[ad_1] .couch-potato-2021 { margin-bottom: 1em; max-width: 100% } @media (max-width: 991px) { a.menu-button-link { width: 93% } } @media (min-width: 992px) { .couch-potato-2021-links { display: flex; flex-direction: row; flex-wrap: nowrap; justify-content: space-between; align-content: space-around; align-items: flex-start } } a.menu-button-link { display: inline-block; font-size: .8em; background-color: #e5eff6; color: #102f32; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none !important; margin: .5em; padding: .5em; border-radius: 4px; border: solid 1px rgb(35, 94, 99); max-width: 400px; } a.menu-button-link:hover { color: #e5eff6; background-color: #102f32; } Overview 5 ways to build a portfolio Core portfolios Advanced portfolios <!– Historical performance –> The MoneySense Canadian Couch Potato Portfolio Guide shows the many ways Canadian investors can access a couch potato portfolio. You don’t have to use exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to hold a couch potato portfolio, but ETFs are certainly the most common route to creating a sensible, low-fee, globally diversified portfolio. You’ll also find couch potato basics, plus links to the couch potato portfolio models. Here, though, I will compare the core couch potato portfolios with the advanced couch potato models. A classic core couch potato portfolio Here’s a core balanced couch potato portfolio. A classic balanced portfolio is typically made up of 60% stocks and 40% bonds. You could decide to increase growth (more stocks) or decrease it (fewer stocks), depending on your time horizon and tolerance for risk. This traditional couch potato portfolio approach invests in Canadian stocks, U.S. stocks, international developed market stocks and Canadian bonds. How did it do? Here’s the total return (including dividends and dividend reinvestment) from January 2015 to April 2022. The time period for this evaluation is based on the availability of the actual BMO ETFs. Source: portfoliovisualizer.com Source: portfoliovisualizer.com Here’s the returns for the individual assets for the period. Source: portfoliovisualizer.com The BMO Balanced Couch Potato Portfolio has delivered very solid annual returns since 2015. That said, the portfolio has come under stress over the last year, particularly in 2022 as stock and bond markets struggle with inflation and fears of rising interest rates. And now let’s have a look at the returns for the other balanced models from the MoneySense Canadian Couch Potato Portfolio Guide, including iShares Balanced Couch Potato Portfolio and Vanguard Balanced Couch Potato Portfolio, along with the above BMO Balanced Couch Potato Portfolio. Source: portfoliovisualizer.com You can see that the iShares two-ETF model underperforms the BMO four-ETF model for the three–year, five-year and full periods of evaluation. That is largely due to higher fees you would pay for the simplicity of the two-ETF model. Doing an extra bit of work and creating your own four-ETF couch potato model could be in your favour, if you’re comfortable with the additional portfolio rebalancing that would require. Both iShares and Vanguard offer ETFs with Canadian, U.S. and international stocks and Canadian bonds. You can build the four-ETF model using those ETF providers. The Vanguard portfolio is the laggard, as the all-world ETF in use offers 10% exposure to emerging markets. Unfortunately, these markets have poor outcomes from the pandemic. Plus, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and a potential redrawing of the global trade maps put added pressure on the fund’s performance and exacerbated the drops. Investors are surely taking the additional geopolitical risks of developing nations into consideration. Yves Rebetez, partner at research firm Credo Consulting, suggests that many investors might consider passing onemerging markets (EM) for the time being. He and I DM’d on Twitter: “Problems arise on democratic and individual freedoms. The composition of EM is a challenge. Saudi Arabia, China, Russia … well you get the gist of that argument which is why I respect the FRDM ETF. “The environment is rather challenging to say the least … and personally yeah I’d rather, for the moment, miss out on any opportunity to invest in emerging markets.” I will leave it up to you whether or not you add emerging markets (for example, via a global ETF that includes them) to your couch potato portfolio based on your financial goals and risk tolerance. The advanced couch potato portfolios Next, let’s look at the performance of the advanced couch potato portfolios at various risk levels. These portfolio models are constructed as all-weather portfolios. They should be ready for changes in the economic environment, including inflation or stagflation. I should note that the inflation-fighting assets—such as commodities, gold and commodity stocks—may not be necessary if you are in the accumulation stage, meaning you’re building up your portfolio. Over long periods of 15, 20 years or more, stock markets have made a wonderful inflation hedge. In retirement, or as we approach the retirement risk zone, protecting against near-term inflation risks is very important. Here are the compositions for each portfolio type. Advanced Conservative Portfolio Advanced Balanced Portfolio Advanced Balanced Growth Portfolio Let’s break down the performance of the advanced portfolios from January 2021 to April 2022. This period takes into account the start date for the ETF assets available. And the start date coincides with the beginning of inflation worries in early 2021. Admittedly, it’s a complete fluke that I looked at couch potato portfolios with inflation fighters just months before inflation and stagflation reared their ugly heads. Those readers who liked the idea of adding dedicated inflation-fighting assets have been rewarded. In this chart, we have a look at the advanced portfolio models at the three risk levels. Source: portfoliovisualizer.com Source: portfoliovisualizer.com You can see the balanced growth portfolio paces out front, thanks to its greater allocation to stocks. That portfolio built up a nice lead in 2021. And here are the returns for the portfolio assets for the same period. Source: portfoliovisualizer.com See how Canadian stocks led the way on the equity front, as emerging markets (XEC.TO) are at the back of the pack. Emerging markets are under pressure due to inflation and the war in Ukraine. Also, emerging markets can perform poorly when the U.S. dollar runs strong, and it’s nearing the highs of the last 10 years. The Purpose Diversified Real Asset ETF and real estate investment trusts