A growth oriented globally diversified portfolio with strong historical returns and modest defensive ballast from gold

Report created on Dec 22, 2025

Risk profile Info

5/7
Growth
Less risk More risk

Diversification profile Info

5/5
Highly Diversified
Less diversification More diversification

Positions

This portfolio is built around broad stock index ETFs, with a tilt toward growth and a small slice of gold. Around 60% sits in total market index funds, 20% in a growth-tilted fund, 10% in international small value, and 10% in gold. That mix lines up well with many growth benchmarks, leaning slightly more global and factor-tilted than a plain vanilla index setup. This structure matters because it drives how the portfolio reacts to different market environments. Keeping the core in broad, low-cost funds is a strong foundation; the main tweak to think about is whether the separate growth fund truly adds something distinct on top of the already diversified total market position.

Growth Info

Historically, this mix has delivered a very strong compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 15.7%. CAGR is like your average yearly “speed” over the whole trip, smoothing out bumps. A max drawdown of roughly –31% shows that during severe downturns, the portfolio can fall about a third from peak to trough, which is normal for a growth-tilted equity portfolio. Only 23 days made up 90% of returns, highlighting how a few big days drive long-term outcomes. That’s why staying invested is crucial; missing those “best days” can drastically lower results. Keep in mind, though, past returns like this are unusually strong and can’t be assumed going forward.

Projection Info

The Monte Carlo simulation here ran 1,000 alternate futures using historical patterns to estimate possible outcomes. Monte Carlo basically shuffles many “what if” scenarios to see a range of results, not just a single forecast. The median outcome of about 648% growth and a 5th percentile near 148% show that most simulated paths ended positive, and 998 of 1,000 were above breakeven. An average simulated return around 17.4% is excellent, but it relies heavily on the past environment. These simulations are best viewed as a rough weather forecast, not a promise. It can help frame expectations, but plans should still assume more modest, realistic long-term returns.

Asset classes Info

  • Stocks
    89%
  • Other
    10%
  • Cash
    1%

Asset-class-wise, roughly 89% is in stocks, about 10% in gold, and a small 1% in cash. This is clearly a growth-heavy allocation, with a minor hedge through the gold position categorized as “Other.” A stock allocation at this level is common for investors with long horizons who can ride out volatility. The 10% gold slice can sometimes offset stock stress during certain crises or inflation spikes, though it won’t always move opposite equities. This high-equity, modest-hedge mix is well-aligned with a growth profile. The main decision point is whether that 10% in gold feels right versus potentially holding more stocks or, alternatively, a small dedicated defensive sleeve.

Sectors Info

  • Technology
    26%
  • Financials
    13%
  • Industrials
    11%
  • Consumer Discretionary
    11%
  • Telecommunications
    8%
  • Health Care
    6%
  • Basic Materials
    5%
  • Consumer Staples
    4%
  • Energy
    3%
  • Real Estate
    2%
  • Utilities
    2%

Sector exposure looks well spread: roughly 26% in technology, then meaningful chunks in financials, industrials, consumer cyclicals, communications, and smaller slices elsewhere. Tech is clearly the biggest piece, but that’s largely in line with broad market indexes today, so it isn’t an extreme sector bet. Tech-heavy allocations can be more sensitive to interest rates and changes in growth expectations, which can create sharper ups and downs. The presence of all major sectors indicates strong diversification, and this sector mix closely matches common benchmarks. That alignment is a positive sign that the portfolio isn’t overconcentrated in any single business area, beyond what the overall market already is.

Regions Info

  • North America
    54%
  • Europe Developed
    15%
  • Japan
    8%
  • Asia Emerging
    5%
  • Asia Developed
    4%
  • Australasia
    2%
  • Africa/Middle East
    2%
  • Latin America
    1%

Geographically, about 54% is in North America, with significant exposure to developed Europe and Japan, plus smaller stakes in emerging Asia, Australasia, and other regions. This looks more globally diversified than the typical US-heavy investor portfolio, which is a big plus for managing country-specific risk. Broad international exposure helps if leadership rotates away from US markets over a decade or more. At the same time, the US still anchors the portfolio, which aligns with many global benchmarks and reduces currency and political risks from leaning too heavily abroad. This allocation is well-balanced and aligns closely with global standards, offering a healthy blend of home bias and global reach.

Market capitalization Info

  • Mega-cap
    39%
  • Large-cap
    23%
  • Mid-cap
    19%
  • No data
    10%
  • Small-cap
    7%
  • Micro-cap
    1%

Market cap exposure is nicely layered: about 39% mega, 23% big, 19% mid, and smaller allocations in small and micro caps, plus a slice marked unknown. This structure mirrors a typical global cap-weighted approach, where the largest companies dominate but smaller firms still play a meaningful role. Larger companies tend to be more stable and less volatile, while smaller ones can offer higher long-term growth potential with bumpier rides. The additional tilt toward international small value helps broaden that lower-cap exposure. Overall, this mix offers a solid spectrum across company sizes, and it aligns well with diversified equity benchmarks, supporting both stability and growth potential.

Redundant positions Info

  • Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF Shares
    Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF Shares
    High correlation

There is a high correlation between the total US market ETF and the growth index ETF. Correlation measures how often two assets move together; when it’s high, they tend to rise and fall in sync, which limits diversification benefits. Holding two funds that are very similar can create overlapping exposure without meaningfully spreading risk. During market downturns, these correlated positions are likely to drop together. The core index fund already holds a substantial slice of growth companies, so it’s worth checking whether the separate growth ETF is an intentional tilt or an accidental duplication. Streamlining overlapping positions can sometimes simplify the portfolio while keeping the same overall risk level.

Risk vs. return

This chart shows the Efficient Frontier, calculated using your current assets with different allocation combinations. It highlights the best balance between risk and return based on historical data. "Efficient" portfolios maximize returns for a given risk or minimize risk for a given return. Portfolios below the curve are less efficient. This is informational and not a recommendation to buy or sell any assets.

Click on the colored dots to explore allocations.

Risk versus return analysis suggests there’s room to shift closer to the Efficient Frontier. The Efficient Frontier is a line of portfolios that offer the best possible trade-off between risk and return using the existing building blocks. Here, a more “efficient” mix of the same assets could keep risk roughly similar while nudging expected returns higher, around 18.9% in the model. That efficiency is about improving the risk-return ratio, not necessarily maximizing diversification or minimizing drawdowns. One practical step before optimizing is addressing the overlapping, highly correlated positions so each holding plays a distinct role. Just remember, these optimizations are based on historical data, which can change.

Dividends Info

  • Avantis® International Small Cap Value ETF 3.10%
  • Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF Shares 1.10%
  • Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF Shares 0.40%
  • Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund ETF Shares 1.40%
  • Weighted yield (per year) 1.14%

The portfolio’s total yield is around 1.14%, which is modest and typical for a growth-tilted equity mix. Yield is the cash income from dividends, expressed as a percentage of the portfolio’s value. The international small value position has the highest yield, while the growth ETF understandably has the lowest. For someone focused on long-term growth, lower yield and higher reinvested earnings can be perfectly fine, since returns are expected to come more from price appreciation. This setup suits investors who do not rely on the portfolio for current income. If future income needs rise, a gradual shift toward higher-yielding holdings could help, though that often means trading some growth potential for cash flow.

Ongoing product costs Info

  • Avantis® International Small Cap Value ETF 0.36%
  • SPDR® Gold Shares 0.40%
  • Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF Shares 0.03%
  • Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF Shares 0.04%
  • Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund ETF Shares 0.05%
  • Weighted costs total (per year) 0.11%

The blended total expense ratio (TER) of about 0.11% is impressively low, especially for such a diversified, globally spread portfolio. TER is the annual fee charged by funds, similar to a small percentage haircut taken each year. Keeping this number low is one of the most reliable ways to improve long-term results, because fees compound against you over time. The slightly higher costs on the international small value and gold ETFs are normal for more specialized strategies. Overall, this fee level is a real strength and aligns with best practices for cost-efficient investing, supporting better net returns over decades without the drag of heavy fund expenses.

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