Free portfolio backtest · 20+ years of data

No-Brainer portfolio backtest

Aggressiveby William Bernstein

See how $10,000 in the No-Brainer portfolio would have grown — real, dividend-adjusted history, rebalanced yearly. No signup.

William Bernstein's equal split across US large-cap, US small-cap, international, and bonds.

Allocation (locked)
  • VTI · Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF25%
  • VB · Vanguard Small-Cap ETF25%
  • VEA · Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF25%
  • BND · Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF25%

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Defaults to the last 10 years. Clean, fee-free backtest with annual rebalancing.

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Pick a date range above (or use the last 10 years) and hit Run backtest.

About the No-Brainer strategy

William Bernstein's No-Brainer portfolio keeps things deliberately simple: four equal 25% slices across US large-cap, US small-cap, international stocks, and bonds. Three-quarters in equities makes it a growth-oriented allocation, with a single bond position for ballast.

This backtest uses VTI, VB, VEA, and BND at 25% each, rebalanced annually. The equal weighting is the whole point — no forecasting, no fine-tuning, just broad exposure across the main equity buckets plus bonds.

It suits investors who want a straightforward, equity-heavy portfolio and prefer equal weighting to more complex allocation schemes.

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Frequently asked questions

William Bernstein's four-fund portfolio holding US large-cap, US small-cap, international stocks, and bonds in equal 25% weights.

For educational and informational purposes only. Backtests use split- and dividend-adjusted historical prices with annual rebalancing and no fees, taxes, or slippage; real-world results differ. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Awalyt does not provide investment advice.