Important to the goal of increasing one's wealth while managing the risk of losing it.
Given this definition, I don't see why only stocks and bonds qualify.
The word is used to mean different things in different contexts.
True, but given that you said "cash and CDs" I thought your idea of cash excludes deposits. Still, there are more asset classes than equity and fixed income.
Given this definition, I don't see why only stocks and bonds qualify.
My claim is that equity and fixed income are the important pieces for reaching that goal. With a total stock index fund and a total bond index fund you can achieve these goals almost as well as any other more complicated portfolio. Additional asset classes can add additional diversification or hedge against specific risks. What other asset classes do you have in mind? Real estate? Commodities? Currencies?
True, but given that you said "cash and CDs" I thought your idea of cash excludes deposits.
Fair enough. I was unclear.
If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post (even in Discussion), then it goes here.
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