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Is a 40% Allocation to Bonds Still Justified?

December 2025
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An asset allocation of 60% stocks and 40% bonds has been the portfolio standard for decades. However, as you can see in the chart below, the “40” component of that model has provided meager returns over the last couple of decades.
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Key Takeaways
The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index returns have declined over the last 40 years.
Bonds might not be able to contribute to a portfolio as much as they have historically.
What is your expectation moving forward for fixed income, given the current interest rate environment?

Past performance does not guarantee future results. The performance data quoted represents past performance and current returns may be lower or higher. The investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed may be worth more or less than the original cost. Securities in the Funds do not match those in the indexes and performance of the Funds will differ. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. For current Fund performance, please click here.