“VTI already fully includes VOO (by weight, the VOO part is over 80% of VTI right now). It rarely if ever makes sense to hold both. VXUS is a more natural complement, as VTI only covers the U.S. and VXUS covers outside the US. There have been many times when market favor was outside the U.S. and favor can flip extremely quickly and unexpectedly,” one comment reads.

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Another comment highlighted the importance of international stocks and noted that Vanguard advises investors to ensure that 40% of their portfolio is allocated to international stocks.

“Vanguard: 40% of the stock is recommended to be international,” the comment says.

Invest in Growth-Focused Stocks and Buy Bonds Closer to Retirement

With 12 years left until retirement, the r/ETFs community recommended that the investor prioritize stock-heavy allocations to maximize growth potential.

“Everyone has different levels of risk they’re willing to take with the ‘safe’ part of the portfolio. For better-expected growth, you’d up the VTI/VXUS part, many would prefer the ‘safe’ part of the portfolio to be much more on the safer side,” one comment reads.

Although bonds are a safer investment, which is beneficial closer to retirement, they also have lower returns. The community suggested that the investor weigh this trade-off carefully.

“BND adjusts the safety of the portfolio. [ …] However, bonds do have lower expected returns than stocks, but there have been times when bonds would have been the better choice even after a decade,” one Redditor wrote.

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Another commenter emphasized that bonds are crucial as retirement nears.

“BND is super important to consider as you approach retirement. Anyone saying otherwise doesn’t understand long-term investing,” the Reddit member said.

However, the majority consensus was that the investor should shift to bonds closer to retirement instead of prioritizing them now. The 50-year-old acknowledged this advice in his reply to a comment.

“I think from what everyone has shared here, there is no need to contribute to BND during this wealth-building time. My risk tolerance is moderate. Looks like I need a diverse mix of stocks (domestic and international) and let it ride,” he wrote.

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This article ‘I’m 50 And Behind On Retirement’ – Reddit Debates: ‘Should I Invest More In BND Or Let It Ride In VTI And VOO For A Few More Years?’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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