETF sales are subject to a securities transaction fee. See the Vanguard Brokerage Services commission and fee schedules for full details.
Vanguard Personal Advisor Services are provided by Vanguard Advisers, Inc., a registered investment advisor, or by Vanguard National Trust Company, a federally chartered, limited-purpose trust company. The services provided to clients who elect to receive ongoing advice will vary based upon the amount of assets in a portfolio. Please review Form CRS and the Vanguard Personal Advisor Services Brochure (PDF) for important details about the service, including its asset-based service levels and fee breakpoints.
Enrollments in Vanguard Digital Advisor require at least $3,000 in each Vanguard Brokerage Account. For each taxable account you wish to enroll, the entire balance must be in the brokerage account's settlement fund. For each traditional, Roth, or rollover IRA you wish to enroll, the entire balance must be in certain investment types (based on eligibility screening by Digital Advisor at the time of enrollment) and/or the brokerage account's settlement fund. The Vanguard Digital Advisor service is offered through Vanguard Advisers, Inc. ("VAI"), a federally registered investment advisor.
Vanguard Digital Advisor's services are provided by Vanguard Advisers, Inc. ("VAI"), a federally registered investment advisor. Please review the Vanguard Digital Advisor Form CRS and brochure (PDF) for important details about this service.
VAI is a subsidiary of VGI and an affiliate of Vanguard Marketing Corporation ("VMC"). Neither VGI, VAI, nor its affiliates guarantee profits or protection from losses.