So here's an interesting portfolio that's specifically designed to be recession-proof:
https://247wallst.com/investing/2026/03 ... recession/
Unlike the PP or GB it's not being pitched as an all-weather allocation: it's for risk-averse retirees.
One of the things I really like about this is that it's completely "inoculated" against the A.I. exposure of the U.S. Total Stock or S & P 500 funds used in the PP and GB. Of course it's got 60% in equities vs. 25-40% for the PP and GB respectively but it's all companies that provide "must-have" products.
No cash allocation would be a serious real-world problem for someone who went all-in on this. I'd go with 15% VTIP (short term TIPs, 2.5 year duration) to make it even more defensive and add 5% in a T-bill mm account.
Seems like a pretty good bunker to me. Plus I kind of like the name.
The Cockroach Portfolio
Moderator: Global Moderator
Re: The Cockroach Portfolio
Interesting idea. I like the idea of defensive equity tilts.
I wonder how such a portfolio would perform if the sector specific allocations were replaced with low volatility fund that is sector agnostic?
I wonder how such a portfolio would perform if the sector specific allocations were replaced with low volatility fund that is sector agnostic?
www.ironwealth.org
Re: The Cockroach Portfolio
Thanks for chiming in. I'm glad to have the opportunity to look up your Iron Wealth Portfolio website. I'd be curious to know which funds you'd use for a U.S.-based investor. In any case I like what you've done in applying the lessons learned from Harry Browne to an elegantly simple "all weather" portfolio.
Regarding the Cockroach portfolio, the author says at the outset that it's designed to be a recession-proof retiree portfolio - period. So that's a different mindset than what's behind the PP, GB or your Iron Wealth portfolio. There are no assets for prosperity included in it. Where I see a use case for this would be as an efficient way to hedge against the AI bubble bursting and/or further currency debasement - both of which seem likely to me. So for example one could own global equities with something like VT as one's prosperity bet, keep 5-10% in cash for liquidity and put the rest in the Cockroach. But that's a lot more complex and is definitely market timing.
Regarding the Cockroach portfolio, the author says at the outset that it's designed to be a recession-proof retiree portfolio - period. So that's a different mindset than what's behind the PP, GB or your Iron Wealth portfolio. There are no assets for prosperity included in it. Where I see a use case for this would be as an efficient way to hedge against the AI bubble bursting and/or further currency debasement - both of which seem likely to me. So for example one could own global equities with something like VT as one's prosperity bet, keep 5-10% in cash for liquidity and put the rest in the Cockroach. But that's a lot more complex and is definitely market timing.