Index Fund Advisors is headed up by Mark T. Hebner. It is an investment advisory firm using exclusively Dimensional Advisor Funds (DFA) and employing passive index strategies to achieve some very respectable returns.
IFA provides a wealth of fantastic information on investing on their site.
What is special about the Index Fund Advisors (IFA) Portfolios?
IFA’s portfolios are characterized by the tilt towards value and small-cap.
The portfolios also diversify into many asset classes. It helps as their returns are excellent. The free lunch of diversifying is working great.
The IFA portfolios use Dimensional Fund Advisors funds, but their portfolios can be perfectly replicated using Vanguard ETFs or iShares ETFs without suffering any performance hit.
It may still be worth it to invest with IFA as you get access to their skillful financial advice as well as behavioral guidance. They also do tax-loss harvesting within their accounts. So even though it may look like it is cheaper to do it yourself the outcome depends on your psychological profile and financial situation.
What is the asset allocation for Index Fund Advisors (IFA) portfolios?
Index Fund Advisors, Portfolio 10
1.20% US Large Cap Value (VTV)
1.20% US Large Cap (VV)
2.00% US Small Cap Value (VIOV)
2.00% US Small Cap (VIOO)
0.25% REITs (VNQ)
0.40% Emerging Markets (VWO)
0.60% International Large Cap Value (EFV)
0.60% International Small Cap Blend (VSS)
23.00% Short-Term Treasuries (VGSH)
0.60% International Small Cap Value (DLS)
0.50% Emerging Markets Small Cap (EWX)
0.40% Emerging Markets Value (FNDE)
22.50% 1 Year Fixed Income (BSV)
22.50% 2 Year Global Fixed Income (BNDX)
22.50% 5 Year Global Fixed Income (BND/BNDX)
0.25% International REITs (VNQI)
Index Fund Advisors, Portfolio 20
2.40% US Large Cap Value (VTV)
2.40% US Large Cap (VV)
4.00% US Small Cap Value (VIOV)
4.00% US Small Cap (VIOO)
0.50% REITs (VNQ)
0.80% Emerging Markets (VWO)
1.20% International Large Cap Value (EFV)
1.20% International Small Cap Blend (VSS)
20.00% Short-Term Treasuries (VGSH)
1.20% International Small Cap Value (DLS)
1.00% Emerging Markets Small Cap (EWX)
0.80% Emerging Markets Value (FNDE)
20.00% 1 Year Fixed Income (BSV)
20.00% 2 Year Global Fixed Income (BNDX)
20.00% 5 Year Global Fixed Income (BND/BNDX)
0.50% International REITs (VNQI)
Index Fund Advisors, Portfolio 30
3.60% US Large Cap Value (VTV)
3.60% US Large Cap (VV)
6.00% US Small Cap Value (VIOV)
6.00% US Small Cap (VIOO)
0.75% REITs (VNQ)
1.20% Emerging Markets (VWO)
1.80% International Large Cap Value (EFV)
1.80% International Small Cap Blend (VSS)
17.50% Short-Term Treasuries (VGSH)
1.80% International Small Cap Value (DLS)
1.50% Emerging Markets Small Cap (EWX)
1.20% Emerging Markets Value (FNDE)
17.50% 1 Year Fixed Income (BSV)
17.50% 2 Year Global Fixed Income (BNDX)
17.50% 5 Year Global Fixed Income (BND/BNDX)
0.75% International REITs (VNQI)
Index Fund Advisors, Portfolio 40
4.80% US Large Cap Value (VTV)
4.80% US Large Cap (VV)
8.00% US Small Cap Value (VIOV)
8.00% US Small Cap (VIOO)
1.00% REITs (VNQ)
1.60% Emerging Markets (VWO)
2.40% International Large Cap Value (EFV)
2.40% International Small Cap Blend (VSS)
15.00% Short-Term Treasuries (VGSH)
2.40% International Small Cap Value (DLS)
2.00% Emerging Markets Small Cap (EWX)
1.60% Emerging Markets Value (FNDE)
15.00% 1 Year Fixed Income (BSV)
15.00% 2 Year Global Fixed Income (BNDX)
15.00% 5 Year Global Fixed Income (BND/BNDX)
1.00% International REITs (VNQI)
Index Fund Advisors, Portfolio 50
6.00% US Large Cap Value (VTV)
6.00% US Large Cap (VV)
10.00% US Small Cap Value (VIOV)
10.00% US Small Cap (VIOO)
1.25% REITs (VNQ)
2.00% Emerging Markets (VWO)
3.00% International Large Cap Value (EFV)
3.00% International Small Cap Blend (VSS)
12.50% Short-Term Treasuries (VGSH)
3.00% International Small Cap Value (DLS)
2.50% Emerging Markets Small Cap (EWX)
2.00% Emerging Markets Value (FNDE)
12.50% 1 Year Fixed Income (BSV)
12.50% 2 Year Global Fixed Income (BNDX)
12.50% 5 Year Global Fixed Income (BND/BNDX)
1.25% International REITs (VNQI)
Index Fund Advisors, Portfolio 60
7.20% US Large Cap Value (VTV)
7.20% US Large Cap (VV)
12.00% US Small Cap Value (VIOV)
12.00% US Small Cap (VIOO)
1.50% REITs (VNQ)
2.40% Emerging Markets (VWO)
3.60% International Large Cap Value (EFV)
3.60% International Small Cap Blend (VSS)
10.00% Short-Term Treasuries (VGSH)
3.60% International Small Cap Value (DLS)
3.00% Emerging Markets Small Cap (EWX)
2.40% Emerging Markets Value (FNDE)
10.00% 1 Year Fixed Income (BSV)
10.00% 2 Year Global Fixed Income (BNDX)
10.00% 5 Year Global Fixed Income (BND/BNDX)
1.50% International REITs (VNQI)
Index Fund Advisors, Portfolio 70
8.40% US Large Cap Value (VTV)
8.40% US Large Cap (VV)
14.00% US Small Cap Value (VIOV)
14.00% US Small Cap (VIOO)
1.75% REITs (VNQ)
2.80% Emerging Markets (VWO)
4.20% International Large Cap Value (EFV)
4.20% International Small Cap Blend (VSS)
7.50% Short-Term Treasuries (VGSH)
4.20% International Small Cap Value (DLS)
3.50% Emerging Markets Small Cap (EWX)
2.80% Emerging Markets Value (FNDE)
7.50% 1 Year Fixed Income (BSV)
7.50% 2 Year Global Fixed Income (BNDX)
7.50% 5 Year Global Fixed Income (BND/BNDX)
1.75% International REITs (VNQI)
Index Fund Advisors, Portfolio 80
9.60% US Large Cap Value (VTV)
9.60% US Large Cap (VV)
16.00% US Small Cap Value (VIOV)
16.00% US Small Cap (VIOO)
2.00% REITs (VNQ)
3.20% Emerging Markets (VWO)
4.80% International Large Cap Value (EFV)
4.80% International Small Cap Blend (VSS)
5.00% Short-Term Treasuries (VGSH)
4.80% International Small Cap Value (DLS)
4.00% Emerging Markets Small Cap (EWX)
3.20% Emerging Markets Value (FNDE)
5.00% 1 Year Fixed Income (BSV)
5.00% 2 Year Global Fixed Income (BNDX)
5.00% 5 Year Global Fixed Income (BND/BNDX)
2.00% International REITs (VNQI)
Index Fund Advisors, Portfolio 90
10.80% US Large Cap Value (VTV)
10.80% US Large Cap (VV)
18.00% US Small Cap Value (VIOV)
18.00% US Small Cap (VIOO)
2.25% REITs (VNQ)
3.60% Emerging Markets (VWO)
5.40% International Large Cap Value (EFV)
5.40% International Small Cap Blend (VSS)
2.50% Short-Term Treasuries (VGSH)
5.40% International Small Cap Value (DLS)
4.50% Emerging Markets Small Cap (EWX)
3.60% Emerging Markets Value (FNDE)
2.50% 1 Year Fixed Income (BSV)
2.50% 2 Year Global Fixed Income (BNDX)
2.50% 5 Year Global Fixed Income (BND/BNDX)
2.25% International REITs (VNQI)
Index Fund Advisors, Portfolio 100
The portfolio will soon be added!
What are som good alternatives to Index Fund Advisors (IFA) Portfolios?
The three most similar groups of portfolios to the Index Fund Advisors (IFA) Portfolios. The first group of portfolios is David Booth’s portfolios. David Booth is the CEO of [Dimensional Advisor Funds](https://us.dimensional.
com/), so no surprise why the portfolios are similar.
The IFA portfolios are very complex. They all have many assets classes
Suggestions for your next steps
If you have already committed to a portfolio then maybe you need help maintaining the portfolio. In this case you will find our rebalance worksheet useful.
Rebalancing your portfolio lowers your risk and may provide higher returns in the long run. It is completely FREE.
The best index fund to invest in 2022 is the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI).
What is the 10 year average return on the S&P 500?
The average return of the S&P for the past 10 years has been 16.52.
Can you lose all your money in an index fund?
No, that is extremely unlikely. If you hold a total stock market ETF then all the companies within that ETF need to go bankrupt for you to lose all your money. Vanguard’s Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) holds over 1000 different stocks.