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golfallday

Any thoughts why they are doing well so far this year? IWM is +6.2% YTD; IWC is +7.9% YTD. VTI is +2.2% YTD.

golfallday

Hearty thanks for your service, sir. Definitely max that TSP!

golfallday

Great stuff Taylor, as always. I learn something every time I read your posts and threads. I don't have a TSM fund in my 457, so my 3 fund portfolio is: 55% VIIIX (.02% ER) 15% Northern Trust Collective Trust MSCI ACWI ex-US Index (.09% ER) 30% VBTIX (.06% ER) It's a simple AA, but as Dr Bernstein s...

golfallday

...S&P 500 Index + S&P 400 Index + Russell 2000 Index? Can't find this anywhere. Thanks for any help or ideas.

golfallday

Great post by mhalley!! Documentation of the income is key here especially if it's cash. When; who paid it with specifics; for what sort of job. Also check out IRS website for more info. A Custodial Roth IRA can be opened at Schwab where you can invest in a Total US Stock Index or SP500 Index with a...

golfallday

As long as it's earned income you can fund a Roth IRA. The money earned from gigs and tutoring would qualify. You will have to document this income though. If you are paid by a personal check, make a copy and keep it in a folder. If you are paid in cash, make a detailed record of the amount you were...

golfallday

Everything looks fine. Shame the expense ratios in your 403(b) Plan are so high. A .41% ER for an SP500 Index fund seems quite outrageous. I have VIIIX in my 457 plan with a .02% ER for comparison. That said, you have a nice asset allocation. Best wishes.

golfallday

VNQ is +13.3% YTD. Is that due to foreseeable low interest rate environment after BREXIT vote? Investors chasing yield/dividends? Is there some fundamental that's driving this surge? Just wondering. I invest in the Total US Market Index, so I do have REIT exposure; I do not invest in an ETF or index...

golfallday

My 457 annually and automatically on January 2. My Roth IRA is in Vanguard Target 2035 so it rebalances on its own.

golfallday

I have a nice pile of cash on hand. I bought $10k of VXUS on Friday morning. I'll buy more if panic selling occurs over the next few weeks. I'll never trade it. Something for my 2 grandchildren and St Jude Children's Research Hospital 20 years down the road. VXUS is on sale. I understand it's market...

golfallday

I'm like Billy Martin in the old Lite Beer commercial..."I feel strongly both ways." As we know, Mr. Bogle feels the SP500 and Total US Stock Index have a tremendous int'l footprint because so many of those companies sales occur overseas. A compelling argument. The rule of law is far more predictabl...

golfallday

I'm buying VXUS today and in the following weeks when panic selling occurs. I'm not trading it...I'll hold it forever in my taxable account.

golfallday

I plan on doing exactly the same thing...but I'm not going to trade it. I'm buying because it's on sale this morning and I'll hold it forever. Because it's Friday, and the world is still digesting what Brexit actually means, the discounted price should be even more dramatic today. I'm buying VXUS fo...

golfallday

Welcome to the forum! You are off to a great start. I like your 401(k) allocation very much; it's simple and very solid. Keep in mind the Total US Stock Index has a significant international footprint. You will find very strong opinions (both sides) on this forum as to whether an international alloc...

golfallday

Welcome to the forum! You came to the right place for advice. Here's my 2 bits. First come up with an asset allocation you are comfortable with that includes equities and bonds. That Blackrock target date fund is one stop shopping; it includes a mix of equities and bonds that becomes more conservati...

golfallday

Mega-caps (SPY) are +3.09% YTD...Small-caps (IWM) are +3.45% YTD...while Mid-caps (MDY) are +8.26% YTD. Any thoughts on why mid-caps are currently doing so well? I'm quite pleased as the Mid-Cap 400 is part of my equity allocation in my 457 plan, but I can't figure it out.

golfallday

Never mind, I found it on Bogleheads Wiki "Approximating Total Stock Market". The recommendation is TSM = 86% SP500 + 14% Russell 2000. No parking spot for the SP400. Interesting. Oh well, thanks anyway. I suspect it's difficult to Frankenstein the TSM with funds that track competing indices (SP, MS...

golfallday

My 457 plan recently added very low cost Northern Trust Index funds that track SP400 Index and Russell 2000 Index. I already use VIIIX as my sole equity holding in this plan. Can I replicate the Total US Stock Market with these 3 funds? What weighting? I tried searching the boards for the answer and...

golfallday

Peter Lynch's, Beating the Street (1993)

Now that's an Anti-Boglehead title.

golfallday

I listen closely to what Dr Bernanke says about our economy. I also listen, or read, whenever FOMC Governors or Reserve Bank Presidents speak about our economy. I respect their collective opinion. These are scholars that also have worked in the real world. Unemployment is 7.5% with concerns that the...

golfallday

You are to be congratulated on your discipline in being able to save 55% of your income. Truly remarkable. I would not tap in to the checking account to invest in taxable TSM fund. I suspect the checking account is your emergency fund as well as your daily expense fund. I would get the checking acco...

golfallday

Sorry Mr Merriman, you are very mistaken. Mr Buffet is a legend.

golfallday

I'm comfortable with 15% international (35% VIIIX; 10% Russell 2000 Index; 10% VGSLX; 30% VBMPX). Still amazed that Mr Bogle sees no need for an international fund. He reasons the SP500 or TSM have enormous global footprints. In The Investor's Manifesto , Dr Bernstein advises against the World Index...

golfallday

In 1995, neighbor who was a stock broker advised me to dump Apple Computer and Walgreens stock and buy Callaway Golf and Motorola. It still hurts to think about it. Took a $20k haircut before I dumped ELY and MOT and got back into APPL and WAG. APPL and WAG have been wonderful to me, but due to my s...

golfallday

Thanks to all for the informative responses and replies. Indeed, Mr Swedroe and Dr Bernstein have written about this very topic. I'll keep peeling away at the onion for a while. Best to all.

golfallday

My only bond allocation is in my 457 plan: VBMPX. Would anybody suggest I break that up a bit?

golfallday

Newbie question here. The talking heads on CNBC and Bloomberg Radio incessantly rant that bonds are a terrible investment right now and a crash is coming. The problem is, they never explain why or how. Is the worry that when interest rates rise, a 10-year T-Note might yield 3% at a new auction; ther...

golfallday

Apparently 3 tickets won in Maryland, Kansas, and Illinois. The $$$ probably must be invested in taxable accounts. What investments and what allocations? I fully understand some tax lawyers, CPAs, and CFPs might be stingy with advice on this board. Just wondering.

golfallday

Congrats on a very well thought out portfolio! Very solid fund choices and allocations. Wish I was in your financial shape 35 years ago. You need bonds, sorry. They really smooth out turbulence.

golfallday

Yes, mpt, there is a person...make that a genius...who only invests in US equity index funds. His initials are JOHN BOGLE.

golfallday

Thanks for explaining the differences in outcomes.

golfallday

I get that small caps and financials were a drag on VTI; but, SP500 Index is all mega-caps. More financials in VOO that were a drag? DIA just crushed VOO.

golfallday

I like that golfallday. A 2-fund portfolio. Makes life simple although there is less "diversification" although as you say, US stocks now have half their earnings abroad and probably international stocks have half their earnings here. So it may be all a wash. At least I'm going that way. [/quote] T...

golfallday

Taylor. your post inspires confidence!! The only funds I use in my 457 plan are VIIIX and VBTIX; Mr Bogle's writings and discussions have thoroughly convinced me that the SP500 has an enormous international footprint. I use VTHRX in my IRA. When $$ is leftover at the end of month it goes to VTSMX in...

golfallday

Thank you for your kind replies. Happy and healthy 2012 to all...Cheers!!!

golfallday

Very grateful for the help the members have given me on these boards. Everytime I visit the site, I learn something new....indeed, I'm an amateur at this. I use VIIIX and VBTIX in my 457 plan; I use VTHRX for my Roth IRA. (I try to keep it simple!) Total portfolio is currently 73% stocks and 27% bon...

golfallday

Looks like Dow Index is going to beat the hyper-diversified SP500 Index and Total US Index by almost 6%. What gives? Is it there are just many more banks in the latter 2 which was a huge drag? All 3 indexes have a substantial international footprint, so that can't account for the 6% difference. I kn...

golfallday

The 2 funds I use in my 457 plan are:

VIIIX .02% ER
VBTIX .07% ER

In my IRA with Vanguard I use VTIAX .20% ER.

golfallday

Personally, I'm terrified about what will happen when Greece defaults on their soverign debt obligations. Very little transparency as to who those bondholders are and how much exposure US has to the worthless paper. Some alarmists see global runs on banks and SP500 tanking >50% when the floor-trapdo...

golfallday

Great help; thanks very much!! I use VIIIX and VBTIX in my 457 plan; and VTIAX in my IRA. I don't plan to slice and dice to the point of the Coffeehouse Model or Merriman's Ultimate Buy and Hold, but I would like exposure to smaller companies in US. Leaning towards VSMAX in IRA. Thanks again.

golfallday

Which do you prefer for a small cap allocation? These are Admiral Class funds with .17 and .16 ERs. Vanguard's Small Cap Growth and Small Cap Value funds don't offer Admiral shares.

golfallday

At your young age, after maxing 401(k), fund as much as you can in Roth IRA . Tax free growth and no mandatory withdrawls is really passing up free money at your age. Just stay current with your car loan.

Good luck, and welcome to the forum!

golfallday

34% VTI
33% VXF
33% VEU

golfallday

Thanks for the help, all.

golfallday

Does the Total Bond Index have inflation protected bonds? Any rule of thumb as to what portion of bond portfolio should be dedicated to inflation protected bonds or is the Total Bond Index enough?
Thanks. Sorry if this has been discussed before; I have trouble narrowing my searches for some reason.

golfallday

The donor is responsible for paying federal Gift Tax. Certainly, the donee may agree to pay it. Great advice has been given. I'd invest it. Since it wll have to be invested in a taxable account, you might want to talk to some people at Vanguard. They'll come up with something that mitigates the tax ...

golfallday

Wow! Great job saving. Call Vanguard; they will certainly formulate a plan consistent with your risk tolerance. In fact, they will RUN to the firepoles to help you considering the amout of $$ here. Wouldn't be surprised if one of the big-shots in Valley Forge ended up with the call. I agree that you...

golfallday

Automatically every December: 65% VIIIX; 35% VBTIX.

golfallday

Great post, Taylor. These reminders keep me from wandering from the path. I look at Paul Merriman's FundAdvice "Ultimate Buy and Hold Portfolio" and I think instead of allocating 6% to 10 separate equity funds, you get a very similar result by coming up with an asset allocation b/n a Total US Index ...

golfallday

Read Larry Swedroe's "The Only Guide To A Winning Investment Strategy You'll Ever Need". He answers your concerns in the first 6 chapters. The rest of the book is great, too. My favorite line Mr Swedroe's book....."diversification is always working for you; sometimes you like the results...sometimes...

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