Total Stock Market

The Total Stock Market Portfolio is the simplest and most cost-effective way for anyone to invest their money without overthinking it.

The Wealth Building Portfolio by JL Collins

Asset Allocation

  • 100% Total Stock Market
Other Versions

Following the most common recommendation for this portfolio to put your money in a US-based total market fund like VTSAX, the charts use a US fund for American investors while translating the same idea to a total domestic market fund in other countries. But a similarly simple idea that could make sense to a lot of people around the world is to select a global stock fund. The results can be easily mapped in the My Portfolio tool using DEV-TSM.

Local Interpretations

Find country-specific versions and appropriate ETFs using the Performance charts.

Author

<strong>Multiple Authors</strong>
Multiple Authors

The Total Stock Market Portfolio is really more of a benchmark than something attributable to a single author. But for a compelling explanation, read the work of JL Collins in his book The Simple Path to Wealth.

Overview

In contrast to the common advice to never put all of your eggs in one basket, the Total Stock Market portfolio does just the opposite. Buy a single total market stock fund and for the most part just ignore it. It doesn’t get much simpler than that!

While hardcore asset allocation fans may think that sounds way too simplistic, there’s a lot of merit to the idea that young investors are best served by spending less time on fine tuning their portfolios and more time on earning and saving. The most articulate advocate for this line of thinking today is perhaps JL Collins. Here’s what he has to say about the idea of putting everything in a total market fund and calling it a day:

Owning 100% stocks like this is considered “very aggressive.”  It is and you should be.  You have decades ahead.  Market ups and downs don’t matter ‘cause you avoid panic and stay the course.  If anything, you recognize them as the “stocks on sale” buying opportunities they are.  Perhaps 40 years from now you might want to add a Bond Index Fund to smooth out the ups and downs.  Worry about that 40 years from now.

Collins has a substantial following in the FIRE community, and the Total Stock Market Portfolio (which he refers to as the Wealth Building Portfolio) is a staple among aggressive young investors looking to race to financial independence. It’s a good choice for people who want to truly keep it simple and who are willing and able to power through the inevitable drawdowns that come with a volatile asset allocation.

Books

Books about the Total Stock Market Portfolio, and others by JL Collins

Buying a book educates you, supports the author, and earns Portfolio Charts a commission.

THE SIMPLE PATH TO WEALTH: Your Road Map to Financial Independence and a Rich, Free Life

HOW I LOST MONEY IN REAL ESTATE BEFORE IT WAS FASHIONABLE: A Cautionary Tale

Articles

Insights that mention the Total Stock Market

Alternatives

Portfolios with a similar structure or design intent

Global Market Portfolio — Tracks the full field rather than a single haystack

Classic 60-40 — Adds a bond fund to reduce risk

No-Brainer Portfolio — Mostly stocks, but with a little more variety

Performance

Change the home country to translate the portfolio to local assets, currency, and inflation.

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Change the home country to translate the portfolio to local assets, currency, and inflation.

If the chart doesn’t load after a few seconds, refresh your browser.

The interactive charts are sophisticated tools that push the limits of some mobile devices. If it doesn’t work, don’t give up! Visit this page on a laptop or desktop for the full experience.