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BeginnerInvesting Strategy

Portfolio Rebalancing: Sell High, Buy Low on Autopilot

Rebalancing automatically forces you to sell assets that have risen and buy assets that have fallen — the opposite of what emotions tell you to do. It's one of the simplest risk management tools that also boosts long-term returns.

TL;DR

Rebalancing automatically forces you to sell assets that have risen and buy assets that have fallen — the opposite of what emotions tell you to do. It's one of the simplest risk management tools that also boosts long-term returns.

What Is Rebalancing?

You set a target allocation: 60% stocks, 40% bonds. After a year, stocks have risen and now make up 70% of your portfolio. Rebalancing means selling enough stocks and buying bonds to return to 60/40. This locks in gains from stocks and buys bonds at lower relative prices.

Key Terms:

target allocationdriftrebalancing