The charts may look relatively simple on the surface, but a ton of work goes into powering them behind the scenes. I believe transparency is important for trust, and this guide serves as the primary reference page for how everything works. If you have a question about something, please don’t hesitate to ask.
/// Contact Tyler ///
The internet is a minefield of competing motivations, and it’s really hard to know who to trust. That issue is even more important when you’re reading about finance because there’s so much money at stake. It’s easy to suspect that everyone is trying to manipulate you to make a quick buck, and in a lot of cases you’re probably right. So to clear the air, here’s everything you need to know about me and how Portfolio Charts operates.
/// Contact Tyler ///
Portfolio Charts is created and maintained by one dedicated investor. You can call me Tyler.
I’m a mechanical engineer with a strong math education, a deep personal interest in finance and investing, and some nifty Excel skills I’ve picked up along the way. I also have unique background in design and consulting that helps me think creatively and communicate complex ideas more effectively than your average engineer. Mix it all together, and that’s a pretty decent recipe for some new financial tools and a fresh take on investing.
I created Portfolio Charts as a way to share information with other investors because I want to make sophisticated asset allocation concepts accessible to normal people. It started as a fun hobby and eventually grew into a personal mission, but at every step along the way my primary motivation has been to help other people make informed investing decisions. I like to think of this as the site I wish I had access to when I first started learning about investing.
Just as important as who I am is who I am not:
I have no professional qualifications to offer personal advice on how you should invest your life savings. It’s not only a legal matter but also a philosophical one, as I believe everyone should ultimately make their own educated financial choices. But no matter if you’re managing your own money or checking the track record of your adviser’s recommendation, I’m happy to provide all of the well-sourced information I can to help you invest with confidence.
Most people writing about investing tend to elicit trust through a combination of name recognition, credentials, and a carefully curated image. But I’m a little different because I write under the pen name Tyler and don’t flash fancy titles and corporate headshots as proof that I know what I’m talking about. So why should you trust me?
Long story short, I have nothing to hide and I simply value my privacy just like you. But more importantly, it’s not about me. Portfolio Charts is designed to allow good data to speak for itself with no intermediary required.
As a result of that evidence-based mindset, I also benefit from terrific feedback from all kinds of brilliant investors who have helped me continuously improve my approach over time. I enjoy doing the heavy lifting, but I consider it a team effort.
If you’d like to be part of that open-sourced team that keeps me honest, check out the User Guide for information on where the data comes from and how the methodology works. And if you ever have a question about a tool or article, you can always contact me any time. I believe trust is earned, and I’m willing to do the work.
The vast majority of the Portfolio Charts content is completely free, as I believe it’s important to spread the word about asset allocation to as many people as possible. But in the spirit of transparency, I do make money in a few specific ways:
Memberships — Happy readers can sign up for a Portfolio Charts membership to support the site and receive a few nice perks in the process.
Product sales — These are utilitarian and fun supplies for DIY investors like Excel templates and T-shirts. I’m a designer at heart, and everything is my own work.
Donations — Some people aren’t interested in buying anything and just want to gift a coffee and a note of gratitude. 100% of donations go to supporting the site.
Amazon affiliate links — As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I only link to portfolio books that I genuinely recommend by authors I admire.
Banner ads — I don’t like things that distract from the content or that incentivize clicks over quality. So you can give your ad blocker a break and enjoy the blank space.
Selling your personal information — I don’t sell your contact info or internet behavior to 3rd parties. I value my own privacy and I respect yours as well.
Paid links & recommendations — You know how some blogs have weird non-sequiturs to unrelated ad copy? That’s not me. I don’t sell my voice to the highest bidder.
Outside income — I don’t directly or indirectly work for any financial company outside of Portfolio Charts. So I have no incentive to lead you towards a certain way to invest.
Basically, most of the content is free and I make no money unless you proactively choose to give. If you enjoy my work, your support is greatly appreciated!
Portfolio Charts is run by a creative engineer who likes to collect, analyze, and share investing data with others. To help keep the lights on I offer memberships, sell my own products, recommend investing books, and accept donations. And even though I’m a private person, I’m an open book when it comes to investing and methodologies. Let’s figure this out together.
-Tyler-
