What is an ETFIQ benchmark?

A rule over broad, low-cost ETFs, written down before its returns were looked at, that measures model portfolios the way the S&P 500 measures large US stocks. Its weights, rule and returns are published.

Can I invest in an ETFIQ benchmark?

No. A benchmark is a published yardstick, not a fund, and ETFIQ publishes no trades for any of them. It takes no payment from the issuer of any fund a benchmark holds.

Why are some returns hypothetical?

Each family’s rule is frozen on a stated date. Returns before it apply today’s rule and funds to earlier prices, which is look-ahead; returns from it are tracked. The price source does not carry funds that closed before 2016, so nothing here is free of survivorship bias.

ETF Model Portfolios · 36 benchmarks · 5 allocation bands

ETF Model Portfolios: benchmarks and allocation ETFs by band

An ETFIQ benchmark is a yardstick, the same for everyone: a written rule over broad, low-cost ETFs, its weights, calendar and returns published, and never a recommendation. Allocation ETFs mix stocks and bonds and are placed in five bands by the share of their net assets in stocks, counted through any funds they hold.

Share on X

As of Oct 7, 2026, 36 ETFIQ benchmarks in 6 families measure model portfolios at stock shares from 0% to 100%.

One sentence, recomputed every trading night. A benchmark is a rule, not a recommendation.

ETFIQ benchmarks, 36 in 6 families

All 36 benchmarks

8 membersStrategic0 · 20 · 40 · 60 · 80 · 95 · 100 · 100% stocks 6 membersTax-aware0 · 20 · 40 · 60 · 80 · 95% stocks 6 membersFactor20 · 40 · 60 · 80 · 95 · 100% stocks 5 membersIncome20 · 40 · 60 · 80 · 95% stocks 5 membersTactical20 · 40 · 60 · 80 · 95% stocks 6 membersThematic20 · 40 · 60 · 80 · 95 · 100% stocks

Allocation ETFs by band

The 36 benchmarks on the stock-share scale

15%

30%

50%

70%

85%0100% stocks6 benchmarks6 benchmarks6 benchmarks6 benchmarks6 benchmarksStrategicTax-awareFactorIncomeTacticalThematic

StrategicTax-awareFactorIncomeTacticalThematic

Each dot is one benchmark at the stock share its rule holds, one row per family. Under each band, the benchmarks that hold its point; the 2 at 0% and 4 at 100% stocks are in no band.

15 to 30% stocksConservativeMore than 15% and up to 30% stocks 30 to 50% stocksModerately conservativeMore than 30% and up to 50% stocks 50 to 70% stocksModerateMore than 50% and up to 70% stocks 70 to 85% stocksModerately aggressiveMore than 70% and up to 85% stocks

over 85% stocksAggressiveMore than 85% stocks

The five bands of the Allocation category, by the share of net assets in stocks counted through any funds held. Each band’s ETFIQ benchmark holds stocks at one point inside it: 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 95%.

Not published: the band page for Aggressive. The Allocation category publishes no page for this band yet.

How a benchmark is published

A written rule over broad, low-cost ETFs, frozen on Oct 3, 2026, with its weights, calendar and returns on its own page. Figures before Oct 5, 2026 are hypothetical: today’s rule and funds applied to earlier prices. Total returns are market price with distributions reinvested, net of each fund’s own fees, with nothing else deducted. The price source does not carry funds that closed before 2016, so nothing here is free of survivorship bias. Methodology v1.3 →

Where to next

Every model, side by side→Every comparison, with its 1-year difference→AOR against its benchmark→CGBL against its benchmark→RJVI against its benchmark→Every benchmark→How the benchmarks are built→Look a portfolio through→Core funds→Every method→

Questions people ask about model portfolio benchmarks

What is an ETFIQ benchmark?: A rule over broad, low-cost ETFs, written down before its returns were looked at, that measures model portfolios the way the S&P 500 measures large US stocks. Its weights, rule and returns are published.
Can I invest in an ETFIQ benchmark?: No. A benchmark is a published yardstick, not a fund, and ETFIQ publishes no trades for any of them. It takes no payment from the issuer of any fund a benchmark holds.
Why are some returns hypothetical?: Each family’s rule is frozen on a stated date. Returns before it apply today’s rule and funds to earlier prices, which is look-ahead; returns from it are tracked. The price source does not carry funds that closed before 2016, so nothing here is free of survivorship bias.

Cite this page

ETFIQ, ETF Model Portfolios, data as of Oct 7, 2026. https://etfiq.com/models/

Open data →

Free to use with attribution for figures ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms. The underlying files are at Open data. Figures before Oct 5, 2026 are hypothetical.

Sources and credit

Prices and distributions, every fund the benchmarks holdData sourced by Tiingo · end of day · Oct 7, 2026 The risk-free rate, for the Sharpe ratioU.S. Treasury daily bill rates

Computed by ETFIQ from Tiingo daily prices. Data sourced by Tiingo.