Episode 362: Considering International Stock Funds, DBMF Benchmarks, Reviewing a 70/20/10 Portfolio And More Trogdor!
Aug 22, 2024
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Robert, an expert in international stock funds, Jamie, an inquisitive Boglehead, and Richard, a proponent of early retirement, dive into critical investment strategies. They discuss the limitations of traditional portfolios, specifically the Boglehead approach. The trio examines the nuances of diversification, highlighting the unexpected similarities between international and U.S. stocks. They also review a unique 70/30/10 risk-parity portfolio, tackling real-world concerns while offering valuable insights on transitioning towards retirement investing.
Adjusting strategies during the accumulation phase is crucial, especially in evaluating the necessity of bond funds for upcoming retirees.
International stock funds often lack true diversification, making targeted value and small-cap options a better choice for investors.
Deep dives
Optimal Investment Strategies for Accumulation
The discussion emphasizes the importance of adjusting investment strategies during the accumulation phase, particularly regarding bond funds. An example is provided by a listener who has been using a traditional Bogleheads portfolio but questions the necessity of bonds given their upcoming retirement timeline. The host suggests that maintaining a bond fund may not be optimal during accumulation, especially when the listener is inclined to shift from bonds to stocks in anticipation of potential market downturns. Instead of market timing, the host advocates for a scheduled approach to reallocating investments, promoting a more psychologically comfortable transition.
Reevaluating International Investment Exposure
The episode delves into the misconceptions surrounding international stock funds and their ability to provide true diversification. The disparity between total international funds and US total market funds is analyzed, revealing their similarity in large-cap blend characteristics, which undermines the diversification argument. The host highlights that most large international companies are also represented in US funds, leading to minimal added diversity and primarily offering currency exposure instead. Recommendations are made to utilize more targeted international funds, such as value and small-cap options, to achieve better diversification without relying on outdated fund allocation strategies.
Understanding Portfolio Construction and Performance Metrics
A listener presents a diversified portfolio with a notable emphasis on growth and value equities, along with treasuries and gold, and seeks advice on its viability. The host acknowledges the portfolio's thoughtful construction while pointing out its aggressive stance, noting that higher risks could lead to increased volatility. Encouragement is provided for the listener to utilize variable withdrawal strategies to improve their safe withdrawal rate, emphasizing the importance of adapting one's approach based on economic environments. The discussion also dismisses concerns about 'curve fitting,' arguing that using diverse historical data with broad asset classes helps ensure consistent performance across different market cycles.
In this episode we answer emails from Robert, Jamie and Richard. We discuss transitioning away from a Boglehead Three Fund portfolio due to its obsolete nature, a query about the DBMF prospectus and an early retirement with a 70/30/10 risk-parity style portfolio in the face of some spurious Sonia-like objections.
What if your international and bond funds aren't providing the diversification you think they are? On this episode of Risk Parity Radio, we address Robert's inquiry about optimizing his family's portfolio during the accumulation phase. We'll dissect the limitations of total international funds when paired with a U.S. S&P 500 or total market fund, and why they may fail to deliver the diversification you seek. We'll also explore Robert's proactive strategy of reallocating bond investments into stock funds during market downturns and discuss the merits of increasing U.S. stock exposure while rethinking the necessity of international holdings.
We'll further challenge the conventional wisdom of international versus domestic funds and introduce modern alternatives that can bring true diversification to your portfolio. Recommendations from the Merriman Foundation, such as AVDV and AVES, are highlighted for their potential to balance your investments by tilting towards small-cap and value stocks in international markets. Lastly, we dive deep into the complexities of fund disclosures and benchmarks, offering alternative methods to evaluate funds more effectively. Gain insights that will guide you toward a more strategic and diversified investment approach for long-term growth.