What funds and allocations should I pick for a new Roth IRA?
Setting up a new retirement account requires deciding on specific mutual funds and asset allocation ratios without knowing how to structure them. This leaves investors stuck trying to figure out the right mix across multiple accounts like a 401(k), Roth IRA, and brokerage.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- Most of it landed at once — the busiest month was September 2026, with 23 people.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Gathering opinions from online forums and reviewing community wiki links on retirement accounts.Did this help you?
- 2Keeping cash reserves or a 3 to 5-year bucket of expenses in an HYSA or treasury bill ETF while leaving the rest invested in index fundsDid this help you?
- 3Following the 4% rule and adjusting withdrawals based on inflationDid this help you?
- 4Purchasing bonds, T-bills, and TIPS directly to generate reliable income without selling principalDid this help you?
- 5relying on a three-fund portfolio strategyDid this help you?
- 6starting asset allocation adjustments about a decade away from retirementDid this help you?
- 7selecting specific high-growth ETFs and thematic sector fundsDid this help you?
- 8referencing standard wiki guides on retirement accounts and handling moneyDid this help you?
- 9Reading the personal finance investing wikiDid this help you?
- 10Switching to self-managing by picking low-fee index funds to avoid management feesDid this help you?
- 11Consolidating old 401ks into a Roth IRA instead of the current employer planDid this help you?
- 12Reading general wiki guides on 401k fund selection and general personal finance management.Did this help you?
- 13Asking for feedback and portfolio reviews on online forumsDid this help you?
- 14Combining multiple index funds to mimic a total market portfolioDid this help you?
- 15Opting for a single target date fund as an all-in-one choiceDid this help you?
- 16Holding the entire world at market weight using a single global fund like VTDid this help you?
- 17Simplifying asset allocation to a two-fund portfolio like VTI and VXUSDid this help you?
- 18Automating monthly investments without making complex sector betsDid this help you?
- 19Manually managing self-directed accounts differently from professionally managed accountsDid this help you?
- 20Allocating the same asset mix across all retirement accounts to maintain collective diversificationDid this help you?
- 21Placing bonds in traditional accounts and stocks in Roth accounts for tax efficiencyDid this help you?
- 22opening a Roth IRADid this help you?
- 23rolling over a previous employer 401(k) plan to an individual IRADid this help you?
- 24Leaving excess cash in a high-yield savings accountDid this help you?
- 25Manually shifting savings to cover lowered take-home pay from higher payroll deductionsDid this help you?
- 26seeking advice on RedditDid this help you?
- 27reading investing wiki pages and portfolio guidesDid this help you?
- 28consulting other forumsDid this help you?
- 29Researching and manually buying a mix of mutual funds and ETFsDid this help you?
- 30Leaving a portion of funds uninvested as cashDid this help you?
- 31Considering managed portfolio programs offered by financial institutionsDid this help you?
- 32splitting contributions between Roth and TraditionalDid this help you?
- 33maximizing tax-deferred space exclusivelyDid this help you?
- 34using a Backdoor Roth strategy for IRAsDid this help you?
- 35Contributing enough to secure the company matchDid this help you?
- 36Opening and contributing to a Roth IRADid this help you?
- 37Aiming for a general rule of thumb of 15% annual retirement savingsDid this help you?
- 38switching to a self-managed three-fund portfolio with custom percentagesDid this help you?
- 39keeping funds in a target date retirement fundDid this help you?
- 40Investing in a target date fund corresponding to the estimated retirement year.Did this help you?
- 41Picking the fund closest to the retirement yearDid this help you?
- 42Building your own portfolio to better control risk and asset allocationDid this help you?
- 43Using a bond ladder instead of a straight ten-year commitmentDid this help you?
- 44Buying on the secondary market for easier liquidityDid this help you?
- 45Allocating into long-term CDs for cash reservesDid this help you?
- 46Transitioning other investments into dividend-focused index fundsDid this help you?
- 47Looking up recommended lists of high-yield savings accounts onlineDid this help you?
- 48Checking community wikis for common personal finance topicsDid this help you?
- 49leaving money in cash/money market funds like SPAXXDid this help you?
- 50reading community wikis and investing guidesDid this help you?
- 51Selecting the furthest out target date fund availableDid this help you?
- 52Reallocating and exchanging investments within the 401(k) laterDid this help you?
- 53Investing in a separate Roth IRA as a bridge account for early retirementDid this help you?
- 54Using a total world index as a baseline measuring stickDid this help you?
- 55Sticking with one chosen strategy and letting it runDid this help you?
- 56Doing independent research on investment optionsDid this help you?
- 57Seeking opinions and suggestions from online finance communitiesDid this help you?
- 58Keeping the portfolio simple with a target date or multi-fund approachDid this help you?
- 59Sticking to a target date fund or broad index fundsDid this help you?
- 60Keeping allocations as they are without making changesDid this help you?
- 61Using a target date fundDid this help you?
- 62Investing in total market funds like VT or VTI/VXUSDid this help you?
- 63Diversifying across multiple sectors and international equitiesDid this help you?
- 64asking for recommendations on online forumsDid this help you?
- 65reading wikis and community guidesDid this help you?
- 66Switching the portfolio to a target-date fund for a hands-off set-and-forget approachDid this help you?
- 67Holding 100% equity index funds in a Roth IRA while keeping target-date funds in a 401(k)Did this help you?
- 68Manually adding bonds separately as age increasesDid this help you?
- 69Simplifying the portfolio into S&P 500 and total international index fundsDid this help you?
- 70Trimming large-cap growth funds with high expense ratiosDid this help you?
- 71Switching from Roth to Traditional 401k contributions for immediate tax deductionsDid this help you?
- 72using newer accounts exclusively for accumulation and growth to offset older, steadier holdingsDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“My mom called yesterday saying she wants to lock in the 10yr bond rate with about 40% of her retirement money.”source ↗
“My main question is how much of my pay should I invest towards my 401k?”source ↗
“Ive been contributing 10% for a few years now but still only have $32,000 invested after opening it in late 2021. Ive been considering 20%”source ↗
“I have about $50k in an HYSA earning 3.5% which I think could be put to better use elsewhere as it's more than 6 months of expenses for me.”source ↗
“Which of these approaches would be best and why?”source ↗
“I'm debating on whether the SP500 or NASDAQ is a better set-and-forget strategy?”source ↗
“My question is if I select a maturity date of 2045 right now but a few years in think that I want to extend it to 2055, is that something that is possible to do or if I select 2045 right now then it is locked in and I will lose my 401k privileges once it is 2045?”source ↗
“I make 65k per year, 30 y.o., and have about $17k in a 401k account from previous employer. Does it make sense to keep adding to the 401k post tax or start a new investment account like a Roth IRA? Would appreciate any advice.”source ↗
“I have both a Traditional IRA and a Roth IRA that are professionally managed here.”source ↗
“However, looking closely at my managed accounts, I just noticed that the managed Roth IRA is invested exactly the same way as the managed Traditional IRA.”source ↗
“Is it standard practice for a managed program to completely mirror these two account types? Since they have vastly different tax treatments and future RMD rules, shouldn't they be invested differently?”source ↗
“I started at a new company back in February and just got around to getting my 401k sorted out.”source ↗
“I was wondering if I should roll them into my current 401k or into a Roth IRA.”source ↗
“I have no clue what I'm doing.”source ↗
“I'm currently 20 and I'm a server (although that's not where I want to always stay in life) I've been practicing tattooing and trying to get that kindled into a real career, as well as go to college at some point in my life for the basics at the very least.”source ↗
“Lately I've been thinking about getting my finances in order but I need advice.”source ↗
“Which account should I invest in first, and if it's both which one should I invest in more? If neither is suitable for at the moment, should I just focus on setting aside money long term and opening a savings account with interests attached?”source ↗
“I also need some money for 55-62 do you think it would make sense to fund a brokerage with similar investments to the ira?”source ↗
“I've never really invested before, and when I got 30 options I ended up with decision paralysis.”source ↗
“I just told my advisor to have the Roth account managed too and it was done the same way as traditional IRA. I wonder is this is because they want all account to be same, or it was an oversight.”source ↗
“I've contributed the max amount for the last three years and then realized I should be investing that money in the market so that it grows, as Chase IRA's don't do that automatically.”source ↗
“I have a lot of questions as I'm new to this and just trying to do this correctly.”source ↗
“I frankly don't know if I can trust myself to make the decisions on my own. I don't know enough.”source ↗
“I am 28 and my 401K is currently 100% invested in LifePath fund 2060 and I am not quite satisfied with the performance I've gotten YTD (roughly 2%). I am considering moving to a 3-fund portfolio instead”source ↗
“Given the funds that my employer offers, is this the allocation setup I am looking for?”source ↗
“I'm putting money in my roth for the frist time should I put the money in SnP or Total Market?”source ↗
“However, we're now shoving 30% of her retirement into long-term CDs earning 5.5% so that there's a cash reserve in case the market tanks.”source ↗
“With 60% of the portfolio in stocks, there's still good growth potential to keep up with inflation.”source ↗
“It's currently in SPAXX only making 3.29%. Should I switch it and if so where to?”source ↗
“My question is this: I will have to invest this money myself - compared to the old 401(k) which was all invested for us through a firm into a target date fund. What are some of the best things I should look to invest this money in? Do I go with just another target date fund? Do I look at some ETFs or individual stocks?”source ↗
“i know absolutely nothing about this stuff.”source ↗
“when i log into fidelity and try to see what my options are, these are the options it gives me: [...] which one would you choose?”source ↗
“Should I change my roth to vfifx to mirror my 401k or leave it like it is or do something else completely different?”source ↗
“I been going back and forth on doing that as I like the set and forget approach.”source ↗
“And I don’t know if my railroad retirement income should factor into the equation or not”source ↗
“Thoughts on these investments. Should I change anything? Keep it as is? Any advice would be much appreciated.”source ↗
“My only concern with upping International to 30% is that historically speaking the 500 funds have drastically outperformed it. Seems like way too big of a hedge having it at 30%, or do you think that’s reasonable?”source ↗
“So what would you replace the T Rowe Price Fund and DFA ones with?”source ↗
“I'm working on setting up a Roth IRA with Fidelity, and looking for some input on the funds and allocations.”source ↗
“Between my 401k, Roth IRA, Brokerage and savings account, I am expecting to have ~$3.5M by the time i retire. Most of this money is invested in index funds (VTI, SCHD & SPMO). Nobody has a crystal ball, but historically, would it be wiser to: 1) Keep this money invested and take withdrawals as needed throughout the year. (I would only intend to take out $80k per year after taxes). 2) Put this $3.5M into an HYSA at 3.75% and live off the interest, which would be ~$130k annually 3) Some combination of the 2?”source ↗
“curious in what milestones do people move away from growthjng the account to purchasing safer security. Do you do it every few years do you look for other investments at that point ?”source ↗
“I’m 19 still in college and so i tried to set up my portfolio for more growth.”source ↗
“I won’t be pulling this money for another 40 years so i figure a more volatile portfolio compared to a VOO,VXUS, BND portfolio is better for my age.”source ↗
“Please dissect it, Criticize it and Let me Know how this looks”source ↗
“Only thing that stresses me out is how things that are not in our control can influence all of this.”source ↗
“I’m thinking about stopping my biweekly contributions to SCHG and adding FTEC instead or should I keep SCHG, add FTEC and dollar cost average into all three funds bi weekly.”source ↗
“My question is if I should contribute the rest of my 401k for this year into Roth or Traditional.”source ↗
“I just have a hard time understanding what to expect to make in retirement at this point in my career”source ↗
“Actually retired in 2022 @ - was 58 When picking a Target Date Fund at this stage…do I look backwards? Would I want to pick 2025?? Or skip forward to 2030?? Currently aged 62”source ↗
“I just started a job and have 30,000 sitting on my checking account I was wondering what's the best hysa to put my money into I want to at least put 20,000 in it also since I started a new job does that qualify me for Roth”source ↗
“Opened and maxed out my Roth IRA (with fidelity) for the first time, and am trying to figure out what the best mutual fund domestic/international composition would be.”source ↗
“Currently have 60% FZROX and 40% FZILX, but considering 70/30 or 80/20 instead.”source ↗
“was wondering if there were any compelling arguments for more or less US VS non-US”source ↗
“My question is should I look into a 3 fund portfolio or rebalance anything? Would it be worth doing a 70-30 split into FXAIX and something like FTEC just in my IRA?”source ↗
“Because my spouse has such a solid base, my instinct is that we use the current 401k going forward for accumulation and growth with a higher risk profile than the steadier approach found in older retirement holdings.”source ↗
“And so putting tens of thousands of dollars of money into "stable value" denies potential equity gains for the longer term.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 4How do 401(k)s and retirement accounts actually work?
- 15Should I max my IRA or 401k first after a raise?
- 19Should I do a Roth conversion or stick to traditional 401k?
- 2How do you plan for retirement when your spouse isn't a saver?
- 5How to save money for a future nonprofit tax-free
- 3Should I sell brokerage investments to max out retirement accounts?