Smith recommends five simple index funds to help set you on the path to a million-dollar retirement portfolio. The first fund is the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO).

Building a million-dollar portfolio from zero is easier than you think. Learn how much you need to invest to get to $1 million.

Proof of deposit (POD) is either a verification that a mortgage borrower has the funds for down payment or that the dollar amount of a deposit is correct.