Investment Portfolio Setup

Set up a properly diversified investment portfolio aligned with your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance — covering asset allocation, account selection, and fund choices.

24 action items~20 min to complete4 sections

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🎯 Define Goals and Time Horizon 📊 Set Asset Allocation 🏦 Select and Use Accounts Correctly 📈 Choose Your Investments

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Define Goals and Time Horizon

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List all investment goals with specific dollar targets and timelinesKey

Separate goals by time horizon: short (<3 yr), medium (3–10 yr), long (10+ yr)

Prioritize goals by importance if you can't fund all simultaneously

Match investment account type to each goalKey

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Set Asset Allocation

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Determine your equity-bond split based on time horizon and risk toleranceKey

Include international stocks (20–40% of equity allocation)

Decide on small-cap, value, or factor tilts only if you understand the evidence

Set a specific allocation (e.g., 70% US stocks / 20% international / 10% bonds) — not a rangeKey

Document your allocation and the rationale behind itAction

Pay off all high-interest debt (above 7%) first — it's a guaranteed returnKey

Fully fund your emergency fund to 6 months of expenses if it's not already completeKey

Maximize tax-advantaged accounts: max out IRA, then HSA, then 401k above employer matchAction

Allocate any remainder to a taxable brokerage account in low-cost index fundsAction

Allow yourself a reasonable 'fun allocation' — 5–10% for personal enjoyment without guiltKey

Create a written allocation plan with target percentages for each goalAction

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0.03%

Expense ratio of Fidelity's total market index fund — nearly free investing

$51,000

Cost of a 1% expense ratio on $100K over 30 years at 7% vs. 0.05% alternative

🏦

Select and Use Accounts Correctly

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Understand tax location: put higher-tax assets in tax-advantaged, lower-tax in taxable

Open accounts at low-cost brokerages: Fidelity, Vanguard, or SchwabAction

Consolidate accounts where possible — fewer accounts are easier to manage

Set up automatic investment contributions on a set scheduleKey

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Choose Your Investments

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Select a core portfolio of 3–5 low-cost index funds or ETFsKey

Verify total expense ratios are below 0.1–0.15% for each fund

Set up automatic dividend reinvestment

Know the difference between ETFs and mutual funds for your account type

Write an Investment Policy StatementAction