FTIHX

Emotional-Power-7242

International equities have the same expected return as US equities. Actually slightly higher because of risk premiums associated with value characteristics. Essentially stocks with lower P/E are expected to return more and international markets currently have lower P/E than the US market. So you can have lots of international exposure without losing out on growth. Anyway for market cap weights you would sell ~$350,000 of VTI/FSKAX/FXAIX and buy $350,000 of VXUS/FTIHX/FZILX. Note that while doing this is a good idea in general, doing it because of your personal feelings about the market is potentially a bad idea. If you stick with the allocation for the rest of your life then it's good. If you switch back to all US equities next time the US outperforms for a year then you will just uneerperform overall.

carbsaredangerous

I have no idea what Cava is and I don't invest in individual stocks. I only do broad market index funds like FSKAX, FTIHX etc. So I can't answer that.

carbsaredangerous

90% FSKAX and 10% FTIHX, after taking out the emergency fund and putting that into an HYSA.

GaylrdFocker

That's perfectly fine. Most people recommend VTI/VXUS because 1. it's cheap (FSKAX is cheaper, FTIHX is close enough) and 2. it's easy to move (in a Roth IRA you can sell and rebuy whatever you want if you leave Fidelity) Having Bitcoin is a personal preference but you are only doing 5% so go for it if you want.

CrabKates

My Roth IRA only consists of FSKAX and FTIHX so I guess the riskiest has to be one or the other.

Cruian

FTIHX is a broad coverage index fund. The MSCI ACWI (All Country World Index) ex USA Investable Market Index is a broad coverage index. The category the index follows can basically be called "international" as one of a few names it could take.

Cruian

Despite the name including the word "growth" and great recent returns, long term has tended to favor the complete opposite: small and value over large and growth. Factor investing starting points: * https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/factor-investing.asp * https://www.fidelity.com/bin-public/060_www_fidelity_com/documents/fidelity/fidelity-overview-of-factor-investing.pdf (PDF) * https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-black-hole-of-investing/ * https://www.dimensional.com/ca-en/insights/when-its-value-versus-growth-history-is-on-values-side * But be aware that factor premiums can take a while to show up: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bogleheads/comments/1hmbwuw/what_every_longterm_investor_should_know_about/ * And from GwenRoll: https://www.reddit.com/r/ETFs/comments/1krd3fe/growth_does_no_one_know_what_the_hell_it_means/ >FTIHX at 20% feels like enough international exposure to avoid being 100% US, without dragging down returns too much if the US continues to outperform But waters them down if international continues to over perform (2025 favored ex-US). This isn't an uncommon event, over 40% of 10 year periods since 1970 have favored developed ex-US over the US, which isn't too far off from a coin flip. In fact, last I checked, many places were expecting markets to favor international over the US for the next decade or two (valuations playing a large role in that). >FSPGX is my "aggressive" bet. I know it overlaps with FSKAX, but I want to double down on growth/tech while I’m 22 As covered above, "growth" as a style has tended to under perform in the long run. You may be reducing your expected returns with this. Sector bets are uncompensated risk. An uncompensated risk is one that doesn't bring higher expected long term returns. Uncompensated risk should be avoided whenever possible. Compensated vs uncompensated risk: * https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/uncompensated-risk/ * https://www.northerntrust.com/middle-east/insights-research/2024/wealth-management/compensated-portfolio-risk >But not all risks are compensated with an expected return premium. * https://www.pwlcapital.com/is-investing-risky-yes-and-no/ (Bold mine) >Uncompensated risk is very different; it is the risk specific to an individual company, **sector,** or country. What makes you think that tech is either the only sector still under valued or the only sector not over valued? >-​Is 20% International (FTIHX) a good middle ground? I see some people say 0% and others say 40% (market weight). I’m trying to find the sweet spot for maximum growth. This is impossible to tell ahead of time. Take a look at Figure 4 here: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Domestic/International a 37ish year period where anything more than 10% US hurt your returns. Figure 2 shows roughly the same time length where the best returns were with 40-50% international (when we exclude emerging markets). >​Are there any specific "gotchas" or better fund equivalents at Fidelity I should be using instead (e.g., FZROX vs FSKAX)? Do you prefer the few hundred extra holdings or the very tiny expense ratio difference? Does it matter to you if FZROX follows an index Fidelity designed themselves?

Gravecrawler

VXUS for ETF or the mutual fund equivalents like FTIHX, FZILX (Fidelity only). Those are all total market, I don't know much about specialized ones.

therealjerseytom

The nice thing is, in a tax-sheltered account like a Roth IRA, you can change your mind and swap investment strategies with no tax hit. So whatever you choose *right now* you could do a 180 on a month from now; no big deal. I'd make the case that for your first *10 years* of investing, the most important decisions you can make are your budgeting and contributions; the more you can save the better. Biggest thing working in your favor is that you're 32, and have ample time to build things back up before typical withdrawal age (60+). You could make this very simple and just invest in an all-world, all-stock ETF like "VT." Or that mix of FSKAX and FTIHX you were doing. Whether you do 80/20, 60/40, or 100/0 I think is going to have far less significance in the immediate term compared to just how much you can shovel into the account overall.

DaemonTargaryen2024

Yes 80% FSKAK 20% FTIHX is perfectly good. Some like me would argue for closer to the world market cap: 65/35. But 80/20 is perfectly fine.

we_are_all_dead_

Early morning energy drink rant I guess. I found my statements and it looks like I was 80/20 into FSKAX/FTIHX. I guess just reassuring my self this is a viable option to this day , and doesn’t sound crazy. Before I go resetting up reoccurring transfers / investments etc. been a while since I’ve been in the investing world. Few years

AlohaTrader

The TSP C fund tracks the S&P 500 index and the Fidelity equivalent is the Fidelity 500 Index fund ($FXAIX). The TSP S fund tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Completion Total Stock Market Index and the Fidelity equivalent is the Fidelity Extended Market Index fund ($FSMAX). The TSP I fund tracks the MSCI EAFE index and the Fidelity equivalent is the Fidelity ZERO International Index Fund ($FZILX) or the Fidelity Total International Index Fund ($FTIHX). The TSP F fund tracks the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index and the Fidelity equivalent is the Fidelity U.S. Bond Index Fund ($FXNAX).

Hurricane_Ivan

FSKAX and FTIHX exists

Hurricane_Ivan

FSKAX and FTIHX exists

Hurricane_Ivan

FSKAX and FTIHX exists

jwise0725

FXAIX - 90% and FTIHX - 10% in my Roth S&P500 - 85% and small/mid cap - 15% in 401k

twittalessrudy

Retirement is 50% S&P 500, 50% latest target date fund Brokerage is mostly indi stocks (mag 7, Aon, marsh, Union Pacific), and like 30% among s&p500, Russell 2000 and FTIHX And then I keep 18 months of expenses in SPAXX

Alternative_Dog2779

The smartest approach is usually to treat Bitcoin like a *speculation sleeve*, not a core holding — especially if you’re already diversified with broad-market index funds like FSKAX and FTIHX. A lot of people take the “**asymmetric bet**” view: * Worst-case scenario: it goes to zero, and you lose a small allocation. * Best-case scenario: it becomes widely adopted, and the upside drastically outweighs the risk. For most long-term investors, a **1–5% allocation** (only if you understand it and are comfortable with volatility) is enough to get exposure without jeopardizing your financial plan. But the key is: **If price swings stress you out or you don’t believe the thesis, there’s no rule saying you** ***need*** **to own it.**

Adventurous_Elk_4039

\>*Do you have any SMALL amount of extremely high risk companies/stocks? Like 1-3% of your portfolio?* I dabbled in the past and had some employer stock as well, but at the moment no, and I have no particularly strong feelings about any individual companies. That said, 1-3% is perfectly reasonable to play around with if you want to experiment. \>*any chance you could give me an almost exact estimate if your portfolio? Like what % you have invested in each fund / index, etc.?* As I said in my post, I am 75/25 on FSKAX/FTIHX. This gives me essentially total world coverage with a home country (US) tilt. If you prefer ETFs, you could do VTI/VXUS to achieve similar. Or if you want to keep things extremely simple, you could just invest in 100% VT which is the full world at market cap rates. This essentially makes you the market. You won't outperform it, but you won't underperform it either.

Adventurous_Elk_4039

\> *I think I want to save what I have right now primarily for retirement instead of for a house or other large payment, since I know time in the market is the most important aspect of investing.* This means you may not want to put everything into the market then, especially if these goals are short term. Not sure how old you are, but I imagine that might be a ways off (5+ years). If you think you will NEED some of this money sooner, you might want to consider putting some of it into a money market or treasury fund (something like SGOV for example). \>*Should I increase the % of my balance in FXAIX, since it is a long term investment? Or should I take more risks since I am still very young?*  All equities is PLENTY risk, and you just fine in going all equities when you are so young. I wouldn't worry about gold/silver etc. I would honestly go all FXAIX/similar and......... \>*Last thing - should I invest outside of the U.S. too?*  Absolutely. The US has done very well recently, but that wasn't always the case, and we can't predict the future. My personal preference is \~75% in a total US market fund (I use FSKAX) and \~25% in an Ex-US fund (I use FTIHX). The standard recommendation is anywhere from 80/20 to 60/40 for US vs ExUS. Everything else you mentioned... day trading, REITs, individual stocks, commodities, etc. I wouldn't worry about any of those. They offer significantly more risk with less expected payoffs, so not worth it IMO. Because you have such a long runway in front of you due to your age, your best bet is to just invest in board market index funds and be consistently contributing over time. Do this, and live below your means, you will have millions in retirement even on an average salary.

Emotional-Power-7242

It's too much REITs. 5% or even 10% ok, there's some kind of noncorrelation to the market there which makes it arguably a good choice. 20% is too much. And you have no international which is a problem. I'd like something closer to 50% FXAIX, 30% FTIHX (or FZILX), 10% VNQ, 15% small/midcap (don't sleep on international small caps either), 5% bonds.

Safe_Valuable_5683

All I do so far is reoccurring contributions into FXAIX and FTIHX. I'm also in the process of rolling over my ROTH IRA, but it hasn't moved over yet so I can't invest it. 

Emotional-Power-7242

S&P there are many equally good funds. VOO, SPLG, FXAIX, they will all have the same performance. Pick the one with the lowest expense ratio. Same goes for international index. VXUS, FZILX, FTIHX, whatever is low fee, passively managed, and includes everything. Value funds look into Avantis and Dimensional. Dimensional invented small cap indexing and Avantis was founded by former Dimensional managers and both use similar metrics and philosophies. For a deep dive into small/large value funds comparisons check out [this article](https://www.paulmerriman.com/best-in-class-etf-recommendations-2025) and the attached video.

zennsunni

It's important to consider the opportunity cost of what you're invested in though. For example, this year we have a lot of the EU market doing quite well *and* a weakening dollar. As a result, for example, FTIHX is beating the SP500 by - you guessed it - about the same as the YTD swing in the dollar. Just mentioning the obvious as no one else seems to be in this thread (that I've seen).

TimeStandStillPlease

Hey there, 36 yo here with what's probably a dumb question, but seeking reassurance before I start making some shifts in my investments. Currently have \~$125K in my Fidelity Roth IRA, weighted 95% to FXAIX and 5% to FTIHX. I want to get myself a bit better balanced between US and International. **I recently read that you can essentially "rebalance" in your Roth IRA at any time without any fees or tax implications. Is this true?** Looking to get myself to 85% FXAIX and 15% FTIHX ASAP in Roth IRA, and will go ahead and move the money from one mutual fund to another if this sounds like a sound plan. Thanks in advance!

Whole_Avocado5867

Remember the yearly contributions limits. In my opinion, drop JEPI and QQQ and put it into FXAIX and VTIAX evenly as you can easily change it in a Roth when you need income (QQQ is just nonsensical). Also, unless for some odd reason you have 2 separate roths, you may be charged to buy mutual funds from other brokerages so if with Fidelity, I’d get FTIHX for intl.

GiardinieraHot

The majority is in “Target Retire 2055 Tr II”. Then a small amount in FTIHX and VINIX. I very well may be reading it wrong. It’s up 18% lifetime (2022), I just expected bigger swings during the tariff highs and lows. Mostly just worried it could be deployed more… aggressively… while I’m young.

roarroar6767

Same. Fzilx and FTIHX

Ancient-Stock-3261

VOO crushed it ‘cause large-cap US growth has been the whole game this cycle, but that doesn’t mean it’ll always be the winner. Small-cap and intl exposure (like AVUV/FTIHX) are more about diversification and catching value when the cycle shifts. Long-term, it’s less about chasing the hottest chart and more about balancing risk/reward across markets.

Emotional-Power-7242

Yes except you should do 60%-80% FXAIX and 20%-40% FTIHX.

EdgeInformal8264

it IS a set number. you have your emergency savings in check and that's the perfect first step. second would be working on that Roth IRA. you can only put 7k per year in, so getting as close to that if not fully maximizing the opportunity, is the next best option! ( download fidelity and open a Roth IRA, then with your contributions, buy 70% FXAIX , 30% FTIHX ). Third, After maxing out that roth, anything additionally you're able to invest above your immediate high yield savings should go toward a brokerage account (also able to be opened on Fidelity) and in there, invest in 40% VOO , 30% VXUS , 20% SPMO and 10% QQQM) that'll maximize your growth opportunity and still maintain a nice set of diversification. This account is traditionally used for larger life purchases before retirement such as a car and/or your first or next home purchase! amazing questions, we wish you nothing but the best on your journey!

Muted-Woodpecker-469

Fidelity has a number of etfs and mutual funds. If you’re being serious, look at stuff like FSKAX, FXAIX, FTIHX, and FSELX among the hundreds of others that they offer. 

dotjob

Spice it up with some FTIHX or FZILX

Based_Commgnunism

JDMAX and FCIGX both have fees of 1% which is totally unacceptable, run away from those funds. Ideally you would hold 60%-80% FXAIX and 20%-40% of a low fee international index (maybe they have FTIHX). If there's no good international fund in the 401k plan holding 100% FXAIX is also good, and maybe get some international equities in a Roth IRA. If they have a low fee target retirement date fund (like Fidelity Freedom maybe) that would also be good, it can be 100% of your portfolio.

Based_Commgnunism

The Fidelity mutual funds are good. FXAIX is S&P500. For total US market there's FSKAX and FZROX. The Vanguard equivalents VOO/VTI are also fine if you prefer an ETF. Or any of the other many low fee S&P500/total US funds. As to whether you prefer to hold S&P500 or total US it doesn't really matter as their performance is essentially the same. Total US market is technically more diversified so I'd go for that if you only plan to hold one US fund. For international there's FTIHX or FZILX, or VXUS. I'd recommend holding them at market cap weights, so 65% US and 35% international. That way you just own the whole market. Another option is to buy VT, which is 65% VOO/35% VXUS in a single fund. With VT your whole portfolio can be just one fund. This also eliminates the need to do an annual rebalance. There are good reasons to hold small cap value funds, both US and international, but you shouldn't do it unless you really understand the thesis and why you are holding it and how it has performed recently and historically.

andybmcc

FZILX is the zero international fund.  FTIHX is more diversified, so probably better.  It's still cheap.  That's a perfectly reasonable portfolio. I hold some FTIHX and FSKAX (similar to FZROX).

GroundbreakingLab826

Why do people say only VOO or SPY if everyone should be invested globally? So do you think I should re allocate more to FTIHX?

micha_allemagne

Well balanced, but with 30% international still a bit home bias. FTIHX is ex-US developed + emerging, so at least you're covering global markets decently. Here’s a breakdown of your allocation: https://www.insightfol.io/en/portfolios/report/7f3ff04e35/

randywsandberg

Historically speaking, when the market tanked I got super excited, think Black Friday level excitement, and bought as much FXAIX as my Roth IRA would allow. I am 64 and includes earlier this year as well as back in 2022. Buy, buy, buy! So yeah, I am in Camp A all the way. This said, last week I reallocated 10% of my IRA to FUMBX just to see what having bonds feels like. I may even add a bit more when I am ready to retire. Then flip back to 100% FXAIX after the first four or five years of retirement. Or, possibly, reallocate my bonds to a total international index fund (e.g., FTIHX).

Based_Commgnunism

You should do less actually. Put 60%-70% in FXAIX and 30%-40% in FTIHX (or FZILX). And that's it.

Bigshrek64

im definitely learning the 60/40 rule is probably not my friend at my age, so i was figuring 80/20 is probably a better choice. im thinking in might go with a 32% - FTIHX 48% - FXAIX 10% - FBIIX 10% - VXUS 15% - REIT (IRM). but im still trying to read about all this stuff, honestly i think thats why so few people actually invest or pay attention to thier retirements, theres just too much to have to learn and pay attention to

Bigshrek64

hello Everyone, so i just recently rolled over my 401k from previous employer into a fidelity ira and now im trying to decide how to allocate the funds, i know everywhere online it says the total ratio should be to invent at 60/40% stocks/bonds, and the stocks in a 60/40% US/international stocks. so my thoughts were to invest 60/40 into FXAIX/FTIHX for the stocks, and for the bonds to invest maybe 50/50 into BND/PULS? for info, im 38 and have a new 401K running with my employer on 1.5 years. the roller over was 104K. im not sure how risk averse i want to be, i mean we would all love to retire young lol, but looking at the world today, things my be a little too volatile for a newbie like me. but should investing into any EFTs or things like that? i do have a robinhood accout that has like $600 in it of a few stocks, so maybe it might be worth testing the "riskier" things there? any advise is welcomed and appreciated.

ILoveKombucha

If you are new to investing (or even if you aren't new), you should be really careful about picking individual stocks. The vast majority of your portfolio should be in broad, well diversified index funds - things that track either the entire US stock market (VTI, FSKAX, etc), or that track the S&P 500 (VOO, FXAIX, etc). You would also do well to consider investing in a very broad international stock fund (basically holding all the stocks of the world, something like VXUS, or FTIHX, etc.). And finally, you should consider whether or not holding any bonds in a bond fund (like BND, FXNAX, FUMBX, etc) makes sense for you, based on age and risk level. You should consider buying individual stocks in the same way you would consider gambling. I'd recommend no more than 5-10% of your total portfolio for "gambling" (stock picking). Folks who try to pick winners (as you are trying to do) are (far) more likely to underperform the market than to outperform it. There are people who do outperform the market by picking individual stocks, but these are usually folks who know a lot about what they are doing. It's not easy to do consistently, and a lot of people (similar to gamblers) tend to focus on their winning picks, and downplay their losing picks. Stick to index funds until you have a very solid grasp of what you are doing (judging by your comments in this thread, you don't!), and even then... stick to index funds (IMO).

Phuffu

Ehhh nah you don’t need fidelity Go. It’s convenient and prob worth it if you have very little $$$ but you can just buy like FKSAX, FTIHX, and maybe FBND if you want bonds too. Maybe 60/30/10 depending on your risk tolerance.

PashasMom

My understanding is that if you are married filing separately, and either you or your husband has access to a workplace plan such as a 401(k) or 403(b), you cannot contribute directly to a Roth IRA if you make more than 10,000 per year. You should confirm that with a CPA or CFP though. However, you may be able to do a [backdoor Roth](https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/personal-finance/backdoor-roth-ira). If it turns out you aren't actually allowed to contribute directly to a Roth, you will need to go through a process to retrieve the money and start over. Is your account at Fidelity (you mention buying a Fidelity mutual fund so that is my best guess). If so, you can make an appointment with an advisor at your local office who can walk you through anything you need to do with your account. And btw I think buying into FXAIX is a great plan :) With the rest of the 60,000, I would think about using some to pay down the car loans (depending on the interest rates), set aside more of an emergency fund, and use a bit of the leftover for a regular brokerage account. For regular brokerage accounts subject to capital gains taxes and so on, I believe it is best to have low expense, passively managed index funds. So FXAIX would be another good pick here. For my brokerage account, I have a mix of FTIHX, FNILX (only available to Fidelity customers), IUSG, and VOT. But whatever you pick, I encourage you to get in the habit of passively investing -- set up a regular direct deposit from each paycheck, or a regular fund transfer from your bank to your brokerage, for investing. I think you are doing really well to have bought a home, have significant equity, and cash savings! Don't be down on yourself, really.

CapeMOGuy

Adding some specifics to smash brother's comment for OP, some total US market funds are VTI, VTIAX, FSKAX. A couple of International total market funds are VXUS, VTWAX and FTIHX. Actually, there are even total world funds like VT, VTWAX, AVGE (has a small and value tilt) and DFAW.

The_Menace4life

Thoughts on this chatgpt generated portfolio? looking for a 3 year cash out. $800/wk investment. Thoughts on this portfolio? I am really concerned about using chatgpt and lately it has shown a lot of issues with the information its provided. FXAIX - 40% FISVX - 10% FTIHX - 15% FREL - 5% SMH - 5% IBIT - 5% FDRXX - 20%

TheGargageMan

I was in an India based ETF for a while. It under-performed so I dropped it. FTIHX has 5.54 India exposure, so that is probably enough for me.

Machine8851

I think your strategy is well rounded but I dont like total market funds, would much prefer VOO or FXAIX over FSKAX. Also I dont like international funds personally like FTIHX, I personally would rather use gold and bitcoin ETFS and hold long term than any international fund.

Kris_Mettew

In terms of your investment strategy, it makes sense that you’re leaning toward aggressive growth given your age and time horizon. The portfolios you’re considering are all solid, and honestly, you can’t really go wrong between them, but there are a few nuances that might help you fine-tune the decision. Your first option using FSKAX, FTEC, and international exposure like FTIHX or FZILX is probably the most well-rounded aggressive strategy. It gives you broad US market exposure, tilts toward high-growth sectors with tech, and still includes global diversification. That kind of setup gives you a good shot at outperformance without putting everything on one bet. The only thing to be mindful of is the tech overweight, it can swing hard in either direction, so just be ready to stomach the volatility. The second option with VOO and QQQ has a bit more redundancy, since QQQ and VOO overlap a lot in holdings. You’re really doubling down on large-cap US, and particularly tech-heavy names. That could work really well if the AI-driven rally keeps pushing, but it’s also the most momentum-heavy of the choices. The risk there is you’re paying a premium for assets that have already had a big run, which can hurt if there’s a correction. The third option, mostly FSKAX and FTIHX, is simpler and probably smoother in terms of performance. It gives you great global diversification and lower volatility, but it’s also the most conservative of the three in terms of growth potential. That might be totally fine depending on your risk tolerance, especially if you want to leave some room for life purchases like the house or the boat. If it were me, I’d lean slightly toward option one. It captures a strong long-term growth trajectory while still spreading risk across sectors and geographies. You can always adjust over time if tech gets too overheated or if international markets underperform. And honestly, with your income and age, you’ve got plenty of room to take some calculated risks now and shift more defensively later. One last note, it’s smart that you’re considering the house and surf boat, but maybe segment your capital a bit. Keep some in HYSA or short-duration bonds if you know you’ll need it in the next year or two, and invest the rest with a 5+ year horizon. That’ll keep you from having to sell during a downturn if something big comes up.

micha_allemagne

Looks like you’ve done your homework, but this feels like you're trying to outsmart the cycle instead of just riding it. Rotating between late-cycle and recession allocations sounds good in theory, but in practice it’s hard to time. FXAIX + FTIHX is a solid core though. Here's a breakdown of your „peak cycle“ portfolio: https://www.insightfol.io/en/portfolios/report/0449db4db6/

micha_allemagne

Not a bad shift, but it's a bit US-heavy even with FTIHX, and you're tilting small and tech at the same time, so expect some bigger swings. You might want to look into EM or small-cap intl exposure too. Here's a breakdown of your portfolio: https://www.insightfol.io/en/portfolios/report/278c4cb284/

HairyDuck

I split mine between FSKAX and FTIHX

Ok_Assignment4100

For my respective retirement investment accounts currently: 401k has Vanguard TDF 2065 and Roth IRA has FSKAX, FTIHX and FXNAX. My 401k plan doesn't have great options aside from Fidelity's S&P 500 (FXAIX), so just opted for TDF for it's diversification. Thoughts?

big-papito

I wish I went heavy on ex-US index funds, like FTIHX. The thing has been steadily creeping up since April, seemingly immune to the grifter-in-chief's emotional cheeseburger-fueled outbursts.

Newbiewhitekicks

VXUS is the mostly recommended international. FTIHX if you have Fidelity.

Peripatetictyl

Can you comment on FTIHX vs FZILX? I hold the latter as my international, I know there’s a difference in some small cap holdings and fees, but anything else so I can understand a little more? FXAIX and FZILX is my combo

InvisibleEar

That's what the FTIHX is for

Ok_Assignment4100

Thanks for the suggestion. For context, I'm still relatively young at 40 (Haha) and really just started investing last year. At this time, I have my allocation as 60% (FSKAX), 30% (FTIHX) and now 10% (FXNAX). Plan to retire in another 25-30 years, if that helps.

ServerTechie

In your situation I’d do one of these choices: 1) stick with FXAIX and FTIHX, and exchange the rest of the funds into those two funds. FXAIX should be the heavier allocation. Everything else you mentioned is mostly overlap. Allocation you’ll get of a lot of answers, but my choice is 60/40. 2) if you’re really lost on investing, then just exchange everything into the target fund. Literally a one fund portfolio that is set it and forget it, it will do all the work for you.

ziggy029

If you want to just replicate the total global stock market, you don't really even need FXAIX here since FSKAX contains something like 80% US large cap and the combination of FSKAX and FTIHX has it all. Of course, if you want to overweight US large cap, your three funds work great together.

Euthoniel

If it is in a 401k where those are your best options it is fine. FSKAX + FTIHX would be more diversified though.

One-Comfort-5534

New to investing and a little late to the game. Does my plan make sense? I currently have 20k sitting in SPAXX(Fidelity) Using those funds I have monthly contributions set up for the 1st of each month. 400 toward FXIAX (SP500) 100 toward FTIHX (International fund) So I was doing 80 domestic 20 international to have a little extra exposure outside of the U.S. market. This is post maxing my ROTH and 401k. Thoughts?

Comfortable-Dog-8437

For some reason I thought FSKAX was the total market but I guess its total USA market? I was intending to include some international in this so adding FTIHX would accomplish that. 👍

quantumoutcast

It's a great start for almost everyone. You should consider also adding FTIHX, which is a total stock market fund for the rest of the world. A lot of experts are forecasting that the US growth will slow down in the future and international will rise. Nobody really knows, so by keeping some in international, you hedge your bets. Except for bonds when you are old enough (if you aren't already), that's good enough for even experienced investors.

bejammin075

I've been a 3-fund boglehead style investor for years. I think the concept is good, but I reserve the right to make my own judgements. Bonds have sucked for quite some time, and while interest in a Money Market is like 4%, I'm using the MM in the "bond" slot. At your age, and for some decades to come, I probably wouldn't have any bonds. I've also soured on small cap stocks, and anything that includes small caps, like total US stock index funds. I think for US stocks, an S&P500 index fund is probably better than a total US stock fund. I think if you had 2 funds, one US and one international, that would be both simple and effective. I don't normally do "market timing" but I could clearly see coming the stuff that has put the markets in turmoil. My stocks used to be 5:1 US:international, but presently my stocks are 100% international. My current portfolio is 33% in a money market and 67% in FTIHX. With the cash, I'll put most of it back into stocks eventually.

Accurate-Photo-7871

I’m looking for thoughts on my investment strategy as I age. Any feedback is appreciated!  I’m thirty now and investing this portfolio:  VOO — 15%  SCHG — 35% AVUV - 25%  FTIHX - 20% SCHH - 5% At 40:  VOO — 20%  SCHG — 25% AVUV - 20%  FTIHX - 20% SCHH - 5% FXNAX - 10% At 50: VOO — 15%  SCHD - 20%  AVUV - 20%  FTIHX - 25% FXNAX - 20% At 55:  VOO — 10%  SCHD - 20%  AVUV - 15%  FTIHX - 20% FXNAX - 35% At 60:  VOO — 10%  SCHD - 20%  AVUV - 10%  FTIHX - 20% FXNAX - 40%

howdiedoodie66

There's FTIHX

Natural-Cut-9601

Not OP but maybe you can give me similar insight. 32 years old. Long in the market for another30+ Based on my available cash this is what I’ve been doing… 583 into FZROX MONTHLY 400 into FXAIX MONTHLY 50 into FSAGX MONTHLY 50 into FTIHX MONTHLY Should I start to rebalance this?

bejammin075

I have the same kinds of questions as you and haven't found any great answers for the currency question. I was also doing the 3-fund portfolio for many years, with minimal intervention. I had 20% bonds (which have sucked for a long time), 80% stocks which were about 5:1 US vs international. I'm now sitting with 1/3 in a money market at 4% (better than a typical bond fund, my opinion), and 2/3 in FTIHX (Fidelity's total international index fund). So my stocks will avoid US calamity, and I'm poised to buy back in at some point. Since you travel to Europe, maybe you can open some kind of account while you are physically there. Gold should be easy to purchase in your retirement account.

Natural-Cut-9601

FTIHX, worth investing in to diversify?

bejammin075

All I know is that I'm getting completely out of US stocks. My current portfolio is super simple: 2/3 Fidelity total international stock fund (FTIHX) and 1/3 in a money market at 4% interest.

Joanne819

Did I make a bad investment decision? Advice quick, please? I have never invested/bought stocks as I felt like I never knew enough. I heard about the giant dip and that it was the right time to buy. Unfortunately I heard AFTER things already went back up. But I asked a friend who does well financially and invests if it was a good idea (as in not neutral but smart) to still buy and they said yes. I didn't want to miss out further. So at like 11:30 (CT) last night... I took 10k from savings and purchased: * FSKAX (Fidelity Total Market Index Fund) $6,000 * AMZN $500 * NVDA $500 And my plan is today to buy: * FUAMX (Fidelity Intermediate Treasury Bond Index Fund) $1,000 * Or should I actually buy FXNAX (Fidelity U.S. Bond Index Fund) * FIVFX (Fidelity International Capital Appreciation Fund) $1,000 * Or should I actually buy FTIHX (Fidelity International Index Fund) **Did I make a mistake doing this, as in did I miss my time? I'm hearing there was an historic increase in the market, but I imagine that is specifically in relation to the huge dip, so it's not like I'm making a dumb timing decision given I missed things earlier? Should I cancel anything before the market opens since the three I purchased are still in pending status?** **I haven't purchased the FUAMX or FIVFX. Should I hold off? And if not, are those the right ones, or should I do the alternatives listed (FXNAX and FTIHX)?** My other friend said he thinks I should do 7k FSKAX, 1500 FTIHX, and 1500 FXNAX "because you already have exposure to AMZN and NVDA in FSKAX, and it only makes sense to buy individual stocks if you can pick a winner. In order to pick a winner, I simply ask myself, am I Warren Buffet? This portfolio puts you at 85% equity and 15% bonds." I clearly don't know a lot and am going to take a lot of time going forward to learn but for right now... Give me your honest feedback and advice please?

Amb688

I (45M) am DCA bi-weekly into FSKAX/FTIHX/FXNAX in a Fidelity taxable account after maxing out 401K and Roth IRA. I have some positions with Ameriprise that I used to have them managed and I'm unable to move them to my Fidelity account: GIRMX (3.5K) / GSINX (19K) / PRXXX (43K). Question is should I let them be or should I liquidate them and buy the 3 funds mentioned above?

Amb688

I (45M) am DCA bi-weekly into FSKAX/FTIHX/FXNAX in a Fidelity taxable account after maxing out 401K and Roth IRA. I have some positions with Ameriprise that I used to have them managed and I'm unable to move them to my Fidelity account: || || |GIRMX|3537| |GSINX|19559| |PRCXX|43681| Question is should I let them be or should I liquidate them and buy the 3 funds mentioned above?

Red_Bullion

Bonds protect against market downturns but also don't grow as much as stocks. So having no bonds means higher risk and higher short term volatility but a higher expected return. If you're 20 years old or something your investing horizon is 40+ years so downturns don't matter, you have time to weather any short term market volatility. If you're 60 years old and retiring soon then a massive downturn could be disastrous. So you hold lots of bonds to protect against that. A TDF automatically adds more and more bonds to your portfolio as you get closer to your retirement date. This is great because it means you don't have to know or think about anything. Just put money in there and don't even look at it for 40 years, and you'll be rich. However, the bond allocation of a TDF is very conservative. For example at age 20 it will have you 10% in bonds. This will lower your return. The reason it is conservative in bond allocation is because it's targeted at the lowest common denominator. It doesn't want people to freak out and sell during market volatility. But if you can handle it mentally then not having any bonds in your 20s will make you richer in the long term. So there's an argument for not doing a TDF when you're young, and either switching to it in your 30's or 40's, or just figuring out how bonds work on your own and buying them yourself to match your personal risk tolerance. At this stage I would not recommend buying all three. Either go 100% TDF or 65% VSMPX/ 35% FTIHX. It's up to you whether you want to "set it and forget it" with the TDF or take on higher risk for higher returns by setting your own bond allocation (which for your 20's could very well be 0%). It's worth mentioning that currently the global market cap sits at 65% US and 35% international. This will change as the years go by. So if you do go with VSMPX/FTIHX then you should choose a date once a year when you check the global market cap and adjust your percentages accordingly.

throwawayyaccount66

Is there any other reason I should not want bonds yet besides it being more conservative? Also, if VSMPX is VTI and FTIHX is VXUS, does that mean it'll be redundant to choose all 3 options because TDF will have both VTI and VXUS anyway? Thanks!

Red_Bullion

TDF is a great option, probably the best option for most people. VSMPX is VTI and FTIHX is VXUS, so these are also great. If you don't want bonds yet (which is reasonable given your age) then 65% VSMPX and 35% FTIHX is essentially the same as a TDF but without bonds.

oberwolfach

There’s a lot of mutual funds that exclusively hold non-US stock. For instance, FTIHX is Fidelity’s index fund for broad international stock.

throwawayyaccount66

So I recently started my first job ever and I have to set up my 403b. I'm new to investing but I'm aware of some of the common stocks, index funds and whatnot that people usually invest in. Sadly, my employer 403b doesn't have most of those options. The only options I recognize and am interested in investing in is a 2065 TDF, VSMPX, and FTIHX. I was wondering if it would be wisest to invest in just the TDF or if I should invest in the other stuff as well and what percentage? I also have a ROTH IRA with nothing in yet but plan to do more aggressive investing there eventually. Any advice appreciated. Thanks in advance!

helpwithsong2024

Damn, good work at 31 to be earning so much! Not sure what a 'US large cap index strategy' is, but if they put you into something like FXAIX, that's perfect. Personally, I like having at least 20% of my portfolio in non-US, so I'd add FTIHX or FSPSX (just pick one and go with it). Considering how simple your investing strategy is, you probably don't even need an advisor (and especially if they are scrapping off a 1% fee). You're gonna keep hitting standard deduction (prob for a while) so you can tax loss harvest. I personally don't bother and just DCA every week into my portfolio and call it a day. Make sure you open a Roth IRA if you don't have one already and do 'back door' conversions. That's 7K a year you can put into tax-free growth!

Silvaria928

I rebalanced my Roth to include FTIHX. I should have done it sooner but better late than never.

Red_Bullion

You can get anything, doesn't have to be Fidelity, but Fidelity has great options. For US you have FZROX or FSKAX. These are total US market funds. FZROX is zero fee which is pretty neat. There's also FXAIX if you'd prefer S&P500 to total US market. For international you have FZILX and FTIHX. Both are total international market funds. FZILX is zero fee which again is pretty neat.

nauticalmile

Mutual funds and ETFs almost universally have internal management fees, expressed as an expense ratio. Fidelity offers a wide range of mutual funds, with fees as low as zero from their Fidelity ZERO series, all the way up to around 1% for certain actively managed funds. They have many great low cost funds like FSKAX and FTIHX that cost just a few basis points (e.g. .015% to .06%) per year. Capital Group/American Funds, Edward Jones, and similar higher-cost institutions build fees into multiple places - such as the 5.75% front load (ouch), as well as 12b-1 fees that are effectively kickbacks to the broker/dealer coming out of fund NAV. You don’t see these fees as transactions in your account as they’re more quietly taken from the fund. Net expense ratios will typically be 1-1.2% per year. So while Fidelity charges nothing up front and can be as cheap as just a few hundredths of a percent of portfolio value per year, Capital Group will cost 5.75% of your portfolio up front and take another 1% or more per year. IMO, moving from Fidelity to any Capital Group reseller is the absolute wrong move.

Red_Bullion

65% FZROX/35% FZILX Can substitute FXAIX or FSKAX for FZROX if preferred. FSKAX is the same thing, but FZROX is free. FXAIX is S&P500 instead of total US market. Total US market is technically more diversified but they basically track each other so it kind of doesn't matter. IVV would also be fine, or VOO or VTI, or SPLG. It doesn't matter. Can substitute FTIHX for FZILX if preferred. It's the same thing but FZILX is zero fee. Again VXUS or any other equivalent fund is also fine. Buying individual stocks generally isn't a great idea. If you want to for fun keep it to like 5 or 10% of your portfolio.

ckouf96

I’m early in my career, married, and have a kid. The only retirement account I have right now is a 401k that I contribute to monthly, enough to get my full match. On the side, I also have a Fidelity account that I invest in biweekly and I do a 50/30/20 split in FSKAX/FTIHX/FXNAX. Learning more about retirement investing it seems I should open a Roth IRA and contribute to that before I contribute to my above fidelity approach, is that a correct assumption? Do you all like Fidelity as a Roth IRA provider? How should I direct my Roth IRA to be invested? My company has financial advisors who work at Merrill but I don’t think there’s any benefit to using them over my own platform. Should I also consider a 529 for my child’s future education?

Red_Bullion

Well you should already be 20%-40% in FZILX or FTIHX so that's a start. You could put something in US small caps. IJR and AVUV are popular. They're liable to crash even harder than large caps though if the US market tanks.

Historical_Low4458

Performance chasing is never good because nobody knows what will outperform for the next 20 years. I do think you have a solid portfolio. I think if those are the only 3 you have, then you should be in good shape until close to retirement. Now, small and mid cap make up only a small portion of the total stock market index, so if you're considering adding more funds, then you may want to research those. Disclaimer: I have FSKAX and FTIHX in my 401k and a different target date fund in my Roth IRA.

Disastrous_Equal8589

Kinda depends if you plan to use the account, what your current health situation is, what your family health history is, etc. In general, based on your retirement timeline, I’d invest in a 70/30 portfolio (70% equities, 30% bonds). 55% FSKAX or FXAIX 15% FTIHX 10% JPIE or BINC 10% PULS 10% SGOV When you’re close to retirement or starting to plan to retire go 65/35 and then when you retire go 60/40. If you have any questions let me know

Phuffu

Open a Fidelity account and buy FSKAX and FTIHX. Once you are invested in the market, you can take some time to learn about wtf is actually going on behind the scenes.  People wait around to invest because they don’t understand everything and they are naturally apprehensive.  I think people should take the opposite approach, just get in the market and figure things out as you go along.

AICHEngineer

I actually just did this (rollover). My 401k is with fidelity so I had FXAIX (S&P500) and some FTIHX (like VXUS). Limited options available. But, my company got bought so our old 401k plan ended and a new one began. So, i rolled the ~80k that was in my 401k into my IRAs (a rollover IRA and my Roth IRA, since my 401k had both fund types). Now, I get to plug those funds into my mildly leveraged portfolio strat that mixes levered stocks and long bonds. much more freedom. There isnt a single bond fund in a 401k that I would use, theyre all so milquetoast, short duration, weaker hedges

p0gop0pe

FTIHX?

Blegrand15

So the main benefit of the Zero funds is the 0% expense ratio? But you lose the ability to transfer to elsewhere if needed without needing to pay capital gains taxes? So something like FSKAX and FTIHX would be portable but have expense ratios of 0.015% and 0.06%?

Phuffu

I think crypto is all junk. I’d do $350k FSKAX and $150k FTIHX

Red_Bullion

You should take 20% and put it in FTIHX or FZILX

KoodGarma

**Kudos to you for starting your investing journey early!** First, look up [Bogleheads Getting Started](https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Getting_started), that's where I started learning a ton. Second, think about lump sum what you've got to start with, outside of funding an ongoing savings account (e.g., 10%) per paycheck, having an emergency fund in a reputable HYSA w/ easy transfer fund options (e.g., 3.75% at Discover Online Savings) with enough saved to cover at least 3-6 months of living expenses, and then DCA what you can afford to invest (e.g., 10%) per paycheck going forward. Following is a tax-efficient, low-maintenance investment allocation recommendation based on your age and using Fidelity-based low/no cost fund options (can differ based on your brokerage). Feel free to chat me up if specific questions Best of luck! \> Taxable = 70% US (FSKAX) / 30% EX-US (FTIHX) <or> if you prefer ETFs 70% US (VTI) / 30% EX-US (VXUS) \> Roth IRA = 70% US (FZROX) / 30% EX-US (FZILX) \> Trad IRA = 60% US (FZROX) / 30% EX-US (FZILX) / 10% Bond (FXNAX) \> HSA (if avail) = 70% US (FZROX) / 30% EX-US (FZILX)

Based_Commgnunism

The retirement date fund has bonds and international in it. If you want bonds that's good. If you don't then FXAIX is good. FSKAX is another option. It's technically more diversified but will perform the same as FXAIX. And if you do want international that's in FTIHX. You should have some international, but might want less than what's in a target date fund.

lahs2017

I have my international all in FSPSX (developed countries only). I don't trust emerging markets. That's just based on gut and I could be completely wrong. But either way I don't think it will matter too much if I had put it my international allocation in FTIHX/VXUS vs. FSPSX.

EveningNo8643

To move off of American funds I transferred it to Fidelity then exchanged it for FSKAX/FTIHX. that shouldn’t trigger taxable event right?

AdNorth569

Option 1 FTIHX Total International (5,089 Companies) 20% FSKAX Total US Market (3,944 Companies) 80% Option 2 FSMDX Mid Cap (812 Companies) 10% FSPSX International (744 Companies) 10% FSSNX Small Cap (1,988 Companies) 10% FXAIX S&P 500 (506 Companies) 70% Just started my 401k and Roth IRA not too long ago and chose option 2 for my 401k plan. I need help deciding whether to pick option 1 or 2 for my Roth IRA. Option 1 looks more diversified compared to option 2, but let me know what you guys think.