: Any Experience with the Gone Fishin' Portfolio? In doing research on How to Select IRA Investments, I stumbled across the Gone Fishin' Portfolio. This link where I found out about the portfolio claims that it is based on

Vote Up Vote Down   0 Reactions

Login to give Reaction!

Yes, the "based on" claim appears to be true – but the Nobel laureate did not personally design that specific investment portfolio ;-)

It looks like the Gone Fishin' Portfolio is made up of a selection of low-fee stock and bond index funds, diversified by geography and market-capitalization, and regularly rebalanced. Excerpt from another article, dated 2003:

The Gone Fishin’ Portfolio [circa 2003]

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index (VTSMX) – 15%
Vanguard Small-Cap Index (NAESX) – 15%
Vanguard European Stock Index (VEURX) – 10%
Vanguard Pacific Stock Index (VPACX) – 10%
Vanguard Emerging Markets Index (VEIEX) – 10%
Vanguard Short-term Bond Index (VFSTX) – 10%
Vanguard High-Yield Corporates Fund (VWEHX) – 10%
Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund (VIPSX) – 10%
Vanguard REIT Index (VGSIX) – 5%
Vanguard Precious Metals Fund (VGPMX) – 5%

That does appear to me to be an example of a portfolio based on Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT), "which tries to maximize portfolio expected return for a given amount of portfolio risk" (per Wikipedia). MPT was introduced by Harry Markowitz, who did go on to share the 1990 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. (Note: That is the economics equivalent of the original Nobel Prize.)

You'll find more information at NobelPrize.org - The Prize in Economics 1990 - Press Release.

Finally, for what it's worth, it isn't rocket science to build a similar portfolio. While I don't want to knock the Gone Fishin' Portfolio (I like most of its parts), there are many similar portfolios out there based on the same concepts. For instance, I'm reminded of a similar (though simpler) portfolio called the Couch Potato Portfolio, made popular by MoneySense magazine up here in Canada.

p.s. This other question about asset allocation is related and informative.