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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
Yield Curve Flashes Yellow
One of Wall Street’s go-to recession warning signs—the yield curve—is flashing yellow right now. The media is all over it and the headlines sure sound scary. Since I too include the yield curve on my “recession dashboard,” let’s take a closer look at what it is,
Down, Not Out
"Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” Mark Twain didn’t quite say that, but I’m reminded of the misquote these days whenever I read articles declaring the death of the classic balanced portfolio—60% stocks and 40% bonds. There’s no sugar-coating it, 2022 has been a
Distribution Season Comes For Non-Vanguard Funds Too
Note: This article contains distribution data for calendar year 2022. Earlier this week I detailed which Vanguard mutual funds are expected to distribute capital gains and when. But in the past, we’ve recommended a few non-Vanguard mutual funds as replacements for Vanguard funds that close to new investors. How
Diversification Works
Hello, this is Jeff DeMaso with the IVA Weekly Brief for Wednesday, November 16. There are no changes recommended for any of our Portfolios. Let's start off this week with a few Vanguard-related updates: First, capital gain distribution season is fast approaching, and Vanguard reported estimates for fund
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.