Hi there! Im still learning the ropes of Roth IRA and stock investments, but one thing has always bugged me ever since I started learning. EVERYONE always suggests VTIAX or VXUS or something very similar. I know it's good to diversify, but why diversify into something that doesnt make you any money? What exactly am I not seeing yet? Thanks for all your help in advance!
Wait... wat?
Neither of those funds are ones I've seen strongly suggested around these parts. They're both international index funds, so as such they wouldn't be a huge component of anyone's portfolio that was a basic indexer; maybe 10-20% maximum if you were the type to want to hold international at all.
The fund that IS the gold standard and highly recommended is VTSAX or VTI if you're doing ETFs - the Vanguard total stock market index (based in the U.S. market). And it tracks the overall market, so as long at the U.S. market is doing well, so does the fund.
Not sure who is telling you to go all in on international, but they're kind of screwy if so, or else you've got your funds confused maybe? There is a BIG difference in investing in the U.S. market index fund vs international index fund...