The Independent Vanguard Adviser
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WEEKLY BRIEF | Another War, Another Market Test
War tests investors | PRIMECAP’s Joel Fried is retiring | Supplemental distributions coming | Vanguard settles Texas lawsuit
Can Active Funds Clear the Tax Hurdle?
Index funds have become most investors’ default investment option for at least a couple of good reasons, including low tax exposure. But that doesn’t mean you should abandon active funds—some managers have delivered index-fund-beating returns even after taxes are accounted for.
A Teddy Bear Market?
Putting the current bear market into context | Vanguard increases account statement fees
Are ETFs More Tax Efficient? No.
ETFs have long been crowned more tax-friendly than mutual funds. That may be true across much of the industry, but not at Vanguard. Compare apples to apples, and there’s no difference from a tax standpoint between a Vanguard Admiral-class index fund and its ETF sibling.
RIABiz Twofer: ESG and QEG
Over the past few months, I've covered how Vanguard's ability to buy utility stocks was threatened by a coalition of attorney generals arguing that Vanguard wasn't as passive an investor as the index giant claimed—most recently here. Vanguard was ultimately granted authorization to
WSJ | Vanguard Pays for Misleading Shareholders
I spoke with the Wall Street Journal about Finra slapping Vanguard on the wrist with an $800,000 fine.
Investing Beyond the AI Hype
2026 OUTLOOK | The market’s baseline is growth—but in an AI-driven, fully-priced world, diversification matters more than ever.
The AI Footprint in Your Vanguard Portfolio
MAILBAG | A comprehensive look at Vanguard funds tied to the AI narrative, as well as those that aren’t—and how the IVA Portfolios stack up.
PRIMECAP Finds Its Edge … Again
A strong 2025 reminds investors why patience with PRIMECAP still pays.
Vanguard and The Vanguard Group are service marks of The Vanguard Group, Inc. We are not affiliated in any way with The Vanguard Group and receive no compensation from The Vanguard Group, Inc.
Hi, I’m Jeff DeMaso.
Welcome to the Independent Vanguard Adviser.
I’ve been a Vanguard investor for over a decade, co-editing the leading newsletter on Vanguard funds and ETFs. I’m a big Vanguard fan, but they are not perfect (nobody is). I’ll tell you the good and the bad when it comes to Vanguard.
Over two decades while working at a multi-billion-dollar investment firm, I held titles of intern to CIO (and everything in between). I’ve seen investors make avoidable mistakes time and time again. I aim to share the investment insights and advice I want my family and friends to have so that you can make meaningful investments for yours.
When investing, I believe in simplicity, diversification and spending time in the market. A simple promise: My family and I will invest in the same funds I recommend to you!
When I’m not poring over Vanguard’s most recent prospectus, you can find me chasing my toddler around the playground or trying to avoid an injury while reliving the glory days on the soccer pitch.