09/01/2026
50 Years of Indexing: Honoring Jack Bogle's Revolution
On August 31, 1976, John C. Bogle launched the First Index Investment Trust — now the Vanguard 500 Index Fund — with just $11.3 million, far short of his $150 million goal. Wall Street mocked it as "Bogle's Folly."
Fifty years later, that "folly" reshaped an entire industry. Bogle's simple, radical idea — that most investors are better served owning the market at low cost than trying to beat it — helped democratize investing for millions of everyday Americans. Index funds now make up the majority of U.S. stock fund assets, and Vanguard's own research estimates investors have collectively saved over $500 billion in fees over just the last 25 years.
At Canopy Wealth Management, low-cost, evidence-based investing is at the core of how we build portfolios for our clients. Today we're taking a moment to recognize the vision that made that approach possible. Happy 50th, Vanguard 500 Index Fund. And thank you, Jack Bogle.
