Harry Browne Permanent ETF REIT
Investment Model Portfolios

In his Fail-Safe Investing book, Harry Browne proposed this one size fit all portfolio that he called 'permanent portfolio'. His theory has been discussed in numerous articles like this. A mutual fund PRPFX was constucted and named after his theory. The following consists of the portfolio's components.

  • 25% in U.S. stocks, to provide a strong return during times of prosperity. For this portion of the portfolio, Browne recommends a basic S&P 500 index fund such as VFINX.
  • 25% in long-term U.S. Treasury bonds for deflation protection.  
  • 25% in cash in order to hedge against periods of “tight money” or recession. In this case, “cash” means a money-market fund.
  •  25% in precious metals (gold, specifically) in order to provide protection during periods of inflation. Browne recommends gold bullion coins.

We use VFINX, VUSTX, VFITX, VFISX, CASH and GLD for the above components. Investors can compare the model portfolios in this plan with this static portfolio.

Total Available Funds: 4
Asset Class Ticker Description
US EQUITY
LARGE BLEND VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF
COMMODITIES
Commodities Precious Metals GLD SPDR Gold Shares
REAL ESTATE
REAL ESTATE VNQ Vanguard REIT Index ETF
FIXED INCOME
Long-Term Bond LQD iShares iBoxx $ Invest Grade Corp Bond

The following is a moderate-risk model portfolio constructed from the investment options of Harry Browne Permanent ETF REIT.

This portfolio is proactively monitored and rebalanced on a monthly basis when needed, ensuring it remains in line with its target allocation. We offer customization features, allowing subscribers to tailor the portfolio to align with their own risk tolerance and return expectations by changing risk profile parameter.

Our model portfolio is rooted in the MyPlanIQ Asset Allocation Composite (AAC) strategy. This dynamic (tactical) asset allocation and quantitative fund selection algorithm prioritize risk management by dynamically adjusting stock allocations based on prevailing asset momentum. Extensive research has shown that this momentum-based tactical approach can potentially reduce temporary losses while maintaining or outperforming traditional buy-and-hold strategies.

Both historical back test and real-time portfolio return and risk data are shown in the table on this page. These metrics are compared with stock and moderate allocation index funds.

Furthermore, subscribers have the option to explore alternative strategies such as Strategic Asset Allocation Optimal (SAA) and Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) to further customize their model portfolio. See our investment methodology for more details on the investment strategies