Definition: Allocations divide costs between different departments or activities within a company. For instance, overhead costs such as the rent and utilities are often allocated to the company's operating units. Determining accruals and allocations nearly always entails making assumptions and estimates.
The seller usually seeks to maximize amounts allocated to assets that will result in capital gains tax while minimizing amounts allocated to assets that will result in ordinary income taxes.
A common rule of thumb is 100 minus your age to determine your allocation to stocks. For example, if you are 30, then you'd allocate 70% to stocks and 30% to bonds (100 - 30 = 70). If you are 60, you'd allocate 40% to stocks and 60% to bonds (100 - 60 = 40).
Many financial advisors recommend a 60/40 asset allocation between stocks and fixed income to take advantage of growth while keeping up your defenses. Here's how 60/40 is supposed to work: In a good year on Wall Street, the 60% of your portfolio in stocks provides strong growth.