Couch Potato Portfolio

Couch Potato portfolio is one of well-known 3-fund investment portfolios. This coach potato portfolio is introduced by Scott Burns. It is also known as Andrew Tobias' Three Fund portfolio.

Who is Scott Burns?

Scott Burns is a newspaper columnist and author. He has covered personal finance and investments for over 30 years. He is known for creating the "Couch Potato Portfolio" investment strategy. This investment strategy advocates the use of index funds over managed funds or stock-picking.

Rules of Couch Potato Portfolio

The rules of Scott Burns’ Couch Potato Portfolio is simple. It invests its 33% allocation to inflation-protected securities, 34% allocation to US stock market, and 33% to international stock market. It mainly invest in US, international stock, and bond market (TIPS).

How to Invest

You can invest in this Couch Potato Portfolio through mutual funds or Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). Below are the list.

Fidelity International Growth Fund (FIGFX)

Fidelity International Growth Fund (FIGFX) is a popular international stock mutual fund. This mutual fund is provide a decent dividend yield to investors.

Fidelity International Growth Fund (FIGFX) Profile

This Fidelity International Growth Fund (FIGFX) objective is to provide long-term capital growth. This mutual fund invests mainly in non-U.S. companies with growth potential. It also invests in emerging markets.

FIGFX Fund Profile

• Fund Inception Date: October 31, 2007
• Ticker Symbol: FIGFX
• CUSIP: 06828M884
• Fund Manager: Jed Weiss
• Net Assets: $1.9 Billion
• Beta (3yr): 0.78
• Category: Foreign Large Blend
• Yield: 1.09%
• Expense Fee: 0.99%
• Min to Invest: $2,500

Taylor Larimore’s Three-Fund Portfolio: 60/40

Taylor Larimore’s Three-Fund Portfolio is a well-known 3-fund investment portfolio. This 3 fund portfolio is introduced by Taylor Larimore. Taylor Larimore is well known professional investor among Boglehead.

Who is Taylor Larimore?

Taylor Larimore was labeled by MONEY magazine as "The Dean of the Vanguard Diehards." Jack Bogle, founder of Vanguard Group, calls Taylor "King of the Bogleheads." Taylor is extraordinarily well-versed after having spent most of his 83 years in the real world of finance and investments

Rules of Taylor Larimore’s Three-Fund Portfolio

The rules of Taylor Larimore’s Three-Fund Portfolio is simple. It invests its 60% allocation to world-wide stocks (42% in US stocks and 18% in international stocks) and 40% to bonds. It mainly invest in US, international stock, and bond market.

This portfolio is well like by followers in Bogleheads.

How to Invest

You can invest in this Taylor Larimore’s Three-Fund Portfolio through mutual funds or Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).

Popular Mutual Funds in 2017

Find the popular mutual funds in 2017. This mutual fund include stock, bond, and hybrid funds.

Invest in Popular Mutual Funds

As a prospective investor, you need to ask whether you should invest in the biggest and most popular mutual funds. Can you get the extra return with these popular mutual funds? You can find many companies which provide ratings on mutual funds including Morningstar, US News, Lipper, Forbes, Money, Kiplinger, etc.

Index Funds

Index funds are popular funds in 401k plan or retirement account (IRA). Some of the best index mutual funds are provided by Vanguard & Fidelity.

Pros:

• Index funds are cheaper than actively managed stock funds in term of expenses.
• The funds may provide diverse selection of US companies than funds tracking the index such as S&P 500, etc.

Baron Emerging Markets Fund (BEXFX)

Baron Emerging Markets Fund (BEXFX) is one of the best emerging markets stock mutual funds. This mutual fund is popular among investors.

Baron Emerging Markets Fund (BEXFX) Profile

This Baron Emerging Markets Fund objective is to provide long-term capital appreciation. This mutual fund invests mainly in non-U.S. companies of all sizes with significant growth potential.
The majority of investments are in companies domiciled in developing countries, and the Fund may invest up to 20% in companies in developed and frontier countries. It is a diversified mutual fund.

BEXFX Profile

• Fund Inception Date: December 30, 2010
• Ticker Symbol: BEXFX
• CUSIP: 06828M884
• Fund Manager: Michael Kass
• Net Assets: $3.3 Billion
• Beta (3yr): 0.77
• Category: Diversified Emerging Markets
• Yield: 0.13%
• Expense Fee: 1.38%
• Min to Invest: $2,000
• Capital Gains: N/A
• Number of Years Up: 4 years

Rick Ferri’s 60/40 Portfolio: Two Fund Portfolio

Rick Ferri’s 60/40 Portfolio is a well-known 2 fund portfolio. This 2 fund portfolio is a well-known lazy portfolio. Rick Ferri is well known investor professional among Boglehead.

Who is Rick Ferri?

Rick Ferri, also known as Richard Ferri, is a financial analyst, author, speaker, former adviser, and founder of Portfolio Solutions, LLC. He has written various financial articles.

Rules of Rick Ferri’s 60/40 Portfolio

The rules of Rick Ferri’s 60/40 Portfolio is simple. It invests its 60% allocation to world-wide stocks and 40% to bonds. It mainly invest in US, international stock, and bond market.

This portfolio is well like by followers in Bogleheads.

How to Invest

You can invest in this Bogle’s 50-50 Portfolio through mutual funds or Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). Below are the list. You can buy these investment funds through your brokerage.

Vanguard Mutual Funds

• Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund (VBMFX)

T. Rowe Price QM U.S. Small-Cap Growth Equity Fund (PRDSX)

T. Rowe Price QM U.S. Small-Cap Growth Equity Fund (PRDSX) is one of top rated US stock mutual fund. It invests mainly in small growth companies.

T. Rowe Price QM U.S. Small-Cap Growth Equity Fund (PRDSX) Profile

This T. Rowe Price QM U.S. Small-Cap Growth Equity Fund objective is to provide long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in common stocks of small growth companies. This stock fund invests most of its assets in equity securities issued by small-cap U.S. growth companies.

This T. Rowe Price fund seeks to invest in a broadly diversified portfolio of securities to minimize the effects of individual security selection on fund performance.

PRDSX Fund Profile

• Fund Inception Date: 05/24/2001
• Ticker Symbol: PRDSX
• CUSIP: 779917103
• Rank in category (YTD): 67%
• Category: Small Growth
• Yield: 0.00%
• Capital Gains: -
• Expense Ratio: 0.81%

Bogle’s 50-50 Portfolio

Bogle’s 50-50 Portfolio is popularized by Jack Bogle. Jack is the 88-year old founder of Vanguard Group. Vanguard is one of the world's largest mutual fund companies.

Rules of Bogle’s 50-50 Portfolio

The rules of Bogle’s 50-50 Portfolio is simple. This two funds portfolio invests its 50% allocation to U.S. stocks and 50% to bonds via index funds. It mainly invest in US stock only and US bond market only. This means he doesn’t invest in international stocks. Bogle also doesn’t invest in currency and other asset classes such as international stocks, and international bonds.

This portfolio is well like by Bogle followers in Bogleheads. Some people may consider this type of investment portfolio as moderate allocation portfolio.

How to Invest

You can invest in this Bogle’s 50-50 Portfolio through mutual funds or Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). Below are the list. You can buy these investment funds through your brokerage.

Note: The performance may be slightly different due to expense fee, tracking error, active management funds, etc.

Mutual Funds

Vanguard Mutual Funds

• Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Investor Shares (VBMFX)

Parnassus Mid Cap Fund (PARMX)

Parnassus Mid Cap Fund (PARMX) is one of the top rated stock mutual fund. This equity fund has delivered consistent returns. This fund invests in mid-sized companies.

Parnassus Mid Cap Fund (PARMX) Profile

This Parnassus Mid Cap Fund objective is to provide capital growth. The fund invests mainly in medium-sized companies. The fund's managers consider a mid-sized company to be one that has a market capitalization between that of the smallest and largest constituents of the Russell Midcap Index measured at the time of purchase. The Russell Midcap Index contains about 800 of the smallest companies in the Russell 1000 Index. The fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in smaller- and larger-capitalization companies.

PARMX Profile

• Fund Inception Date: April 29, 2005
• Ticker Symbol: PARMX
• CUSIP: 701765885
• Fund Manager: Matthew D. Gershuny and Lori A. Keith
• Net Assets: $2.3 Billion
• Beta (3yr): 0.84
• Category: Mid-Cap Blend
• Yield: 0.35%
• Expense Fee: 0.99%

Mairs & Power Growth Fund (MPGFX)

Mairs & Power Growth Fund (MPGFX) is one of the best large blend mutual funds. This mutual fund is popular among investors. It is one of Kiplinger’s best 25 mutual funds, Kip 25.

Mairs & Power Growth Fund (MPGFX) Profile

This Mairs & Power Growth Fund objective is to provide shareholders with a diversified portfolio of common stocks, which have the potential for above-average, long-term appreciation. This mutual fund invests mainly in US stock companies. I may also invest in securities of foreign issuers which are listed on a United States stock exchange or are represented by American Depositary Receipts.

The fund invests in high quality companies, which are characterized by earnings that are reasonably predictable, have a return on equity that is above average, hold market dominance and have financial strength.

Profile

• Fund Inception Date: November 6, 1958
• Ticker Symbol: MPGFX
• CUSIP: 560636102
• Fund Manager: Mark L. Henneman and Andrew R. Adams
• Net Assets: $4.6 Billion
• Beta (3yr): 0.94
• Category: Large Blend

Top Performing US Stock ETFs in 2017

Find top performing US stock ETFs in 2017. The best performing exchange traded funds are Renaissance IPO ETF (IPO), PowerShares QQQ ETF (QQQ), and Pacer Trendpilot 100 ETF (PTNQ).

Best US Equity ETFs in 2017

These exchange traded funds are sorted based on its year-to-date performance in 2017. The US stock fund invests mainly in US companies stocks. The US stocks may include large companies, mid-size companies and small size companies.

Most of US stock ETFs are index ETFs. Index ETFs typically have low expense ratio. These investment funds also may offer some yield for income. Actively managed funds are also available nowadays.

The top 5 performing US stock ETFs in 2017 are:

1. Renaissance IPO ETF (IPO)
2. PowerShares QQQ ETF (QQQ)
3. Pacer Trendpilot 100 ETF (PTNQ)

Fidelity New Millennium Fund (FMILX)

Find details about Fidelity New Millennium Fund (FMILX). As one of the best stock mutual funds, it has delivered consistent performance. This equity mutual fund is popular among investors.

Fidelity New Millennium Fund (FMILX) Profile

This Fidelity New Millennium Fund objective is to provide capital growth. The fund manager will try to identify early signs of long-term changes in the marketplace and focusing on those companies that may benefit from opportunities created by these changes by examining technological advances, product innovation, economic plans, demographics, social attitudes, and other factors, which can lead to investments in small and medium-sized companies.

Profile

• Fund Inception Date: November 1992
• Ticker Symbol: FMILX
• CUSIP: 316200302
• Fund Manager: John D. Roth
• Net Assets: $3.2 Billion
• Beta (3yr): 1.01
• Category: Large Growth
• Yield: 1.07%
• Expense Fee: 0.57%