Your 401(k) Portfolio: One Job, One Fund, and Where the Rest Belongs
A little of everything is not a portfolio. Here is the 401(k) mix by stage, and what belongs elsewhere.
19 min read
Refined FI
Independent investment research, tools, and portfolio frameworks
Refined FI translates institutional-level investment research into practical maps, tools, and portfolio frameworks for people building wealth, preparing for retirement, or living off investments.
The work combines systems thinking, finance, and real portfolio research. The goal is simple: help investors understand where they are, choose the right map, and know what to do next.
More articles from Refined FI
Best 401(k) Investment: Why Target-Date Funds Delay Retirement
Want to delay retirement? Target-date funds took 4.5–5.6 years longer than an S&P 500 index fund.
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Best Retirement Calculator: Why One Number Is Not Enough
Understand what a retirement calculator should do and use a five-tool framework that turns each answer into your next retirement decision.
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BlackRock's Diversified Fixed Income Fund Is Not As Diversified As It Sounds
BlackRock's BDVIX owns thousands of bonds, but retirement income diversification requires more than one income engine.
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Does Your Bond Fund Need Ozempic?
The best bond funds for retirement are usually active, flexible funds, not debt-weighted indexes. Refined FI weighs inflation and stock-bond correlation first.
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How To Invest Your 401(k): One Simple Answer Most Articles Avoid
When given a limited menu to choose from, this is the ideal process to invest your 401(k) for your future.
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How To Invest HSA Funds: Payroll-To-Portfolio Protocol
The payroll-to-portfolio HSA protocol: minimize taxes, automate contributions and investments, and let it compound.
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HSA vs Roth IRA vs 401(k): Where Should Your Next Retirement Dollar Go?
Want a retirement edge most people miss? The HSA beats the Roth IRA and 401(k), if you know three rules. See the 2026 math.
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Dead Weight: Zombies in Your Portfolio
If your portfolio holds small-cap funds, you're carrying dead weight into retirement. The market has changed.
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Not Permanent: Markets Change. Assets Should Too.
The Permanent Portfolio got the framework right: assets need jobs. But one fixed 25/25/25/25 allocation may not solve retirement.
7 min read
Retirement Income, Reinvented
Most retirement portfolios are built to grow wealth. This one was built to distribute income and survive difficult markets.
7 min read