Portfolio Diversification

Investment Approach

How can we help you

We can help you achieve your financial goals by delivering innovative and economical investment solutions. By combining objective investment guidance with easy-to-use and technologically advanced products and services, we provide a range of cost-effective investment solutions geared to your unique needs.

Our investment philosophy

We believe investors should be diversified across equities, fixed income and cash. We recognize that the environment in which you invest and your financial goals are dynamic and subject to change over time. So we encourage and help you take a disciplined approach to investment decision making.

As TD AMERITRADE's Chief Investment Strategist, Stephanie Giroux is the guiding force behind our overall investment philosophy. Focusing on asset allocation and investing strategies, she helps investors build diversified portfolios using a disciplined process in the face of dynamic conditions. These are the three Ds of TD AMERITRADE.

Steps for building a diversified portfolio The four-step process for building or rebalancing a portfolio can help you reach your investment goals. If you've missed a step, you can easily circle back and apply it to your strategy. Read about how to build a diversified core portfolio.

Our investment guidelines

We recognize that life can be complex, but even in the face of dynamic, ever-changing conditions, we can help you build a diversified portfolio and apply a disciplined process to your decision making.

Dynamic — Change is constant — stay the course

• Start investing early — Long-term market trends are up and compounding can work in your favor.
• Define your time horizon and prioritize your goals — Take a long-term approach (at least 3-5 years) and list your goals according to their importance.
• Quantify your assets and determine the portion available for investment — Always maintain cash or cash equivalents equal to at least six months worth of living expenses for easy access in case unforeseen circumstances arise.
• Assess your risk tolerance relative to your time horizon — Evaluate return expectations and measure how much risk/volatility is acceptable to you.

Diversification — Manage risk and pursue returns with our solutions

• Divide your investments among equities, fixed income and cash to create a broad asset allocation — Industry research shows that asset allocation accounts for the majority of portfolio risk and returns.
• Diversify across and within the different asset classes — For equities, this means market capitalization (large-, mid-, and small-caps), style (growth and value), industry/sector, and U.S./foreign. For fixed income, this means maturity date, credit quality and issuer type.
• Avoid concentrated exposure — As a rule of thumb, individual companies should not represent more than 5%-10% of a portfolio.
• Consider client-focused solutions and professional management — Think about life cycle products and other professionally managed solutions that provide the help you need to achieve your goal.

Discipline — Rely on process rather than emotion

• Take a long-term approach — Maintain discipline to help you through market volatility and benefit from multi-year, up-market trends.
• Base your investment decisions on process rather than emotion — Make use of the extensive research available and our cutting-edge tools to help you make educated decisions and stay informed.
• Consider costs and potential tax consequences — Work to minimize fees in your portfolio that diminish returns, and use tax-advantaged strategies and accounts that benefit your personal situation.
• Review and rebalance regularly to align your portfolio with changing goals and the economic environment — Consider the appropriate course of action for both stronger performers and poor performers in your portfolio.
• Our investment guidelines can be used as your action plan — Read about how to build a diversified core portfolio.