FAQ & HOW-TO

Here are several handy guides to help you navigate the website and manage your account.

How do I contact Jeff?

You can reach me at support@independentvanguardadviser.com. I’ll do my best to respond in a timely fashion.

Will you be mailing a print version of the newsletter?

No. This is a digital-only service at this time.

How do I create a password for the website?

No passwords are required.

This platform does not use unique passwords. Instead, when you log in, you must enter your email address. You'll then receive an email with a link automatically logging you in. (Check your spam folder if you don't see the email.)

Here is a step-by-step guide to logging into your account.

Can I pay by check?

Sorry, but at this time, we cannot accept payment by check.

Which Portfolio should I follow?

Our models are not intended as personal recommendations. Consider them a template for how investors with different risk tolerances, goals and objectives might invest.

Our Aggressive Portfolio is intended for investors comfortable with high risk who can endure the full ups and downs of the stock market. Ask yourself: Did I stay invested through the Global Financial Crisis (2007-2009), the COVID panic (March 2020) and/or the inflationary bear market of 2022? Do you have a time horizon of at least a decade? If you answered “Yes” to all those, you might be an aggressive investor.

Our Growth Portfolio is geared toward investors prioritizing capital appreciation but not wanting to be fully exposed to the stock market's swings. (There’s nothing wrong with that; not everyone was built to be all-in on the stock market.) You can expect around 80%-85% of this portfolio to be invested in stocks (or other growth-oriented assets). You should still have a time horizon of 10 years or so to follow this model.

Our Moderate Portfolio is our take on the classic, balanced portfolio of 60% stocks and 40% bonds. It is designed for investors looking to balance growth and income. You should still measure your time horizon in years.

Our Conservative Portfolio is built with more, well, conservative investors in mind. You can expect around 35% of this portfolio to be invested in stocks (or other growth-oriented assets). Investors who don’t want or need to take on as much stock-market risk should consider this portfolio. If your investment time horizon is under five years, consider this portfolio.

Our Aggressive ETF Portfolio is an all-ETF version of our Aggressive Portfolio for those investors who don’t want to own actively managed funds.

I was following one of the Model Portfolios at your prior publication; which Portfolio should I follow now?

If you followed our prior publication, you should be able to pick up where you left off. We have changed the names to be more intuitive.

Here’s how the old Model Portfolios translate to the new Portfolios.

  • If you followed the Growth Model Portfolio, consider the Aggressive Portfolio.
  • If you followed the Conservative Growth Model Portfolio, consider the Growth Portfolio.
  • If you followed the Income Model Portfolio, consider the Moderate Portfolio.
  • If you followed the Growth Index Model Portfolio, consider the Growth Index Model Portfolio.

If I’m a brand-new subscriber, how do I start following one of the Portfolios?

First off, welcome!

Second, if you have an existing portfolio you are looking to transition, unfortunately, I can’t give you individual advice on how to make that change. Broadly, if it’s in a retirement account (like an IRA), make the move as soon as you can. If it’s in a taxable account, you’ll have to keep an eye on the tax impact of any trades you make. Consult a tax pro if you have questions or concerns.

Third, if you have “cash on the sidelines” that you are looking to invest in one of the Portfolios, the best way—at least according to the spreadsheets—is to pull the trigger and get fully invested. The stock market tends to go up over time, so buying sooner rather than later tends to be best.

That said, spreadsheets ignore the reality and emotion that comes with investing. It’s frustrating—to say the least—to make an investment and see it immediately drop in price. One way to manage this is to invest your money over a period of time. The technical term is dollar-cost averaging. For example, maybe you invest a third of your cash today, a third in one month, and the final third a month after that. If you follow this path, buy all the funds in the Portfolio proportionally each time.

I can’t tell you which will work best—buying today, buying a little over time. The most important thing is setting a plan, sticking to it, and spending time in the markets!

Can Jeff review my portfolio?

We welcome your questions. Please send them to us at support@independentvanguardadviser.com. We will do our best to answer them individually or as part of the content we produce here.

Regrettably, we cannot provide specific investment or portfolio advice to subscribers. We do our best to give you our opinion and view on funds, the markets, the economy, etc. And we try to educate you as best we can. But there’s no way we can provide tailored guidance to all of our subscribers.

In the end, your investment decisions have to be your own.

What is your refund policy?

Once you have paid for a subscription, we cannot offer refunds. We offer a free 30-day trial; you should receive an email seven days before the trial expires. If one year is too long of a commitment, a monthly subscription is available.