--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The index fund always gives you the…" description: "\"The index fund always gives you the market return.\" — John C. Bogle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/john-c-bogle-2199_always_the-index-fund-always-gives-you-the-mark_2402626.jpg" --- # The index fund always gives you the market return. ![“The index fund always gives you the market return.” quote by John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/john-c-bogle-2199_always_the-index-fund-always-gives-you-the-mark_2402626.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/john-c-bogle-2199_always_the-index-fund-always-gives-you-the-mark_2402626.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/john-c-bogle-2199_always_the-index-fund-always-gives-you-the-mark_2402626.jpg) > “The index fund always gives you the market return.” [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. Investing in a low‑cost index fund replicates the overall market performance rather than trying to beat it. **In simple terms:** Index funds match market returns. Key Takeaway Choose low‑cost index funds for long‑term growth. Themes investing finance passive management Mood practical analytical Type advice educational When to use this quote - retirement planning - college savings - portfolio building - risk management Key Concepts efficient market hypothesis cost averaging diversification Questions to Reflect On - Are you comfortable with market fluctuations? - How does low cost improve net returns? A Different Perspective Market returns can be volatile in the short term, requiring patience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Fund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fund/) [Fund Gives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fund-gives-6021998/) [Gives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gives/) [Index Fund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/index-fund-749463/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Market](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/market/) [Market Return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/market-return-6021997/) [Return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/return/) ## Related quotes > [Most investors, both institutional and individual, will find that the best way to own common stocks (shares') is through an index fund that charges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/most-investors-both-institutional-and-individual-will-find-that-the/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [The key aspect of an index fund is that many of them, not all of them, but many of them are extremely cheap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-bernstein/the-key-aspect-of-an-index-fund-is-that-many-of-them-not-all-of-them/) [William J. Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-bernstein/) > [By periodically investing in an index fund, the know-nothing investors can actually outperform most investment professionals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/by-periodically-investing-in-an-index-fund-the-know-nothing-investors/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [A low-cost index fund is the most sensible equity investment for the great majority of investors. My mentor, Ben Graham, took this position many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/a-low-cost-index-fund-is-the-most-sensible-equity-investment-for-the/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [After a lifetime of picking stocks, I have to admit that Bogle's arguments in favor of the index fund have me thinking of joining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cramer/after-a-lifetime-of-picking-stocks-i-have-to-admit-that-bogle-s/) [Jim Cramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cramer/) > [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/) > [Most investors would be better off in an index fund.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/most-investors-would-be-better-off-in-an-index-fund/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [A minuscule 4 percent of funds produce market-beating after-tax results with a scant 0.6 percent (annual) margin of gain. The 96 percent of funds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-swensen/a-minuscule-4-percent-of-funds-produce-market-beating-after-tax/) [David F. Swensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-swensen/) > [Assuming that the future is like the past, you can outperform 80 percent of your fellow investors over the next several decades by investing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hulbert/assuming-that-the-future-is-like-the-past-you-can-outperform-80/) [Mark Hulbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hulbert/) > [The simple index fund solution has been adopted as a cornerstone of investment strategy for many of the nation's pension plans operated by our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-swensen/the-simple-index-fund-solution-has-been-adopted-as-a-cornerstone-of/) [David F. Swensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-swensen/) > [ICG wasn't an index fund so much as a collection of venture-capital investments focused on so-called business-to-business Internet companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lashinsky/icg-wasn-t-an-index-fund-so-much-as-a-collection-of-venture-capital/) [Adam Lashinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lashinsky/) > [Experience conclusively shows that index-fund buyers are likely to obtain results exceeding those of the typical fund manager, whose large advisory fees and substantial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burton-malkiel/experience-conclusively-shows-that-index-fund-buyers-are-likely-to/) [Burton Malkiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burton-malkiel/) > [Still, I figure we shouldn't' discourage fans of actively managed funds. With all their buying and selling, active investors ensure the market is reasonably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/still-i-figure-we-shouldn-t-discourage-fans-of-actively-managed-funds/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [The best way in my view is to just buy a low-cost index fund and keep buying it regularly over time, because you'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-best-way-in-my-view-is-to-just-buy-a-low-cost-index-fund-and-keep/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Our standard prescription for the know-nothing investor with a long-term time horizon is a no-load index fund. I think that works better than relying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/our-standard-prescription-for-the-know-nothing-investor-with-a-long/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) ## 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 Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The index fund always gives you the market return.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John C. 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