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Here is my situation: 1. I already have a Roth IRA with $30k in it in cheap index funds with Fidelity. 2. I have recently become eligible for my company 401k – I am using self directed so I have access to all the good Fidelity funds I want. 3. So fund choice is not a problem. 4. Right now I can stil...

How often do you re-balance your portfolio per year?
Do you do it on a specific date (Jan 1, your birthday)
Or do you wait until your investments are a certain percentage out of range? (5% ? 10%)

I do it Jan 1 and my birthday (which happens to be in June)

Does Fidelity's recent reduction in min to invest to get into cheap index stock and bond funds make them as good as, or even better than, Vanguard? ... 121112.jpg That last number looks like a date, 12/11/12. From that date: http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=106809 Thanks - l...

FSGUX is the hands down choice. It is like choosing between VEA and VXUS. It is like choosing the closest Fidelity fund to Vanguard Total Int'l Index. FSGUX has emerging markets, Canada, and some mid-caps that FSIIX does not. FSGUX may have a higher expense ratio, but that is due to the broader ran...

It appears from previous replies on this forum that I need to diversify my Fidelity Roth IRA to give it some international exposure. I have used the Fidelity search filter and based on the following factors have narrowed it down to 2 funds - FSIIX or FSGUX 1. I want a low expense ratio 2. I want an ...

Does Fidelity's recent reduction in min to invest to get into cheap index stock and bond funds make them as good as, or even better than, Vanguard? Now you can get into .07 er Index funds for $10,000 (previous was $100,000) You can get into .1 index funds for $2,500 (previous was $10,000) See below....

4. Do not put your bonds in a long term bond fund - that adds risk on the bond side of your investments. As suggested, go with a total bond fund instead. 7. 3-4 funds are ideal IMHO. I prefer a 4 fund approach with total stock, total international, total bond and a TIPs fund. I think you should hav...

Thank you for all your posts and feedback.

Happy New Year!

Maybe the Goldman Sachs Balanced Strategic Portfolio will do. Then, if you want more stock and less bond, you can use some Growth fund of America. Not tooo different from an S&P 500 index fund. How about this idea? I just use the 401k for stock- investing $17,500 per year in a couple of funds. ...

Vehicle: Roth IRA Stock Fidelity Spartan 500 Index Fund (Advantage Class) - FUSVX, Expense Ratio .07: $14,000; Fidelity Spartan Extended Market Index Fund (Investor Class) - FSEMX, Expense Ratio .1: $5,546 Bonds Fidelity Total Bond Fund, FTBFX , Expense Ratio .45, $5000 Fidelity Capital & Incom...

I have a Roth IRA with Fidelity as follows: Should we take this to mean there is no brokerage option in your 401(k)? Not that it's very relevant, but what institution administers your 401(k)? Billy There is no brokerage option in my 401k plan. The funds are what they are and that is it. I have my o...

To echo another poster, do you have a brokerage option that lets you buy funds not listed here? Billy I have a Roth IRA with Fidelity as follows: Vehicle: Roth IRA Company: Fidelity Age: 39 Single Income: $107,000 Portfolio Total: $27,317 Stock Fidelity Spartan 500 Index Fund (Advantage Class) - FU...

OK - Loads are waived for 401k apparently.

I am maxing out my contribution: $17500 for 2013.

$1458 per month.

What should I put them in giving the no-load status?

I added the expense ratios and loads. See above.

tyrion wrote:You don't need all good choices. One or two adequate ones will do the trick.

And for loads, they are usually waived for a 401k, so definitely ask about that.

Is there a match of some sort?

No match!

Can you kindly list the ER and load next to each fund you listed? I would seriously consider not contributing to the 401k plan since there is no match. The main issue is how long you believe you will work for that employer, since you can roll over the 401k to an IRA (with very low fees at Vanguard)...

I recommend listing the 401(k) options. Most think that even without match and poor choices, the tax-deferral is valuable. Remember too that you might change jobs or the plan might improve. Brian Conservative Allocation Goldman Sachs Balanced Strategic Portfolio Exp Ratio: .59, Front load - max 5.5...

I just looked at the fund options: 1. No index funds 2. All high expenses ratios from 0.7 to above 1.5 !! 3. All have load fees I would not choose any of these funds. They violate so many Bogle rules it's unbelieveable. I am just gutted about this? What should I do instead? I have the classic proble...

I agree.

I went back to school at 30 - now I have alot of student loan debt from law school.(about $95,000)

While I should earn more in the coming years I understand and agree that I have a financial problem.

There is no income phase out for 401k contributions. You may be limited somewhat as a highly compensated employee? But you still should be able to make some contributions. I wonder if you're confusing your eligibility for an IRA or Roth IRA? I think your Roth IRA allocation is ok, but my concern is...

xpat73, is this your entire retirement portfolio? Do you have a 401k, 403b, etc? Do you have a pension? I wouldn't want to look at a just a Roth IRA out of context. The broadest Fido bond market index is FBIDX, I think. Its expense ratio is 22 basis points. It benchmarks to the Barclays aggregate b...

Vehicle: Roth IRA Company: Fidelity Age: 39 Single Income: $107,000 Portfolio Total: $27,317 Stock Fidelity Spartan 500 Index Fund (Advantage Class) - FUSVX, Expense Ratio .07: $14,000; Fidelity Spartan Extended Market Index Fund (Investor Class) - FSEMX, Expense Ratio .1: $5,546 Bonds Fidelity Tota...

I am going to buy RDS - but I am not sure which to buy - A or B class shares? I have heard that RDS/B are the ones for a US investor to buy as they are not subject to the Dutch 15% dividend witholding tax at source like RDS/A. But RDS/S seem to have all the action, all the volume, all the analyst op...

livesoft wrote:Right. Some funds are more tax-efficient than others. Use the tax-efficient ones in your regular investment account. Some hints about this are found in this wiki page: http://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Principl ... _Placement

Thank you!

Normally, one does not need annuities to fulfill there retirement goals. One can invest for retirement in a "taxable account" in tax-efficient, low-cost, passively-managed mutual funds or ETFs. My general thoughts on the concept of annuities are that they are bad with an extra layer of ex...

I have 30/35 years to retirement. I max out my Roth IRA every year ($5k right now) and invest in Fidelity Funds keeping bonds to my age. My question is, should a proper investment plan incude an annuity? I have $300 extra dollars a month I want to put towards my retirement....should I start an annui...

Thanks I appreciate your input. I guess the past 10 years has been an abberration then? I strongly recommend you read the Bogleheads Guide to Investing or one of the other books from the reading lists on this site - also look up 'reversion to the mean'. It isn't exactly about this past decade being...

Thanks I appreciate your input. I guess the past 10 years has been an abberration then? I strongly recommend you read the Bogleheads Guide to Investing or one of the other books from the reading lists on this site - also look up 'reversion to the mean'. It isn't exactly about this past decade being...

Should I just sell those 3 fidelity funds for one fo their low expense ration S&P500 funds? What are you writing about? My point was that you should stop comparing apples-to-donuts. You should find out the 9-box style grid of your portfolio and try to mimic it with low-cost passively-managed in...

ContraFund and S&P500 are not quite the same asset class. Folks around here only compare large-cap blend funds to the S&P500. Instead of FUSEX, how about looking at FSEMX? I'll let you look up what this fund has in it. Would it be a good comparison to Fidelity Small Cap Discovery Fund? Sinc...

$14,269 balance, 30 years to retirement..I hope. Contribute max to Roth IRA a month (currently $416) 4 funds Fidelity Contrafund - $3,399.71 (ER - 1.02) Fidelity Low Priced stock fund - $3,248.73 (ER - .99) Fidelity Small Cap Discovery Fund - $3,298.80 (1.05) Fidelity Total Bond Fund - $4,322.69 (....

Hi... Look at their Spartan Low Cost Index Funds to have some idea of the ERs. Yes..let's take FUSEX..the Fidelity S&P500 Index Fund..sure has a real low expense ration of .1....however it has been massively out performed by contrafund and the low priced stock fund in the past 10 years. Surely ...

$14,269 balance, 30 years to retirement..I hope. Contribute max to Roth IRA a month (currently $416) 4 funds Fidelity Contrafund - $3,399.71 (ER - 1.02) Fidelity Low Priced stock fund - $3,248.73 (ER - .99) Fidelity Small Cap Discovery Fund - $3,298.80 (1.05) Fidelity Total Bond Fund - $4,322.69 (.4...