Portfolio Literacy is dedicated to transparency and promoting free financial literacy for everyone. Here are Portfolio Literacy’s latest blog posts. If you are looking for specific topics, the categories are at the bottom of this page.
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Building a 50/30/20 Portfolio at a $100K Net Worth
Reaching a six-figure net worth is a milestone that reshapes how many people view their financial future. At $100,000, compounding begins to feel tangible: a seven percent annual return translates to $7,000 in growth without any new contributions. Allocation suddenly matters more than the pace of saving, and how you divide your portfolio will influence…
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Dividend Portfolio Calculator
Dividend Growth & DRIP Calculator Dividend Growth & DRIP Calculator Starting Balance ($) Annual Contribution ($) Investment Period (years) Dividend Frequency AnnualSemi-AnnualQuarterlyMonthly Starting Dividend Yield (%) Dividend Growth / Yr (%) Share Price Growth / Yr (%) Reinvest Dividends (DRIP) Enabled Taxable Account? Yes Dividend Tax Rate (%) Yield Dynamics Apply dividend growth each year…
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Dividend Portfolio: 20 Year Dividend Income Calculator
20 Year Dividend Income Calculator 20 Year Dividend Income Calculator Principal Investment ($): Average Dividend Yield (%): Average Dividend Growth Rate (%): Reinvest Dividends Calculate Year Starting Investment ($) Dividend ($) How the Dividend Income Calculator Works Our Dividend Income Calculator is a powerful tool designed to help investors project their future dividends over the…
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Achieving Portfolio Critical Mass: My Strategy for Exponential Growth
Portfolio critical mass is one of the most powerful milestones in investing. But what does it really mean? For some, it’s the point where their net worth crosses a round number like $100K or $1M. For others, it’s when their portfolio generates more in returns than the money they contribute each year. For me, portfolio…
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Municipal Bond Yield to Maturity (YTM) & De Minimis Rule Calculator
This free Municipal Bond Calculator will estimate a bond’s return if held to maturity and instantly check the IRS de minimis market discount rule. The tool computes years and periods to maturity and flags whether the bond’s discount is within or above the de minimis threshold, helping you understand if any market discount would be…
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Future Value Calculator
Investing your money is one of the smartest financial decisions you can make. Whether you’re saving for retirement, planning a major purchase, or simply building your wealth, understanding the future value of your investments is crucial. With our Future Value Calculator, you can easily calculate how much your periodic investments will grow over time, helping…
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Weighted Average Loan Calculator
Managing multiple loans can be overwhelming, but our Weighted Average Loan Calculator simplifies the process. By inputting the principal, interest rate, and duration of each loan, you can easily calculate the weighted average interest rate and the minimum monthly payment required to satisfy your total debt. Weighted Average Loan Calculator — Portfolio Literacy Updated Weighted…
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Dividend Yield vs. Dividend Growth Rate: Your Path to Building Income
Ever wondered how some investors create a steady stream of income that grows year after year? The secret lies in understanding two crucial concepts: dividend yield and dividend growth rate. Many new investors get confused between chasing high dividend yields and focusing on dividend growth, often missing the bigger picture of building long-term wealth. According…
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Student Loan Planning: Tips for College Students and Graduates
Understanding Student Loans Whether you are planning to go to college, already enrolled, or just graduated, it’s important to have a good understanding of student loans if you are using them to go further in your education. Many people use a student loan (or more than one) to pay for college and pursue further education.…
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US Credit Downgrade from Moody’s
On May 16, 2025, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded the United States’ long-term credit rating from Aaa to Aa1, marking the final departure of the U.S. from the top-tier rating among the three major credit agencies. This credit downgrade aligns Moody’s with earlier downgrades by S&P in 2011 and Fitch in 2023, reflecting growing concerns over…
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The Rise of the 50/30/20 Portfolio Allocation
In the world of personal finance and investment strategy, portfolio allocation remains a cornerstone of wealth building. For decades, conventional wisdom has prescribed variations of the 60/40 portfolio—60% equities, 40% bonds—as the go-to mix for balanced, long-term investing. In recent years, that allocation has started to show its age, especially in the face of prolonged…
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How to Stay the Course During Market Volatility
Market volatility can trigger strong emotional responses that lead many investors to make costly mistakes. When markets plummet, it’s natural to feel anxious and consider selling investments to prevent further losses. Staying the course during market turbulence is often the most prudent approach for long-term investors, as historically, markets have always recovered and reached new…
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How Would a Boglehead Invest in Private Credit?
Investing in private credit presents an interesting question for followers of the Jack Bogle investment philosophy. While a Boglehead traditionally focuses on low-cost index funds and publicly traded securities, private credit exists outside this familiar territory. This asset class, which includes direct lending and other non-bank financing, has gained attention for potentially higher yields in…
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Reducing Your Portfolio Beta with Private Credit
In today’s incredibly volatile markets, finding ways to reduce your portfolio’s overall risk without sacrificing returns remains a top priority for investors. Private credit has emerged as a compelling option to achieve this balance, offering potentially attractive yields with lower correlation to public markets. Adding a strategic allocation to private credit can meaningfully reduce your…
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Liberation Day Portfolio Update: April 5th, 2025
Since my last update back in February, I had covered calls expire and sold my Starbucks position providing me more cash, made regular investments through my work 401(k), and my cash savings have gone up due less spending in the end of February and March. Markets absolutely plummeted due to ‘Liberation Day’, the drastic tariffs…