ATLASETF portfolio examples for retirement
These 6 well-known ETF portfolios returned between +2.4% and +6.8% per year over the last 5 years, and each fell between -16.5% and -24.0% at its worst point in that time. They are textbook illustrations built from ATLAS price data, not recommendations.
Updated November 2, 2026 · Source: ATLAS daily price data and fund distributions
Six textbook ETF portfolios, each shown with its allocation, past returns, volatility and largest drop, all calculated from ATLAS price data. They illustrate how different mixes of stocks and bonds have behaved. They are not recommendations.
| Example | 5 years, per year | 3 years, per year | Largest drop, last 5 years | Volatility, 3 years | 12-month yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60/40 portfolio60% stocks, 40% bonds | +6.6% | +15.0% | -21.2% | 9.8% | 2.3% |
| 3-fund portfolio40% US stocks, 20% international stocks, 40% bonds | +6.1% | +14.6% | -22.0% | 9.4% | 2.6% |
| All-weather-style portfolio30% stocks, 55% Treasuries, 7.5% gold, 7.5% commodities | +2.4% | +11.3% | -24.0% | 8.5% | 3.0% |
| Dividend income ETF portfolio60% dividend stock ETFs, 10% real estate, 30% bonds | +6.8% | +14.7% | -16.5% | 9.2% | 3.2% |
| 50/50 portfolio50% stocks, 35% bonds, 15% inflation-protected bonds | +5.1% | +12.8% | -20.7% | 8.2% | 3.0% |
| 30/70 conservative portfolio30% stocks, 50% bonds, 20% inflation-protected bonds | +3.1% | +9.6% | -18.6% | 6.1% | 3.5% |
Total return in USD, distributions reinvested. Volatility is the annualised standard deviation of daily returns. These are past results, not forecasts.
- What is a 60/40 portfolio? An example with ETFs60% stocks, 40% bonds
- What is the 3-fund portfolio? An example with ETFs40% US stocks, 20% international stocks, 40% bonds
- What is an all-weather-style portfolio? An example with ETFs30% stocks, 55% Treasuries, 7.5% gold, 7.5% commodities
- How does a dividend income ETF portfolio work? An example60% dividend stock ETFs, 10% real estate, 30% bonds
- What does a 50/50 stock and bond ETF portfolio look like?50% stocks, 35% bonds, 15% inflation-protected bonds
- What does a 30/70 conservative ETF portfolio look like?30% stocks, 50% bonds, 20% inflation-protected bonds
Asset allocation
Asset allocation is the split of your money between stocks, bonds and other assets. Studies of fund returns have long found that this split explains much of the difference in how portfolios behave.
Bond ETFs
A bond ETF holds many bonds and pays their interest as distributions. Its price changes with interest rates, so it can lose value even though the bonds are repaid at maturity. See the bond ETF yields page for current numbers.
Rebalancing
Over time, the asset that grew most becomes a larger share of the portfolio. Rebalancing means selling a little of it and buying the others to return to the target weights.
Sequence of returns
When you withdraw money, bad returns early in retirement hurt more than the same returns later. The savings calculator lets you test this with your own numbers.
Related tools
Method and data
Returns are total returns in US dollars from daily closing prices stored by ATLAS plus reinvested fund distributions, with each mix rebalanced daily to its target weights. Fund expense ratios are included in prices; taxes, trading costs and advisory fees are not. Each example page lists its exact period, ETFs and weights.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good ETF portfolio for retirement?
There is no single answer. It depends on your time horizon, income needs, other income, taxes, country and tolerance for losses. These examples show how well-known mixes behaved in the past so you can compare them.
How much of a retirement portfolio is usually in bonds?
It varies widely. The examples here hold between 30% and 70% in bonds or Treasuries. Simple rules of thumb exist, but they are only starting points.
Are the returns shown guaranteed?
No. They are historical results for the period stated. Past performance does not predict future results.
How are the numbers calculated?
From daily closing prices stored by ATLAS and fund distributions reinvested. The mix is rebalanced daily to its target weights. See the method section of each page.
Are there UCITS versions for European investors?
ATLAS has price history for US-listed ETFs only, so the examples use US funds. Many European investors use UCITS funds because US-domiciled ETFs are often not available to them; those funds are not shown here.
Educational example only. ATLAS does not give personal investment advice. Disclaimer