Aggressive Portfolio
Almost all equity. Built for the longest horizons that can sit through 40%+ drawdowns without flinching.
15+ years · Aggressive risk
Try a different mix
Updating…Why this allocation
With 15+ years and full risk tolerance, this portfolio goes nearly all-in on equities to maximize long-term compounding. Nearly all-in on equities for maximum long-term compounding. A token bond allocation provides minimal diversification. Expect drawdowns of 40%+ during major downturns in exchange for the strongest historical long-term returns.
Aggressive is 95% equities and 5% bonds, the closest a sensible allocation gets to all-in on stocks. The 5% bond sleeve serves one purpose: it's the rebalancing fuel that gets sold into equities at the bottom of a crash. Over 30+ year windows, this allocation has historically returned roughly 9% annualized, the highest of any allocation here, with worst-year drawdowns in the low forties. It's the portfolio of someone with a multi-decade horizon and proven ability to hold through bear markets without flinching.
Who it's for
- You have a 20+ year horizon and zero need for this money in the meantime.
- You've already held through at least one real crash without selling.
- You're early in a generational wealth plan or late in a long career with retirement still well off.
- You've separately covered short-term and medium-term needs with cash and lower-volatility allocations.
The honest drawback
A 95% equity allocation can lose 50%+ in a brutal crash. The 2008-2009 peak-to-trough drawdown for a similar mix was roughly -52%, with the recovery to a new high taking about four years. The 2000-2002 dot-com drawdown was around -45% over two and a half years, and the index took roughly seven years in nominal terms to make a new high. These aren't tail risks. They're the cost of admission. Anyone reading this who hasn't lived through a real bear market should drop down to Growth or Dynamic and take a smaller bite first.
When to revisit
Move down to Dynamic if any real drawdown causes serious doubt about the plan. Move down through Growth and Balanced as the horizon shortens within 5 to 10 years of the goal. A 45% crash in year 18 of a 20-year plan would destroy years of compounding. Stay here if and only if the horizon is genuinely indefinite.
Your ETFs
US large-cap exposure — the world's deepest equity market
Developed markets outside the US for geographic diversification
Emerging market growth potential at low cost
Core bond holding — true world if available, US Aggregate otherwise
Inflation protection with government-backed real returns
How this portfolio behaves
Fees over 20 years
~$45,416 less in fees
At 0.03% a year, vs 1.00% with a robo-advisor. On $50,000.
Dynamic
Heavy equity for compounding, with a token bond sleeve as ballast. Built for the 15+ year game.
This is not investment advice. The information provided is for educational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.