Poll: How much currently in equities?

[Lucantes]

Currently at 42% but will be increasing soon as moving $400K from cash into Vanguard funds soon.

 

[audreyh1]

Very surprised at the fairly low equity allocations. It just dawned on me that I have extremely limited means to rebalance since I only have CDs outside of stocks. I guess I would just let my allocation float down until Cds mature.

What do you consider low?

 

[samclem]

While I have everyone here, do you consider a pension as bonds in these calculations? It's a fixed income source.

No, I didn't include the NPV of my pension in this poll response. As you say, it is a bit like a bond (generates fixed income), but it's also unlike a bond (can't easily sell it to buy additional stocks). But, as I can count on the income stream from my pension to help meet my baseline spending, at does allow me to increase the portion of my portfolio in stocks (i.e. accept more volatility).

 

[Corporateburnout]

Very surprised at the fairly low equity allocations

I'm actually surprised that 20% of respondents are over 75% in equities but since the poll does not differentiate between working folks in the accumulation phase, retirees with pensions or people living off their portfolio it's hard to judge the risk/volatility that people are willing to take.

 

[Danmar]

About 60% if you take into account my pension as FI. All our actual portfolio are equities. For AA purposes you should definitely include the PV of pension as FI.
65 years old retired 9 years.

 

[utrecht]

Less than 20% as of now. I got spooked about 2 years ago and got very conservative (CDs, Stable Value) waiting for interest rates to rise, and waiting, and waiting...and missed a couple of very good years. Got lots and lots of dry power. Wish I had some of it when GE was trading at $6 etc...

You missed out on quite a run-up if you got spooked 2 years ago. SP500 is up about 22% or so incl dividends and that includes the recent drop.

 

[jkern]

About 25% including investment real estate. About 40% not including rentals.

 

[kcowan]

About 24% if you take into account my pensions as FI. For AA purposes, I have included the PV of pension as FI. I have two, one COLAd.

Currently sitting in cash equivalents for a planned rebalance to 32% equities. May increase it to 35% depending on recovery/depth of dip. Retired 13 years.

 

[tulak]

I'm actually surprised that 20% of respondents are over 75% in equities but since the poll does not differentiate between working folks in the accumulation phase, retirees with pensions or people living off their portfolio it's hard to judge the risk/volatility that people are willing to take.

That's an important distinction. I'm one of those that are 80%+ and still accumulating. If I was dependent on my portfolio for income, then it's quite possible that I would have less in equities.

 

[hnzw_rui]

I'm actually surprised that 20% of respondents are over 75% in equities but since the poll does not differentiate between working folks in the accumulation phase, retirees with pensions or people living off their portfolio it's hard to judge the risk/volatility that people are willing to take.

I'm still very early in the accumulation phase so 90/10 on the Roth IRA and 457 self-directed brokerage. If you include "cash" reserves earmarked as emergency funds though, more like 25/75.

 

[phil1ben]

Between 20-25% in stock. I am 55 (two kids in college and became empty nesters last week) and still working but have been FI since 40. My focus is heavily weighted towards asset retention rather than growth. Roughly I am 30% individual muni bonds, 20% cash (CDs one year or less and money market accounts), 20% individual stocks, 30% commercial real estate (individual properties) with no mortgages. Well aware of the inflation argument and boy do I know taxes.

This allocation has worked for me in my situation.

 

[THINKER]

65%

 

[mickeyd]

My AA is 50/50 but I can't recall which is stocks.

 

[NW-Bound]

I'm actually surprised that 20% of respondents are over 75% in equities but since the poll does not differentiate between working folks in the accumulation phase, retirees with pensions or people living off their portfolio it's hard to judge the risk/volatility that people are willing to take.

Some of the retirees have fairly high stock AA. I thought I was high at 60% (was 70% till recently), but they might have pension and/or SS, but I am living off my stash right now, and want to delay SS till at least FRA.

 

[NW-Bound]

120% Leverage baby! Eh, no, actually about 60%. I bet the 120%'ers make a lot o money though on this dip.

Making money on this dip by leveraging? Sure. Many leveraged ETFs have moved 10% to 12% a day, if you have the guts. But recently, the ones that make more money are the leveraged bear ETFs.

Just time it right and jump between 3X leveraged bull and bear ETFs, and one can make $100K a week and not even have to bet the whole farm. Just commit a few hundred $K to the game, and the nice thing is that, unlike trading on margin or playing options, you cannot lose more than what you put down.

Red or Black?

 

[braumeister]

For AA purposes you should definitely include the PV of pension as FI.

Reconsidering, this is probably correct, so I guess I should rephrase my reply.

I'm at 61% just looking at what I consider my portfolio (all liquid assets), but only 41% if I consider the PV of pensions and SS.

That's a big difference. I'm very lucky to have the guaranteed income, so I've always been comfortable with 60% or even more in equities, just looking at liquid assets.

 

[papadad111]

I am FIREd but also relatively younger being in mid to late 40s.

No pension. Only future SS.

Allocation to equities as percent of total absolute NW ( including house etc) is around 80 percent. It is a bit risky buy am worried about inflation effects over a 40 year horizon and can't justify dropping the AA to 50 or 60 percent when the 10 year bond is paying just a little more than 2%.

 

[Sycamore]

55%

 

[MichaelB]

For AA purposes you should definitely include the PV of pension as FI.
65 years old retired 9 years.

Or at least mention if you have significant pension or annuity income.

 

[foxfirev5]

With all the age/life/pension factors involved a simple poll number of equity % doesn't mean much. Also the advice we hear through the media doesn't mean much. Everybody needs to find their own path.

 

[prototype]

My Target is 55% and I think it was at or slightly above that not too long ago. But I updated I my "big" spreadsheet with all my liquid assets a couple a days ago and I was at 53%. May be closer to 52 after today.

So my vote went to the 45-54

Edit/clarification:

Situational Status:
Retired
No investment real estate owned.
Renting current residence.
Receiving modest non-COLA pension
Not collecting (or age eligible for) SS yet

Portfolio Buckets
tIRA - ~65%
After-Tax Money Bucket (to buy house in a couple of years) ~35%
Rest of After-Tax Money ~50%

 

[Birchwood]

When I retired last year, I made a drastic move when the market was up.
It was 33% Equity, 33% bond, and rest cash.
I figured the market is about to go into correction.

 

[eta2020]

96-97 percent
Same as always.

 

[MBAustin]

Around 55%. I've been moving us from 70-30 a few years ago down to 60-40ish and the correction overshot my allocation. But I don't plan to rebalance up as I rolled over my lump-sum pension last year, so I want to be a little bit more conservative than if I was drawing it as originally planned.

 

[BBQ-Nut]

Declining....daily....