The Alistair Blog
Stories about the broken world of traditional financial advice, deep dives into our microtools, and updates on what we're building to fix it.
Investing
Clear filterShowing 1–10 of 14 posts
How Much International Exposure Do You Actually Need?Investing
Bogle said zero. Vanguard says 40%. Academics say market-cap weight at roughly 40%. The US has outperformed for 15 years straight. Is the diversification still worth it?
Dividend Investing: Free Money or the Biggest Illusion in Finance?Investing
Getting paid to own stocks sounds great. But every dollar paid as a dividend is a dollar the company can't reinvest. The academic case against dividend-focused strategies.
Factor Investing for Normal People: Smart Beta or Marketing Gimmick?Investing
The academics discovered factors that beat the market. Wall Street turned them into expensive products. Can retail investors actually capture factor premiums — or is this just the new active management?
Alternative Assets Are No Longer Just for the RichInvesting
Private equity, private credit, interval funds, REITs — asset classes once reserved for institutions and the ultra-wealthy are now accessible through ETFs and platforms. Should you add them?
Why Your Portfolio Underperforms the Market (It's Not Fees)Investing
The average investor underperforms the funds they own by 2-3% per year. Not because of expense ratios. Because they buy high, sell low, and can't stop tinkering.
What the S&P 500 Doesn't Tell You About the EconomyInvesting
The S&P 500 isn't the economy. It's 500 of the largest public US companies, heavily concentrated in tech, and increasingly disconnected from what's actually happening on Main Street.
The Case for Never RebalancingInvesting
Every advisor tells you to rebalance annually. But letting your winners ride — never selling, never trimming — actually produces higher long-term returns. Here's the contrarian case.
Warren Buffett's 90/10 Portfolio: The Two-Fund Strategy He Left His WifeInvesting
90% S&P 500 index fund, 10% short-term government bonds. Buffett's instructions for his wife's trust are famous for their simplicity — but the strategy isn't right for everyone.
The Single Fund Strategy: A Step-by-Step Guide to Investing With One FundInvesting
The single fund strategy is the simplest way to invest for long-term wealth: own one low-cost fund, automate contributions, and leave it alone. Here's exactly how to set it up.
Bonds Aren't Boring — You Just Don't Understand ThemInvesting
Most investors treat bonds as the boring safe part of their portfolio. But bonds are more complex — and more interesting — than stocks. Here's what you're missing.