AccessibilityHelpAbout Us
▲ S&P 500 +---%|▲ Stock Advisor +---%Join The Motley Fool
The Motley FoolThe Motley Fool
Top 10 Stocks to Buy Now ›
Top 10 Stocks to Buy Now ›
  • Our Services
    • All Services
    • Stock Advisor
    • Epic
    • Epic Plus
    • Fool Portfolios
    • Fool One
    • Compare
    • All Podcasts
    • Hidden Gems Investing Podcast
    • Rule Breaker Investing Podcast
    • Fool Community Foundation
    • About Us
    • Investing Philosophy
    • Contact Us
    • Motley Fool Money
    • Reviews
    • Newsroom
    • Our Authors
  • Stock Market News
    • Trending News
    • Stock Market News
    • Market Movers
    • Tech Stock News
    • Market Trends
    • Crypto News
    • Stock Market Indexes Today
    • Most Active Stocks Today
    • Today's Biggest Stock Gainers
    • Today's Biggest Stock Losers
    • Stock Quotes by Exchange
    • Market Research
    • 📨 Breakfast News
    • Top Stocks to Buy Now
    • Best ETFs to Buy
    • Best AI Stocks
    • Best Growth Stocks
    • Dividend Kings
    • Best Index Funds
    • Next Cryptos to Explode
    • Technology
    • Energy
    • Real Estate
    • Healthcare
    • Consumer Goods
    • Materials
    • Industrials
  • How to Invest
    • How to Invest Money
    • What to Invest In
    • How to Invest in Stocks
    • How to Invest in ETFs
    • How to Invest in Index Funds
    • How to Invest in Bonds
    • Financial Dictionary
    • Stock Market 101
    • Types of Stocks
    • Stock Market Sectors
    • Stock Market Indexes
    • What Are Stock Splits?
    • What Is Compound Interest?
    • After Hours Trading
    • How to Buy Stock
    • Best Brokers for Beginners
    • Best Brokerage Accounts
    • Good Time to Buy Stocks
    • How Many Shares to Buy?
    • Portfolio Diversification
    • How to Invest $100
    • Magnificent Seven Companies
    • Warren Buffett Investments
    • Investing in ChatGPT
    • Investing in SpaceX
    • Investing in OpenAI
    • Investing in Nvidia
    • Investing in Databricks
  • Retirement
    • Retirement News
    • Retirement 101
    • Types of Retirement Accounts
    • How to Contribute to 401k/IRA?
    • Strategies to Save for Retirement
    • Asset Allocation for My Age
    • Best IRA Brokerage Accounts
    • Social Security 101
    • How to Maximize Social Security?
    • Full Retirement Age
    • COLAs
    • Calculate Your SS Benefits
    • Collecting Spousal Benefits
    • Maximize Social Security Benefit
    • How Much Do I Need to Retire?
    • When To Retire
    • 401(k) Plans
    • 403(b) Plans
    • Roth IRA Plans
    • IRA Plans
    • HSA Plans
    • Complete Retirement Guide
    • Best & Worst States to Retire
    • Average Retirement Savings
    • Moving for Retirement
    • Healthcare in Retirement
    • Understanding Taxes in Retirement
    • 401(k) Minimum Distributions
  • Personal Finance
    • Best Credit Cards
    • Best Balance Transfer Cards
    • Best Business Credit Cards
    • Credit Card Reviews
    • More Credit Card Resources
    • Best High-Yield Savings Accounts
    • Best CD Rates
    • Best Checking Accounts
    • Bank Reviews
    • More Banking Resources
    • Best Online Stock Brokers
    • Best Brokerages for Beginners
    • Best IRA Accounts
    • More Brokerage Resources
    • Best Mortgage Lenders
    • Best Refinance Lenders
    • More Mortgage Resources
    • Best Personal Loans

These 14 ETFs Could Make a Complete Retirement Portfolio

By Reuben Gregg Brewer - Jul 29, 2019 at 7:46 AM
Acronym ETF with a stock investing themed background.

Befitting of the all-in-one bill

There's more to investing than just picking great stocks and bonds. In fact, the biggest impact you're likely to have on your wealth has almost nothing to do with individual security selection. Two of the most important factors are making sure you pay yourself first so you save as much money as possible, and selecting an investment approach that you can actually stick to through thick and thin.

Which is why many investors try to find a single investment to buy that provides them with a complete retirement portfolio. That way they only have to worry about saving money. But you can't simply buy any old investment, you have to make sure you pick one that fits with your personality type so you don't jump ship when times get tough in the market (which will eventually happen).

Historically this has meant buying a mutual fund, but there's an increasingly long list of exchange traded funds (ETFs) that fit the bill too. ETFs are pooled investment vehicles like a mutual fund, but they generally track indexes. And because of their unique structure, they tend to have lower fees than mutual funds and can be traded all day long. You have to pay a commission each time you buy an ETF's shares, but brokers will often waive those fees (check with your broker on this), and overall they are an extremely useful and powerful tool for creating long-term wealth.

With that in mind, here's a list of all-in-one investment portfolios that are structured as ETFs. 

1 of 15

Related Slideshows

  • Here Are the Top 10 Most Affordable Midwest Cities to Live In
  • 10 States With The Lowest Average Home Price
  • 10 States With The Highest Average Home Price
  • 10 States With the Most Credit Card Debt
  • 10 of the Best Costco Deals for May 2024

Premium Investing Services

Invest better with The Motley Fool. Get stock recommendations, portfolio guidance, and more from The Motley Fool's premium services.

View Premium Services
The Motley Fool

Making the world smarter, happier, and richer.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • TikTok

© 1995 - 2026 The Motley Fool. All rights reserved.

Market data powered by Xignite and Polygon.io.

About The Motley Fool

  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Market Research
  • Newsroom
  • Contact
  • Advertise

Our Services

  • All Services
  • Stock Advisor
  • Epic
  • Epic Plus
  • Fool Portfolios
  • Fool One
  • Motley Fool Money

Around the Globe

  • The Motley Fool Australia
  • The Motley Fool Canada

Free Tools

  • CAPS Stock Ratings
  • Discussion Boards
  • Calculators
  • Financial Dictionary

Affiliates & Friends

  • Motley Fool Asset Management
  • Motley Fool Ventures
  • Fool Community Foundation
  • Become an Affiliate Partner
  • Become an Advertising Partner
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Copyright, Trademark and Patent Information
  • Terms and Conditions
Arrow down
S&P 500
7,805.45
-0.0%
-1.79
Arrow down
DJI
51,670.10
-0.3%
-180.45
Arrow down
NASDAQ
27,204.38
-0.2%
-41.52
Arrow down
Bitcoin
$83,726.00
-0.2%
-$179.59
Arrow down
SPCX
$156.54
-4.2%
-$6.88
Arrow up
AAPL
$341.27
+0.1%
+$0.30
Arrow down
AMZN
$258.58
-0.4%
-$0.95
Arrow up
GOOG
$349.52
+0.2%
+$0.55
Arrow up
META
$762.50
+2.6%
+$19.54
Arrow up
MSFT
$543.45
+0.4%
+$2.30
Arrow up
NVDA
$228.52
+1.0%
+$2.20
Arrow down
TSLA
$375.23
-0.7%
-$2.80