Investing doesn't require a complex strategy or constant portfolio monitoring. Academic studies consistently show that one of the most effective ways to build wealth involves dollar-cost averaging into low-cost,

Vanguard's five birds of a feather for 2025 The five Vanguard ETFs I'm especially bullish about for next year are birds of a feather: Vanguard Small-Cap ETF (NYSEMKT: VB) Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF (NYSEMKT: VBR) Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 ETF (NYSEMKT: VIOO) Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF (NASDAQ: VTWO) Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth ETF (NASDAQ: VTWG) You might have spotted the key common denominator for these funds: They all focus on small-cap stocks.

Vanguard is known for its low-cost ETFs, especially its extremely popular Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. Small cap stocks have dramatically underperformed their large-cap counterparts for over a decade. As of Oct.

The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF ( VIG 0.01%), Vanguard S&P 500 Value ETF ( VOOV -0.32%), and the Vanguard Energy ETF ( VDE -1.80%) have all underperformed the S&P 500 so far in 2024. But they all have combinations of quality top holdings and reasonable valuations that could position them to shine bright in 2025.

ETFs bring instant diversification, and new investors don't need to worry about when is the best time to buy or sell individual stocks. As such, I think one of the best ETFs for investors to start with is the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO).