Search found 321 matches

by rattlenap
Sun Aug 20, 2017 6:23 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Good time to invest in gold?
Replies: 18
Views: 3431

Re: Good time to invest in gold?

I don't think it's ever a good time to invest in gold and people who do well, it's more akin to good luck at the casino on the blackjack tables or sports betting streaks than so much "understanding market fundamentals" (though, hindsight is always 20/20 and those people will claim they understood market fundamentals). There is truth in that: 1. Gold has been cherished for thousands of years (Mummies are in golden tombs) 2. It's never been worth zero (The US Dollar could hypothetically be worthless one day) 3. It's a hedge in unstable times. (it does bring some stability and demand) The reality is: 1. Anarchy has broken out, I need to survive with food, water and shelter.... gold ain't going to do a whole lot when I need fuel, gun...
by rattlenap
Sun Aug 20, 2017 6:20 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Good time to invest in gold?
Replies: 18
Views: 3431

Re: Good time to invest in gold?

thangngo wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2017 1:22 pm
ascension wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2017 11:31 am I heard when stock prices are record high, it's time to buy gold.

What do you guys think?
I heard that diamond is rare and is better than gold. It's better to buy diamond than buying gold. What do you think?
No, stay away from diamonds. Scientists can now grow diamonds. We no longer need to dig them out of the ground.
by rattlenap
Tue Aug 15, 2017 12:29 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index For Emergency Fund?
Replies: 11
Views: 4881

Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index For Emergency Fund?

What are your thoughts on someone using the Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund (VBIRX) for parking their Emergency Fund in a taxable account? Do any of you do this?
by rattlenap
Tue Aug 15, 2017 9:03 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Changes, Need Help!
Replies: 14
Views: 1880

Re: Portfolio Changes, Need Help!

bloom2708 wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2017 3:54 pm A bigger change would be to switch from Roth 401k to Pre-tax 401k. Pay the 25% or 15% "much later".

I use Int-Term Tax-Exempt in Taxable along with Total US and Total International. We are in 25% as well. It works to keep our taxable not 100% stocks.
Why do pre-tax while in the 25% tax bracket? In the long run won't you still get the same results with either a Roth or pre-tax?
by rattlenap
Mon Aug 14, 2017 6:46 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone moved to another state for lower cost of living?
Replies: 72
Views: 15155

Re: Anyone moved to another state for lower cost of living?

Hello, has anyone made the decision to move to another state/location for financial reasons? Wife and I decided to move from S. Cali to Houston, TX two years ago. The wife opened a restaurant and I placed a great job here (I’m 44, wife is 31 we have a baby). So far so good, we bought a nice home (reasonably priced), business is doing well and financially we're a bit stronger now. Not that we were struggling in Cali but we felt that Houston would provide us with the opportunities to reach our long term financial goals. Which is to build financial equity, have a comfortable life and return to S. Cali in about 10 years. However, there are a few things that I am struggling with. Adjusting to living in a new place is harder than I tought (since...
by rattlenap
Mon Aug 14, 2017 6:45 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How far would you travel to see The Eclipse?
Replies: 259
Views: 26321

Re: How far would you travel to see The Eclipse?

Temecula, California.
by rattlenap
Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:38 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Changes, Need Help!
Replies: 14
Views: 1880

Re: Portfolio Changes, Need Help!

This would serve 3 purposes. For the ROTH IRA, it would allow me to grow my portfolio even more after tax. For the bond fund in a taxable a account it will serve 2 functions. Both as my bond fund and also as extended cash reserves. For my 401k I will still stay with the Balanced Index Fund. This is solid logic. Still, why not apply the same logic to your Roth 401k? Grow both tax-free accounts even more and hold bonds in your taxable. 25% tax rate is about the break-even mark for holding munis. Supposedly, the after-tax yield on a taxable bond fund should be about the same as the yield on a muni bond fund, for funds of the same risk and duration. Because I put most of my money into my 401k, about 2/3 and so like having the bonds in there as...
by rattlenap
Mon Aug 14, 2017 11:30 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Changes, Need Help!
Replies: 14
Views: 1880

Re: Portfolio Changes, Need Help!

njboater74 wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2017 10:46 am What do you currently have invested in your taxable account? What's your current tax rate? What other options do you have in your Roth 401k?
For taxable, I just keep my EF in a Short-term tax exempt fund. 25% tax rates. As for my 401k, that really is irrelevant since I want to stay in the Balance Index fund with it.
by rattlenap
Mon Aug 14, 2017 10:22 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Changes, Need Help!
Replies: 14
Views: 1880

Portfolio Changes, Need Help!

I invest solely into the Vanguard Balanced Index fund VBIAX via both my Roth IRA and Roth 401k. What I am thinking about doing is going 100% into the Vangaurd Total U.S. Stock Market VTSAX for only my Roth IRA and then using the Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund VWITX in a taxable account for my bond fund.

This would serve 3 purposes. For the ROTH IRA, it would allow me to grow my portfolio even more after tax. For the bond fund in a taxable a account it will serve 2 functions. Both as my bond fund and also as extended cash reserves.

For my 401k I will still stay with the Balanced Index Fund.

What do you think of this?
by rattlenap
Fri Aug 11, 2017 8:40 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where To Put My Emergency Fund?
Replies: 58
Views: 11176

Re: Where To Put My Emergency Fund?

Paul Merriman's emergency fund recommendations are risky.

Vanguard Prime Money Market - First three to six months worth of living expenses
Vanguard Short Term Investment Grade Funds - in excess of three to six months of living expense

If go to the the Morningstar link below, the Short term bond NAV dropped around 10% in early 2008 and did not recover until late 2009. Also, in the Prime Money Market link below nearly 50% of it is issued as Yankee/Foreign, which can (correct me if I am wrong here) add sovereign risk, though they are traded in U.S. dollars.


http://quotes.morningstar.com/chart/fun ... ture=en_US

https://personal.vanguard.com/us/funds/ ... =INT#tab=2
by rattlenap
Fri Aug 11, 2017 3:08 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where To Put My Emergency Fund?
Replies: 58
Views: 11176

Re: Where To Put My Emergency Fund?

welderwannabe wrote:Credit unions don't use FDIC. They use NCUA which is very similar.

The banks have been trying to keep NCUA limits below FDIC limits for years because they don't like the competition, but NCUA was successfully increased to $250K as well.
So all Credits Unions are NCUA no matter what, correct? Are there also any pitfalls with using a Credit Union? It's not something I'd use a regular basis, but is only for my EF.
by rattlenap
Fri Aug 11, 2017 3:01 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where To Put My Emergency Fund?
Replies: 58
Views: 11176

Re: Where To Put My Emergency Fund?

Sorry for the run around here. But I just found out today that my company offers a Credit Union with a 2% interest payment on deposits up to $25k. So I am now taking a look at this. Though I am not that familiar with Credit Unions. Are they FDIC insured, what should I look out for before putting money into one? Any advice will be great.
by rattlenap
Fri Aug 11, 2017 9:07 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Larry Swedroe: Diversification Benefits of Time Series Momentum
Replies: 9
Views: 1914

Re: Larry Swedroe: Diversification Benefits of Time Series Momentum

It's investment articles like this that make me glad I am sticking with a simply 60/40 Vanguard Balanced Index fund.
by rattlenap
Fri Aug 11, 2017 8:01 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 20% In REITS?
Replies: 65
Views: 14746

Re: 20% In REITS?

10% of your stock portfolio in REITS seems to be about the sweet spot. Rick Ferri recommends this and does so with his own portfolio.
by rattlenap
Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:56 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Diversify Your Emergency Fund?
Replies: 32
Views: 3915

Re: Diversify Your Emergency Fund?

cheese_breath wrote:Why would you want a VG money market fund when both the other options pay more interest?
To mitigate risk, in the event we have another crash like 2008-2009 or worse so you're not keeping all your eggs in one basket.
by rattlenap
Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:45 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where To Put My Emergency Fund?
Replies: 58
Views: 11176

Re: Where To Put My Emergency Fund?

DaftInvestor wrote:Tier 1: gsbank (earning 1.2%)
Tier 2: ibonds (earning varies with inflation)
How many months do you keep in each Tier?
by rattlenap
Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:05 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Has the "bond bubble" caused you to change your allocation?
Replies: 90
Views: 14638

Re: Has the "bond bubble" caused you to change your allocation?

When Warren Buffett started saying bonds were dangerous and he tells all his friends and family (many of which are of modest wealth) to just hold enough in cash and put the rest in an S&P low cost index fund, I briefly changed my AA. I was not able to hold on with such an aggressive AA, so I went back to 60/40. When I think about asset allocation, I remind myself of Chance the Gardner and realize that every asset has their season. It helps me stay the course. 60/40 for life. Same here! This is why I switch all of my portfolios to the Vanguard Balanced Index fund. I don't have a crystal ball and want to mitigate risk. The good, old fashioned 60/40 just seems to work. :sharebeer Great minds think alike! Jack also advises most to just inv...
by rattlenap
Thu Aug 10, 2017 1:53 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where To Put My Emergency Fund?
Replies: 58
Views: 11176

Re: Where To Put My Emergency Fund?

lostdog wrote:You could go with Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index fund.
Yeah, that's a little to risky for my taste.
by rattlenap
Wed Aug 09, 2017 8:05 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where To Put My Emergency Fund?
Replies: 58
Views: 11176

Where To Put My Emergency Fund?

I currently keep my emergency fund 6 months/$10k in the Vangaurd Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX) via a taxable account. I am thinking of moving to another Vanguard fund in my taxable account, but am not sure. Any suggestions or should I just keep it there?
by rattlenap
Wed Aug 09, 2017 2:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Muni Bonds and Taxes.
Replies: 24
Views: 3408

Re: Muni Bonds and Taxes.

So you will have to pay either long-term or short-term capital gains if you withdraw the money then?
by rattlenap
Wed Aug 09, 2017 1:15 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: 40 / 30 / 30. Any good ?
Replies: 12
Views: 2689

Re: 40 / 30 / 30. Any good ?

No, stay out of gold especially given it's current value. Take it from me, I used to be a precious metals investor. You only want to buy gold when the price bottoms like it did back in 2001. I bought when the spot price was below $275 an ounce and later sold at $800.

The oppurtunities to buy seem to occur about only every 15 to 20 years.

Gold's real valutation is around $500 an ounce or below.
by rattlenap
Wed Aug 09, 2017 12:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Muni Bonds and Taxes.
Replies: 24
Views: 3408

Muni Bonds and Taxes.

Help me to understand Muni Bonds and taxes. So when you put money into say a state specific CA Tax Exempt Muni Bond fund via a taxable account.

You pay neither Federal nor State taxes on the income, correct?

But when you withdraw the money from the fund you will have to pay capital gains taxes either ST or LT, right?

Please educate me here.
by rattlenap
Mon Aug 07, 2017 1:37 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Has the "bond bubble" caused you to change your allocation?
Replies: 90
Views: 14638

Re: Has the "bond bubble" caused you to change your allocation?

stemikger wrote:When Warren Buffett started saying bonds were dangerous and he tells all his friends and family (many of which are of modest wealth) to just hold enough in cash and put the rest in an S&P low cost index fund, I briefly changed my AA. I was not able to hold on with such an aggressive AA, so I went back to 60/40.

When I think about asset allocation, I remind myself of Chance the Gardner and realize that every asset has their season. It helps me stay the course. 60/40 for life.
Same here! This is why I switch all of my portfolios to the Vanguard Balanced Index fund. I don't have a crystal ball and want to mitigate risk. The good, old fashioned 60/40 just seems to work.
by rattlenap
Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:11 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit Card Companies And Your Credit Report.
Replies: 13
Views: 1879

Credit Card Companies And Your Credit Report.

I keep getting junk mail from a credit card company (Discover) trying to solicit me. So when I checked my credit report, I noticed they've been doing monthly inquiries into my credit. Is there any way to stop this? To have them stop sending me mail and to stop having them do inquiries into my credit?
by rattlenap
Thu Aug 03, 2017 10:33 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Jack Bogle - Two Fund Portfolio
Replies: 2645
Views: 322209

Re: Jack Bogle - Two Fund Portfolio

stemikger wrote:
rattlenap wrote:I do the Vanguard Balanced Index fund and plan on being in that for the rest of my life.
Awesome!! Same here!

Unfortunately, my 401K does not have the balanced index fund, so I hold two funds, but it comes to the same AA (60/40).

I do hold the Balanced Index in my TIRA and upon retirement, it will all go in the balanced index fund (for life).

:sharebeer
How long have you been doing the Balanced Index Fund?
by rattlenap
Tue Aug 01, 2017 10:31 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Jack Bogle - Two Fund Portfolio
Replies: 2645
Views: 322209

Re: Jack Bogle - Two Fund Portfolio

I do the Vanguard Balanced Index fund and plan on being in that for the rest of my life.
by rattlenap
Mon Jul 31, 2017 9:40 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Do I Have Enough In My Emergency Fund?
Replies: 22
Views: 4270

Re: Do I Have Enough In My Emergency Fund?

coupleofcents wrote:Doesn't sound like you need more than 6 months emergency fund. Hard to say without more details. Why not open a separate no penalty CD or something and start building up a down payment for a house. Sounds like you eventually plan to buy a house.
For buying a home, I am actually putting that money in an intermediate term muni bond in a taxable account. Won't be needing it though for like 5 years.
by rattlenap
Sun Jul 30, 2017 1:20 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Do I Have Enough In My Emergency Fund?
Replies: 22
Views: 4270

Do I Have Enough In My Emergency Fund?

When I started investing some time back I couldn't decide how much to keep in my emergency fund. So I defaulted and just chose the often recommended 6 months that I currently keep in a taxable account in the Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund. I am however considering upping the amount. Yet I am not sure how much and if I should put it elsewhere other than where I currently keep my EF or even if what I am currently doing is just fine. Any feedback will be great.

Here's my situation: I am 41, no wife and no kids, in good health with a stable career, am not a home owner just yet, and live in a major metropolis area with an abundance of jobs.
by rattlenap
Sat Jul 29, 2017 4:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How Much in Your Emergency Fund And Is It Used?
Replies: 263
Views: 45847

Re: How Much in Your Emergency Fund And Is It Used?

I have 6 months/$10k sitting in a Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund in a taxable account.
by rattlenap
Thu Jul 27, 2017 8:07 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 100% Stock Portfolio For Late Starter?
Replies: 35
Views: 4480

Re: 100% Stock Portfolio For Late Starter?

stemikger wrote:
WhiteMaxima wrote:You can always do balanced fund if your can't tolerate too much loss. A balanced fund is 40% US, 30% ex-US 30% Bond and TIPS. At 40s, betting 100% in stock is kind of risky.
Which balanced fund? The Vanguard Balanced Index is 60/40 stocks/bonds all U.S.
I already do the anguard Balanced Index. In fact, that is all I do. This post was just to get some opinions on the matter. No, I am not switching to a 100% portfolio.
by rattlenap
Thu Jul 27, 2017 11:13 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 100% Stock Portfolio For Late Starter?
Replies: 35
Views: 4480

Re: 100% Stock Portfolio For Late Starter?

alex_686 wrote:Don't do it.

From a analytical point I think one should have 20% to 30% in bonds, but I will concede that there are valid points for discussion here.

I am more concerned about your willingness to take risk. I am assuming this is your first major equity investment. I have seen too many late starters decided that the best way to make up for time is to load up on as much risk as they can. The market dips, they can't sleep, and they sell out at the bottom. Making a calm logical statement about risk during a up market tends not to hold in a the chaos of down market.
No, no, this is not about me. I am a 60/40 guy. I was just curios.
by rattlenap
Thu Jul 27, 2017 11:01 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 100% Stock Portfolio For Late Starter?
Replies: 35
Views: 4480

100% Stock Portfolio For Late Starter?

Let’s say you're 40 yrs. old and a first time investor with a 25 year time horizon to retire. You don't mind volatility and want to be 100% stocks for the rest of your life. You also keep a significant cash reserve (18 months to 2 years savings) in cash equivalents.

What are your thoughts on this?
by rattlenap
Fri Jul 14, 2017 10:51 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Why Does The 60/40 Work So Well?
Replies: 81
Views: 17455

Re: Why Does The 60/40 Work So Well?

I noticed the often recommended 60/40 split in a three fund portfolio is : 40% U.S. Stocks 20% International Stocks 40% Total (U.S.) Bonds Yet why no international bonds? Another option concerning the US:International ratio would be to use the amount Vanguard uses in their Life Stategy and Taget Date funds which is 60:40 US:International. With a three fund portfolio with 40% bonds, that would be: 36% US 24% International 40% Bonds. I would round off to the nearest "5" and make it 35% US 25% International 40% Bonds. Not much interest in this forum to include International Bonds. For myself, I don't do international anything. And the thing about Vanguard and the % they allocate to international. They appear to do that whenever a se...
by rattlenap
Fri Jul 14, 2017 10:49 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Why Does The 60/40 Work So Well?
Replies: 81
Views: 17455

Re: Why Does The 60/40 Work So Well?

MindBogler wrote:
rattlenap wrote:I noticed the often recommended 60/40 split in a three fund portfolio is :

40% U.S. Stocks
20% International Stocks
40% Total (U.S.) Bonds

Yet why no international bonds?
Maybe because no one has presented a compelling case as to why people should take on the currency risk of international bonds. Bonds are supposed to be for safety. Take the risk on the equity side.
Good point!
by rattlenap
Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:01 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Why Does The 60/40 Work So Well?
Replies: 81
Views: 17455

Re: Why Does The 60/40 Work So Well?

MichaelM wrote:This thread so interesting / insightful and classic Boglehead! Thanks to all the collaborators that created this thread. Reading along I thought of what a small percentage of general investing public would have knowledge of the several topics covered. I wish I could express investing concepts like these folks, my only saving grace is I read a lot and have for a long time! Interesting discussion. Thanks. FYI, I am just retired @ 63.3 with portfolio sitting at approx 50/50. MichaelM
Yeah, 50/50 seems to be a good split when one retires. Both of my parents are 50/50 in both U.S. Stocks and Bonds. When the crash of 2008 came, they withdrew from bonds instead of stocks.
by rattlenap
Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:58 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Why Does The 60/40 Work So Well?
Replies: 81
Views: 17455

Re: Why Does The 60/40 Work So Well?

I noticed the often recommended 60/40 split in a three fund portfolio is :

40% U.S. Stocks
20% International Stocks
40% Total (U.S.) Bonds

Yet why no international bonds?
by rattlenap
Fri Jul 14, 2017 12:16 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: 90:10 AA - what don't you believe about it?
Replies: 101
Views: 13492

Re: 90:10 AA - what don't you believe about it?

I think if you can handle 90/10 then you would probably leave a lot of money to your heirs. I don't think many people in their 50s, 60s and 70s can. I am pretty sure that I cannot which is why I hold 60/40 and save more. But yes, if you can handle the short term volatility, 90/10 could be right for any age. I think a problem many Bogleheads have, including myself is they don't look at the risk of losing their purchasing power in the long term when investing in bonds. Warren Buffett thinks that that is a much bigger risk than losing 20% in a stock portfolio in any one given year. I think more like John Bogle and stay on the conservative side and be happy when I have Enough. Am I betting against Warren Buffett. NO WAY! I am just doing what I...
by rattlenap
Sat Jul 08, 2017 10:07 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: William Bernstein "If You Can"
Replies: 2
Views: 1538

William Bernstein "If You Can"

I know William Bernstein wrote "If You Can" for millennial and recommended a 3-fund portfolio split into 1/3's for each fund. Yet does he recommend and assist allocation for Generation Xers?
by rattlenap
Wed Jul 05, 2017 10:19 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: A Better Version Of The Warren Buffett 90/10 Portfolio?
Replies: 19
Views: 6293

Re: A Better Version Of The Warren Buffett 90/10 Portfolio?

... instead of putting 90% of their money into the S&P 500, wouldn't it be better to put that money into say the Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Investor Shares (VHDYX)? We can't know the future, but to see the possible difference I compared using the Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Investor Shares (VHDYX) instead of the Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX) for the ten full years 2007 to 2016. (The VHDYX dividend fund started up in 2006.) I assumed... To simplify the analysis 100% of portfolio in stock fund instead of just 90%. Initial holding of $1,000,000 equaling 10,000 shares at hypothetical $100 per share. Constant $ withdrawals each year coming first from dividends with remainder from selling shares. (If...
by rattlenap
Wed Jul 05, 2017 12:02 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: A Better Version Of The Warren Buffett 90/10 Portfolio?
Replies: 19
Views: 6293

Re: A Better Version Of The Warren Buffett 90/10 Portfolio?

AntsOnTheMarch wrote:
FIREchief wrote:
Lobster wrote:It's equivalent to liquidate the appreciated shares to match the desired % return. The difference is only emotional/behavioral, which should not be part of the equation when evaluating a sound strategy.
I don't think the OP (and many people) understand this.
Even though I am completely ignorant of how these things work, I was made aware of this truth by one of those vanguard video links they email out from time to time. I've never been a dividend chaser so it was purely an academic "aha" moment. I no longer have the link, otherwise I'd post it. Maybe if people heard it directly from Mr. McNabb, they'd be more likely to believe it.
I know what you're referring to. I've seen the commentary by BIll Mcnabb.
by rattlenap
Tue Jul 04, 2017 11:17 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: A Better Version Of The Warren Buffett 90/10 Portfolio?
Replies: 19
Views: 6293

A Better Version Of The Warren Buffett 90/10 Portfolio?

I know this has been discussed ad nauseam here, but I thought I'd take a different approach. Lets say someone is adamant about doing the Warren Buffett 90/10 Portfolio. Yet instead of putting 90% of their money into the S&P 500, wouldn't it be better to put that money into say the Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Investor Shares (VHDYX)? For one thing it does not appear to be as volatile as the S&P plus it pays a higher dividend. 1% more on average. So if were in another crash like 2008 and someone is withdrawing the normal 3-4% they could instead just live off the 2.5-3% dividends it pays and supplement their income if need be from the 10% allocated to short-term bonds? Instead of touching the principal in the stock fund or ...
by rattlenap
Sun Jul 02, 2017 8:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Cashing Out Of 401k!
Replies: 9
Views: 2471

Cashing Out Of 401k!

For reasons I will not mention, I have to cash out of a pre-tax 401k. The amount is only 5 grand, but I know I am going to get hit hard with taxes and penalties. I am currently in the 25% tax bracket. So I will not only have to pay 25% in taxes on it but will also have to pay the 10% penalty for withdrawing, correct? Now will the taxes be taken out of the check that will be cut directly to me or will I have to pay them once I cash the check? Or will I pay the taxes once I file for my 2017 return in early 2018? Please advise.
by rattlenap
Sun Jul 02, 2017 6:26 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Roll call Warren Buffet 90/10 portfolio
Replies: 102
Views: 29309

Re: Role call Warren Buffet 90/10 portfolio

digit8 wrote:
JoMoney wrote:
rattlenap wrote:
JoMoney wrote: What short-term bond fund(s) do you use?
I had been using Vanguard's Short-Term Bond index, but I've mostly transitioned over to using Series I Savings Bonds, I expect to primarily use those along with high-yield bank bank/money market account.
I'd argue that going ibonds makes the 90/10 option more viable for "average" investors then any other bond choice. An aggresive saver starting early could easily put enough in them to set up retirement in at least a pork-n-beans, Wal Mart greeter job kind of a way, with the equity portion giving a boost during up-market years.
Yeah, iBonds seem like they'd be a great option simply for the inflation aspect of them.
by rattlenap
Tue Jun 27, 2017 8:11 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: TIPS or no TIPS again
Replies: 49
Views: 10173

Re: TIPS or no TIPS again

Thank you, one and all for contributing! @nedsaid, I especially appreciate your detailed explanation of underlying factors. I had gathered as much from my readings but not being fluent in these matters, it helps to have them rephrased and restated. :beer @dbr, thanks for responses. FYI, I am not considering a TIPS ladder because I want to keep things simple. If it helps, I am only 41, but I keep 20% of my bond allocation in both my 401k and IRA in TIPS. TIPS serve a very specific role in a portfolio and that is a to protect you from unanticipated inflation. Being 60, you do remember the rampant inflation of the 70's and early 80's, correct? Also, with bond yields so low now if inflation were to rear its ugly head again you'd be happy to ha...
by rattlenap
Mon Jun 26, 2017 10:18 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Emergency Fund
Replies: 9
Views: 2993

Re: Emergency Fund

If it helps, I keep my 2nd tier emergency cash in the Vanguard settlement fund/Federal Money Market Fund via a taxable account and feel completely safe with it there. Personally, I do not trust the Prime Money Market Fund.
by rattlenap
Sun Jun 25, 2017 4:12 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Your Favorite Vanguard Fund
Replies: 93
Views: 16247

Re: Your Favorite Vanguard Fund

Vanguard Balanced Index Fund for me.
by rattlenap
Sun Jun 18, 2017 9:14 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What Is The Right Amount For An Emergency Fund?
Replies: 26
Views: 5637

Re: What Is The Right Amount For An Emergency Fund?

BanditKing wrote:My biggest risk of needing to dip into my EF is losing my job. Personally, I'm in a pretty niche field that would require me to relocate when/if I could get a new job. Ageism in the IT industry isn't exactly making it any easier.

I decided I need 2 years EF to feel comfortable.

If I was in a field that was less-niche, I'd probably dial it back to 12 months.
Just curios, but since your EF is so large (2 years) where do you keep it and do you do tiers?
by rattlenap
Sun Jun 18, 2017 6:56 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What Is The Right Amount For An Emergency Fund?
Replies: 26
Views: 5637

What Is The Right Amount For An Emergency Fund?

For myself, I keep the often recommended 6 months worth of cash on hand given my circumstance. I do know that each person's situation is different and how much you keep depends on your circumstance. Yet nobody seems to agree what the sweet spot is. What do you think a good amount is?
by rattlenap
Sat Jun 17, 2017 2:15 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX)
Replies: 27
Views: 19363

Re: Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX)

Fiat lux wrote:I use AONIX for a place to stash a good chunk of my emergency fund. How do you think this compares with the vanguard fund mentioned in this thread ?
What is AONIX? I wasn't able to find anything on it.