{"id":280794,"date":"2024-07-16T15:15:05","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T15:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/?post_type=how-to&#038;p=280794"},"modified":"2024-07-16T15:15:27","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T15:15:27","slug":"investing-how-to-build-an-investment-portfolio","status":"publish","type":"how-to","link":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-build-an-investment-portfolio","title":{"rendered":"How to Build an Investment Portfolio: Plan, Research &amp; Diversify"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Conventional wisdom tells us <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/risk-diversification\">not to put all our eggs in one basket<\/a>. Another school of thought suggests doing exactly the opposite, but then watching that single basket like a mother hawk.<\/p>\n<p>When you think about it, though, the latter kind of investor \u2013 those with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/portfolio-investment\">financial portfolio<\/a> that consists mainly of one type of asset \u2013 is bound to stumble and bear losses sooner or later.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of anyone&#8217;s best intentions, all investments that can yield a decent return can also lose value.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s why you need to know how to build an investment portfolio; for beginners, this largely revolves around <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/diversification\">diversification<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#dddddd;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#F7F7F7;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">\n<h2><span id=\"key_takeaways\">Key Takeaways<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>There is no single, magical &#8220;best investment portfolio.&#8221; You have to tailor yours to your risk tolerance and personalized investment goals.<\/li>\n<li>Once these have been determined, you have a variety of investment vehicles and assets to choose from.<\/li>\n<li>Importantly, though, your portfolio should include a broad mixture of assets so that one bad investment can&#8217;t sink you.<\/li>\n<li>You can find plenty of good, but sometimes contradictory, advice on building a portfolio online. However, this is one area in which professional advice is worth paying for.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div>\n    <section class=\"toc-sticky w-100 bg-white \">\n        <div class=\"toc-sticky__container container\">\n            <div class=\"toc-sticky__open d-flex align-items-end\" data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\"\n                 aria-controls=\"multiCollapse1\"\n                 data-bs-target=\"#multiCollapse1\">\n                <button\n                        class=\"btn btn-primary collapse-action-btn p-1 rounded-circle\"\n                        type=\"button\"\n                >\n                    <i class=\"icon-chevron-up\"><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <span id=\"toc-current-title\" class=\"d-flex align-items-center\">\n                    Table of Contents\n                <\/span>\n                <span class=\"toc-main-title-permanent\">Table of Contents<\/span>\n            <\/div>\n            <div\n                    class=\"collapse my-3\"\n                    id=\"multiCollapse1\"\n            >\n                <ol class=\"StepProgress\">\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item current\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"key_takeaways\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"key_takeaways\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Key Takeaways<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"how_to_build_an_investment_portfolio_step-by-step_guide\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"how_to_build_an_investment_portfolio_step-by-step_guide\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">How to Build an Investment Portfolio: Step-by-Step Guide<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"a_contrarian_view_when_the_best_investment_portfolio_isnt_diversified\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"a_contrarian_view_when_the_best_investment_portfolio_isnt_diversified\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">A Contrarian View: When the Best Investment Portfolio Isn't Diversified<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"the_bottom_line\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"the_bottom_line\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">The Bottom Line<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"faqs\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"faqs\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">FAQs<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"references\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"references\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">References<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                    <\/ol>\n                <div class=\"toc-sticky__container__disperse\"><\/div>\n                <div class=\"toc-sticky__btn-top justify-content-center\">\n                    <button class=\"btn btn-link d-flex align-items-center\" onclick={btnTop()}><p>Show Full Guide<\/p><img decoding=\"async\"\n                                src=\"\/wp-content\/plugins\/table-of-contents\/assets\/images\/arrow-up-circle.svg\"\n                                alt=\"arrow-up-circle\">\n                    <\/button>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n    <div class=\"toc-sticky-list\">\n        <div class=\"toc-sticky__container container\">\n            <div class=\"toc-sticky__open d-flex align-items-end\" data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\" aria-controls=\"multiCollapse2\" data-bs-target=\"#multiCollapse2\">\n                <button class=\"btn btn-primary collapse-action-btn p-1 rounded-circle\"\n                        type=\"button\">\n                    <i class=\"icon-chevron-up up\"><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <span id=\"toc-current-title\" class=\"d-flex align-items-center\">\n                    Table of Contents\n                <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n            <div  class=\"collapse my-3\" id=\"multiCollapse2\">\n                <ol class=\"StepProgress\">\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t                                                     <li class=\"StepProgress-item current \">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"key_takeaways\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"key_takeaways\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Key Takeaways<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t                                                     <li class=\"StepProgress-item \">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"how_to_build_an_investment_portfolio_step-by-step_guide\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"how_to_build_an_investment_portfolio_step-by-step_guide\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">How to Build an Investment Portfolio: Step-by-Step Guide<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t                                                     <li class=\"StepProgress-item \">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"a_contrarian_view_when_the_best_investment_portfolio_isnt_diversified\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"a_contrarian_view_when_the_best_investment_portfolio_isnt_diversified\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">A Contrarian View: When the Best Investment Portfolio Isn't Diversified<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <span class=\"show_moretoc\">Show Full Guide<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"the_bottom_line\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"the_bottom_line\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">The Bottom Line<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"faqs\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"faqs\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">FAQs<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                 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essential to include a variety of assets to achieve a well-balanced portfolio.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Portfolio-Investment-300x186.jpg\" alt=\"Portfolio Investment\" width=\"1200\" height=\"743\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-280875\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Portfolio-Investment-300x186.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Portfolio-Investment-1024x634.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Portfolio-Investment-768x476.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Portfolio-Investment-1200x743.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Portfolio-Investment.jpg 1390w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>However, this doesn&#8217;t exactly tell you how to build a portfolio that&#8217;s going to meet your particular needs.<\/p>\n<p>Your needs are, in fact, the best starting point: let&#8217;s break them down into something more cogent than: &#8220;I want to make money.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3>Step 1. Define Your Time-Bound Goals<\/h3>\n<p>Everybody has goals: to lose weight, get promoted, become rich. It&#8217;s kind of an open secret that those who know exactly what they want to achieve, and by when, tend to make the best plans.<\/p>\n<p>Now, you probably have multiple investing goals. Try to put a dollar value on each of them. Now, divide them into short-term (achievable within 12 months), medium-term (between 1 and 5 years), and long-term (more than 5 years) categories. You&#8217;ll probably end up with something like this:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/How-to-Build-an-Investment-Portfolio-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Savings and Investment Goals\" width=\"1200\" height=\"801\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-280989\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/How-to-Build-an-Investment-Portfolio-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/How-to-Build-an-Investment-Portfolio-1-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/How-to-Build-an-Investment-Portfolio-1-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/How-to-Build-an-Investment-Portfolio-1-1200x801.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/How-to-Build-an-Investment-Portfolio-1.jpg 1390w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Step 2. Assess Your Risk Tolerance<\/h3>\n<p>This exercise can be a real eye-opener. With just a little more work, though, it tells you exactly how to build a portfolio. In particular, your goals determine not just what you hope to gain, but what you can afford to place in less reliable investments. Incidentally, your goals also tell you how much you need to save and invest.<\/p>\n<p>Timeframes dictate risk. If you&#8217;ll need $50,000 for a new car, soon, and have $45,000 right now, putting everything in a personal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/best-stock-portfolio-trackers\">stock portfolio<\/a> may mean not being able to afford it \u2013 bonds may be advisable in this investment portfolio example.<\/p>\n<p>If your focus is on the longer term, you have time to recover from temporary reversals and can take on more risk.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 3. Choose an Appropriate Account Type<\/h3>\n<p>Your risk profile brings us to the <a href=\"https:\/\/investor.vanguard.com\/investor-resources-education\/how-to-invest\/investment-accounts\" target=\"_blank\">kind of investment account<\/a> you need. When planning decades ahead, tax implications should be on your mind. In the shorter term, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/liquidity\">liquidity<\/a> and safety are greater priorities.<\/p>\n<p>If your employer offers a 401(k) plan, that&#8217;s a great place to start. Still, you may also want to look into something like a personalized<a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-open-a-brokerage-account\"> investment account<\/a> at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/best-online-stock-brokers\">stock broker<\/a>. The rules governing the various options are tricky, though, so it&#8217;s worth spending some time researching these.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/How-Do-Brokerage-Accounts-Work-300x226.jpg\" alt=\"How Do Brokerage Accounts Work\" width=\"1200\" height=\"903\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-280918\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/How-Do-Brokerage-Accounts-Work-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/How-Do-Brokerage-Accounts-Work-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/How-Do-Brokerage-Accounts-Work-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/How-Do-Brokerage-Accounts-Work-1200x903.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/How-Do-Brokerage-Accounts-Work.jpg 1390w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re investing for particular goals, a specialized account may be just what you need, especially if you&#8217;re concerned about taxes.<\/p>\n<p>Examples include the 529 plan for your kids&#8217; education, an HSA to cover future medical expenses, or a high-yield savings account that allows quick access to some of your funds.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 4. Select Financial Assets to Invest In<\/h3>\n<p>Referring back to the amount of risk you&#8217;re willing to accept in the short, medium, and long term, you now get to decide which kinds of investments suit you best. As a rule of thumb, those that are the most<a href=\"https:\/\/corporatefinanceinstitute.com\/resources\/career-map\/sell-side\/capital-markets\/volatility-vol\/\" target=\"_blank\"> volatile<\/a> also have the greatest potential upside.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Major-Types-of-Investments-300x237.jpg\" alt=\"Major Types of Investments\" width=\"1200\" height=\"948\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-280923\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Major-Types-of-Investments-300x237.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Major-Types-of-Investments-1024x809.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Major-Types-of-Investments-768x607.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Major-Types-of-Investments-1200x948.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Major-Types-of-Investments.jpg 1390w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s take a look at some of the most common types:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/stock\"><strong>Stocks<\/strong><\/a>: Considered somewhat risky, the average stock market return is about 10% per year for nearly the last century, as measured by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/sp-500-index\">S&amp;P 500 index<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/bond\"><strong>Bonds<\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> U.S. Treasuries are considered safer but don&#8217;t yield much. However, there are also foreign government bonds and corporate debt to invest in; these are somewhat less solid.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/investment-fund\"><strong>Investment Funds<\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> Some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-invest-in-mutual-funds\">mutual funds<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-invest-in-etfs\">ETFs<\/a> invest in a mixture of different types of assets and are, therefore, diversified and relatively stable. Specialized funds and REITs, by contrast, concentrate on particular sectors and can be badly hit by a downturn in those markets.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Alternative Investments:<\/strong> These <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cfainstitute.org\/en\/membership\/professional-development\/refresher-readings\/introduction-alternative-investments\" target=\"_blank\">run the gamut<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-invest-in-gold\">gold<\/a> to complex financial <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/derivative\">derivatives<\/a>. The nature of their risk varies accordingly.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cash:<\/strong> This doesn&#8217;t have to mean stuffing dollar bills into your mattress. Certificates of deposit (CDs), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/money-market-funds\">money market funds<\/a>, and savings accounts are all considered cash: easily accessible and safe.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Step 5. Diversify Your Portfolio<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p><i>&#8220;Don&#8217;t look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack!&#8221; \u2013 John C. Bogle<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Diversification is something you need to pay attention to even if your assets are divided among multiple accounts, or you don&#8217;t manage your portfolio yourself. The trick is to spread your investments around several different markets so that any one taking a hit doesn&#8217;t affect you too badly.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Diversification-Strategies-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Diversification Strategies\" width=\"1200\" height=\"901\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-280934\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Diversification-Strategies-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Diversification-Strategies-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Diversification-Strategies-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Diversification-Strategies-1200x901.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Diversification-Strategies.jpg 1390w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There are many different ways to segment the global economy into distinct markets, though. You may even believe that your financial portfolio is diversified when nothing could be further from the truth. When you build a portfolio, take the following types of diversification into account:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Asset classes:<\/strong> Dividing your investments among stocks, bonds, and other types of securities cushions you against most blows.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Volatility:<\/strong> Using several kinds of investments also reduces your short-term risk \u2013 if your stock portfolio becomes wobbly, bonds act as a stable counterweight.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Industries:<\/strong> What&#8217;s bad for one company often benefits another. If you own both airline and petroleum stock, for example, you&#8217;re hedged against fluctuations in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/oil-price-forecast\">oil price<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Liquidity:<\/strong> It&#8217;s always possible that you&#8217;ll need cash in a hurry. Should this happen, you&#8217;ll be glad to own some assets that can be sold quickly: stocks, CDs, etc.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Regional:<\/strong> While many investors are satisfied sticking to the U.S., putting some of your money offshore insulates you against trouble with the dollar or American economy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Step 6. Monitor &amp; Adjust<\/h3>\n<p>As you grow older and, hopefully, wealthier, your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/investment-strategy\">personalized investment strategy<\/a> will have to evolve.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, the value and outlook of different assets will change, necessitating a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/how-to-rebalance-your-crypto-portfolio\">rebalancing<\/a> of your stock portfolio and other holdings.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"a_contrarian_view_when_the_best_investment_portfolio_isnt_diversified\">A Contrarian View: When the Best Investment Portfolio Isn&#8217;t Diversified<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>All along, we&#8217;ve said that diversification is how to build an investment portfolio. 90% of the time, for 90% of the people, this is entirely true. Yet not everyone agrees:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;<i>Wide diversification is only required when investors don&#8217;t know what they&#8217;re doing.&#8221; \u2013 Warren Buffett<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>In other words, if you have both a comprehensive financial background and detailed industry knowledge, you may know how to build a portfolio that&#8217;s neither widely diversified nor risky.<\/p>\n<p>This isn&#8217;t meant as advice, though: it&#8217;s rarely wise to bet against the combined wisdom of thousands of market analysts.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"the_bottom_line\">The Bottom Line<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While investing only in a single asset class, sector, or even stock is possible, the dangers of doing so are huge. Building a diversified financial portfolio is much safer and should yield adequate returns.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, figuring out the best investment portfolio for your particular needs isn&#8217;t always straightforward. There&#8217;s no shame in asking for advice, either from a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-choose-a-financial-advisor\">qualified financial planner<\/a> or even trying a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/best-investment-apps\">robo-advisor app<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><i><div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>Do your own research and always remember your investment decision depends on your attitude to risk, your expertise in the financial markets, and how comfortable you feel about losing money.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>The information in this guide does not constitute investment advice and is meant for informational purposes only.<\/i><br \/>\n<i><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"faqs\">FAQs<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"man_faq_sec\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\"><section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">How do I create my investment portfolio?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">First, you figure out what you want to achieve. Next, decide what kind of account and assets align with your goals, then see how you can diversify your investments.<\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What is the three-fund portfolio rule?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">The basic idea is to split your portfolio into three asset classes, perhaps using separate funds concentrated respectively in U.S. stocks, U.S. bonds, and international equities. Like many financial truisms, this is good advice but not applicable to everyone or in all circumstances.<\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What is the 60\/40 portfolio rule?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">Investing 60% of your portfolio in stocks (which are volatile but yield higher returns on average) and 40% in bonds (which don\u2019t make as much money but are safer) is a common diversification strategy. Younger investors, who tend to have a higher risk tolerance, often place more than 60% in stocks.<\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What does a good investment portfolio look like?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">In general, you should try to build a portfolio that contains a good mixture of promising but more volatile assets and stabler, less rewarding securities. It should be constructed based on your personalized investment goals.<\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<div class=\"reference-content\">\n<div class=\"reference-heading reference-content-collapsible-heading\">\n<h2><span id=\"references\">References<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"reference-content-body\">\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/investor.vanguard.com\/investor-resources-education\/how-to-invest\/investment-accounts\" target=\"_blank\"><span>Choosing investment accounts<\/span><\/a> (Investor.vanguard)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/corporatefinanceinstitute.com\/resources\/career-map\/sell-side\/capital-markets\/volatility-vol\/\" target=\"_blank\">Volatility &#8211; Overview, Example Calculations, and Types of Vol<\/a> (Corporatefinanceinstitute)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cfainstitute.org\/en\/membership\/professional-development\/refresher-readings\/introduction-alternative-investments\" target=\"_blank\">Introduction to Alternative Investments<\/a> (Cfainstitute)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Conventional wisdom tells us not to put all our eggs in one basket. Another school of thought suggests doing exactly the opposite, but then watching that single basket like a mother hawk. When you think about it, though, the latter kind of investor \u2013 those with a financial portfolio that consists mainly of one type [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":286908,"featured_media":281105,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1237],"class_list":["post-280794","how-to","type-how-to","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-investing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.8 (Yoast SEO v23.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Build an Investment Portfolio: Research &amp; Diversify - Techopedia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to build an investment portfolio that is profitable and resilient. 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Define your goals, select the right assets, and diversify your investments.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-build-an-investment-portfolio\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Techopedia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/techopedia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-07-16T15:15:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1280\u00d7720-Featured-Image-How-To-Build-an-Investment-Portfolio.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@techopedia\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-build-an-investment-portfolio#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-build-an-investment-portfolio\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jasper Lawler\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/#\/schema\/person\/818af6482e17cc1ce0398be23b9f2c0e\"},\"headline\":\"How to Build an Investment Portfolio: Plan, Research &amp; Diversify\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-07-16T15:15:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-07-16T15:15:27+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-build-an-investment-portfolio\"},\"wordCount\":1623,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-build-an-investment-portfolio#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1280\u00d7720-Featured-Image-How-To-Build-an-Investment-Portfolio.jpg\",\"articleSection\":\"\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-build-an-investment-portfolio#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-build-an-investment-portfolio\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-build-an-investment-portfolio\",\"name\":\"How to Build an Investment Portfolio: Research & Diversify - Techopedia\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-build-an-investment-portfolio#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/investing\/how-to-build-an-investment-portfolio#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1280\u00d7720-Featured-Image-How-To-Build-an-Investment-Portfolio.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-07-16T15:15:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-07-16T15:15:27+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn how to build an investment portfolio that is profitable and resilient. 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Today, he applies his financial expertise to content creation as the founder of Trading Writers, a niche content marketing agency for the finance sector. Jasper's articles can be found on Techopedia, Seeking Alpha, UK Investor Magazine, Trade2win, Investing.com, FXStreet, Trading212.com, FlowBank.com, and Capital.com. His analysis has been quoted in prestigious publications such as the Financial Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, AFP, and City AM. Jasper's transition from stockbroker to content creator highlights his deep understanding of the financial markets and his ability to convey complex financial concepts through engaging content. Articles published on: Techopedia, Seeking Alpha, UK Investor Magazine, Trade2win, Investing.com, FXStreet, Trading 212.com, FlowBank.com, Capital.com Analysis quoted in: Financial Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, AFP, City AM. 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