The holiday season may be over, but before you settle back into old routines there’s one last gift left to unwrap. The portfolio data for 2021 has arrived! Every chart now has an extra year of information to survey, and there are also a few data tweaks that should improve the quality of the entire history.
Here’s the scoop
- Everything is fully updated with 2021 data, with the usual caveat that a handful of numbers (most notably inflation and bills) are only preliminary and will be refined as new information is published over the next month. But it should all be close enough to get a jump on studying the year that ended and planning your investment strategy for the future.
- I’ve also updated my sources slightly to increase the accuracy of the inflation-adjusted returns. While I previously used average annual inflation rates, I’ve switched over to rates measured from December to December to better sync with the sampling dates of the returns data. While it shouldn’t make a huge difference in most years, it could definitely move a few historical data points around. So it’s worth revisiting your favorite portfolio to see how it might affect the numbers.
- Finally, I’ve updated the ETF database in the Fund Finder. Most of the changes involved revised expense ratios, but I also added a few new funds and removed a couple of old ones that no longer track the right index. It’s also entirely possible that something slipped by me, so if you spot a fund recommendation that looks questionable or have one that you’d like to recommend, please let me know.
New data drops are always exciting, so I’ll forego long explanations and leave you to open the package for yourself. My hope is that it will help you make educated and wise investing decisions to set you on the path to lasting financial success.
Here’s to a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2022!
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