You’re a goal-oriented investor

Based on your answers, you align best with valuing clear, appropriate investment goals in your investment strategy. Check out our resources below to help you get started.

You’re a balance- oriented investor

Based on your answers, you align best with valuing a balanced, diversified mix of investments in your investment strategy. Check out our resources below to get started.

You’re a cost-oriented investor

Based on your answers, you align best with valuing minimized costs in your investment strategy. Check out our resources below to get started.

You’re a discipline-oriented investor

Based on your answers, you align best with valuing long-term perspective and discipline in your investing strategy. Check out our resources below to help you get started.

Vanguard's 4 investing principles

Create clear, appropriate investment goals

Many of us aspire to achieve a certain quality of life or fund a specific financial goal. Being explicit about your investment goals helps you turn your aspirations into reality. Over time, both savings (the amount you invest initially and over time) and investment returns (what the investment earns) will play crucial roles in achieving any investment goal. 

Keep a balanced, diversified mix of investments

This process is also known as defining an asset allocation. By diversifying investments across stocks and bonds among sectors and countries, you can reduce overall portfolio volatility and help guard against unnecessarily large losses. When considering what mix of investments is appropriate for you, bear in mind the benefit of having a portfolio that matches your level of comfort with the ups and downs of markets.

Minimize costs

While markets and financial returns may be hard to predict, one thing you can control is costs. There are two broad categories of costs you should try to minimize: taxes and investment costs, which can include expense ratios, transaction costs, and sales charges. Together, these costs cut into investment returns.

Maintain perspective and long-term discipline

Discipline in investing is the ability to adhere, over time, to an investment plan. Once you’ve created a plan by defining your goals, choosing an appropriate asset allocation, and minimizing costs, discipline is what will help you get closer to achieving your objectives.

Create clear, appropriate investment goals

Many of us aspire to achieve a certain quality of life or fund a specific financial goal. Being explicit about your investment goals helps you turn your aspirations into reality. Over time, both savings (the amount you invest initially and over time) and investment returns (what the investment earns) will play crucial roles in achieving any investment goal. 

Keep a balanced, diversified mix of investments

This process is also known as defining an asset allocation. By diversifying investments across stocks and bonds among sectors and countries, you can reduce overall portfolio volatility and help guard against unnecessarily large losses. When considering what mix of investments is appropriate for you, bear in mind the benefit of having a portfolio that matches your level of comfort with the ups and downs of markets.

Minimize costs

While markets and financial returns may be hard to predict, one thing you can control is costs. There are two broad categories of costs you should try to minimize: taxes and investment costs, which can include expense ratios, transaction costs, and sales charges. Together, these costs cut into investment returns.

Maintain perspective and long-term discipline

Discipline in investing is the ability to adhere, over time, to an investment plan. Once you’ve created a plan by defining your goals, choosing an appropriate asset allocation, and minimizing costs, discipline is what will help you get closer to achieving your objectives.

Create clear, appropriate investment goals

Many of us aspire to achieve a certain quality of life or fund a specific financial goal. Being explicit about your investment goals helps you turn your aspirations into reality. Over time, both savings (the amount you invest initially and over time) and investment returns (what the investment earns) will play crucial roles in achieving any investment goal. 

Keep a balanced, diversified mix of investments

This process is also known as defining an asset allocation. By diversifying investments across stocks and bonds among sectors and countries, you can reduce overall portfolio volatility and help guard against unnecessarily large losses. When considering what mix of investments is appropriate for you, bear in mind the benefit of having a portfolio that matches your level of comfort with the ups and downs of markets.

Minimize goals

While markets and financial returns may be hard to predict, one thing you can control is costs. There are two broad categories of costs you should try to minimize: taxes and investment costs, which can include expense ratios, transaction costs, and sales charges. Together, these costs cut into investment returns.

Maintain perspective and long-term discipline

Discipline in investing is the ability to adhere, over time, to an investment plan. Once you’ve created a plan by defining your goals, choosing an appropriate asset allocation, and minimizing costs, discipline is what will help you get closer to achieving your objectives.

See our principles in action with advice

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  • Support for tax strategies, withdrawals, debt management, and other planning topics.
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*Vanguard Digital Advisor charges Vanguard Brokerage Accounts an annual gross advisory fee of 0.20% for its all-index investment options and 0.25% for an active/index mix. Vanguard Personal Advisor charges Vanguard Brokerage Accounts an annual gross advisory fee of 0.35% for its all-index investment options and 0.40% for an active/index mix. These services reduce those fees by the amount of revenue that Vanguard (or a Vanguard affiliate) retains from your portfolio in order to calculate your net advisory fee. Note that this fee doesn't include investment expense ratios—such as fees paid to the funds' third-party managers, which aren't credited.

1The Vanguard Cash Plus program APY (annual percentage yield) is 3.90% as of December 4, 2024. The APY will vary and may change at any time. Source for average bank savings yield of 0.45%: FDIC National Rates and Rate Caps as of October 21, 2024.

2A low annual account service fee of $25 is waived when you elect e-delivery of documents. You can sign up for e-delivery during and after the process of opening an account. There may be low fees for certain types of transactions. See the Vanguard Brokerage Services Commission and Fee Schedules for details and exclusions.

 

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