Anyone investing in 90%+ in equities??

[ransom132]

I am just curious, right now I am following the Canadian couch potato vanguard model (60% VXC All world except Canada, 30% VCN Canada All cap index and 10% VAB Canadian Aggregate Bond), I am 34 years old and I intend to stay that aggressive till I die. Am I the only one here who does this or do most of you start playing it safer as you age? By the way, I am very comfortable at putting 90% on equities at this moment, but I always wonder as I get older if it would be financially suicidal keeping it at 90% equities.

[MOD NOTE: Added poll.  I just did 10% brackets, with a separate 0% and 100% option, as they're rather unique.]

[FIRE_Buckeye]

I'd imagine most here under 40/50 will be as heavily invested in equities if not higher.
At 27 years old, outside of my emergency fund, I'm 100% invested in equities and have no plan to change that for decades.

[MDM]

See Equity Glide Paths — Bogleheads versus Target Funds for a similar discussion.

[Much Fishing to Do]

I'm comfortable at my current 90+%, but I have my house paid off (worth about 20% of my net worth) so that somewhat reduces my risk/return like a cash holding would.

[FormerMoneyMoron]

Im 35, house paid off too and using the canadian couch patato approach (50 INTER. 30 CAN. and 20 BONDS) But I'm thinking switching to something similar to you (60/30/10) next time i'll balance...

[Mr. Green]

We are 100% equities. I'm thinking about moving to 90/10 though.

[pdxvandal]

I'm at about 91/9 and I'm 41 years old, currently not working. I consider the 225k equity in my rental property as a hedge.

[davisgang90]

I'm 95% equities.  I am in a unique position however, I'm 2 years from a military retirement which is guaranteed by the feds and comes with cost of living adjustments.  So I treat that retirement stream like a whole bunch of bonds.

[lordmetroid]

150% leverage is your friend!

[Radagast]

In theory I keep 1/12 in very long duration US government bonds, which don't really even count as bonds. In practice I have money in the bank and some old savings bonds from when I was kid, so I voted 80-90%.

[Juan Ponce de León]

150% leverage is your friend!

There really does need to be more options in the poll.

[Greenway52]

I'm 100% equity as well and no plans to change that in the immediate future. Though I do have a fairly large amount in a High Interest Savings Account.

[Beardog]

I'm 56 yo and have 30% in equities.  I had more in equities when I was younger.  I'm FI and working part time.  However, I may stop working at any time and if I do I want to have cold, hard cash (or something equaly reliable) in the bank to take me down the path to collecting SS at age 70.  (I am one of those folks who believe SS will be there when I'm ready to retire and am including it as part of my retirement plan, however, I am FI without it.)

[chasesfish]

Sure am, I have FI money and am still working.

Some of my stock holdings are quasi-bonds (some small caps with dividends and minimal debt)

[arebelspy]

150% leverage is your friend!

There really does need to be more options in the poll.

The question covers that scenario, actually.

It say "just counting your paper assets"--it doesn't ask about your liabilities.  In other words, total up your paper assets..what percent is equities?  Leverage have no impact on this.  You could have no leverage, or 100% leverage in acquiring those assets, but of those assets, what percent are equities.  :)

What it doesn't cover, just asking about paper, is the person who holds physical gold, real estate, cash, etc.  But each other option you add exponentially increases the potential responses, due to combinations mathematics.  I figured this got at--to a close enough approximation--what the OP was looking for in asking his question.

[arebelspy]

If you have various holdings within different accounts (due to 401k limitations, for example), this tool is pretty great for getting percentages without having to do a bunch of calculations yourself:
http://portfolio.morningstar.com/Rtport/Free/InstantXRayDEntry.aspx

[Gonzo]

If you have various holdings within different accounts (due to 401k limitations, for example), this tool is pretty great for getting percentages without having to do a bunch of calculations yourself:
http://portfolio.morningstar.com/Rtport/Free/InstantXRayDEntry.aspx

If you can shrug off an occasional sales call, I like Personal Capital better for showing AA.  The advantage is that it will keep your accounts synced, so the information is always current. 

[Gonzo]

Bonds look terrible to me right now, and I'm not going to buy them.  I have taken other steps to provide stability to my portfolio.  If you think bonds are attractive investments, get a huge pile of them.  Maybe you're right and I'm wrong. 

[human]

I'm 100% as well. I have a pension coming in at least 12 years. Since I started saving late in life I decided to just keep working for an early pension. If by some miracle I have saved more than currently planned a few years before my target date I may quit early but doubt I will.

The investments won't need to be touched when I do retire with my pension. I may switch to some bonds 10 years after retire.

Since the op is cdn I thought I would mention that my allocation is 85% vxc and 15% vcn.

I do have vdu and vun, which I got just as vxc was getting popular. I'm not sure when I'll swap those.

[Space Pickle]

I am also Canadian and just started investing. 100% in equities, although I have a defined benefit pension plan from my job, so I don't worry too much.

[talltexan]

I recently shifted 10% of my Roth IRA into bonds (I'm 36); the Roth is where you want your bonds (since the tax man is pretty harsh on them), so I figure that stake will stablize value there a little better while I swing for the fences in my pre-tax account.

[zephyr911]

I'm just over 90% in my retirement accounts.

Breakdown:
IRAs: ~175k, 100% equities
TSP: ~70k, contributions buy 10% govt bonds and 20% commercial bonds; current AA totals 27% bonds due to higher returns on other funds.

The TSP is more a product of inertia than anything else... I picked an AA based on various readings back when they first opened TSP to military, and I've never changed it. When I leave govt, I'll probably roll it over and buy 100% equities.

Reasons: near-term FIRE income is all from real estate and PT work; we're DINKs, and DW alone could pay our bills; and finally, I have pensions that will kick in some day, so my overall risk tolerance is higher than average.

[Kalergie]

It would be more helpful to take into account age or years before retirement. Could make a very telling scatter chart with that data.
I'm 33, 100% equities.

[zephyr911]

It would be more helpful to take into account age or years before retirement. Could make a very telling scatter chart with that data.
I'm 33, 100% equities.

I will probably stay 100% equities for life, as long as my total NW overshoots my needs by as much as I expect it too. I calculated yesterday that we could have $2M in stocks when I'm 60 and not have to touch it. In that case, it all stays in stocks for the higher returns, which fund charities and family giving, etc.

[TheAnonOne]

I am 100% VTSAX currently @ $227k

This is more a symptom of me 1-1.5 years ago getting more into the MMM world and really starting to save. Focusing on spending and saving more than exactly what I am in (though VTSAX is a great option).

I think ideally, I would still be 100% stocks but 40-50 percent international. Bonds don't really interest me, given that I am 7-9 years from FIRE and even then, the case for them is weak IMO.

[Mississippi Mudstache]

I was at 92% equities/8% bonds at my last re-balancing.