It’s amazing how quickly time flies!  2017 was quite the whirlwind, and I can’t help but feel a small sense of awe as I think back to all Portfolio Charts has done over the year.  From new portfolios to new tools and even new countries, I’m really excited about where the site has been and where it continues to grow.

To celebrate the holidays, I thought it would be cool to resurrect the theme from this time last year and highlight the most popular new posts of 2017 sorted by what has consistently drawn the most readers.  So whether you’re new to the site and looking for a good place to start or a long-time reader who doesn’t want to miss anything important, it’s my pleasure to present the best of the best as chosen by other individual investors just like you.

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5. The Charmed Life Of A Thankful Investor

Normally I would think including your most recent post to a list like this would be cheating, but even adjusting for how views per day normally fade over time this article promoting a healthy investing mindset has been particularly popular.  I take that as a good sign that people value a positive and inspirational voice in the investing space, and will make it a point to continue that trend in the future.

 

4. Your Home Country Is Inseparable From Your Withdrawal Rate

Perhaps my favorite technical piece of the year, this article not only tackles some of the home-country-biased assumptions baked into normal withdrawal rate analysis but also starts to discuss several important issues like currency and inflation fluctuations that all investors around the world need to be aware of.  No matter what country you live in or where you are in your investing journey, it will help you put international asset allocation advice into the proper data-driven context.

 

3. The Ideal Index Portfolio And The Many Paths To Perfection

Beyond discussing the newest portfolio on the site, I suspect this post continues to draw new readers for its honest discussion about how not every minute portfolio difference is worth losing sleep over.  Think of asset allocation in terms of maximizing comfort rather than maximixing returns, and you may just end up in the same place anyway but with a much more satisfying experience along the way.

 

2. Black Swans And The Larry Portfolio

While the specific modeled interpretation of the Larry Portfolio has seen a few changes this year as my source data has evolved, the core concept of balancing the highest returning assets with large percentages of stable income continues to appeal to many investors looking for a different way of thinking about portfolio construction.  This article walks through Swedroe’s thinking and also offers a bit of my own perspective on how to use the site tools to verify quoted returns for yourself.

 

1. Understanding Cash Will Make You A Better & Happier Investor

Believe it or not, the most popular post of the year was all about the least popular asset in most investing circles — cash.  Does that surprise you?  Then take a few minutes to read the article and perhaps you’ll learn something new and understand why it was the most popular post of 2017!  Cash as an investment is tremendously misunderstood, and once you dig into the details you’ll have a new appreciation of what it can offer a properly diversified portfolio.

 

Thanks so much for following along, spreading the word about Portfolio Charts with friends and family,  and generally making this year such a rewarding one to be a part of.  I have some fun new ideas in the pipeline, so hopefully 2018 will be even better.  In the meantime,  I hope you have an enjoyable and relaxing holiday season.

Cheers!