Vanguard Legend Jack Bogle’s Simple Portfolio Shift Anyone Over 50 Needs to Know

We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. Learn more.

Investing Index Funds Share Share Close Mail Page URL https://money.com/jack-bogle-low-cost-investing-over-50/ Link copied!

Vanguard Legend Jack Bogle’s Simple Portfolio Shift Anyone Over 50 Needs to Know By: Marc Guberti Marc Guberti Marc Guberti is a personal finance writer who hosts Breakthrough Success, a podcast where he teaches listeners how to grow their businesses and achieve personal transformations. Has also written: Vanguard Icon Jack Bogle’s Simple Investing Rules Everyone Over 50 Should Follow The Gold Decision That Can Affect Retirement Security Right Now Gold, Crypto or Cash? The 2026 Investor’s Dilemma The Precious Metals Move Advisors Recommend to Reduce Portfolio Risk Why Some Retirees Turn to Gold to Protect Against Inflation See full bio Published: Feb 14, 2026 4 min read Money is not a client of any investment adviser featured on this page. The information provided on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Money does not offer advisory services.

Getty Image Investing doesn’t require sifting through earnings reports and analyst predictions, trying to identify the stocks that are about to take off. In fact, the key to reaching your long-term financial goals is often to keep investing simple. Vanguard founder Jack Bogle pioneered low-cost investing, which ushered in a new era of affordable mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). If you’re in your 50s and nearing retirement, you may be wondering how to shift your portfolio to align with your risk tolerance, time horizon and goals. Bogle’s low-cost investing model can help – and implementing it can be fairly simple. Must ReadExperts are Bullish on Gold — Here's How to Get InRetirees: How a Small Gold Allocation Can Soften Losses When the Stock Market WobblesWarren Buffett on Market Volatility — and 3 Ways You Can Take Advantage The compounding power of lower fees Investing in low-cost index funds instead of funds with much higher expense ratios won’t change your returns overnight, but it can result in significant savings in the long run. There are plenty of ETFs that mirror the S&P 500 and other popular benchmarks with expense ratios below 0.10%. Funds charging 1% expense ratios look a lot less attractive in comparison. For instance, someone with $500,000 in their portfolio invested in funds with a 1% expense ratio will pay $5,000 in fees by the end of the year. But someone investing the same amount in funds with 0.25% expense ratios will pay just $1,250.

Gold Investor Kit Offer: Sign up with American Hartford Gold today and get a free investor kit, plus receive up to $20,000 in free silver on qualifying purchases Why simplicity reduces risk for late-stage investors Bogle’s recommended approach is to invest in a handful of broad index funds and have long holding periods. That way, your wealth doesn’t depend on a single stock or sector. It gets to rise during bull markets, but the losses are often less severe during bear markets and corrections. Consistently buying shares of index funds via dollar-cost averaging, such as each month, and holding them for the long haul helps you avoid making investing decisions based on emotions. Pet Protection: See Lemonade's pet insurance options — save and protect your cat or dog from high vet bills How to go 'Bogle-style' in your 50s Implementing Bogle’s investing advice once you’re in your 50s may not require substantial changes. It involves an audit so you can see which funds you’re invested in and how much you’re paying in fees. If you aren’t diversified across assets, such as stocks and bonds, domestic and international assets, and assets of different sizes and sectors, invest in funds that offer more diversification. If you’re paying more than you’re comfortable with in fees, you can sell shares in high-cost funds and invest in more affordable ones. As you’re nearing retirement, it can make sense to max out your retirement savings accounts so you can enjoy tax advantages along the way. While Roth accounts shield you from taxes on withdrawals, a traditional retirement plan lets you enjoy tax-deferred contributions. Extra Money: Get up to $1,000 in stock when you fund a new active SoFi invest account Analyze your current tax situation and which tax bracket you expect to be in the future to determine which type of account you should invest in. Tax diversification can also help reduce risk and costs in retirement: Many investors put money in their employer-sponsored retirement accounts like 401(k)s, as well as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and taxable brokerage accounts. Must ReadExperts are Bullish on Gold — Here's How to Get InRetirees: How a Small Gold Allocation Can Soften Losses When the Stock Market WobblesWarren Buffett on Market Volatility — and 3 Ways You Can Take Advantage