Posts / #POST-228309

Built my first Roth IRA portfolio in my 20's - here's my 6 ETF allocation and the reasoning behind each pick

May 26, 2026 · 22:25

R/INVESTING

↗ https://reddit.com/r/investing/comments/1tomexb/built_my_first_roth_ira_portfolio_in_my_20s_heres/

|Ticker|Allocation||
|:-|:-|:-|
|FXAIX|40%|Core|
|VUG|20%|Growth tilt|
|IJR|12%|Small cap|
|VXUS|12%|International|
|VHT|8%|Real estate|
|VNQ|8%|Healthcare|

Fidelity - I like the ease of use with their platform for automatic investing

Started taking my retirement seriously this year and spent a lot of time researching before landing on this allocation. Happy to hear feedback but wanted to share the thought process for anyone in a similar spot.

I wanted more control over my exposure and growth tilt versus just VTI and chill

**FXAIX** \- Tracks S&P 500 at a 0.01% expense ratio. Chose it over VOO and VTI because it's cheaper, pays monthly dividends instead of quarterly.

**VUG** \- Has a 20-year 12.67% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) and 17.97% at 10-year. Chose this over VOOG because it has a lower expense ratio and stronger historical returns. Overlaps with FXAIX but I am tilting towards growth instead of diversifying at this stage.

**IJR** \- Fills the gap that FXAIX and VUG don't cover and small caps have outperformed large caps over very long horizons. IJR tracks the S&P SmallCap 600 which requires positive earnings for inclusion. 20-year CAGR of 8.5% with a 1.7% dividend paid quarterly.

VXUS - 10-year 9.88% CAGR International fund for valuation and currency diversification. I know that my allocation is smaller than what's typically recommended.

VNQ - 20-year 6.3% CAGR. Wanted this inside my Roth for because of the 3.9% quarterly dividends and the diversification from pure equities.

VHT - 20-year 10.21% CAGR Healthcare exposure. Covers entire healthcare sector including pharma, biotech, medical devices, and health services.

Please let me know your thoughts, and if you would change anything.

Sources:

[https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/FXAIX](https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/FXAIX)

[https://stockanalysis.com/quote/mutf/FXAIX/dividend/](https://stockanalysis.com/quote/mutf/FXAIX/dividend/)

[https://www.mutualfunds.com/funds/fxaix-fidelity-500-index/](https://www.mutualfunds.com/funds/fxaix-fidelity-500-index/)

[https://www.financecharts.com/etfs/VUG/performance/total-return](https://www.financecharts.com/etfs/VUG/performance/total-return)