The information on this website is provided free of charge. The portfolios were designed to provide you with ideas of what simple investment strategies look like. These are not recommended portfolios for everyone and should not be taken as such. Each person is different, with different goals and different financial opportunities, and your portfolio should reflect those unique circ*mstances.
My name is Rick Ferri. I’m a financial analyst, author, podcast host, advice-only investment adviser, and creator of free Core-4 Portfolios™.
Core-4 Portfolios™ portfolios began as one portfolio in 2007. The idea was to provide a simple, tax-efficient, broadly diversified portfolio of only four low-cost index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The index funds and ETFs suggested for all Core-4 Portfolios™ are widely available through any US brokerage firm and many international firms.
The first portfolio consisted of a total US stock market index fund, a total international stock index fund, a total US bond index fund, and a Treasury inflation-protected securities fund (TIPs). The number of Core-4® portfolios has expanded over the years due to the different needs of different investors.
Simple investing is a virtue – the ultimate in portfolio sophistication. Let’s get to the core of an investment strategy that works for you!
THE CORE-4 PORTFOLIO SOLUTION
I have been helping investors for 35 years as an adviser, researcher, author, speaker, and mentor for other advisers. My books include All About Index Funds, All About Asset Allocation, The ETF Book, The Power of Passive Investing, Serious Money, and a forthcoming book, A Few Good Funds: The Magesty of Simple Investing. I co-edited The Bogleheads’ Guide to Retirement Planning and am the host of the Bogleheads on Investing podcast featuring the top movers and shakers in the investment industry. If you prefer the help of an adviser, I provide guidance through my hourly-fee service at RickFerri.com.
The first Core-4® portfolio was introduced on the Bogleheads.org forum in 2007 – the Classic Core-4 Portfolio. This strategy offered broad stock, bond, and real estate exposure utilizing only four index funds. The concept proved to be robust and found wide acceptance among investment bloggers and in the print media. Public agencies also took notice. The Texas State Securities Board features the Classic Core-4 Portfolio in the Texas Investor Guide, Strategies for Investing Wisely and Avoiding Financial Fraud. I have since added several alternative Core-4 Portfolios to meet the growing needs of individual investors as they discover the benefits of Core-4® simplicity, transparency, affordability, and reliability.
Investing involves risk. Neither I nor Rick Ferri, LLC, guarantees the performance of any fund or portfolio mentioned. I may personally hold positions in the securities mentioned on this site.
Portfolio Visualizer is a free online software platform by Silicon Cloud Technologies, LLC, in Austin, TX. The company specializes in software solutions for investment research and analysis, portfolio management, and financial planning to empower investors and investment managers with better quantitative investment analysis tools. Neither I nor Rick Ferri, LLC guarantees the accuracy of Portfolio Visualizer data.
Core-4® is a registered trademark of Rick Ferri, LLC. For-profit licensing of Core-4® is available to fund companies and institutional investors who wish to developed products around this trademark.
It sounds like you're diving into the world of investment strategies, particularly the Core-4 Portfolios™ developed by Rick Ferri. Ferri's expertise stems from a multifaceted background: he's a financial analyst, author, podcast host, and advice-only investment adviser with an extensive track record in the field for over 35 years. His body of work includes influential books such as "All About Index Funds," "All About Asset Allocation," "The ETF Book," and "The Power of Passive Investing." Additionally, his involvement in editing "The Bogleheads’ Guide to Retirement Planning" and hosting the "Bogleheads on Investing" podcast showcases his deep engagement within the investment community.
The Core-4 Portfolios™ concept originated in 2007 with the intent of offering straightforward, tax-efficient, and diversified portfolios. These portfolios primarily consist of four low-cost index funds or ETFs: a total US stock market index fund, a total international stock index fund, a total US bond index fund, and a Treasury inflation-protected securities fund (TIPs). Over time, this idea evolved to cater to various investor needs, resulting in different iterations of Core-4 Portfolios™.
Ferri's influence and credibility extend beyond his publications. His portfolios have gained recognition from sources like the Texas State Securities Board, which featured the Classic Core-4 Portfolio in their Texas Investor Guide, affirming the strategy's robustness and acceptance among investors.
However, it's crucial to note Ferri's disclaimer regarding investment risks. He doesn't guarantee the performance of any specific fund or portfolio mentioned on his website. Moreover, the Core-4® trademark is registered under Rick Ferri, LLC, and while he provides guidance and portfolios, he doesn't assure accuracy or performance.
Portfolio Visualizer, a free online software platform developed by Silicon Cloud Technologies, LLC, aids in investment research, portfolio management, and financial planning, complementing the Core-4 Portfolios™ strategy. Ferri also offers licensing of the Core-4® trademark for fund companies and institutional investors interested in developing products around this approach.
This approach to investing underscores simplicity, transparency, affordability, and reliability, catering to individual investors' needs while emphasizing the importance of understanding one's unique financial circ*mstances and goals before adopting any portfolio strategy.
