# If I Were Starting Over in the Stock Market, I'd Put $1,000 in Each of These 4 ETFs

> Investor starts over with $1,000 in each of four ETFs for long-term growth.
- Title: If I Were Starting Over in the Stock Market, I'd Put $1,000…
- Summary: Investor starts over with $1,000 in each of four ETFs for long-term growth. The author recommends $1,000 in Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI), Schwab…
- Keywords: vanguard total stock market etf, schwab us dividend equity etf, avantis us small cap value etf, schwab us large-cap growth etf, etf, stock market, dividend stocks, small cap stocks, large cap stocks, expense ratio, finance, money
- Source: The Motley Fool — https://fool.com/investing/2026/10/19/if-starting-over-stock-market-these-4-etfs
- Author: David Dierking
- Published: 2026-10-19T06:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: vanguard total stock market etf, schwab us dividend equity etf, avantis us small cap value etf, schwab us large-cap growth etf, etf, stock market, dividend stocks, small cap stocks, large cap stocks, expense ratio, finance, money
## Foundational ETFs for long-term growth
Investors starting over should build a portfolio with broadly diversified, low-cost ETFs that represent their target market.
## Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI)
The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) offers ultra-low expense ratio of 0.03% and covers 3,500 stocks across the U.S. equity market.
## Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD)
The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) provides 2.95% dividend yield with an expense ratio of 0.06% and focuses on high-quality dividend stocks.
## Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (AVUV)
The Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (AVUV) targets high-quality small-cap stocks with a price-to-earnings ratio of around 12 and an expense ratio of 0.25%.
## Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF (SCHG)
The Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF (SCHG) has an expense ratio of 0.04% and focuses on high-growth stocks with a 200-stock portfolio.
## Why these four ETFs work together
These ETFs provide balanced exposure to the entire U.S. market, dividend stocks, small-cap value stocks, and large-cap growth stocks for long-term wealth creation.
## Key takeaway

The author recommends $1,000 in Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI), Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD), Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (AVUV), and Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF (SCHG) for foundational portfolio building.