Bogleheads.org

Administrative expenses on my 401k are a ludicrous 1.46% of assets under management. Out of the 29 funds only 1 of them has a total expense of less than 2% when you factor the administrative expense and the expense ratio. Many are above 2.5%. My company only has like 27 people. At least they match 4...

Lots of good insights shared. Thank you!

I have $21k at 1.625%. I'm just paying the minimum of $152 a month. I got lucky! I'm down to $1300 at 6.55% from my MBA which will be paid off in the next two months. Woot!

I'm looking forward to this.

I'm a former Ameriprise customer. Trust us that you need to get out of there. Get educated by reading the wiki and the reading list. It will take time, but will be worth it.

First of all congratulations on getting out of Ameriprise! That alone is a big step! 25 funds is just plain absurd and may have been a strategy used by your Ameriprise advisor to make you think investing is incredibly difficult. I bet almost all of them had ~5.75% sales fee with around a 1.4% expens...

I think all of your ideas are sounds as well. I would make some noise with your HR department about the terrible 401k choices. Those ERs are absolutely absurd. You are wise to not contribute any more other than what is required to get the company match. I have. We are a very small company and our C...

All your ideas seem very sound to me. Does your 401(k) allow for a loan? If so, then once you get enough assets in the 401(k), you may find it beneficial to take out a loan and invest the money elsewhere. This preserves tax-advantaged "space" in case you switch jobs, but saves the 2+% exp...

Bump back up to the first page. 126 views and no responses. Please let me know if anything lacks clarity in what I am describing.

Thanks!

Greetings, Since the end of October, 2012 I have been reading and researching about personal investment and retirement planning. I have read numerous recommended Boglehead books, read the Wiki, poured over other forum posts around here and other sources of information. I have learned a substantial a...

Thanks for the responses guys. I have not been paying an advisor fee, the advisor did graciously skim 5.75% sales fee off the top when the money was put in. Also, both funds have trailed their index by a notable amount for every period since they opened. The amount in the accounts plenty to just tak...

Hello all, I have wised up and plan to pull my money out of Ameriprise and switch to Vanguard. The two funds are money that my parents saved for me as a child. Unfortunately, it looks like I will have to pay at least $200, if not more to close out and transfer. However, I am wondering if I might hav...

I don't know how much they have saved (you may not either) but bump up the portfolio size to $100k, and add up what the fees would be over 10 years if they stick with the Ameriprise funds. Contract with Vangaurd (include the cost of a portfolio review at Vanguard). Do not obsess over the loads they...

4. I think we will seek out an adviser. My parents have been self-employed for 31 years and I don't think they are a straightforward case. You first need to find out if they are willing to move. I didn't see anything in your posts that indicate they have asked for your help. If they have not asked ...

Good Evening, Developing an asset allocation for them is key. Show them the amount saved in $$$$$ and how this is a huge drag on annual preformance. How did your parents handle the past 5 years? Do they need hand holding or an advisor to help them stay the course? 1. We will figure out what their c...

Hello all, I am a first time poster to Bogleheads. I am finally getting more educated about retirement planning now that I have time and money to actually be concerned about. I have read The Bogleheads Guide to Investing, read the entire wiki here, have began to utilize Morningstar.com, reviewed my ...