Vanguard's New Customizable Model Portfolios Streamline Portfolio Personalization for Financial Advisors

New offer makes portfolio customization more efficient while maintaining investment rigor

VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanguard continues to expand its model portfolio offering with the introduction of Vanguard Custom Model Portfolios, providing financial advisors with customizable investment portfolios combining personalization with efficiency. Vanguard Custom Model Portfolios allow advisors to modify select existing Vanguard models to account for client preferences in products, asset classes, and management styles while retaining the low costs and investment philosophy advisors expect from Vanguard.

"Helping advisors scale personalization while managing their practices efficiently remains a key focus for Vanguard," said Amma Boateng, Managing Director, Financial Advisor Services. "Vanguard Custom Model Portfolios leverage Vanguard's decades of experience managing multi-asset portfolios to help advisors scale portfolio management while retaining control over key investment choices."

What are custom model portfolios?
Custom model portfolios enable modifications to 'off-the-shelf' models, helping financial advisors efficiently tailor investment strategies to client needs.

According to Vanguard research¹, using model portfolios to scale core portfolio construction can reduce the amount of time advisors spend on portfolio management by 2/3^rds—time that can be reallocated to tasks that truly differentiate their practice such as behavioral coaching and prospecting.

What do Vanguard Custom Model Portfolios offer?
Several of Vanguard's existing multi-asset and single-asset-class model portfolios will be available for customization, allowing advisors to adjust Vanguard's models to account for a range of client needs. Leveraging Vanguard's models also unlocks cost savings for advisors and their clients, as the average cost of Vanguard's model portfolios is about 80% lower than the industry average.²

"Our Vanguard Custom Model Portfolios give advisors access to Vanguard's world class product lineup, spanning high-quality index strategies and active solutions across asset classes," said Victor Zhu, Global Head of Model Portfolio Solutions. "Vanguard Custom Model Portfolios allow advisors to construct more personalized portfolios intentionally—combining low-costs with thoughtfully selected sources of active risk—without compromising on rigor or alignment to long-term investor outcomes."

As part of the offering, Vanguard is working with Vestmark's wealthtech platform, the turnkey asset management platform from SS&C Black Diamond^® Wealth Solutions, and Orion's Tailored Allocation Portfolios to help advisors and firms implement Vanguard Custom Model Portfolios through scalable platform workflows. The integrations support trading, rebalancing, and tax management. Vanguard also provides white-label or co-branded marketing materials to help advisors communicate portfolio strategies and engage clients more effectively. These capabilities are designed to help advisors deliver more personalized portfolios efficiently, make strategic portfolio changes less disruptive, and support stronger end-client engagement.

"Advisors shouldn't have to choose between scale and control," said Eve Cout, Head of Advisor Solutions, Financial Advisor Services. "Technology-enabled platform capabilities have made model portfolios increasingly customizable and simple to deliver and use. With Vanguard Custom Model Portfolios, we are combining the efficiency of models with the flexibility advisors need to serve their clients."

This launch reflects Vanguard's continued investment in model portfolio solutions as advisors and wealth management firms seek partners that can help them deliver personalization at scale while maintaining disciplined portfolio construction, low costs, and alignment to long-term investor outcomes.

For more information on Vanguard Custom Model Portfolios, visit advisors.vanguard.com.

About Vanguard
Founded in 1975, Vanguard is one of the world's leading investment management companies. The firm offers investments, advice, and retirement services to tens of millions of individual investors around the globe—directly, through workplace plans, and through financial intermediaries. Vanguard operates under a unique, investor-owned structure where Vanguard fund shareholders own the funds, which in turn own Vanguard. As such, Vanguard adheres to a simple purpose: To take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success. For more information, visit vanguard.com.

For more information about Vanguard funds, visit vanguard.com to obtain a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are contained in the prospectus; read and consider it carefully before investing. 

Be aware that fluctuations in the financial markets and other factors may cause declines in the value of your account. There is no guarantee that any particular asset allocation or mix of funds will meet your investment objectives or provide you with a given level of income.

Vanguard does not, and will not, make any representations about whether a model portfolio is in the best interest of any investor, is not, and will not be, responsible for the determination of whether a model portfolio is in the best interests of any investor, and is not acting as an investment advisor to any investor. It is the investment advisor's responsibility to determine the appropriateness of the model portfolios, or any of the securities included therein, for any client.

The Vanguard model portfolios are provided for illustrative and educational purposes only. The Vanguard model portfolios do not constitute research, are not personalized investment advice or an investment recommendation from Vanguard to any client of a third party financial professional and are intended for use only by a third party financial professional, with other information, as a resource to help build a portfolio or as an input in the development of investment advice for its own clients. Such financial professionals are responsible for making their own independent judgment as to how to use the Vanguard model portfolios.

Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

¹ Research conducted in 2026 by the Vanguard Investment Advisory Research Center.

² According to available data from Morningstar as of February 26, 2026, Vanguard model portfolios have an average expense ratio of .07%, while the industry average is .40%.

SOURCE Vanguard