I would get in all at once. Typically ASAP. But I would not get in while a significant portion of the VTSAX economy is starting to stop operating. Wait a couple of days.
NB: I’m 80% VTSAX or equivalents.
Search found 43 matches
- Thu Mar 12, 2020 9:38 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Large amount of cash to invest, not sure if I should wait for further dip. Thoughts?
- Replies: 32
- Views: 3719
- Sat Feb 29, 2020 11:07 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: $250k in cash- What to do with it?
- Replies: 22
- Views: 2108
Re: $250k in cash- What to do with it?
Why not invest it according to 9 year plan to retire at 50? In 4-6 years when you think you will return from aboard you will be only 3-5 years from your estimated retirement age. You might feel different about where you want to live and how much you want to spend on housing as you get closer to ret...
- Sun Dec 01, 2019 10:15 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How much are you saving for retirement in 2019?
- Replies: 82
- Views: 5994
Re: How much are you saving for retirement in 2019?
44% of gross. First year where I let up in later months, got to rein that in next year.
- Sat Oct 19, 2019 8:58 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: For those who are FI: At what point did you begin to relax?
- Replies: 76
- Views: 11260
Re: For those who are FI: At what point did you begin to relax?
I arbitrarily set up 3 levels of financial independence for myself: stage 1 (bare bones living expenses), stage 2 (comfortable, but no fancy vacations), and stage 3 (can quit forever and likely be fine). Once I reached stage 2, I cut back on my work hours and my general stress level declined signif...
- Wed Oct 16, 2019 9:39 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Prenuptial agreement for moderately successful 30 year olds
- Replies: 68
- Views: 5638
Re: Prenuptial agreement for moderately successful 30 year olds
You sound a lot like my wife and I: * Early 30s * Been together many years already * Have shared home and expenses, if not accounts * Both frugal and savers * One has somewhat more assets I also came here to ask about a prenup (free free to read my old thread). The forum talked me out of it and I'm...
- Fri Sep 27, 2019 6:54 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Financing house after divorce
- Replies: 28
- Views: 2802
Re: Financing house after divorce
Rule of thumb I read here earlier in the year: Buy a house after you get married or you do not get married.
Rent for the flexibility and ease on your finances, and wait for the next chapter of your life before buying.
Rent for the flexibility and ease on your finances, and wait for the next chapter of your life before buying.
- Mon Sep 23, 2019 10:26 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: [Deleted]
- Replies: 23
- Views: 2211
Re: Private Equity is ready for Vanguard type disruption
I would like to see a way to have more companies be public, including some option to be on the market with fewer and less frequent reporting requirements. Incentivize more organizations to go public instead of avoiding or delaying the move.
- Tue Sep 17, 2019 10:30 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: DCA vs. Lump Sum- an interesting analysis
- Replies: 62
- Views: 5107
Re: DCA vs. Lump Sum- an interesting analysis
I DCA with this rule - put all my earnings into my AA as fast as possible.
As a practical matter none of us will ever one-time lump sum, and actual DCA (as in I’m withholding my own assets from my AA) is just market timing.
As a practical matter none of us will ever one-time lump sum, and actual DCA (as in I’m withholding my own assets from my AA) is just market timing.
- Wed Sep 11, 2019 6:27 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Some Computer Science Career Advise?
- Replies: 56
- Views: 5323
Re: Some Computer Science Career Advise?
Congrats on getting the promotion. Time to stay.
- Thu Sep 05, 2019 10:42 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Buy a house now or in the next 3 years?
- Replies: 35
- Views: 4192
Re: Buy a house now or in the next 3 years?
^that comment you quoted is also way off, I’d just ignore it. The retirement numbers look fine and with continued future savings there’s no catch up needed, but I wouldn’t finance more than 80% of a home (less actually)
- Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:10 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Some Computer Science Career Advise?
- Replies: 56
- Views: 5323
Re: Some Computer Science Career Advise?
Thanks so much for the responses! I had another talk with the senior director today. He says that he's had four people in the last nine months that have wanted to quit, and I'm the first one that he's offered to talk to (implying that he likes me). He said that the VP and Senior VP (reports to CEO)...
- Mon Sep 02, 2019 8:26 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Max out 401K for 2019 at new Job?
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1790
Re: Max out 401K for 2019 at new Job?
Do it, and see how low you can get by for a few months. Then in future years front load your contributions (more time in market) over say 6 months. Then with future comp increases try to speed up contributions so it is 5 months, then 4 months and so on.
- Sun Sep 01, 2019 8:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Advice for after getting high income
- Replies: 46
- Views: 6739
Re: Advice for after getting high income
Software engineers are also limited by competition from offshore contract engineering companies. Like the $9 per hour ones who wrote the anti-stall software for the 737-Max airplanes. I've watched hardware engineering groups get dissolved by Megacorp with new groups showing up in India and China. T...
- Sun Sep 01, 2019 10:11 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Living in the Bay Area, got an offer in LA: negotiation help wanted
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1975
Re: Living in the Bay Area, got an offer in LA: negotiation help wanted
A - they’re just keeping your pay low, nobody hires someone they don’t think has the skill/ability to do the work, but they’ll do a lot up front to push the initial comp as low as possible. Make the counteroffer for a higher base, be prepared to decline unless it’s a dream in other ways. B - take it...
- Thu Aug 29, 2019 10:52 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Young people with good earnings and still want to work do 100 equities
- Replies: 44
- Views: 5011
Re: Young people with good earnings and still want to work do 100 equities
100 equities (VTSAX for me, or VTWAX if that works for you) is the way to go up to a certain time horizon (less than 10 years to FI.)
Additionally, when income is high enough, take some off the top for alternative investments, but treat those as risk free capital and outside of your AA.
Additionally, when income is high enough, take some off the top for alternative investments, but treat those as risk free capital and outside of your AA.
- Thu Aug 29, 2019 10:22 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Is now still a good time to buy VTSAX?
- Replies: 45
- Views: 4522
Re: Is now still a good time to buy VTSAX?
+1
My compensation is >50% bonus (annual windfall) so I often think to time these things. But being in is most important. Don’t think of it as $$ but number of shares. Are you getting more VTSAX? That’s a good thing.
- Wed Aug 28, 2019 10:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Advice for after getting high income
- Replies: 46
- Views: 6739
Re: Advice for after getting high income
1 - on the way up in income and net worth there’s “plateaus” where you won’t know what to do next. Maybe you’re on one of those and just need to get motivated by earning/saving again. For me, once I figured out the present value of my monthly long-term safe withdrawal rate I was motivated to see how...
- Tue Aug 27, 2019 7:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How to help an employee who is in debt and requesting a loan
- Replies: 110
- Views: 9108
Re: How to help an employee who is in debt and requesting a loan
That is a tough one. In one case an employee asked for a loan and I said that if that employee would resign I would give them the money. And I gave them more than the loan requested. We found a better employee without the financial and other drama. This is fantastic advice, I will use this approach...
- Tue Aug 27, 2019 7:44 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How to start a business
- Replies: 23
- Views: 2431
Re: How to start a business
OP can you start a consulting business doing something with your career skills, and possibly evolve that into a business that can be sold for a higher multiple in 15 years? Ultimately when you sell there needs to be a future income stream expected, without you involved, and those are very difficult ...
- Tue Aug 27, 2019 7:39 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Credit Card Billing Dispute/High Spender/WWYD - RESOLVED
- Replies: 36
- Views: 4543
Re: Credit Card Billing Dispute/High Spender/WWYD
BTW whatever the outcome still find your way out to some National Parks - some of the easiest vacations to DIY unless you’re trying to get sold out lodging.
- Wed Aug 21, 2019 12:20 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Are we financially okay?
- Replies: 68
- Views: 10182
- Mon Aug 19, 2019 11:28 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Are we financially okay?
- Replies: 68
- Views: 10182
Re: Are we financially okay?
Me 48 yo, DW 46 yo, 11 yr old, 8 yr old We live in a VHCOL area in East Coast Monthly expenses are ~$13,000-14,000 per month (~$6K for mortgage and property tax) Investments: Cash/MM/CD - $2M Stocks - $2M Bond - $100K Mortgage Debt of $800K (equity of ~$600K) Wife was just laid off and got 3 months...
- Fri Aug 16, 2019 8:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Taking a break in your 50s: Is it the kiss of death?
- Replies: 86
- Views: 9455
Re: Taking a break in your 50s: Is it the kiss of death?
I agree with staying on - you have the income stream in hand and it’s definitely not a guarantee to get it back. But if you can’t reshape your week to less hours, put in the same effort but force yourself to start taking every or every other Friday off. You can keep going all out, just do it for few...
- Sun Aug 11, 2019 1:00 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How should my Spouse and I handle a $300,000 Settlement?
- Replies: 119
- Views: 7829
Re: How should my Spouse and I handle a $300,000 Settlement?
Back on track. You have a good plan: 1) pay off both car loans 2) pay off student loan 225,000 - 47591 - 21000-4800 = 151609 less Mortgage payment: 45,900 = 105709 (balance) Can you open a retirement account for your spouse? 3) balance in Emergency fund, High yield accounts, CD's, etc. j I agree wi...
- Wed Aug 07, 2019 12:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Largest spending category - is this an outrageous amount?
- Replies: 56
- Views: 4252
Re: Largest spending category - is this an outrageous amount?
Category tracking is helpful for getting accustomed to tracking, but of course correct categorization doesn’t change the total spend. Over time It was useful to just know discretionary/fixed and monthly/other.
- Mon Aug 05, 2019 11:53 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Financial anxiety and next steps in relationship
- Replies: 102
- Views: 8289
Re: Financial anxiety and next steps in relationship
If you both want kids, get started. It might take time, you might want more, whatever. Once mid -30s earlier the better. Biology *is* reality. So nothing to wait on this one, unless you want to be engaged first then just do that. Forget a house for now. Rent even if there’s a premium, stay free and ...
- Sun Aug 04, 2019 12:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Annual review was disappointing, what should I do next?
- Replies: 44
- Views: 6054
Re: Annual review was disappointing, what should I do next?
It is incredible you mention this point! I wrote to my manager mentioning this exact point including the phrase "self-worth tied to job". I told him I was wrong to sacrifice the rest of my life for this job and tying my self-worth to it. He asked me to pursue balance instead. FWIW your ma...
- Sun Aug 04, 2019 12:28 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How much house can I afford (really)?
- Replies: 23
- Views: 2769
Re: How much house can I afford (really)?
Yeah, easily. Conservatively, even. Daycare is expensive these days but it will just reduce your savings for a few years. My thought process is that worst case we both would work jobs at 120k base and 12k bonus. Using the 3x income we would then still be at $750k. Given that, I place our top end bu...
- Sat Aug 03, 2019 11:50 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: A note on spending for kids
- Replies: 148
- Views: 12520
Re: A note on spending for kids
ROI? Who cares don’t forget childhood is 20% of our waking lives! Growth through experiences, and fun without any care. Focus on many activities plus a couple deep activities (when they show motivation). And pray tell how do sports and activities improve one's childhood? How are organized activitie...
- Sat Aug 03, 2019 9:50 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: A note on spending for kids
- Replies: 148
- Views: 12520
Re: A note on spending for kids
ROI? Who cares don’t forget childhood is 20% of our waking lives! Growth through experiences, and fun without any care. Focus on many activities plus a couple deep activities (when they show motivation). And pray tell how do sports and activities improve one's childhood? How are organized activitie...
- Thu Aug 01, 2019 10:25 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: A note on spending for kids
- Replies: 148
- Views: 12520
Re: A note on spending for kids
ROI? Who cares don’t forget childhood is 20% of our waking lives! Growth through experiences, and fun without any care. Focus on many activities plus a couple deep activities (when they show motivation).
- Wed Jul 31, 2019 6:00 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Bloomberg: Forget Tech, Medicine Still Pays More
- Replies: 124
- Views: 10459
Re: Bloomberg: Forget Tech, Medicine Still Pays More
(emphasis mine) Google has 20-30k engineers and that's just one company. I doubt that many of them were competing in STEM Olympiads or other competitions. We were (I’m stem not google), at least those high earners that kept achieving beyond the first few years. Entry level is nice but from then on ...
- Tue Jul 30, 2019 10:33 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How am I doing ?
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2073
Re: How am I doing ?
OK then you’re doing fine, decide how much you want to take out during retirement (and pass on to heirs), and keep building to the requisite nest egg.
You’re past the point of retirement is going to hurt, just keep accumulating... congrats.
You’re past the point of retirement is going to hurt, just keep accumulating... congrats.
- Tue Jul 30, 2019 10:28 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Stop myself from making bad trades
- Replies: 35
- Views: 2827
Re: Stop myself from making bad trades
Consider opening another brokerage account. Take your current 5% and put it in there. Then, have fun. I agree with this. Your chasing 2 goals, which is fine (I do so myself) but just keep them separate. It’s gambling when you rob retirement to pay fun. Keep them separate and enjoy scratching the it...
- Tue Jul 30, 2019 10:23 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Bloomberg: Forget Tech, Medicine Still Pays More
- Replies: 124
- Views: 10459
Re: Bloomberg: Forget Tech, Medicine Still Pays More
Software engineering is great, but like all fields high and consistent compensation is reserved for those that are naturally great and unnaturally motivated. It is as much a calling as being a dr, and just as intellectually hard at higher levels, plus it’s competitive and has a shorter shelf life. I...
- Tue Jul 30, 2019 10:15 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Ethics of "bonus payback" when quitting a job
- Replies: 158
- Views: 12465
Re: Ethics of "bonus payback" when quitting a job
Yes the words agreed to are to pay it back.
I think any employment-based clawback is garbage, I believe work in = money out, but that’s what was agreed to.
Choose to fight but be ready to die on that hill, ethically follow the letter of the law, give it back
I think any employment-based clawback is garbage, I believe work in = money out, but that’s what was agreed to.
Choose to fight but be ready to die on that hill, ethically follow the letter of the law, give it back
- Tue Jul 30, 2019 6:35 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Bloomberg: Forget Tech, Medicine Still Pays More
- Replies: 124
- Views: 10459
Re: Bloomberg: Forget Tech, Medicine Still Pays More
Good luck to your friends son. Finding and keeping a lucrative career is not easy - he’ll have to be lucky, very capable and interested in the field, and very competitive and motivated. So he should find the one where he fits those criteria.
- Wed Jul 24, 2019 10:24 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Types of Risk
- Replies: 22
- Views: 1558
Re: Types of Risk
Good brief start on the wiki: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Risk_an ... troduction
- Wed Jul 24, 2019 8:28 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: U.S. stocks in free fall
- Replies: 21210
- Views: 2878443
Re: U.S. stocks in free fall

- Tue Jul 23, 2019 10:15 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Can we afford $600k home?
- Replies: 98
- Views: 7793
Re: Can we afford $600k home?
Enjoy the flexibility of renting, even with kids. I don’t think you’ll regret continuing your accumulation in savings.
- Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:55 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Is there a High Tech Bubble in S&P 500 & Total Market?
- Replies: 152
- Views: 11860
Re: Too much tech in total stock market?
Also I would hope an advisor would think overweight is fine *right now* since it’s working - no current reason to overthink (and pay for) portfolio safety for TSM, except for your regular AA.
- Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:21 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Bigger house?
- Replies: 43
- Views: 3650
Re: Bigger house?
My vote is to wait and see just because of how much a growing child 1) doesn’t need that much space, and 2) happily consumes your time. You’ll know a lot more in a few years. The nanny is a great idea, we used one almost full time, but they don’t need to be live-in. Wouldn’t be much marginal benefit...
- Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:12 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: cash flow rebalancing - behavioral question
- Replies: 5
- Views: 620
Re: cash flow rebalancing - behavioral question
It’s possible the biweekly changes in the 65% affect the AA as much or more than the incoming funds. I would put it all there and just rebalance whenever you are +/- a few points instead.