This Overlooked Investment Could Set You Up for Life. Here's How.

An “overlooked” investment for long-term investors is the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI), positioned as broad exposure to the U.S. stock market rather than betting on individual companies. The article highlights that VTI tracks the overall market across large-, mid- and small-cap stocks, with 3,484 holdings spanning multiple sectors and regions. It notes that the ETF is market-cap weighted, meaning large companies have a larger influence, and that tech represents over 42% of the fund. The piece cites VTI’s performance since its May 2001 launch and emphasizes especially strong results over the past five and 10 years, while clarifying that past returns don’t guarantee future outcomes. For illustration, it assumes a 10% average annual total return, estimating $500 monthly could reach more than $587,400 in 25 years. It also warns about S&P 500 overlap, stating that if investors already hold an S&P 500 ETF, adding VTI duplicates holdings.