--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you were to just design the perfect…" description: "\"If you were to just design the perfect retirement plan, you would own the stock market or you would own the bond market. You would get all the costs or..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/216/john-c-bogle-2199_bond_if-you-were-to-just-design-the-perfect-r_1876556.jpg" --- # If you were to just design the perfect retirement plan… ![“If you were to just design the perfect retirement plan, you would own the stock market or you would own the bond market. You would get all the costs or all that you possibly could out of the system. So on an annual basis, if the market went up 8 percent, you would get 7.8 or 7.9 percent.” quote by John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/216/john-c-bogle-2199_bond_if-you-were-to-just-design-the-perfect-r_1876556.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/216/john-c-bogle-2199_bond_if-you-were-to-just-design-the-perfect-r_1876556.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/216/john-c-bogle-2199_bond_if-you-were-to-just-design-the-perfect-r_1876556.jpg) > “If you were to just design the perfect retirement plan, you would own the stock market or you would own the bond market. You would get all the costs or all that you possibly could out of the system. So on an annual basis, if the market went up 8 percent, you would get 7.8 or 7.9 percent.” [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A perfect retirement plan would involve owning the entire stock or bond market, capturing almost all market returns after minimal costs. **In simple terms:** Owning the market yields near‑full returns with low fees. Key Takeaway Invest in low‑cost market index funds. Themes retirement investment market exposure Mood practical informative Type financial educational When to use this quote - personal finance - portfolio construction - long‑term wealth building - tax‑advantaged accounts Key Concepts index investing cost efficiency financial planning Questions to Reflect On - Can you achieve similar results with diversified funds? - How do fees impact long‑term returns? A Different Perspective Market ownership may be impractical for individual investors due to capital constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bond/) [Bond market](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bond-market/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) [Stock market](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stock-market/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) ## Related quotes > [Under Reagan came the idea of putting your pension plan in the stock market, which wasn't a guaranteed pension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/under-reagan-came-the-idea-of-putting-your-pension-plan-in-the-stock/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [We need to reorganize our entire system of retirement plan investing and to develop federal standards of fiduciary duty for pension trustees and fund…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/we-need-to-reorganize-our-entire-system-of-retirement-plan-investing/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [Working for company X and having a substantial portion of your retirement plan in company X is simply exposing yourself to too much risk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/working-for-company-x-and-having-a-substantial-portion-of-your/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [The stock market is a giant distraction from the business of investing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-stock-market-is-a-giant-distraction-from-the-business-of-investing/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [If you have trouble imagining a 20% loss in the stock market, you shouldn't be in stocks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/if-you-have-trouble-imagining-a-20-loss-in-the-stock-market-you/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [Nothing is simpler than owning the stock market and holding it forever, and that's essentially the idea behind the index fund.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/nothing-is-simpler-than-owning-the-stock-market-and-holding-it/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [The idea that a bell rings to signal when investors should get into or out of the stock market is simply not credible. After…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-idea-that-a-bell-rings-to-signal-when-investors-should-get-into/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [We are facing incredible challenges in the economy of the U.S. and the economy of the globe, but the stock market, we never know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/we-are-facing-incredible-challenges-in-the-economy-of-the-u-s-and-the/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [As I have said before, the daily machinations of the stock market are like a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/as-i-have-said-before-the-daily-machinations-of-the-stock-market-are/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [If it is hard to imagine that 20% of losses on the stock market, you should never participate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/if-it-is-hard-to-imagine-that-20-of-losses-on-the-stock-market-you/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [The stock market is a giant distraction to the business of investing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-stock-market-is-a-giant-distraction-to-the-business-of-investing/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [What indexing does is neutralize a large part of the stock market. There's no trading in those stocks, or almost none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/what-indexing-does-is-neutralize-a-large-part-of-the-stock-market/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [It's very difficult for any particular segment of the stock market to sustain superior performance. The watch word for our financial markets is, "reversion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/it-s-very-difficult-for-any-particular-segment-of-the-stock-market-to/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [“The recommended retirement plan is arabesque, then leap and smash on the seawall.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-shapero/the-recommended-retirement-plan-is-arabesque-then-leap-and-smash-on/) Natalie Shapero > [I don't really have a retirement plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/i-don-t-really-have-a-retirement-plan/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) ## More by John C. Bogle > [The basic idea of retirement income is, to me, to get a check, two checks every month, one from your fixed income and one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-basic-idea-of-retirement-income-is-to-me-to-get-a-check-two/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [When you're young, you've got plenty of time to recover from your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/when-you-re-young-you-ve-got-plenty-of-time-to-recover-from-your/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [I almost hate to say how proud I am of my career and, most of all, helping folks get the returns they deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/i-almost-hate-to-say-how-proud-i-am-of-my-career-and-most-of-all/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [The Vanguard Experiment was designed to prove that mutual funds could operate independently, and do so in a manner that would directly benefit their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-vanguard-experiment-was-designed-to-prove-that-mutual-funds-could/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest. Learning is to the Studious, and Riches to the Careful. If a man empties his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/an-investment-in-knowledge-always-pays-the-best-interest-learning-is/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [I liked the so-called Volcker Rule. I would have separated investment banking and commercial, deposit banking, as we did under the Glass-Steagal Act. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/i-liked-the-so-called-volcker-rule-i-would-have-separated-investment/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [We make too much out of past performance, and it's very misleading to investors. It causes them to move money around. They buy a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/we-make-too-much-out-of-past-performance-and-it-s-very-misleading-to/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [It's very difficult for any particular segment of the stock market to sustain superior performance. The watch word for our financial markets is, "reversion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/it-s-very-difficult-for-any-particular-segment-of-the-stock-market-to/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [I do think that impact investing is not that effective. Shares go from investor A to investor B, and the company doesn't even know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/i-do-think-that-impact-investing-is-not-that-effective-shares-go-from/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [I was born in an earlier generation and, as a group, my classmates at Blair Academy and Princeton University were as ethical, straightforward, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/i-was-born-in-an-earlier-generation-and-as-a-group-my-classmates-at/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [My only regret about money is that I don't have more to give away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/my-only-regret-about-money-is-that-i-don-t-have-more-to-give-away/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [U.S. companies are innovative and entrepreneurial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/u-s-companies-are-innovative-and-entrepreneurial/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [Successful investing is about owning businesses and reaping the huge rewards provided by the dividends and earnings growth of our nation's - and, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/successful-investing-is-about-owning-businesses-and-reaping-the-huge/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [Without getting into brothels, there are ethical capitalists the problem is that there aren't enough of them. It is not "just a few bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/without-getting-into-brothels-there-are-ethical-capitalists-the/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) > [The average hedge fund manager is going to earn zero per cent in extra return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-average-hedge-fund-manager-is-going-to-earn-zero-per-cent-in/) [John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) [Explore all 179 John C. Bogle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/) ## More Bond quotes > [I always wanted to make a 'James Bond' film, and they only seemed to hire British directors, and I'd made 'Swingers' - they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-a-james-bond-film-and-they-only-seemed-to/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) > [“The bonds between a family are strange indeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/the-bonds-between-a-family-are-strange-indeed/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [No action hero is more closely associated with cars than James Bond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hammond/no-action-hero-is-more-closely-associated-with-cars-than-james-bond/) [Richard Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hammond/) > [I hope I will not be typecast as a Bond girl for the rest of my life. I'm very proud of being a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-green/i-hope-i-will-not-be-typecast-as-a-bond-girl-for-the-rest-of-my-life/) [Eva Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-green/) > [Without wanting to claim that I'm really like James Bond I would certainly prefer to be thought of as closer to James Bond than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-atkinson/without-wanting-to-claim-that-i-m-really-like-james-bond-i-would/) [Rowan Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-atkinson/) > [From '86 until the summer of last year, wherever I went, people would say, You would have made a great James Bond! Weren't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/from-86-until-the-summer-of-last-year-wherever-i-went-people-would/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [Apparently, Daniel Craig said I'd be a great Bond. Daniel, why did you say that? Dropped me right in it! What an honor it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/apparently-daniel-craig-said-i-d-be-a-great-bond-daniel-why-did-you/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [Don't hold against me that I don't own - that I don't own a single stock or bond. Don't hold it - I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/don-t-hold-against-me-that-i-don-t-own-that-i-don-t-own-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [I will be the first black James Bond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhani-jones/i-will-be-the-first-black-james-bond/) [Dhani Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhani-jones/) > ['Lakshmi' is a dance film, a musical that deals with the emotional bond between the guru and his sishya.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prabhu-deva/lakshmi-is-a-dance-film-a-musical-that-deals-with-the-emotional-bond/) [Prabhu Deva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prabhu-deva/) > [When blacks become humanly visible, when their true beliefs are known, their mask shatters and their symbiotic bond with whites is broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-steele/when-blacks-become-humanly-visible-when-their-true-beliefs-are-known/) [Shelby Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-steele/) > [Once are such precious people, and I wouldn't trade our bond for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahyun/once-are-such-precious-people-and-i-wouldn-t-trade-our-bond-for/) [Dahyun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahyun/) > [My word is my bond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-word-is-my-bond/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am honored to be a Bond girl and be a part of the Bond legacy, To star in a video game with Connery,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-menounos/i-am-honored-to-be-a-bond-girl-and-be-a-part-of-the-bond-legacy-to/) [Maria Menounos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-menounos/) [Browse all 863 Bond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bond/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you were to just design the perfect retirement plan, you would own the stock market or you would own the bond market. 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