The Portfolio Rebalancing Mistake That's Costing Washington State Employees Their Retirement Dreams
By Seth Deal, CPA/PFS
Lisa, a 59-year-old State administrator, had been contributing to her deferred compensation plan for 25 years but never rebalanced her portfolio. She figured "set it and forget it" was the safest approach.
When I reviewed her account, her portfolio had drifted dramatically. What started as a balanced allocation had become heavily concentrated in a few winning sectors. When those sectors declined, her entire portfolio suffered disproportionately. Had she been rebalancing regularly, she would have been systematically selling high and buying low, potentially improving her overall returns.
If you're a Washington State employee who's never rebalanced your portfolio—or does it randomly—you could be missing one of the most effective strategies for enhancing long-term returns.
Why Smart Rebalancing Can Transform Your Returns
Here's what most Washington State employees don't understand about portfolio rebalancing: it's one of the most effective ways to enhance returns over time, but the method and frequency you choose can make a significant difference in your outcomes.
As a Financial Advisor working with Washington State public employees, I consistently see the benefits of disciplined rebalancing. Research shows that regular rebalancing generally improves risk-adjusted returns by forcing you to sell high and buy low¹.
Most rebalancing advice gives you basic rules without considering your unique situation. Washington State employees have pension advantages that should influence your rebalancing strategy, especially when combined with a strategic buffer approach for retirement security.
This advantage allows for a more sophisticated rebalancing strategy than what most retirement advice assumes.
Your 4-Principle Framework for Strategic Rebalancing
Principle #1: Threshold-Based Rebalancing Optimizes the Buy Low, Sell High Effect
While any rebalancing helps, threshold-based rebalancing can be more effective than rigid calendar schedules because it responds to actual market movements rather than arbitrary dates.
How Threshold Rebalancing Works: Set specific drift limits (such as when any allocation moves a certain amount from target). Only rebalance when these thresholds are breached, ensuring you're responding to meaningful price movements.
Automatic Rebalancing Implementation: Most retirement plan providers, including the Washington State DCP³, offer automatic rebalancing features. You can typically set up:
· Calendar-based rebalancing: Quarterly, semi-annually, or annually
· Threshold-based rebalancing: When allocations drift by a specified percentage (i.e. 25%)
· Combination approach: Annual rebalancing with threshold triggers for larger drifts
Why This Approach Can Enhance Returns:
· Captures more significant price dislocations
· Reduces unnecessary transactions during stable periods
· Maximizes the "sell high, buy low" effect
· Eliminates the emotional decision-making that can derail rebalancing discipline
· Reduces transaction costs compared to frequent manual rebalancing
The Strategic Balance: Threshold ranges should balance rebalancing benefits with transaction efficiency. Too narrow and you're constantly trading; too wide and you miss rebalancing opportunities.
Example in Action: When growth stocks significantly outperform, threshold rebalancing automatically sells some of those appreciated shares and buys underperforming assets, positioning you for the eventual market rotation.
Principle #2: Strategic Buffer Integration Enhances Your Rebalancing Approach
The 5-year buffer strategy fundamentally improves your rebalancing approach by providing flexibility and reducing the pressure of forced selling.
How the Buffer Works: You maintain the next 5 years of withdrawal needs in high-quality short duration bonds. For example, if you're 3 years from retirement, your buffer should cover 2 years of withdrawal needs. This grows to the full 5-year amount by retirement.
Rebalancing Benefits:
· No Forced Selling: Your cash buffer means you never have to sell growth assets during market downturns
· Opportunistic Rebalancing: You can rebalance when it's advantageous, not when you need cash
· Enhanced Buy-Low Effect: Market declines become buying opportunities rather than forced selling events
Practical Application: Build your buffer through new contributions and strategic rebalancing. When stocks are performing well, rebalance some gains into your short-term bond allocation. When stocks decline, use new contributions to build the buffer while leaving equity positions untouched.
Principle #3: Account-Type Optimization Maximizes Rebalancing Benefits
Washington State employees typically have multiple account types: traditional DCP, Roth DCP, and taxable accounts. Smart rebalancing considers the tax efficiency of each.
Rebalancing Priority Order:
First: Tax-Advantaged Accounts Rebalance freely within your traditional and Roth DCP accounts. No immediate tax consequences allow you to capture rebalancing benefits without tax complications.
Second: Strategic Taxable Account Rebalancing In taxable accounts, coordinate rebalancing with:
· Tax-loss harvesting opportunities
· Low-income years (early retirement)
· Long-term capital gains optimization
Principle #4: Pre-Retirement Rebalancing Timeline Strategy
The five years before retirement require a coordinated rebalancing strategy that builds your strategic buffer while maintaining growth potential.
Years 5-3 Before Retirement: Begin systematic rebalancing to gradually build your buffer. If you're 3 years out, ensure your buffer covers 2 years of withdrawal needs. Use rebalancing proceeds from appreciated assets to fund short-term bonds.
Years 2-1 Before Retirement: Intensify rebalancing to complete your buffer funding while maintaining appropriate equity exposure. Focus on rebalancing gains from strong-performing assets into your short-term bond allocation.
Retirement Year: Complete final rebalancing to ensure your strategic buffer is fully funded for 5 years of withdrawals while your equity allocation is positioned for long-term growth.
Market Condition Considerations:
· Bull (Up) Markets: Use rebalancing to systematically take profits and build buffer
· Bear (Down) Markets: Reduce rebalancing frequency, let buffer provide stability
· Volatile Markets: Consider increasing rebalancing frequency to capture price swings
Strategic Rebalancing Framework in Practice
Consider Tom, a 61-year-old Department of Transportation engineer, who implemented a coordinated rebalancing approach:
His Previous Approach: Sporadic rebalancing with no systematic strategy, missing opportunities to enhance returns through disciplined selling high and buying low.
His New Strategic Framework:
· Threshold Triggers: Rebalances when allocations drift significantly from targets
· Strategic Buffer Building: Uses rebalancing proceeds to systematically build 5-year withdrawal fund
· Tax Coordination: Prioritizes rebalancing in tax-advantaged account
· Market Responsiveness: Adjusts rebalancing frequency based on market volatility
The Strategic Results: Tom improved his risk-adjusted returns through disciplined rebalancing while building the security of a 5-year buffer. The strategy positioned him to benefit from market volatility rather than fear it.
Common Rebalancing Mistakes That Cost You Opportunities
Mistake #1: Never Rebalancing Missing the systematic "sell high, buy low" benefits that rebalancing provides.
Mistake #2: Ignoring Tax Consequences Rebalancing in taxable accounts without considering the tax implications.
Mistake #3: Emotional Rebalancing Abandoning your rebalancing discipline during market extremes when it matters most.
Mistake #4: Rigid Calendar Schedules Rebalancing on fixed dates regardless of whether meaningful drift has occurred (although this is still better than nothing).
Mistake #5: No Strategic Purpose Rebalancing without integrating it into your broader retirement strategy.
Smart rebalancing for Washington State employees enhances returns by systematically selling high and buying low while building the security of a 5-year cash buffer. Your pension advantages² allow for a more sophisticated approach than most retirement guidance assumes.
The key is implementing a disciplined rebalancing strategy that works with your unique situation rather than following generic advice designed for people without pension benefits.
Don't let poor rebalancing habits—or no rebalancing at all—cost you the enhanced returns that disciplined portfolio management can provide over time.
If you’re concerned about your current financial plan and would like to explore the possibility of professional help, consider reaching out.
I specialize in helping Washington Public employees who are nearing retirement or are retired, reduce taxes, maximize pensions, and retire stress-free.
We offer a Free Financial Review, answering your big questions and showing you exactly how we can help, so you can make an informed decision about hiring us.
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No sales pressure. No obligations. Just professional guidance to help you make the best decision for your financial future.
-Seth Deal
Sources:
¹ Vanguard Research. Best Practices for Portfolio Rebalancing. https://corporate.vanguard.com/content/dam/corp/research/pdf/rational_rebalancing_analytical_approach_to_multiasset_portfolio_rebalancing.pdf
² Washington State Department of Retirement Systems. https://www.drs.wa.gov/
³ Washington State Deferred Compensation Program. Investment Options. https://www.drs.wa.gov/plan/dcp/