Search found 4183 matches

by natureexplorer
Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:06 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Jamaica Vacation - Any tips?
Replies: 83
Views: 8849

Re: Jamaica Vacation - Any tips?

JDCPAEsq wrote:In Ocho Rios, Jamaica they have a high chain link fence separating the town from the port and cruise ships. My wife and I walked toward the fence where we were greeted by literally hundreds of Jamaicans pressed against the fence waiting for us to pass through the gate. We turned around and returned to the ship. I really don't know why cruise ships call at the ports of Jamaica. We've never had a similar experience in 45 years of cruising.
Wow.

So why do people go to Jamaica then?
by natureexplorer
Fri Oct 05, 2012 8:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Jamaica Vacation - Any tips?
Replies: 83
Views: 8849

Re: Jamaica Vacation - Any tips?

JDCPAEsq and snyder66, thanks for mentioning that. I had no idea Jamaica was such a rough place. I guess that only leaves a resort as an option for accommodation.
by natureexplorer
Fri Oct 05, 2012 8:02 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Were the Recent Vanguard Index Changes Really Necessary?
Replies: 46
Views: 4285

Re: A lower-cost index provider?

Instead of a one-time cost, there may be an offsetting immediate saving. The maximum savings (if the new indices are indeed free) is 0.014% ($24m versus $0m in licensing fees). Turnover due to buying and selling stocks (maybe due to inflow and outflow) probably has a transactional cost of of 0.01% for every 5% in turnover. for less liquid stocks, the cost will of course be even higher. And the changes due to index changes has additional friction due to front-running and potentially other things. The emerging market fund will have to sell 15% of only-moderately-liquid Korean stocks and then buy 15% of not-that-liquid emerging stocks. You can very easily see that the transactional costs associated with this change will take years to be amort...
by natureexplorer
Fri Oct 05, 2012 7:06 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Jamaica Vacation - Any tips?
Replies: 83
Views: 8849

Jamaica Vacation - Any tips?

Dear Bogleheads,

We are considering to have a small family reunion (4 - 9 people) in Jamaica for 7 to 10 days during the second half of December 2012 (including during Christmas). Do you have any tips for accommodation and/or activities? We would all fly to Montego Bay airport. (Indeed, we basically decided on Jamaica, because it is the only warm Caribbean destination we can all fly to with direct flights.)

It can be all-inclusive but it doesn't have to be. If the accommodation is a hotel or resort, it should be at least 4-stars. But maybe there is a way to rent furnished apartments or other places that can not typically be found using the likes of Expedia. What about places where one can play tennis and golf?

Should one rent a car?
by natureexplorer
Fri Oct 05, 2012 7:50 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: CRSP and MSCI: comparing US indexes
Replies: 21
Views: 6308

Re: CRSP and MSCI: comparing US indexes

Robert T wrote:.
10 year annualized returns 2002-2011

Large cap value
Russell 1000 Value....................3.9
MSCI US Prime Market Value........3.8
S&P 500 Value.........................3.5
CRSP US Large Cap Value............2.9

Mid cap value
MSCI US Mid Cap Value..............7.9
Russell Mid Cap Value...............7.7
S&P400 Value.........................6.8
CRSP US Mid Cap Value.............6.6

Small cap value
CRSP US Small Cap Value..........8.3
MSCI US Small Cap Value..........7.6
S&P 600 Value.......................6.7
Russell 2000 Value..................6.4
.
How about for the Total/Broad market indices?
by natureexplorer
Thu Oct 04, 2012 9:03 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: facing unemployment--need investment advice
Replies: 18
Views: 2222

Re: facing unemployment--need investment advice

How about you run some scenarios for different lengths of unemployment and new jobs with different salaries? Then share those with us.
by natureexplorer
Thu Oct 04, 2012 4:22 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Were the Recent Vanguard Index Changes Really Necessary?
Replies: 46
Views: 4285

Re: A behind-the-scene look at Vanguard's Index switch.

This Morningstar interview with Joel Dickenson is the best explanation I've seen about Vanguard changed indexes: http://www.morningstar.com/Cover/videoCenter.aspx?id=569429 Same here. So the only driver here seems to be cost and not at all about methodology changes. If that is the case, they should show us the math and numbers of how much investors can expect to save from this and they should show how much the transition costs can be expected to be. Surely, they have sophisticated means to estimate transactional friction beyond brokerage fees. Let us see the result of those estimates, even if only at a high level. Of course, all of those transactional costs are not reflected in the ER. The licensing fees however are reflected in the ER so ...
by natureexplorer
Thu Oct 04, 2012 2:17 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Were the Recent Vanguard Index Changes Really Necessary?
Replies: 46
Views: 4285

Re: Who comes out ahead?

Wagnerjb wrote:Also keep in mind that more Vanguard customers means more jobs (and job security) for employees, more money to spend with vendors, etc.
Actually, it doesn't because each dollar at Vanguard employs fewer people than each dollar at most other investment companies.
by natureexplorer
Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:35 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Were the Recent Vanguard Index Changes Really Necessary?
Replies: 46
Views: 4285

Re: Who comes out ahead?

Taylor Larimore wrote:Andy wrote:
I am not convinced that the existing customers will come out ahead, but I am sure convinced Vanguard will.
I don't understand? Vanguard is (indirectly) owned by its existing customers.
Taylor, who do you think will pay for the transition costs associated with the index changes? Once the transition has been paid for, Vanguard may be a better place to invest, but existing shareholders paid for that to happen. If you were planning to sell your entire Vanguard portfolio in late 2013, you will never see the benefits from these index changes, as it will take years to make up for the sunk costs. This is an end member case, but the same principle applies to the partial redemptions.
by natureexplorer
Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:30 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: CRSP and MSCI: comparing US indexes
Replies: 21
Views: 6308

Re: CRSP and MSCI: comparing US indexes

I took a look at the returns of CRSP Large Value and Small Value indexes and compared the returns to MSCI 750 and 1750 Value indexes and found the former trailed the later by about 0.2% per year from 2001-2012. While 0.2% is just noise, and CRSP simulations should be taken with a grain of salt, I am not sure there is a tremendous amount of value to Vanguard investors with this move. From 6/03 to 6/12, the MSCI Broad Market Index outpaced the CRSP 1-10 Index by 0.02%, which I would guess would be the most value Vanguard can squeeze out of the TSM index switch. Seems marketing driven (as the MSCI switch was)? Thanks for posting this recent performance. Can you post them for other intervals please, such as YTD, 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, 10-year...
by natureexplorer
Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:28 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: CRSP and MSCI: comparing US indexes
Replies: 21
Views: 6308

Re: CRSP and MSCI: comparing US indexes

So how many stocks does the MSCI US Broad Market Index and the CRSP US Total Market Index each hold?
by natureexplorer
Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:12 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Were the Recent Vanguard Index Changes Really Necessary?
Replies: 46
Views: 4285

Re: Were the Recent Vanguard Index Changes Really Necessary?

Personally (and I may be wrong), as far as better indexes go, I have to believe MSCI would have complied with any changes Vanguard wanted to make, so while they are selling it as "better indexes", I'm not so sure that is the driver . Same went for the S&P switch -- Vanguard said the "single factor style sorts" weren't cutting it, so MSCI built Vanguard a different mousetrap, but S&P wound up changing their indexes to a multi-factor sort anyway. I agree. From my experience in the business world, sometimes company A will not do business with company B, simply because the deciding person in company A doesn't like the dress of the sales person of company B. Of course, this is never spelled out like that but instead ...
by natureexplorer
Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:07 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Were the Recent Vanguard Index Changes Really Necessary?
Replies: 46
Views: 4285

Re: Were the Recent Vanguard Index Changes Really Necessary?

Thanks everyone for your responses. I understand from dickenjb that the licensing fees with MSCI was $24m on $170B. How much is the licensing with the new indices? Has anyone looked at the recent performance of the MSCI vs FTSE/CRSP indices that are being swapped out? I remember there was discussion on this board where someone was vehemently claiming that the FTSE indices were better than the MSCI indices for the international part. Most of the board disagreed saying that Vanguard knows what they are doing. It seems that now Vanguard says that MSCI indices were not the right choice. Remember, that for example the Total International had an index change not too long ago. What is an estimate of the transaction costs associated with all these ...
by natureexplorer
Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:45 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Were the Recent Vanguard Index Changes Really Necessary?
Replies: 46
Views: 4285

Re: Were the Recent Vanguard Index Changes Really Necessary?

dickenjb wrote:You can do the math yourself. $24 million in licensing fees on a $170 billion portfolio is 1.4 bps. If they cut that in half, it is 0.7 bps.
Is $24m the difference in licensing fees? How much does the transition cost?
by natureexplorer
Thu Oct 04, 2012 9:49 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Were the Recent Vanguard Index Changes Really Necessary?
Replies: 46
Views: 4285

Were the Recent Vanguard Index Changes Really Necessary?

Were the recent Vanguard Index Changes Really Necessary? How much savings can we as shareholders expect from this? How long will it take to make up for the cost of the changes (transactional costs)? None of this is clear to be from the articles on Vanguard, so I suspect the savings are nothing to write home about. What is the difference in licensing fees? Are these new indices truly significantly better and why? Do these new indices have risks that haven't been tested in real life yet? In particular, it seems like CRSP hasn't been used by many other fund company yet. Are we changing to indices that have outperforming or underperforming? For example, does MSCI US Broad Market Index or CRSP US Total Market Index have a better recent performan...
by natureexplorer
Sat Sep 29, 2012 2:25 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Apple Computers & Laptops
Replies: 55
Views: 6389

Re: Apple Computers & Laptops

Norbert Schlenker wrote:I tried to tell them that our Samsung Android phones, bought for $80 each on sale and for which we pay under $20/month combined, did all the same "wonderful things" their ten times more expensive iphones did. They heard me but they were not swayed. Apple koolaid is very strong.
The world would be boring without Apple fanboys: http://youtu.be/nf5-Prx19ZM
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:54 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Apple Computers & Laptops
Replies: 55
Views: 6389

Re: Apple Computers & Laptops

It is beside the point whether Apple products are better or not. To justify their high price points, they wouldn't' just have to be better, they would have to be A LOT better. No, they only have to be perceived as better. Justification has nothing to do with it. I think their results show that a lot of people perceive their products as worth the price. I mean, isn't that what a market is? An Apple product is worth exactly what someone will pay for it.* Whether that is high today or low tomorrow, it is what it is. * You could even argue based on the lines of customers and sales that the iPhone 5 is priced too low. I was talking about the rational buyer, but if we are talking about the average consumer, then not even perception of a better p...
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:32 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Apple Computers & Laptops
Replies: 55
Views: 6389

Re: Apple Computers & Laptops

It is beside the point whether Apple products are better or not. To justify their high price points, they wouldn't' just have to be better, they would have to be A LOT better. For example, regarding the iPhone some people think it's superior and others thinks it's inferior to alternatives, but nobody really thinks the iPhone is A LOT BETTER.
by natureexplorer
Wed Sep 26, 2012 3:24 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Important is Car Waxing?
Replies: 32
Views: 7158

Re: How Important is Car Waxing?

Thanks everyone. I guess I will not wax my silver car then.
by natureexplorer
Wed Sep 26, 2012 2:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How Important is Car Waxing?
Replies: 32
Views: 7158

How Important is Car Waxing?

Do you wax your car? How often do you wax it? How often should a car get waxed? How much do you pay to get your car waxed?
by natureexplorer
Mon Sep 24, 2012 10:01 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividends
Replies: 35
Views: 3927

Re: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividen

I love me some dividends . Don't care about the dip in NAV, accumulating more shares that will appreciate in value and earn even more dividends going forward is a beautiful thing. Hoping to be able to live off dividends when the time comes to retire. So do the taxing authorities. :twisted: The only thing worse than having to pay taxes on dividends is not having to pay them. Only if it is because of a lack of return. If the pre-tax return is equal, it is better not having to pay taxes on dividends. The way I look at it, is if you're doing taxable investing, it means you are maxing out tax-advantaged accounts. I know not everyone has a 401k so don't beat me up, but if you're investing in a taxable account you should have already maxed out IR...
by natureexplorer
Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:54 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividends
Replies: 35
Views: 3927

Re: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividen

sscritic wrote:I don't get it. Since the fund doesn't need the cash until the end of the year, it can stay invested up until that point. Note that it needs no cash for reinvested dividends; it just issues more shares. Since stocks pay dividends at the end of the year as well, the incoming dividends and new investments should cover most if not all of the cash needs.
It could reinvest the dividends, but Vanguard doesn't. In contrast, some funds do reinvest dividends. For most fund companies, the cash is a source of profit.
by natureexplorer
Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:45 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividends
Replies: 35
Views: 3927

Re: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividen

Beagler wrote:
Grt2bOutdoors wrote:
NYBoglehead wrote:I love me some dividends. Don't care about the dip in NAV, accumulating more shares that will appreciate in value and earn even more dividends going forward is a beautiful thing. Hoping to be able to live off dividends when the time comes to retire.
So do the taxing authorities. :twisted:
The only thing worse than having to pay taxes on dividends is not having to pay them.
Only if it is because of a lack of return. If the pre-tax return is equal, it is better not having to pay taxes on dividends.
by natureexplorer
Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:43 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividends
Replies: 35
Views: 3927

Re: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividen

https://personal.vanguard.com/us/insights/article/september-dividends-092012 Quarterly dividends make new contributions more tax-efficient, so this is a welcome change. The sad part is that most funds now have the same distribution date, which means one can no longer avoid the dividend without being out of the market. For example, VEU and VXUS used to have different dates. Now they have the same date. The other sad part is that I wish I could buy some stocks now after the declaration date, but my asset allocation tells me to invest in fixed income right now. Can you explain how does dividends make things more tax-efficient? Quarterly dividends means that it quadruples the number of transactions in my history, making it an eyesore for recor...
by natureexplorer
Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:40 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividends
Replies: 35
Views: 3927

Re: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterley Divide

jidina80 wrote:Yes, the quarterly dividends makes it much easier to plan income taxes. Previously, I had to wait until December to have a good estimate of my taxable income. It was harder to plan total taxable income so it would be at the top of the U.S. 15% ordinary income tax bracket.
Good point, quarterly dividends also make tax planning more predictable.
by natureexplorer
Sun Sep 23, 2012 11:59 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividends
Replies: 35
Views: 3927

Re: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividen

Clever_Username wrote:
natureexplorer wrote:By the way, annual dividends also have more cash drag than quarterly dividends do.
This means that the fund is holding cash, and so it drags down the returns (because the cash isn't appreciating, whereas the stocks in the index can be)?
Yes.
by natureexplorer
Sun Sep 23, 2012 9:10 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividends
Replies: 35
Views: 3927

Re: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividen

By the way, annual dividends also have more cash drag than quarterly dividends do.
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 21, 2012 11:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Will you get an iPhone 5?
Replies: 108
Views: 10010

Re: Will you get an iPhone 5?

Sidney wrote:
SurfCityBill wrote:
billw wrote:No I phone, no IPAD, no IPOD, no lap top, no apple product, no GPS, no cell phone.

Still on land line and doing fine.

Bill W
How did you send this message? Telepathically?
Desktop/Dial-up. Still the only thing available in many rural areas (the dial-up, that is). Some people still only use library computers.
You may be able to get higher speeds with a WiFi hotspot from one of the cell phone carriers. Unless you don't get a 3G data signal either.
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 21, 2012 1:16 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Schwab slashes ETF fees
Replies: 84
Views: 13864

Re: Schwab slashes ETF fees

Rick Ferri wrote:Investors should consider all factors before choosing an ETF. I wrote an article in May that compares Schwab's ETFs to Vanguard on several points including fees at the time. Here is the blog:

Schwab ETFs Struggle in the Shadow of Vanguard
So, with the drop in ERs at Schwab, are the conclusions still in favor of Vanguard funds for every asset class?
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 21, 2012 1:14 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What's the best vehicle for fixed income in taxable now?
Replies: 16
Views: 1564

Re: What's the best vehicle for fixed income in taxable now?

Several people are recommending Intermediate Tax-Exempt. Instead of that, I am wondering whether it would make send to to combine Long-Term Tax Exempt and EE bonds. EE bonds have no price fluctuation, so they behave in that sense like short-term bonds. For reference: Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund has a Yield to Maturity of 1.8% and a duration of 5 years. Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund has a Yield to Maturity of 2.3% and a duration of 6 years. EE Bonds: 0.60% interest rate Minimum term of ownership: 1 year Early redemption penalties: Before 5 years, forfeit 3 most recent months' interest After 5 years, no penalty So, if I use 30% EE bonds and 70% Long-Term Tax-Exempt (VWLUX), I will get the same 1.8%. (I am ignoring taxes, b...
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:55 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Schwab slashes ETF fees
Replies: 84
Views: 13864

Re: Schwab slashes ETF fees

This is a great trend - dropping ETF ERs.
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:50 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What's the best vehicle for fixed income in taxable now?
Replies: 16
Views: 1564

Re: What's the best vehicle for fixed income in taxable now?

CaliJim wrote:Duration depends on when you might need the principal.
Honestly, somewhat hard to predict. I already have various equity and fixed income investments in taxable, and what I will sell first will depend on which one outperforms as well as what makes sense to sell first from a tax point of view.
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:47 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What's the best vehicle for fixed income in taxable now?
Replies: 16
Views: 1564

Re: What's the best vehicle for fixed income in taxable now?

Dinero wrote:I-Bonds
I have already used up my purchased limit for I-Bonds.
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:20 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What's the best vehicle for fixed income in taxable now?
Replies: 16
Views: 1564

What's the best vehicle for fixed income in taxable now?

I just realized that I have dividends coming in from international equity funds that used to be annual. Due to the run-up in stock prices, my AA tells me to put this money in fixed income.

Hence, what's the best vehicle for fixed income in taxable now assuming the following parameters?

2012 Marginal tax bracket: 28%
2012 I-Bond Limit: already used up
All tax-advantaged space already filled with fixed income.

The only vehicles that come to mind are:
- EE Bonds
- CDs
- Vanguard muni funds
- Cash (1% savings acccount?)
What am I missing?

Of those, which one is the best in your opinion? If the answer is EE Bonds, what is the second best taxable fixed income investment?
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:03 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividends
Replies: 35
Views: 3927

Re: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterley Divide

By the way, I guess the more frequent dividends also make cash-flow management during the spending phase a little easier. Maybe some retirees can chime in.
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:17 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividends
Replies: 35
Views: 3927

Reminder: Most Vanguard Funds Now Have Quarterly Dividends

https://personal.vanguard.com/us/insigh ... nds-092012
Quarterly dividends make new contributions more tax-efficient, so this is a welcome change.

The sad part is that most funds now have the same distribution date, which means one can no longer avoid the dividend without being out of the market. For example, VEU and VXUS used to have different dates. Now they have the same date.

The other sad part is that I wish I could buy some stocks now after the declaration date, but my asset allocation tells me to invest in fixed income right now.
by natureexplorer
Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:08 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What are the rungs on the career ladder?
Replies: 36
Views: 5646

Re: What are the rungs on the career ladder?

chaz wrote:The top rung is for retirement.
No, the top rung IS retirement.
by natureexplorer
Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:05 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What are the rungs on the career ladder?
Replies: 36
Views: 5646

Re: What are the rungs on the career ladder?

I once worked for a tinycorp and made more than the COO. I also made more than many colleagues, but my specialty was simply much higher paying. But people care more about what their neighbors make than how much they make in absolute terms.

So I switched to the other extreme, a smallcorp with managers and colleagues that get paid more than I. Nobody is jealous of me and it makes salary negotiation easier.
by natureexplorer
Wed Sep 19, 2012 8:47 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Would you leave a job you love for a 401k?
Replies: 31
Views: 2919

Re: Would you leave a job you love for a 401k?

Taylor Larimore wrote:Pennstater:
Would you leave a job you love for a 401k?
Not in a million years.
I agree. This is a no-brainer.
by natureexplorer
Wed Sep 19, 2012 2:41 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: "My first time" (Buying an ETF that is)
Replies: 87
Views: 18899

Re: "My first time" (Buying an ETF that is)

Could it be that the price simply moved by 0.08 cents in between trades? I suppose it is possible. I should have copied the number of shares traded before/after these transactions, but even then maybe some shares trade unreported. I doubt it though because one might expect different "lots" on the buy, something like 500 and 500 or 100, 100, and 900. I thought that seeing 607 twice would be convincing enough. It is possible a high-frequency trading program jumped in on the 607 and jumped out at a small loss. I agree that the person that first bought the 607 shares is likely the same person who then later sold them back to you. However, that doesn't mean that that party didn't do that because of price moves. Maybe you really overpa...
by natureexplorer
Wed Sep 19, 2012 12:58 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: "My first time" (Buying an ETF that is)
Replies: 87
Views: 18899

Re: "My first time" (Buying an ETF that is)

Livesoft, thanks for sharing!
livesoft wrote:So I decided to place an order to sell in the VBS account and a moment later to place an order to buy in the TDAmeritrade account.
Could it be that the price simply moved by 0.08 cents in between trades?

Have you done such "exchanges" before? For example, when harvesting a tax loss - I assume that transfesr like the one you described using an identical ETF from one account to another account are not as common. If yes, did the price ever move away from you and you lost money?
by natureexplorer
Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:38 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: bid/ask spread for ETFs
Replies: 51
Views: 6379

Re: bid/ask spread for ETFs

Sorry to bump a year old thread, but it's a good one. My new PCRA at Schwab has free ETF trading which is great. The Schwab mutual funds are free also, but must be held for 90 days or incur a $49.95 fee. That said, this intra day trading requirement of ETFs and the "cost" of the bid/ask spread has my head hurting a bit. In my case I think I will end up only using the ETF's that achieve a slice or dice that the index fund doesn't have. For example my purchasing of SCHE and SCHC to get some heavier EM and international SC to go along with SWISX Total International. SWISX is 0.21% ER vs the ETF SCHF of 0.15%, but after the $0.04 per share premium paid to buy it in the spread the cost difference becomes nominal at which point the ope...
by natureexplorer
Sat Sep 15, 2012 6:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Will you get an iPhone 5?
Replies: 108
Views: 10010

Re: Will you get an iPhone 5?

From work I will soon have the choice to get either an iPhone 5 or a Samsung Galaxy S3. I don't like either particularly, so I will probably get the S3 and put the sim card in another phone I already own. I wouldn't be able to do that with the non-standard iPhone 5 sim card, even though I wouldn't mind taking the iPhone 5 for a spin.
by natureexplorer
Sat Sep 15, 2012 6:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Will you get an iPhone 5?
Replies: 108
Views: 10010

Will you get an iPhone 5?

Will you get an iPhone 5?
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 14, 2012 3:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Did Your Portfolio Close at an All-Time High Today?
Replies: 49
Views: 4749

Re: Did Your Portfolio Close at an All-Time High Today?

Jfet wrote:I don't think it was as high today as in 2007 if we use 2007 dollars and subtract out any contributions since then.
Good point about inflation. Cumulative inflation since 2007 has been about 10%, so quite a bit.
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 14, 2012 3:45 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Did Your Portfolio Close at an All-Time High Today?
Replies: 49
Views: 4749

Re: Did Your Portfolio Close at an All-Time High Today?

Sidney wrote:No choice for I don't know?
I don't know, do you see one?
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 14, 2012 3:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Did Your Portfolio Close at an All-Time High Today?
Replies: 49
Views: 4749

Did Your Portfolio Close at an All-Time High Today?

Did Your Portfolio Close at an All-Time High Today?
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 14, 2012 3:28 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Are I-Bonds Best Choice for Fixed Income in Taxable?
Replies: 3
Views: 818

Re: Are I-Bonds Best Choice for Fixed Income in Taxable?

hsv_climber wrote:I am splitting this year between I & EE. And I plan to keep EE for 20 years. I've actually bought some I-bonds today after CPI data has shown that Nov. combined rate most likely will be > 0.
Giving Mr. B promise to keep rates low till 2015, EE might be a better choice. But it is a coin flip.
Ok, thanks.

Good point about EE's. I just submitted a purchase for $5K I-Bonds for September 27, 2012. That will max out out my I-Bonds for 2012. So, I may consider EE if I need to make more fixed income investments in 2012. 0.6% tax-deferred may not be that bad, and 3.5% tax-deferred over 20 years may be bearable as well, considering the current environment.
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 14, 2012 3:06 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Are I-Bonds Best Choice for Fixed Income in Taxable?
Replies: 3
Views: 818

Are I-Bonds Best Choice for Fixed Income in Taxable?

I don't know whether it is better to buy I-Bonds at the end of this month or whether to wait until the end of November, but I have $5k in taxable that need to be put into fixed income due to the unfortunate run-up in stock prices.

All my tax-advantaged space is already maxed out and is filled with fixed income already, so that leaves an investment in taxable.

I-Bonds seem to be the clear winner with a current composite rate of 2.2%, or am I missing something? My marginal tax bracket is 28%.
by natureexplorer
Fri Sep 14, 2012 2:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Handling mail during time of wandering
Replies: 9
Views: 1309

Re: Handling mail during time of wandering

Do you only need someone to hold your mail or would you also like someone to scan your mail?