I started investing in 2016 when I first came to the US as a college student. Back then I didn’t know the difference between an ETF and a mutual fund. Ten years later I’ve built a portfolio around 5 core funds. Here’s exactly what I hold, why, and the actual numbers behind each one.
My Current Portfolio (5 Funds)
| Fund | Type | What it tracks | Expense ratio | My role for it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FXAIX | Mutual Fund | S&P 500 (500 largest US companies) | 0.015% | Core holding — the backbone |
| QQQ | ETF | Nasdaq-100 (top 100 tech-heavy) | 0.20% | Growth booster — tech bet |
| FSPGX | Mutual Fund | Russell 1000 Growth (large-cap US growth) | 0.035% | Growth tilt — cheaper than QQQ |
| SCHD | ETF | Dow Jones US Dividend 100 | 0.06% | Dividend income — stability |
| FSPSX | Mutual Fund | MSCI EAFE (international developed) | 0.035% | International diversification |
What Each Fund Actually Is
FXAIX — The simplest, most boring, most effective investment. Tracks the S&P 500. When people say “just buy the index,” this is what they mean. At 0.015%, you pay $1.50/year per $10,000 invested. This is Fidelity’s equivalent of VOO or IVV.
QQQ — The tech-heavy index. Tracks the 100 largest non-financial Nasdaq companies — about 49% information technology. More volatile than the S&P 500 but historically outperforms it. Think of QQQ as the S&P 500 on steroids: higher highs, lower lows.
FSPGX — Tracks the Russell 1000 Growth Index. Similar to QQQ but broader and much cheaper (0.035% vs 0.20%). If you can only pick one growth fund, FSPGX gives you similar exposure to QQQ at a fraction of the cost.
SCHD — The dividend fund. Tracks 100 US stocks with strong dividend histories — Coca-Cola, Pfizer, Cisco, Home Depot. Pays ~3.5% dividend yield quarterly. Won’t grow as fast as QQQ, but pays you cash every quarter. Reddit’s r/dividends loves this one.
FSPSX — International developed markets: Japan, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Australia. International stocks have underperformed US stocks for the past decade, but in 2025 FSPSX returned +31.98% while FXAIX returned +18.20%. Diversification matters.
10-Year Performance: $10,000 Invested in 2016
| Fund | Total return | Annual return | $10k → today | Dividend yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QQQ | +560% | +21.10%/yr | $66,053 | ~0.6% |
| FSPGX | +449% | +18.86%/yr | $54,932 | ~0.5% |
| FXAIX | +309% | +15.35%/yr | $40,864 | ~1.3% |
| SCHD | +220% | +12.53%/yr | $32,028 | ~3.5% |
| FSPSX | +153% | +9.86%/yr | $25,281 | ~2.5% |
Year-by-Year: Who Won Each Year
| Year | FSPGX | FSPSX | FXAIX | QQQ | SCHD | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 YTD | +1.4% | +6.0% | +5.1% | +8.2% | +14.7% | SCHD |
| 2025 | +18.5% | +32.0% | +18.2% | +20.8% | +4.3% | FSPSX |
| 2024 | +33.3% | +3.7% | +25.0% | +25.6% | +11.7% | FSPGX |
| 2023 | +42.8% | +18.3% | +26.3% | +54.9% | +4.5% | QQQ |
| 2022 | -29.2% | -14.2% | -18.1% | -32.6% | -3.3% | SCHD |
| 2021 | +29.8% | +11.5% | +28.7% | +27.4% | +29.9% | SCHD |
| 2020 | +40.1% | +8.2% | +18.4% | +48.6% | +15.0% | QQQ |
No fund wins every year. That’s exactly why diversification matters — SCHD was the best performer in both 2026 YTD, 2022 (when everything dropped), and 2021. FSPSX, largely ignored for years, was the top performer in 2025.
What I’d Recommend If Starting Today
Absolute beginner: 100% FXAIX. Done. Come back to this list in 5 years when you want to optimize.
Want some growth tilt: 70% FXAIX + 30% FSPGX. You get broad market exposure with a lean toward growth companies, at very low cost.
My actual allocation: FXAIX (core) + QQQ (growth) + FSPGX (growth, cheaper) + SCHD (dividend income) + FSPSX (international). This is more complex than most people need — but each fund has a specific job.
The most important decision isn’t which fund to pick. It’s how much you invest and how consistently you invest. A $100/month automatic investment in FXAIX will outperform $10,000 invested once and forgotten, almost every time.