Why Upgrade?

SMI offers two primary investing strategies for “basic” members. They are different in philosophy, the amount of attention they require, and the rate of return expected from each. Our preferred investing strategy is called Fund Upgrading, and is based on the idea that if you are willing to regularly monitor your mutual-fund holdings and replace laggards periodically, you can improve your returns. While Upgrading is relatively low-maintenance, it does require you to check your fund holdings each month and replace funds occasionally. If you don’t wish to do this yourself, a professionally managed version of Upgrading is available.

SMI also offers an investing strategy based on index funds called Just-the-Basics (JtB). JtB requires attention only once per year. The returns expected from JtB are lower over time than what we expect (and have received) from Upgrading. JtB makes the most sense for those in 401(k) plans that lack a sufficient number of quality fund options to make successful Upgrading within the plan possible. Here are the funds and percentage allocations we recommend for our Just-the-Basics indexing strategy.

SMI's Personal Portfolio Tracker and monthly Fund Performance Rankings have been updated with performance data through Feb. 29, 2020 (of course, much has happened since then!).

• The Portfolio Tracker: The Tracker can personalize SMI's fund rankings to your specific situation, making it easier to apply our momentum-based Fund Upgrading strategy to your 401(k), 403(b), or other retirement plan.

Using the Tracker, you can filter the performance data of 25,000+ funds we follow and produce a concise report covering only the funds available in your plan(s). If you're new to the online Tracker, watch the introductory video.

We typically update the Personal Portfolio Tracker with the latest month-end data from the research firm Morningstar on the 8th of the new month, except when the 8th falls on a weekend (as it did this month). We wait until at least the 8th because Morningstar's database is subject to revisions during the first few days of the month. By the 8th, the previous month's performance numbers are reliable.

• Fund Performance Rankings (FPR): The FPR report is a 38-page downloadable PDF file containing the latest performance data — along with SMI's momentum rankings — for more than 1,600 no-load traditional funds and ETFs.

The funds included in the FPR are selected based on asset size, brand familiarity, and brokerage availability.

Check page 2 to learn how to use the FPR report. Page 3 includes an overview of the 70+ risk categories that will help you compare "apples to apples." Page 4 has explanations of the various data-column headings.

“God does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’” Daniel 4:35

The market’s rapid pullback in late-February rekindled an emotion many investors hadn’t felt in a while — fear. It’s hard to feel confident about your investment portfolio when a mystery virus is wreaking havoc abroad and so little credible information is available about what the future scope of this health/economic crisis will look like.

Even prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus there was reason to cast a cautious eye on the market’s +40% rise since the late-2018 lows. This isn’t our first experience with a Fed-induced stock market climax. After suffering painful financial losses in 2000 and 2008, many uncomfortable historical parallels seemed to be percolating to the surface once again.

Most Christians, at one time or another, will ask God why He allows pain and disappointment to touch His children. When we meet the Lord face to face, we’ll have an opportunity to ask Him. I wouldn’t be surprised if part of His answer turns out to be: “Those things happened because I was answering your prayers, to give you what you asked for!”

As you consider the events of the day, can you imagine God saying to you as His child:

In 2006, SMI introduced an easy way to implement Upgrading within an employer-sponsored 401(k) — or a similar company retirement plan — even if that plan offered relatively few investment choices. This month we revisit that research. We offer some new thoughts, both regarding whether trying to Upgrade within a limited-choices plan is a good idea generally, as well as how to tweak the specific implementation to make it work more effectively.

SMI's Personal Portfolio Tracker and monthly Fund Performance Rankings have been updated with performance data through Jan. 31, 2020.

• The Portfolio Tracker: The Tracker can personalize SMI's fund rankings to your specific situation, making it easier to apply our momentum-based Fund Upgrading strategy to your 401(k), 403(b), or other retirement plan.

Using the Tracker, you can filter the performance data of 25,000+ funds we follow and produce a concise report covering only the funds available in your plan(s). If you're new to the online Tracker, watch the introductory video.

We typically update the Personal Portfolio Tracker with the latest month-end data from the research firm Morningstar on the 8th of the new month, except when the 8th falls on a weekend (as it did this month). We wait until at least the 8th because Morningstar's database is subject to revisions during the first few days of the month. By the 8th, the previous month's performance numbers are reliable.

• Fund Performance Rankings (FPR): The FPR report is a 38-page downloadable PDF file containing the latest performance data — along with SMI's momentum rankings — for more than 1,600 no-load traditional funds and ETFs.

The funds included in the FPR are selected on the basis of asset size, brand familiarity, and brokerage availability.

Check page 2 to learn how to use the FPR report. Page 3 includes an overview of the 70+ risk categories that will help you compare "apples to apples." Page 4 has explanations of the various data-column headings.

SMI's Personal Portfolio Tracker and monthly Fund Performance Rankings have been updated with performance data through Dec. 31, 2019.

• The Portfolio Tracker: The Tracker can personalize SMI's fund rankings to your specific situation, making it easier to apply our momentum-based Fund Upgrading strategy to your 401(k), 403(b), or other retirement plan.

Using the Tracker, you can filter the performance data of 25,000+ funds we follow and produce a concise report covering only the funds available in your plan(s). If you're new to the online Tracker, watch the introductory video.

We typically update the Personal Portfolio Tracker with the latest month-end data from the research firm Morningstar on the 8th of the new month (except when the 8th falls on a weekend). We wait until at least the 8th because Morningstar's database is subject to revisions during the first few days of the month. By the 8th, the previous month's performance numbers are reliable.

• Fund Performance Rankings (FPR): The FPR report is a 39-page downloadable PDF file containing the latest performance data — along with SMI's momentum rankings — for more than 1,600 no-load traditional funds and ETFs.

The funds included in the FPR are selected on the basis of asset size, brand familiarity, and brokerage availability.

Check page 2 to learn how to use the FPR report. Page 3 includes an overview of the 70+ risk categories that will help you compare "apples to apples." Page 4 has explanations of the various data-column headings.

SMI's Personal Portfolio Tracker and monthly Fund Performance Rankings are now available with performance data updated through Nov. 30, 2019.

• The Portfolio Tracker: The Tracker can personalize SMI's fund rankings to your specific situation, making it easier to apply our momentum-based Fund Upgrading strategy to your 401(k), 403(b), or other retirement plan.

Using the Tracker, you can filter the performance data of 20,000+ funds we follow and produce a concise report covering only the funds available in your plan(s). If you're new to the online Tracker, watch the introductory video.

We typically update the Personal Portfolio Tracker with the latest month-end data from the research firm Morningstar on the 8th of the new month (except when the 8th falls on a weekend, as it did this month). We wait until at least the 8th because Morningstar's database is subject to revisions during the first few days of the month. By the 8th, the previous month's performance numbers are reliable.

• Fund Performance Rankings (FPR): The FPR report is a 39-page downloadable PDF file containing the latest performance data — along with SMI's momentum rankings — for more than 1,600 no-load traditional funds and ETFs.

The funds included in the FPR are selected on the basis of asset size, brand familiarity, and brokerage availability.

Check page 2 to learn how to use the FPR report. Page 3 includes an overview of the 70+ risk categories that will help you compare "apples to apples." Page 4 has explanations of the various data-column headings.

In 1995, I began what has become an annual Christmas tradition: offering, as a gift, a book that has been meaningful to me in my Christian life. I do this to express appreciation for your support. Without loyal readers, we could not have served the body of Christ these past (almost) 30 years.

This year, for the second time, I’ve selected The Eternity Portfolio by Alan Gotthardt. The Lord has used the principles in this book to grow my wife Susie’s and my capacity for generosity far beyond anything we would have imagined. I believe it can do the same for any open-hearted seeker of God’s will.

The following is adapted from the latest edition of the book. – Austin

SMI's Personal Portfolio Tracker and monthly Fund Performance Rankings are now available with performance data updated through Oct. 31, 2019.

The Portfolio Tracker: The Tracker can personalize SMI's fund rankings to your specific situation, making it easier to apply our momentum-based Fund Upgrading strategy to your 401(k), 403(b), or other retirement plan.

Using the Tracker, you can filter the performance data of 20,000+ funds we follow and produce a concise report covering only the funds available in your plan(s). If you're new to the online Tracker, watch the introductory video.

We typically update the Personal Portfolio Tracker with the latest month-end data from the research firm Morningstar on the 8th of the new month (except when the 8th falls on a weekend). We wait until at least the 8th because Morningstar's database is subject to revisions during the first few days of the month. By the 8th, the previous month's performance numbers are reliable.

Fund Performance Rankings (FPR): The FPR report is a 39-page downloadable PDF file containing the latest performance data — along with SMI's momentum rankings — for more than 1,600 no-load traditional funds and ETFs.

The funds included in the FPR are selected on the basis of asset size, brand familiarity, and brokerage availability.

Check page 2 to learn how to use the FPR report. Page 3 includes an overview of the 70+ risk categories that will help you compare "apples to apples." Page 4 has explanations of the various data-column headings.