Investment Policy Statement (IPS)

An Investment Policy Statement (IPS) is a written roadmap that defines how an investment portfolio will be structured, managed, and reviewed. It aligns the investor’s goals and constraints with the investment strategy used by advisors or portfolio managers and helps prevent reactionary decisions during market volatility.

How an IPS works

Documents investment objectives (e.g., growth, income, capital preservation) and a time horizon.
Specifies risk tolerance and acceptable risk/return trade-offs.
Sets asset allocation targets and allowable ranges for rebalancing.
Establishes monitoring procedures, performance benchmarks, and review frequency.
Defines roles, responsibilities, and procedures for making changes to the IPS.

Core components of an IPS

A comprehensive IPS typically includes:
– Purpose and scope: Which accounts and assets the IPS covers.
– Investment objectives: Return goals, income needs, and target outcomes.
– Time horizon: Short-, medium-, and long-term planning periods.
– Risk profile: Tolerance for volatility and loss, plus any prohibited asset classes.
– Strategic asset allocation: Target weights for major asset classes and acceptable ranges.
– Rebalancing rules: Thresholds or calendar-based triggers and allowed deviations.
– Benchmarks: Specific indexes or composites used to evaluate performance.
– Liquidity needs: Cash requirements and withdrawal plans.
– Tax considerations: Tax-aware strategies and constraints.
– Governance and roles: Who makes decisions, reporting lines, and communication protocols.
– Monitoring and review: Frequency of performance reviews and IPS updates.
– Procedures for amendment: Circumstances and process for changing the IPS (and reasons not to change it, such as short-term market noise).

Practical steps to craft an effective IPS

Clarify objectives: Quantify goals (e.g., target annual income in today’s dollars or target portfolio value by retirement).
Assess constraints: Consider liquidity needs, tax situation, legal or regulatory limits, and personal preferences.
Define risk tolerance: Use scenarios to illustrate acceptable drawdowns and portfolio behavior.
Set asset allocation: Choose a long-term mix and specify minimum/maximum ranges for each allocation.
Create implementation rules: Specify security selection criteria, use of managers or funds, and cost/fee considerations.
Establish monitoring: Set performance benchmarks, reporting cadence, and rebalancing rules.
Document governance: Assign decision-making authority and outline dispute-resolution or escalation procedures.
Review periodically: Revisit the IPS after major life events or at scheduled intervals (e.g., annually).

Example (illustrative)

Objective: Preserve purchasing power and generate sustainable withdrawals equal to $65,000 per year in today’s dollars at retirement.
Time horizon: Retirement in 15 years.
Risk tolerance: Moderate — willing to accept interim losses of up to 20% for higher long-term returns.
Asset allocation: 60% equities (±8%), 35% bonds (±6%), 5% cash.
Rebalancing: Rebalance when allocations deviate beyond target ranges or annually, whichever comes first.
Benchmarking: S&P 500 for U.S. equities, MSCI ACWI ex-USA for international, Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate for fixed income.
Review: Formal IPS review annually or after major life/financial changes.

Common questions

Do I need an IPS? If you work with an investment manager, an IPS is standard practice. For self-directed investors, an IPS is a useful discipline to keep decisions aligned with long-term goals.
How long should an IPS be? Length varies—from a short, focused plan to a multi-page document—but clarity and actionable rules matter more than length.
How often should it be updated? At minimum annually or when major financial or lifestyle changes occur.

Key takeaways

An IPS is both a business plan and a behavioral tool: it documents objectives, constraints, strategy, and governance while helping prevent emotion-driven changes.
A well-written IPS clarifies roles, defines measurable rules (allocation ranges, benchmarks, rebalancing), and sets a review schedule.
Regular monitoring and disciplined adherence to the IPS improve the odds of meeting long-term investment goals.