Search found 12 matches

by appleshampooid
Wed Aug 15, 2018 10:38 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: It's not enough to mumble "Stay the Course"... INT'L Investing has been a disaster!
Replies: 1247
Views: 143043

Re: It's not enough to mumble "Stay the Course"... INT'L Investing has been a disaster!

rudeboy wrote: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:41 pm If you aren't unhappy with part of your portfolio, you aren't diversified enough.
This is a great quote. Thank you. Going to use it for my sig. :sharebeer
by appleshampooid
Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:49 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Switch to Brokerage Accounts
Replies: 65
Views: 16966

Re: Vanguard Switch to Brokerage Accounts

cowdogman wrote: Thu Aug 09, 2018 8:43 pm 1. First I noticed that my dividends were no longer re-invested in my designated fund. I used to have my stock fund dividends reinvested in a short term bond account, but after the change the dividends went to the settlement account, Prime Money Market--and I had to go online to re-transfer them to the bond fund.
This is my #1 frustration with the brokerage accounts. Not that there aren't others.

I was forced to upgrade to execute an incoming in-kind IRA rollover. Which didn't even need to be an in-kind since the funds are in cash already at the source. *shrug*
by appleshampooid
Tue Aug 07, 2018 11:48 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: "Age in Bonds" fails almost everyone
Replies: 217
Views: 33897

Re: "Age in Bonds" fails almost everyone

I set out to devise an approach that was significantly more accurate without being significantly hard to remember. Eventually I settled on the following: Age 40 and under, hold 10% in fixed income Age 45 to 60, hold "age minus 18" in fixed income Age 65 and over, hold 65% in fixed income How about: Under 40, hold 10% in fixed income. On your 40th birthday increase fixed income by 2.2% Every year increase fixed income by 2.2% until you hit 65% (this will happen on your 65th birthday). After 65, hold at 65% forever. That should get very close to the target date fund. How about: Invest in target date funds, instead of trying to run your own TDF by copying existing funds poorly. I'm 34, my AA is 50/50, and I am quite happy with it. A...
by appleshampooid
Tue Aug 07, 2018 11:36 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: A different approach to asset allocation
Replies: 1539
Views: 897768

Re: A different approach to asset allocation

Net worth: $1.2mn, not counting wife's assets Equity exposure: $0 Children: 2 I just read over this thread start to finish over the past few days. If anything, the most recent update is depressing me. I am roughly the same age as the OP (finished undergrad in 2006 so I think a couple years younger) and my combined net worth with my wife is ~$675k (one kid, roughly $427k equity exposure). I know that's still way above average and we're doing fine, but I am jealous of MT's hustle and skillset. I am in a high compensation field (started in software dev, now on the infrastructure/ops side) but took almost 2 years off in my 20s to be a lazy slacker...and I haven't exactly worked as hard as possible at my various positions. I guess If I had star...
by appleshampooid
Wed Aug 01, 2018 12:21 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Fidelity Files for Four Fidelity ZERO℠ Funds (0.00% ER)
Replies: 814
Views: 113047

Re: Fidelity Files for two Fidelity ZERO℠ Funds (0.00% ER total stock and total international mutual funds)

Nate79 wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 12:05 pm
lostdog wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 11:58 am Do you think Vanguard will respond? Is it even possible for Vanguard to offer zero ER?
I do not think it is possible for Vanguard to play this game as their funds are offered at cost. The primary cost by far for Vanguard funds is classified as "Management and Administrative" costs. These management costs as I understand are paid to Vanguard by the fund to management the funds and the accounts thru a service agreement at Vanguard's cost of operations.
They could possibly do it on a few select funds (like Fidelity has done) as a loss leader, and keep making money on other funds and products.
by appleshampooid
Sun Jul 15, 2018 4:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Roth IRA basis
Replies: 33
Views: 18125

Re: Roth IRA basis

Alan S. wrote: Sun Jul 15, 2018 4:36 pm A fee should reduce Box 1, but not Box 5 as it would not reduce or change the amount you contributed.


If the plan did reduce Box 5 as well as 1 which cannot be proven without a distribution statement, that would explain the higher amount on the W-2, Box 12.
Yeah I think they made a mistake. Will see if I have any other documentation from the rollover.
by appleshampooid
Sun Jul 15, 2018 4:11 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Roth IRA basis
Replies: 33
Views: 18125

Re: Roth IRA basis

ivk5 wrote: Sun Jul 15, 2018 2:01 pm Is it possible the difference was an administrative free charged by the custodian prior to the rollover?
Ooh, I think you're right! I remember being pissed at Putnam because there was a $75 fee to close the account and roll it over. Criminal! The ~$50 would make sense as there were also pre-tax contributions in the account, so the fee was probably prorated based on the balance of each.
by appleshampooid
Sun Jul 15, 2018 11:57 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Roth IRA basis
Replies: 33
Views: 18125

Re: Roth IRA basis

Yes, these two boxes should be the same. I assume that neither of these forms was corrected later, for example due to an excess contribution. Check Box 1 of the 1099R. If that figure is the same as Box 5, then the likely error is that the 1099R issuer did not know that Box 5 will exceed Box 1 if there was an investment loss prior to the direct rollover. For purposes of your Roth IRA basis, you may want to keep a copy of the W-2 to document your basis in regular Roth IRA contributions if you feel the W-2 is the more accurate figure. Neither form was corrected later. Box 1 of the 1099-R is not the same as box 5, it is a bit larger as there was a small gain in the account prior to the rollover. I will just use the smaller 1099-R figure for ba...
by appleshampooid
Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:29 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Roth IRA basis
Replies: 33
Views: 18125

Re: Roth IRA basis

I was incorrect about Box 5 for direct rollovers from a Roth 401k to a Roth IRA. The 1099R Inst. are a mess, as they do not mention Box 5 in the section for reporting direct rollovers from designated Roth accounts. However, since posting that I noticed that a few pages later in the 1099R Inst. under how to complete Box 2a (yes, 2a!), there is an example which shows that Box 5 is to be completed for direct rollovers from designated Roth to Roth IRA. I expect that this inconsistency confuses some plan administrators as well. In any event, if your H coded 1099R shows an amount in Box 5, it is probably correct. However, if you did IRRs (roll pre tax 401k to Roth 401k), the Box 5 amount needs to be checked. The IRRs should be included in Box 5 ...
by appleshampooid
Tue Feb 13, 2018 7:28 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Overhaul
Replies: 4
Views: 593

Re: Portfolio Overhaul

Watty wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2018 6:00 am You might try doing another post in this suggested format(more or less) to get better responses.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6212

If you also give the fund names and not just their ticker symbols that will help get better responses too.
Thanks for the advice, holy cow this forum gets a lot of action!

I am going to provide more info, but already bloom2708 has me reconsidering international exposure. And I decided I should really sit down and write an investment policy statement. So once I have that done, I'll repost in the standard format including my IPS.
by appleshampooid
Mon Feb 12, 2018 3:45 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Overhaul
Replies: 4
Views: 593

Re: Portfolio Overhaul

Thanks for the advice, I will reconsider some international exposure.

Also, my apologies for not reading the pinned posts in this forum regarding portfolio questions. I'll come back and add some of those point later where relevant.
by appleshampooid
Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Overhaul
Replies: 4
Views: 593

Portfolio Overhaul

Hi Bogleheads, First time poster, have read here and there and general believer in the Bogle philosophy. I am doing a portfolio overhaul for my wife and I. The good news is that we're in a pretty good position (IMO) and have generally invested in low-cost index funds over the years. But several years ago I read The Intelligent Asset Allocator by William Bernstein and got into a complicated slice-and-dice allocation in my portfolios (before we were married and combined finances), with 7 asset classes including bonds. I love the theory of diversifying across assets with negative correlation to reduce risk, but in today's global economy it starts to feel like a fool's errand. All stocks are strongly correlated, etc. The more I read and learn, ...