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Portfolio construction

Picture a framework for portfolio construction that empowers clients to stick with a plan across ever-changing market conditions. With combinations of low-cost passive, strategic beta, and actively managed strategies, our building block approach adapts to fit a range of client goals, objectives, risk tolerances, and circumstances.

A flexible, cost-efficient asset allocation framework

Our ABC asset allocation framework can help you implement personalized portfolio solutions that are easy to explain to your clients and centered around your desired time and comfort level with managing investments.

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Three straightforward approaches

Allocates across core asset classes

Strategic asset allocation using traditional market cap-weighted exposures for a diversified low-cost core portfolio designed to meet either total return or income objectives.

Incorporates strategic beta, style, and sub-asset class allocations

Enhances opportunity set by adding strategic beta, value, growth, and other expanded allocation exposures.

Captures active management opportunities

Integrates actively managed exposures to provide additional diversification, and/or meet customized client needs.

Choose your desired level of involvement and complexity

This ABC framework can help deliver a diversified, low-cost core allocation and add degrees of portfolio complexity when it makes sense—all in an easy and scalable way.

Illustrative efficient frontier. Tracking error and cost assume use of a low-cost vehicle such as an ETF or index mutual fund. Underlying investments under A (market cap) and B (styles and strategic beta) are assumed to be represented by low-cost ETFs or mutual funds, and investments under C (active) are assumed to be represented by actively managed mutual funds with relatively higher operating expenses.

Select the approach to suit your clients' goals

Use the ABC allocation framework to meet your clients where they are. We offer approaches designed to pursue different goals: total return and income. And both approaches can adapt to clients' specific risk appetites.

Approaches to Portfolio Construction

Three ways to leverage our asset allocation framework

Schwab Model Portfolios

Learn more about our model portfolios, available on provider platforms.

Learn more about Schwab Model Portfolios now available on the Nasdaq Fund Network.  Watch >

Implement on your own

Use our framework and allocations to implement in your own portfolio management system.

Schwab Target Index Funds

Schwab Target Index Funds use similar asset class exposures as our A total return allocations. Schwab Target Index Funds are target date mutual funds managed by Schwab Asset Management. The funds are composed of individual funds that correspond to target retirement dates (target dates) in five-year increments between 2010 and 2065.

We’re here to help you design portfolios for lasting client relationships

To learn more about our ABC asset allocation framework and how you can implement it in your practice, contact your Schwab Asset Management representative.

Insights on portfolio construction

Appreciating simplicity in portfolio construction

Our straightforward building block framework utilizes a behaviorally based approach to encourage positive investor behavior and help clients stay the course.

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