The Simple Path to Wealth
Invest in one low-cost index fund, ignore the noise, and let compound growth do the work
JL Collins' Simple Path to Wealth strips investing down to its most essential elements: buy low-cost total stock market index funds (specifically Vanguard's VTSAX or equivalent), hold them forever, don't try to pick stocks or time the market, and don't pay a financial advisor to do something this simple. Collins argues that the investing industry profits from making things seem complicated when the optimal strategy for most people is embarrassingly simple. His approach is built on three principles: the stock market always goes up over time (though not in a straight line), low costs are the single most important factor in investment returns, and no one can consistently predict short-term market movements. The framework has transformed the financial independence community because it removes the anxiety of investment decisions - there's only one decision to make, and the evidence overwhelmingly supports it.
- The stock market always goes up over time - but not in a straight line
- Low costs (expense ratios) matter more than stock selection or market timing
- No one can consistently predict short-term market movements
- You don't need a financial advisor for a strategy this simple
- Index funds guarantee you the market return, which beats most professional investors
- Open a Vanguard Account and Buy VTSAXOpen an account at Vanguard (or equivalent low-cost brokerage) and invest in VTSAX (Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund) or its ETF equivalent VTI. This single fund gives you ownership of virtually every publicly traded company in America. Collins argues you don't need multiple funds, sector allocations, or international diversification to build wealth. One fund, held consistently, outperforms the vast majority of professional investors over any 20+ year period.Pro tipIf you don't have the VTSAX minimum ($3,000), start with VTI (the ETF version) which has no minimum investment.WarningThis is a long-term strategy requiring a 10+ year time horizon. Money you need within five years should be in bonds or savings, not stocks.
- Automate Regular ContributionsSet up automatic monthly contributions from your paycheck or bank account into your index fund. Dollar-cost averaging (investing the same amount regularly regardless of market conditions) removes the temptation to time the market and ensures you buy more shares when prices are low and fewer when prices are high. The automation eliminates the emotional decision-making that causes most investors to buy high and sell low.Pro tipStart with whatever you can afford and increase contributions with every raise. The habit matters more than the amount.
- Ignore Market News and Never Sell in a DownturnMarket crashes are not disasters - they're sales. When the market drops 30%, your automatic contributions are buying shares at a 30% discount. The only way to lose money in the stock market long-term is to sell during a downturn and lock in losses. Collins emphasizes that the market has recovered from every crash in history, including the Great Depression, 2008 financial crisis, and COVID-19 crash. The investors who lost money were those who panicked and sold.Pro tipDuring market crashes, Collins says: 'Don't just do something - sit there.' The urge to act during downturns is the single most expensive impulse in investing.WarningThis requires genuine emotional resilience. Watching your portfolio drop 40% and doing nothing is psychologically extremely difficult but historically optimal.
- Avoid Financial Advisors for Simple StrategiesCollins argues that paying a financial advisor 1% annually to manage a simple index fund portfolio is one of the worst financial decisions most people make. That 1% fee, compounded over decades, can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The strategy is simple enough that anyone can execute it: buy VTSAX, automate contributions, don't sell during downturns. You don't need someone to charge you for this.Pro tipCalculate what 1% AUM fees would cost you over 30 years of investing. The number will shock you into self-management.WarningThere are legitimate reasons to use financial advisors for complex situations (estate planning, tax optimization, business owners). Collins' criticism applies specifically to paying advisors to manage simple index fund portfolios.
Collins originally wrote the Stock Series as advice for his daughter, wanting to ensure she had the investment knowledge she needed regardless of what happened to him. The simple, loving, no-nonsense tone of a father writing to his child gave the advice an authenticity and clarity that resonated with millions of readers.
JL Collins wrote the Stock Series as a series of blog posts addressed to his daughter, intending to give her the investment knowledge she would need after he was gone. The series went viral in the financial independence community because it explained investing with unprecedented clarity and simplicity. Collins had spent decades as a successful investor and realized that the most powerful strategy was also the simplest: buy the entire market through a low-cost index fund and hold it forever. His book The Simple Path to Wealth became the de facto bible of the financial independence movement.