ETF Central (2024)

FAQs

Why I don't invest in ETFs? ›

Commissions and Expenses

Every time you buy or sell a stock, you might pay a commission. This is also the case when it comes to buying and selling ETFs. Depending on how often you trade an ETF, trading fees can quickly add up and reduce your investment's performance.

Generally speaking, fewer than 10 ETFs are likely enough to diversify your portfolio, but this will vary depending on your financial goals, ranging from retirement savings to income generation.

For instance, some ETFs may come with fees, others might stray from the value of the underlying asset, ETFs are not always optimized for taxes, and of course — like any investment — ETFs also come with risk.

"You can get broad-based diversification with one ETF, commonly referred to as diversified ETFs, or you can build a portfolio of five to 10 ETFs that would offer good diversification," he says. The choice you make on the above depends on your investment goals and risk appetite, like any investment.

There are a few reasons why ETFs generally die. Low assets under management, high fees, poor performance, and short track records are closely associated with the probability of closure. In 2023, there were 244 ETF closures with an average age of 5.4 years and average assets under management of only $54 million.

There are many ways an ETF can stray from its intended index. That tracking error can be a cost to investors. Indexes do not hold cash but ETFs do, so a certain amount of tracking error in an ETF is expected. Fund managers generally hold some cash in a fund to pay administrative expenses and management fees.

You only need one S&P 500 ETF

For others, it's all minutia. All three of the ETFs listed here have lower-than-average expense ratios and offer an easy way to buy a slice of the U.S. stock market. You could be tempted to buy all three ETFs, but just one will do the trick.

A Classic Lazy Portfolio contains the main traditional asset classes, with the aim to achieve above-average returns while taking a below-average risk. A Modern/Alternative Lazy Portfolio can use particular assets/strategies, with the aim of obtaining an extra return.

Experts agree that for most personal investors, a portfolio comprising 5 to 10 ETFs is perfect in terms of diversification.

For most standard, unleveraged ETFs that track an index, the maximum you can theoretically lose is the amount you invested, driving your investment value to zero. However, it's rare for broad-market ETFs to go to zero unless the entire market or sector it tracks collapses entirely.

Should I just put my money in ETF? ›

ETFs can be a great investment for long-term investors and those with shorter-term time horizons. They can be especially valuable to beginning investors. That's because they won't require the time, effort, and experience needed to research individual stocks.

ETFs can offer lower operating costs than traditional open-end funds, flexible trading, greater transparency, and better tax efficiency in taxable accounts. As with all investment choices there are elements to review when making an investment decision.

Holding an ETF for longer than a year may get you a more favorable capital gains tax rate when you sell your investment.

Average Return

In the past year, QQQ returned a total of 35.90%, which is significantly higher than VOO's 28.88% return. Over the past 10 years, QQQ has had annualized average returns of 18.75% , compared to 12.96% for VOO. These numbers are adjusted for stock splits and include dividends.

Example of a Solid Three-ETF Portfolio

One option for a solid three-ETF portfolio could be to include the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD), the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), and the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ).

ETFs can be safe investments if used correctly, offering diversification and flexibility. Indexed ETFs, tracking specific indexes like the S&P 500, are generally safe and tend to gain value over time. Leveraged ETFs can be used to amplify returns, but they can be riskier due to increased volatility.

For most individual investors, ETFs represent an ideal type of asset with which to build a diversified portfolio. In addition, ETFs tend to have much lower expense ratios compared to actively managed funds, can be more tax-efficient, and offer the option to immediately reinvest dividends.

Owning a lot of ETFs in your portfolio is likely a counterproductive move. With a rising number of ETFs in your portfolio, chances are that some will be redundant (i.e., overlap) with each other.

So if you're happy with a portfolio that performs comparably to the stock market as a whole, then sticking to S&P 500 ETFs alone isn't a bad idea. However, if you assemble a portfolio of individual stocks that perform better, you might enjoy a 12% or 15% return over time -- or more.