ATLASWhat does a 50/50 stock and bond ETF portfolio look like?
50/50 portfolio: 50% stocks, 35% bonds, 15% inflation-protected bonds. Using VTI, VXUS, BND, and SCHP, this mix returned +12.8% per year over the last 3 years and +5.1% per year over 5 years; its largest drop in the last 5 years was -20.7%.
Updated November 2, 2026 · Source: ATLAS daily price data and fund distributions
A 50/50 mix puts half the money in stocks and half in bonds. Many balanced and target-date funds publish allocations in this range for people closer to retirement. This example uses 30% US stocks, 20% international stocks, 35% total bonds and 15% inflation-protected Treasury bonds (TIPS).
Allocation of this example
| ETF | What it holds | Weight | Expense ratio | 12-month yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VTIVanguard Total Stock Market ETF | US total stock market | 30% | 0.03% | 1.07% |
| VXUSVanguard Total International Stock ETF | International stocks outside the US | 20% | 0.05% | 2.40% |
| BNDVanguard Total Bond Market ETF | US total bond market | 35% | 0.03% | 4.14% |
| SCHPSchwab U.S. TIPS ETF | US inflation-protected bonds (TIPS) | 15% | 0.02% | 4.86% |
| Weighted average | 100% | 0.03% | 2.98% | |
How this mix behaved in the past
- Last 1 year+6.2%Oct 2025 – Nov 2026
- Last 3 years, per year+12.8%+43.4% · Nov 2023 – Nov 2026
- Last 5 years, per year+5.1%+28.0% · Nov 2021 – Nov 2026
- Volatility, last 3 years8.2%Nov 2023 – Nov 2026
- Largest drop, last 5 years-20.7%high Nov 2021, low Oct 2022
- Largest drop since Jan 2011-20.7%high Nov 2021, low Oct 2022
Total return in USD, distributions reinvested. Volatility is the annualised standard deviation of daily returns. These are past results, not forecasts.
What 10,000 would have become over the last 5 years
Return by calendar year
| Year | Return |
|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +5.5% |
| 2025 | +15.2% |
| 2024 | +8.8% |
| 2023 | +13.5% |
| 2022 | -14.9% |
| 2021 | +9.4% |
| 2020 | +14.2% |
| 2019 | +17.8% |
A balanced mix still falls when both stocks and bonds fall; 2022 is the example in the data. TIPS protect against unexpected inflation if held to maturity, but TIPS funds still change in price.
Method and data
Period: January 28, 2011 to November 2, 2026 (the longest period in which every ETF in the mix has a price). Returns are total returns in US dollars: daily closing prices stored by ATLAS plus fund distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date. The mix is rebalanced every day to the weights shown. Fund expense ratios are already included in prices; taxes, trading costs, advisory fees and currency effects for non-US-dollar investors are not. Distributions come from the data provider and were last refreshed November 3, 2026.
Other example portfolios
- 60/40 portfolio60% stocks, 40% bonds · 5 years, per year: +6.6%
- 3-fund portfolio40% US stocks, 20% international stocks, 40% bonds · 5 years, per year: +6.1%
- All-weather-style portfolio30% stocks, 55% Treasuries, 7.5% gold, 7.5% commodities · 5 years, per year: +2.4%
- Dividend income ETF portfolio60% dividend stock ETFs, 10% real estate, 30% bonds · 5 years, per year: +6.8%
- 30/70 conservative portfolio30% stocks, 50% bonds, 20% inflation-protected bonds · 5 years, per year: +3.1%
Related tools
Frequently asked questions
What is a 50/50 portfolio?
A portfolio with about half in stocks and half in bonds. The bond half can include different types, such as government, corporate and inflation-protected bonds.
Why include TIPS?
Inflation-protected bonds adjust their principal with inflation, so they can help preserve purchasing power. They are one possible building block, not a requirement.
How did this mix behave in 2022?
The calendar-year table shows it: both parts of the portfolio lost value that year.
How long could savings last with withdrawals from a portfolio like this?
Try the "how long will my savings last" calculator with your own spending and return assumptions.
Educational example only. ATLAS does not give personal investment advice. Disclaimer