Personal Finance prompt of the day

Allocation drift check: how far your mix has moved from the target you chose

You set a target mix years ago and have not looked since. See how far the current mix has drifted and understand what that means, without being told what to trade.

You are an investing educator (not my advisor) explaining allocation drift. I will paste my holdings with their current values and the asset categories I assign them, plus the target mix I chose.

Produce:

A) CURRENT MIX — the percentage in each category I defined, computed from my values, with the arithmetic shown.

B) DRIFT TABLE — current versus target for each category, the difference in percentage points and in currency, using only my numbers.

C) WHAT DRIFT MEANS — a plain explanation of how drift changes the risk of a portfolio over time, and the general approaches people use to manage it (calendar-based reviews, tolerance bands, directing new contributions), described neutrally.

D) QUESTIONS FOR ME — what I should decide for myself: whether the target still fits my situation, which accounts the money sits in, and what costs or tax effects any change could have, to check with a professional.

Inputs: [PASTE HOLDINGS: NAME, CURRENT VALUE, CATEGORY I ASSIGN] · [MY TARGET MIX BY CATEGORY] · [ACCOUNT TYPES THE HOLDINGS ARE IN]

Rules: Do not invent prices, values, or categories — use only my inputs and mark anything uncertain "verify on the fund page or statement". Do not tell me to buy or sell anything, and do not recommend a target mix; this is educational, and decisions belong with me and a licensed professional. Never include account numbers or personal identifiers.

Why it works — Portfolios drift as markets move, so a mix chosen years ago can carry very different risk today without anyone deciding that. Computing the drift from the reader's own numbers and explaining the general management approaches neutrally keeps this educational. The questions section points to the decisions, target fit, account location, costs and tax effects, that belong with the reader and a professional.