Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Institutional Shares (VBAIX)

This index fund offers investors an easy, low-cost way to gain exposure to stocks and bonds. The fund invests roughly 60% in stocks and 40% in bonds by tracking two indexes that represent broad barometers for the U.S. equity and U.S. taxable bond markets. The fund’s broad diversification is important, because one or two holdings should not have a sizeable impact on the fund. Investors with a long-term time horizon who want growth and some income—and who are willing to accept stock and bond market volatility—may wish to consider this as a core holding in their portfolio.