5 Best Ways to Track Your Investment Portfolio Performance in 2026

Last Updated: October 6, 2026

How do you know whether your investment portfolio is actually performing well?

It is easy to look at your investment balance and see whether it has increased or decreased.

But that is not the same as understanding your investment portfolio performance.

Your portfolio balance can rise because you have made additional contributions. It can fall because you have withdrawn money. Markets can move up and down. Dividends and distributions can be paid. Tax and fees can affect the result.

More importantly, a portfolio can produce a strong return and still be poorly suited to your financial goals.

At Veyron Wealth Group, we believe investment performance needs to be considered in the context of your overall financial plan. Your investments should have a purpose, be appropriately diversified and be structured around your objectives, timeframe and tolerance for investment risk.

Our investment approach is underpinned by the CARE® Investment Philosophy, which combines good investor behaviour with research-based investment decision-making. CARE® provides a structured approach using Core Investments, Active Investments, Reserves and Enhanced Returns.

The goal is simple:

Boring Money. Exciting Life.

Here are five practical ways to track and understand your investment portfolio performance.

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1. Track your investment portfolio regularly

There are many investment tracking apps and online platforms that can make it easy to monitor your investments.

Depending on the platform, you may be able to see:

This can be useful, but there is an important distinction between seeing your portfolio and understanding your portfolio.

Investment platforms and apps can sometimes contain incomplete or inaccurate information. Investments may not synchronise correctly, prices may be delayed and different accounts may not be displayed together.

Your investment statements and platform records should therefore remain the source of truth.

And there is another issue.

Do you really need to know what your portfolio is doing every day?

For most long-term investors, the answer is no.

Markets move every day. Your financial goals generally don’t.

2. Use a spreadsheet if you want more control

A spreadsheet can be a useful way to track investment performance, particularly if you have investments across several accounts.

You could record:

Information What it tells you
Investment What you own
Number of units How much you own
Purchase price Your original investment
Current value What the investment is worth
Contributions Money you have added
Withdrawals Money you have taken out
Dividends/distributions Investment income received
Investment return Growth generated by the investments
Asset allocation How your portfolio is positioned
Benchmark A reference point for comparison

The problem with spreadsheets is that they require maintenance.

As your wealth becomes more complicated — for example, with superannuation, managed investments, direct shares, cash and multiple investment accounts — keeping everything accurate can become increasingly difficult.

A spreadsheet can tell you what happened.

It doesn’t necessarily tell you whether what happened was appropriate.

That is where professional investment advice can add value.

3. Calculate your investment return correctly

One of the most common mistakes when measuring investment portfolio performance is confusing money you have contributed with investment growth.

For example, imagine you start the year with $500,000 and contribute another $50,000 during the year.

If your portfolio finishes at $590,000, your balance has increased by $90,000.

But your investments have not necessarily earned $90,000.

You contributed $50,000 yourself.

This becomes even more complicated when there are multiple contributions, withdrawals, pension payments, transfers, dividends and distributions during the year.

Two common measures of investment performance are:

Time-weighted return

Time-weighted return focuses on the performance of the investments themselves and reduces the effect of when money was added or withdrawn.

Money-weighted return

Money-weighted return takes into account the timing and size of contributions and withdrawals and therefore provides a better indication of the return actually experienced by your invested money.

Both measures can be useful.

The important thing is understanding which return you are looking at and what it actually represents.

4. Compare your portfolio with the right benchmark

It is natural to ask:

“Did my investment portfolio beat the market?”

But which market?

If you have a diversified portfolio containing Australian shares, international shares, property, fixed interest and cash, comparing the entire portfolio with the ASX 200 may not tell you very much.

The appropriate benchmark should reflect the investments and risk profile of the portfolio.

This is one of the reasons Veyron takes a broader approach to investment portfolio management.

The CARE® Investment Philosophy

At Veyron, our investment strategies are underpinned by the CARE® Investment Philosophy, which recognises that different parts of an investment portfolio can perform different roles.

Core Investments

Core Investments form the foundation of the portfolio.

They provide broad diversification across asset classes and markets and are structured according to your risk profile.

The Core component can include Australian and international shares, property, fixed interest and cash.

Active Investments

Active Investments provide a tactical component.

The Active component can use investments such as Australian shares, global shares, emerging markets, global small companies and gold.

The objective is to take advantage of longer-term market themes and adjust exposure to asset classes that may be relatively undervalued or overvalued.

Reserves

Reserves provide stability and liquidity.

This becomes particularly important for retirees who rely on their investments to fund their lifestyle.

Veyron’s CARE® approach recognises that markets will experience periods of volatility and capital loss. Having appropriate reserves can reduce the need to sell growth investments during a market downturn.

For retirees, reserves may be structured around up to four years of income requirements, depending on individual circumstances.

Enhanced Returns

Enhanced Returns provide another component of the portfolio.

This can include a focused portfolio of Australian shares, generally using larger companies and incorporating the potential benefits of dividend income and franking credits.

The important point is that not every dollar in your portfolio needs to perform the same job.

Some investments are there for long-term growth.

Some provide diversification.

Some provide income and liquidity.

Some provide opportunities for additional returns.

The portfolio needs to work as a whole.

5. Review your portfolio — not just its return

This is arguably the most important part of measuring investment portfolio performance.

A portfolio that achieved a high return last year is not necessarily a good portfolio.

Likewise, a diversified portfolio that produced a lower return during a difficult market period is not necessarily a poor investment strategy.

A proper investment portfolio review should consider:

At Veyron, investment advice forms part of a broader financial planning process.

Your investment portfolio should work alongside your superannuation, cash flow, debt, retirement strategy and broader wealth-building plan.

Our objective is not simply to find an investment that performed well last year.

It is to build and maintain an investment strategy designed around where you want to go.

Investment portfolio performance: what should you actually measure?

Rather than focusing on one number, consider the following:

Question Why it matters
What return did I achieve? Measures investment performance
How much did I contribute? Separates new money from investment growth
What level of risk did I take? Helps put the return into context
Is my asset allocation appropriate? Determines how the portfolio is positioned
Am I properly diversified? Reduces reliance on one investment or asset class
Do I have adequate reserves? Provides liquidity when markets are volatile
Are my investments still appropriate? Circumstances and objectives change
Is my portfolio helping achieve my goals? Ultimately, this is what matters

The last question is the most important.

Investment performance is not about winning a competition with an index.

It is about using your money effectively to help achieve your financial objectives.

How often should you check your investments?

For most long-term investors, checking investment prices every day is unnecessary.

In fact, frequent checking can sometimes be counterproductive.

Markets regularly experience short-term volatility. Watching every movement can encourage investors to buy when markets are rising and sell when markets are falling.

That is precisely the type of emotional behaviour a disciplined investment strategy is designed to avoid.

Instead, consider:

Regular monitoring

Make sure contributions, withdrawals and investments are operating as expected.

Periodic portfolio reviews

Review performance, asset allocation, diversification, costs and your investment strategy.

Reviews when circumstances change

Your portfolio may need to be reconsidered following major events such as:

Your investments should evolve as your life evolves.

Why investor behaviour matters

There is another part of investment performance that is often overlooked:

You.

An investor can have an excellent investment strategy and still achieve a poor outcome by continually changing it.

Selling because markets have fallen.

Buying because something has recently performed strongly.

Moving everything into cash because of a frightening news headline.

Trying to predict the next market crash.

Then buying back in after markets have recovered.

These behaviours can have a significant impact on long-term investment outcomes.

This is one of the central ideas behind the CARE® Investment Philosophy.

Veyron’s approach combines investment strategy with an emphasis on good investor behaviour, helping clients remain focused on their long-term objectives rather than reacting to short-term market noise.

Investment portfolio management with Veyron

At Veyron Wealth Group, we don’t believe successful investing is about constantly doing something.

It is about having a sensible strategy, understanding why you own your investments and making changes when there is a reason to do so.

Our investment advice considers your personal circumstances, financial objectives, risk profile and broader financial plan.

The CARE® Investment Philosophy provides the investment framework, while our financial planning process helps connect your investments with the rest of your financial life.

That can include:

Veyron takes a holistic approach rather than simply focusing on one investment class such as shares or property.

Your investments should support your life

The purpose of investing isn’t to spend your life watching investments.

It is to give your money a job so that you can spend more time getting on with yours.

That is why our philosophy is:

Boring Money. Exciting Life.

A well-structured portfolio should give you confidence about what you own, why you own it and how it fits into your financial plan.

You don’t need to predict every market movement.

You need a strategy you understand, a portfolio appropriate to your circumstances and the discipline to stick with it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is investment portfolio performance?

Investment portfolio performance measures how your investments have performed over a particular period, taking into account factors such as investment growth, income, contributions and withdrawals.

What is the best way to track investment performance?

You can use investment platforms, portfolio tracking software or spreadsheets. However, tracking your return is only part of the process. A proper investment review should also consider risk, asset allocation, diversification, costs and your financial objectives.

Should I compare my investment portfolio with the ASX?

Not necessarily. The appropriate benchmark depends on the investments held and the portfolio’s objectives and risk profile. A diversified portfolio should not automatically be compared with a single share-market index.

What is the CARE® Investment Philosophy?

CARE® is the investment philosophy underpinning Veyron’s wealth management strategies. It combines good investor behaviour with research-based investment decision-making and uses four components: Core Investments, Active Investments, Reserves and Enhanced Returns.

How often should I review my investment portfolio?

Your investments should be monitored regularly, with a more comprehensive review when your circumstances, objectives or financial needs change.

Should I have an investment adviser?

You may not need professional advice simply to monitor an investment balance. The value of financial advice can be in determining whether your overall investment strategy remains appropriate and how your investments fit with your superannuation, retirement plans, cash flow and other financial objectives.

Talk to Veyron Wealth Group

If you are unsure whether your investment portfolio is performing appropriately — or whether it is structured appropriately for your future — Veyron can help.

We provide personalised financial advice and investment planning designed around your circumstances and goals.

Our approach is straightforward:

Understand where you are.
Understand where you want to go.
Build a strategy to get there.
Review it as life changes.

Boring Money. Exciting Life.

Talk to Veyron Wealth Group about your investment strategy

Important information

This article provides general information only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making any investment decision, you should consider whether the information is appropriate for your circumstances and, where appropriate, seek professional financial advice.

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