I Have $100,000 Invested

The situation

You have $100,000 invested, and the milestone may make your portfolio feel as if it needs more attention or more sophisticated holdings than it did before.

The three-step answer

1. Compare the portfolio with your plan. Confirm the goal, time horizon, risk level, and target allocation for each account before changing any holding. Use Your investment policy statement, Choosing your risk level, and Asset allocation as the reference points.
2. Remove costs and complexity that lack a job. Review fund fees, account fees, overlapping holdings, and scattered accounts, then change only items that create a meaningful problem. Check Why fees matter, Why simplicity wins, and The cost of complexity before adding anything new.
3. Rebalance when the plan calls for it. Check whether market movement or new contributions have pushed the allocation away from its target, make the smallest needed adjustment, and keep contributions automatic. Follow Portfolio drift, Rebalancing, Automatic investing, and The order of operations for your money.

Why this order

The tradeoff is that oversight can keep risk and costs aligned with your goals, while frequent tinkering can create taxes, fees, and a portfolio you no longer understand. Start with the plan because drift, duplication, and even a fund’s cost only matter in relation to the job the portfolio is supposed to do.

Review costs next, then rebalance. That order prevents you from making allocation changes around holdings you may consolidate or remove, and it gives you a reason for every trade. Reaching a larger balance does not create a need for more funds, more accounts, or a new strategy.

Change the order if this money now has a near-term job or your life has materially changed. Revisit the goal and risk level before touching fees or allocation, and do not rely on invested assets for a known short-term expense. When to change your portfolio covers that decision.

Go deeper

• I Have $1,000 Saved
• I Have $10,000 Saved
• When not to change your portfolio
• Why diversification works
• Why you should probably stop checking your portfolio