The difference between a well-built portfolio and a risky one often comes down to a few key choices. In this bonus episode of The Morning Filter podcast, co-host Susan Dziubinski talks with Morningstar’s director of personal finance and retirement planning Christine Benz. They touch on whether investors are a blind to market risk today or if they’re simply thinking long-term. They spend most of their time discussing portfolio construction—specifically, which asset classes to own, what role international stocks can play, and the types of bonds that work best for most investors. Benz shares some of her favorite funds and ETFs to include in an investment portfolio. They close with some rapid-fire questions about how to invest an IRA that’s sitting in cash, whether time horizon or risk tolerance is a more important consideration when constructing a portfolio, and the most underrated investment strategy today. Episode Highlights 00:00:00 Welcome 00:03:08 How to tell if you’re really a long-term investor or just a complacent one. 00:05:57 Why investors should use mutual funds and ETFs as core portfolio holdings rather than stocks. 00:05:57 Best practices for portfolio construction—and which asset classes you do and don’t need for a diversified portfolio. 00:22:54 What international stocks can add to your portfolio mix. 00:29:51 Which types of bonds to buy and which ones to avoid. 00:37:57 Top mutual funds and ETFs to consider for your portfolio. Have an idea for a bonus episode? Send it to themorningfilter@morningstar.com. Read about topics from this episode. Our Best Investment Portfolio Examples for Savers and Retirees https://www.morningstar.com/portfolios/best-investment-portfolio-examples-savers-retirees Risk, Not Volatility, Is the Real Enemy for Investors https://www.morningstar.com/markets/risk-not-volatility-is-real-enemy Christine’s column and video archive. https://www.morningstar.com/people/christine-benz Follow us on social media. Dave Sekera on X: @MstarMarkets https://x.com/MstarMarkets Dave Sekera on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davesekera Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorningstarInc/ X: https://x.com/MorningstarInc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morningstarinc/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/morningstar/posts/?feedView=all Listen to The Morning Filter podcast every Monday at 9 am Eastern, 8 am Central. Subscribe to get notified when we post next. Happy Investing! This episode is sponsored by Vanguard: https://advisors.vanguard.com/engagement/fixed-income