SWRSX

Every_Other_Weekend

I’m looking for what I’ll call feedback, not advice. Advice feels like I’m asking someone to tell me what to do, and that’s not really where I’m at. I mostly just want to type this out, see how it sounds outside my own head, and get some reactions, good, bad, or “have you lost your mind?” I’m 38, married, with a blended family and two kids. The loose goal is to step away from full-time work by 12/31/2035, which also lines up with when our house should be paid off. I’m very aware I’m financially far from that right now, but after a lot of conservative back-of-the-napkin math, and yes, some help from ChatGPT, I genuinely think being financially independent by then, roughly $1.3M across accounts, is doable. This is where I’m hoping for feedback on my investment approach. I’ve spent a lot of time reading, listening to podcasts, going down article and Reddit rabbit holes, and I keep coming back to a variation of the Swensen Model. I’m not under any illusion here. Swensen ran a private institutional endowment and had access to options I’ll never touch in my lifetime. I get that. That said, I really like the bones of the model, especially the diversification patterns, and I wanted something that feels a little more intentional than pure set it and forget it, without drifting into day trading or constantly fiddling with things. A little more context about me, because this probably matters. I’m extremely risk tolerant. Big dips don’t scare me at all, and honestly, red days tend to get me more excited than nervous because I see them as buying opportunities. I also know myself well enough to know that if I’m not involved, I won’t stick with it. I budget every single day, not because I have to, but because I genuinely enjoy it. I’m not looking for a set it and forget it portfolio. What I want is a plan that gives me something to look at and engage with, something I can check in on quarterly, rebalance, and make sure the percentages stay where I want them from a diversification standpoint. Watching the numbers move around doesn’t bother me at all. For reference, the original Swensen Model allocation was roughly 30% domestic equities, 20% REITs, 15% inflation-protected equities, 15% government bonds, 15% developed market international equities, and 5% emerging market international equities. What I’m considering looks more like this: 60% domestic equities, 10% REITs, 5% Treasury inflation-protected securities, 5% government bonds, 15% developed market international equities, and 5% emerging market equities. That 60% domestic allocation would be split evenly between large cap, mid cap, and small cap. Specifically, 20% large cap using SWLGX, 20% mid cap using SWMCX, and 20% small cap using SWSSX. Treasury inflation-protected securities would be held in SWRSX, government bonds in SWAGX, developed international markets in SWISX, and emerging markets in SCHE, mainly due to the lower expense ratio compared to SFENX. Thanks to anyone who made it all the way through my slightly erratic rant. I genuinely appreciate you sticking with it, and I’m looking forward to reading whatever feedback you’re willing to share!

Jumpy-Imagination-81

>This will be my first bond fund purchase Is there a particular reason you are buying a bond fund? The current rising interest rate and inflation rate environment is negative for bond funds. Look at the performance of SWAGX: YTD -1.71% 1 month -1.74% 3 month -1.03% 1 year -2.71% The value of the shares are going down and the yield is only 1.54%. Subtract the effects of inflation and the real yield is negative (1.54% yield - 7% inflation = -5.46% real interest). You are taking on [interest rate risk](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/interestraterisk.asp) of the bond fund share price going down all to get negative (-5.46%) real interest. In the current interest rate and inflation rate environment I recommend 0% in bonds. Even cash is better than bonds. Cash loses to inflation like bonds but unlike bonds there is no interest rate risk with cash. If you insist on buying shares in a bond fund look at the Schwab Treasury Inflation Protected Securities Index Fund (SWRSX) instead of SWAGX. But again, I recommend avoiding bond funds at this time, especially if you are young but even if you are old.