Bogleheads.org

I would buy the house if it were a clear lifestyle upgrade for the growing family. Some of your comments indicate that it may not be a clear upgrade though, and I think you could wait a couple of years before the kids need separate rooms.

I would also spend substantially less on all items you mentioned except possibly for food/diaper and travel categories.

Vehicles & transportation are usually the 2nd highest spend category for Americans. I do not see this line item in your budget. How are you getting around, is it sustainable, how much will it cost in the future?

Best of luck to you and the growing family.

So after taking five years to pass through Rick Ferri's stages of indexing (and being stuck in "complexity" for about four of them), I've completed my journey to the land of 100% indexing at rock-bottom costs, at an asset allocation I can live with. I've also succeeded for the most part (I think) in tax-efficient fund placement. I'm posting my portfolio here to ask if fellow Bogleheads could take a look and see if there are any flaws they notice, and any improvements that might be suggested. This has and continues to be a wonderful journey. This really isn't just about me but about the financial well-being and general piece of mind of my wife and other heirs when I pass. I am and continue to be extremely grateful to this communit...

If your MFJ income is under $190k, you can pay no account fees (just the fund expense ratios) with a coverdell ESA. The annual contribution limit is $2k. https://www.calcpa.org/public-resources/ask-a-cpa/education/saving-for-college/coverdell-education-savings-accounts Vanguard used to offer these, but I don’t think they do any longer. I have coverdell accounts at TD ameritrade. There are no minimums, no account fees and I can invest in schwab mutual funds or any ETF (including vanguard). I can also get Vanguard funds, but there are fees and minimums. I don’t know where (or even if) you can get Vanguard mutual funds without minimums. Can you describe why you want Vanguard funds? Vanguard, Schwab, and Fidelity all have solid low cost index f...

You have way too many funds. For example, you have 18 funds in your Roth alone. I have just one fund in my Roth - Vanguard total stock market. Our entire portfolio is the three fund portfolio, plus a muni fund and treasuries (due to the rapid rise in interest rates) I would recommend greatly reduce the number of funds that you hold. I sure agree with you Wiggums. Some of the EFTs were started when I couldn't meet the min. investment for a mutual fund. But now it's a lot to track. Should I take the long and patient approach and just sell off a holding when it's up? If you currently are 60/40and you sell off a bunch of your misc holdings into a select few low cost index funds which is still 60/40 overall, then how much money did you lose? Yo...

Interesting stats. I’m paying about 1,200/yr for a 7 year old Subaru. Spotless driving record, safe neighborhood, but high limits. Replacing that with a Tesla would bring it to ~ 2,200/yr. Replacing it with an ICE luxury car of about the same “value” as a Tesla would raise it $300/yr. I was pretty shocked at the price difference. And our auto rates are pretty cheap when we compared coverage with other companies. Obviously not as cheap as other people, but I’m sure that’s geographical. How does the insurance compare on a vehicle of same “value” which also can accelerate from 0-60 in 4 seconds? why is it always this one stat? why not compare features like 360 parking camera or apple carplay? 0-60 is fun once, those other features help on eve...

Interesting stats. I’m paying about 1,200/yr for a 7 year old Subaru. Spotless driving record, safe neighborhood, but high limits. Replacing that with a Tesla would bring it to ~ 2,200/yr. Replacing it with an ICE luxury car of about the same “value” as a Tesla would raise it $300/yr. I was pretty shocked at the price difference. And our auto rates are pretty cheap when we compared coverage with other companies. Obviously not as cheap as other people, but I’m sure that’s geographical. Our EV is not expensive to insure as compared to a comparable vehicle. It costs about 30% less to insure than the ICE vehicle it replaced. It’s also not a tesla. How does the insurance compare on a vehicle of same “value” which also can accelerate from 0-60 i...

I also plan to max out my i bond purchases for this year ($50k due to business / trust EINs) for a car purchase, but need to figure out if they're worth maxing out each year. I guess that depends on how interest rates go since you can basically get a known rate for at least a year if you purchase in Apr? I don't think that's how it works. I think you get the current annualized fixed rate (currently 0.40%) as long as you hold the I bond plus the semi-annual inflation rate (currently 3.24%) for 6 months, and then you get the new semi-annualized inflation rate 6 months later (but on the 1st of that month is when it changes) on the original principal plus interest up until that point. And so on, every 6 months. I think. I would do a search for...

muel87 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 6:33 pm

Nohbdy wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 3:47 pm
Thanks. Why do you choose t-bills over MM funds, CDs, or ultra-short term bond funds (actually those are equivalent to t-bills, I think)?

Mostly because I live in a high tax state. I like that I can pick a date +/-30 days when the money will hit my account. Rates have been pretty decent.

You have some good feedback on your first few questions. I have a value tilt because growth stocks often appear speculative and make me nervous. I just feel better about investing when I tilt to value. I think I invest more when I feel better too. If you can hold a consistent & diversified stock/bond ratio then I don’t think it matters nearly as much as you think it matters which diversified stocks/bond funds you hold. Just keep costs low and be consistent (don’t tinker). I also think you are assuming that the past is a super reliable indicator of the future. Historical trends do not force the future to behave in any specific way. I tend to look more at asset correlation than historical returns. You seem to save more than your tax advan...

I think they come in around 5.2% in May unless there are some big inflation surprises in the next cpi reports. Which leads to the decision of using I bonds to chase short term yield or wait to see if the fixed rate offerings are higher for those who want to buy and hold long term. You can already buy Treasuries maturing over the next 12 months that pay 5%. I Bonds always have the three-month penalty to consider if holding for under five years. Yes, but in April we should know what the full 12 month variable rate will be- and the first 6 month period will be 6.89%. I agree though- I bonds are far less attractive than they were last year. Let's say it's 5% for argument's sake. (6.89+5)/2 = 5.95% for 12 months. But, if you sell at 12 months, ...

Hello All, I am new to this community, and have really enjoyed reading the different perspectives. I am hoping for some advice on how to better manage my portfolio and investments. I am 34 and my wife is 32. We are a growing family, with our second child due in September. I am starting a new job in a week that is a 48% salary increase to my current job - annual salary of $140,000. My wife works part time and makes about $37,000 annually. I am hoping that with my new job, we can really accelerate some long-term retirement savings. For the past several years, we have making consistent deposits to our brokerage account, buying small numbers of shares of mainly ETFs, but not with a specific "strategy". Current Allocation Emergency Fu...

Have her look at the courses at EdX.org. Lots of schools, lots of courses and degrees. Can take courses for free or pay for a certificate, or go for different degrees. Worth a look The governor of PA recently scrapped the requirement for a college degree for state jobs. Many jobs just don't need it. I’ve heard of Sophia through Capella. I don’t believe they are accredited courses and may not transfer to a state university online program. I like the concept of these, but they appear to be designed to fit the fast tracked for-profit profile that smells. Sophia is $99/mo and I think you can complete up to two general courses per month. We are in Oklahoma. Don't do Sophia. It is a joke. If you really want courses that can transfer to other sch...

Hi all, I'm 29 and starting my career in property management and have made myself a budget. This will be my first year investing for retirement (VTI or VOO will be my one and done). I'm late but hopefully not too late. Please rate my budgeting plan and what you think of my allocations. I've broken up my income into 2 sections, first its gross income and retirement amounts, the second group is my net cash after all expenses and how I plan on breaking it up (20/30/50 for fun/invest/cash) 61,568 Gross income. 3,240 401k. 6,000 roth ira. These amounts make up 15% of Gross income. Should it be more? 8,124 total expenses/bills 28,609 Net after bills/taxes/retirements. 5,721 or 20% for fun/lifestyle. 8,583 or 30% for taxable brokerage (VOO). 14,3...

Hi all, I'm 29 and starting my career in property management and have made myself a budget. This will be my first year investing for retirement (VTI or VOO will be my one and done). I'm late but hopefully not too late. Please rate my budgeting plan and what you think of my allocations. I've broken up my income into 2 sections, first its gross income and retirement amounts, the second group is my net cash after all expenses and how I plan on breaking it up (20/30/50 for fun/invest/cash) 61,568 Gross income. 3,240 401k. 6,000 roth ira. These amounts make up 15% of Gross income. Should it be more? 8,124 total expenses/bills 28,609 Net after bills/taxes/retirements. 5,721 or 20% for fun/lifestyle. 8,583 or 30% for taxable brokerage (VOO). 14,3...

Hi all, I'm 29 and starting my career in property management and have made myself a budget. This will be my first year investing for retirement (VTI or VOO will be my one and done). I'm late but hopefully not too late. Please rate my budgeting plan and what you think of my allocations. I've broken up my income into 2 sections, first its gross income and retirement amounts, the second group is my net cash after all expenses and how I plan on breaking it up (20/30/50 for fun/invest/cash) 61,568 Gross income. 3,240 401k. 6,000 roth ira. These amounts make up 15% of Gross income. Should it be more? 8,124 total expenses/bills 28,609 Net after bills/taxes/retirements. 5,721 or 20% for fun/lifestyle. 8,583 or 30% for taxable brokerage (VOO). 14,3...

Marseille07 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 12, 2023 11:21 am

tibbitts wrote: ↑Sun Feb 12, 2023 11:04 am I think it's difficult for Bogleheads to relate to someone who's 37 years old and either has no goals or bounces from one goal to another on a whim. It's just not a concept they can relate to.

Well if one doesn't have goals or bounces from one goal to another, then that person probably shouldn't pay 80K at a degree mill.

If she wants to start working, I'm sure there are part-time jobs available today with flexible schedule (or one can even stop working during the summer).

I agree with this sentiment.

My guess is she needs to feel valued. Somehow this college’s marketing department has gained access to this need, and locked OP out.

The goal is not to find a high income career; the goal is to find fulfillment.

My suggestion for you is to hear her out and be extremely validating around her concerns and her goals. Repeat her concerns back to her, and agree. Make sure she understands that you are going to work together to improve the situation. You do not have to agree with capella to recognize and facilitate her life goals. I would make sure the distinction is clear: you are on board with her career goals but you do not think her chosen path is the best way. My suggestion for her is to do tax prep seasonally (NOW is the season) for a year or two. Then, if she wants to, pursue a degree. There are lots of jobs and careers that are either seasonal or flexible enough for M-F summers off. But, many are not 9-5 banker’s hours at the office types of jobs....

I would like to move my portfolio over to a Lazy 3 model. However, there seems to be many ways to configure a lazy three and also many options for which funds to use. I would love any advice on how to make these decisions or examples of how you personally made these decisions. Thank you! Others have mentioned how to find the 3 funds & different ways to achieve a similar allocation, so I will attempt to describe what went into my decision on asset allocation (spoiler 80/20). During past downturns I have generally either ignored my investments or increased contributions, so I think I have a high risk tolerance. I expect a pension to cover a significant portion of my early retirement expenses, so I think I have a high risk capacity. I rea...

[Topic title clarified - moderator ClaycordJCA] I'll be starting some 1099 work this year with expectations of bringing in $50-60k/year. It will be work from home and my main business expenses will be internet ($100/month) and professional licenses (uncertain, maybe ~$1000/year). I'll probably use the simplified method for home office deduction rather than itemize. I will also purchase a standing desk and few odds and ends the first year for an additional $600-700. I'd like to use a business card to keep expenses separate and organized. Most of the sign-up bonuses seem to need $5000+ spending in 3 months to claim, which I don't think I'll hit. What would be a good option for me? My suggestion would be the chase ink business cash card for 5...

Tuition and fees required to enroll at or attend an eligible educational institution. Qualified education expenses don't include expenses for room and board or for courses involving sports, games, or hobbies that aren't part of a degree or certificate-granting program .” However, she may be eligible for the “Lifetime Learning Credit.” [emphasis added] Given that these rules specifically call out/exclude courses for things like "sports, games, or hobbies", I would interpret the "part of a degree or certificate-granting program" as referring to the courses themselves, not whether the student is specifically enrolled in a particular program at "an eligible educational institution". ... unless there are other rule...

I’m hoping for some clarification regarding the I-bond education specifics.

https://www.treasurydirect.gov/savings- ... education/

Say I have an I-bond that I bought for $1k. It has earned $100 interest. We are under the income threshold (HHI around $140k). My spouse takes a class at a qualifying institution which costs $100. If we redeem the I-bond for $1100, is it tax free?

In other words, does the education expense offset the interest, or does the entire I-bond need to be applied to education expenses?

Thanks.

Hi everyone, My wife will soon be starting a new job that offers a SEP IRA. The SEP IRA can be located in any brokerage of her choosing, and together we've narrowed down the choices to Fidelity and Schwab based on what appears to be high praise for their customer service. There are locations of each near where we live, so that doesn't factor in the determination. We're a little wary of Vanguard given the "mega thread" and related posts, but we're open to reconsidering. We've done a search of older posts to learn if there was a preference between Fidelity and Schwab or other recommendations, but we've been unable to reach a definitive conclusion. We have a few questions: * Which brokerage would you recommend for her SEP IRA and wh...

Like sun warms in Spring
The market gives the return
Pay less and live more

We have some disposable monthly income that we want to use for future vacations. Ideas on where to park it? It won't be for this year. We are thinking a few years down the line once the kids get older (3 kids under 7). First thought is just high-yield savings but what about other vehicles like I Bonds? I would say drop into regular brokerage account if we could stomach the risk but unsure on that one. Most of our sinking funds are in T-bills earning 4%-4.8%. I buy them at treasury direct but for an indeterminate future date, buying them at a brokerage might be better so you could sell at any time. For a TBD date of 1+ years, if you aren’t already using them for something else I would probably do I-bonds since that seems like a good way to ...

It is most likely because I have opened this (HSA) account via an automated referral (partnership link) by HSA Bank, which I have to use due to my employer contributing to HSA (otherwise, I would have used Fidelity). TDA's website seems to be OK (though, a bit overengineered and, thus, somewhat overwhelming, at first). However, one relatively serious issue that I ran across is that, as far as I can tell, there is no way to set up free automated ETF purchasing. I have set up auto-sweep to TDA on the HSA Bank side, hoping to set up auto-purchasing of SPTM (SPDR Portfolio Total Stock Market ETF) and forget about it for a while. Oh well. :( The website could do with some simplification, I agree. I haven’t figure out any way to automatically in...

I'm surprised they are still accepting new TDA customers. I believe some accounts are already getting converted to Schwab. It is most likely because I have opened this (HSA) account via an automated referral (partnership link) by HSA Bank, which I have to use due to my employer contributing to HSA (otherwise, I would have used Fidelity). TDA's website seems to be OK (though, a bit overengineered and, thus, somewhat overwhelming, at first). However, one relatively serious issue that I ran across is that, as far as I can tell, there is no way to set up free automated ETF purchasing. I have set up auto-sweep to TDA on the HSA Bank side, hoping to set up auto-purchasing of SPTM (SPDR Portfolio Total Stock Market ETF) and forget about it for a ...

I'm surprised they are still accepting new TDA customers. I believe some accounts are already getting converted to Schwab. It is most likely because I have opened this (HSA) account via an automated referral (partnership link) by HSA Bank, which I have to use due to my employer contributing to HSA (otherwise, I would have used Fidelity). TDA's website seems to be OK (though, a bit overengineered and, thus, somewhat overwhelming, at first). However, one relatively serious issue that I ran across is that, as far as I can tell, there is no way to set up free automated ETF purchasing. I have set up auto-sweep to TDA on the HSA Bank side, hoping to set up auto-purchasing of SPTM (SPDR Portfolio Total Stock Market ETF) and forget about it for a ...

I have read enough about 2 fund/3 fund portfolio, now trying to understand how folks have been practically using it and not have to get into situation where you do it certain way and then realize a bottle neck. Say we have retirement accounts and non retirement accounts. I understand all of your bond allocation should be in retirement account. Do you have stock funds and bond funds in retirement accounts and stock funds whether domestic or not in taxable accounts? I'm not sure if you will ever get into a situation where taxable account will need bond funds. Please share your knowledge along these lines what you have learnt over the years, what makes it easier to balance etc. Our largest account by far is tax deferred (his 401k). So we have...

Stillwater1971 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 9:29 am I'm wondering if there is anyone/anything out there in the news media/ social media( Youtube) that focuses more of their talk on Long Term investments for the LT Investor.
All I see in the media is discussions, suggestions, advice etc. for what seems is for the day traders. I'm not interested in that!

So besides the Bogleheads Forum , is there anyone else??

These are all youtube:
The rational reminder (Ben Felix also has his own youtube channel).
Next level life.
The Plain bagel.
Money guy show.
Rob Berger.
Bogleheads also has some youtube content.

If you are organized and can be timely you could try to qualify for a 0% teaser rate card, invest your pre-determined balance in T-bills (make sure you get more than your fees, like 4%+), run up the balance, pay the minimums on the card reliably, pay off the card when the t-bills mature (before the 0% rate expires). In other words - you get a 0% credit card which you pay minimums on it for a predetermined period such as 1+ year. You invest the balance in T-bills for a pre-determined duration such as one year. When the t-bill matures, pay off the card before the teaser rate expires. Don’t miss a payment or you pay lots of interest. This also might negatively impact your credit score in the short term due to increased utilization of available...

I recently learned of a 6mo duration treasury etf XHLF https://bondbloxxetf.com/bondbloxx-bloomberg-six-month-target-duration-us-treasury-etf/ What are the risks of using this fund as a savings account? with such a short duration there isn't much interest rate risk and its current SEC yield of 4.24% is higher than most savings accounts I've seen https://www.nerdwallet.com/best/banking/high-yield-online-savings-accounts “Short” treasuries (aka t-bills) are great. I just bought some 13 week t-bill, locking in just over 4.6%. It’s not a savings account, though. That ETF you mention might have low trading volume, so I probably wouldn’t buy it due to liquidity concerns. I might use BIL if I wanted an ETF like the one you mention, but keep in mi...

Thanks in advance for reading, and I asking for your collective hive-mind opinion on a substantial life decision. Would it be financially imprudent to move from Denver to Irvine, California? Basic Facts: Our family of four currently has about $3.6M in investable assets including taxable accounts, 401Ks. Excludes HSA, 529, and home equity. My wife (40) and I (41) earn collectively around $600K, and live in a mid-tier city with our kids in public elementary school. We are contemplating transitioning from our jobs. Annual expenses including home mortgage, utilities, and personal expenses total around $140K. This excludes health insurance, which may be around another $20K. Our current home is valued at $1.2M and has been appreciating at 7% ann...

I like the rational reminder, it’s one of my favorite podcasts. I like it to, but sometimes they are too enamored with “studies” by academics. Especially overly clever studies. Their tag line for a long time was that the podcast was “brought to you by two Canadians.” My private joke was that it was “brought to you by two guys in love with regressions.” I think I like it because among my peer group, I’m the over-thinker and an optimizer. Their podcast goes way farther down the analytical road than I’m capable of, which is engaging. I also enjoy their commentary on balancing investing and frugality with happiness. As they are highly analytical proponents of factor tilting, I can’t quite align with their philosophy. But I can’t refute it eith...

I like the rational reminder, it’s one of my favorite podcasts.

I like to consider the incentives that people operate under.

Is PWL capitol an AUM advisor?

Say you are an AUM advisor. It seems like you have a financial incentive to have (and keep) more assets under management.

I’m working on paying down my debt so I’m not trying to make any extra purchases. I’ve been accumulating credit card points on my AmEx Blue Cash Preferred and Chase Saphire Preferred. Don’t want to use the points to book trips because I’ll just end up spending money. Should I just apply the points to my credit card balances? Use it for gift cards so I don’t have to spend my own cash? What are the best ways to use the points in my situation? If you are carrying credit card debt, then I think you should minimize fees by downgrading those cards. This seems to me to be in line with the goal of spending less money. The return on paying down credit card debt is relatively high. If you can redeem for gift cards at a discount, that might be the mo...

Hello, I currently have Chase Sapphire Reserve (Annual Fee $550), and DW has Chase Sapphire Preferred ( Annual Fee, $95). We have together 200K in Ultimate Rewards. I travel overseas, India, many times and my goal for getting this card was to use Lounges and help in getting overseas tickets. After doing some research, it is clear to me that it is very difficult, for me, to get award tickets by transferring the points here and there. I like the simple way of booking tickets through Chase travel portal ( it's own version of expedia), which does not give much benefit than market. After $300 yearly travel credit, I don't think $250 is worth the card. Shall I wait to redeem 200K UR or okay to dump it / scale down to preferred until I use UR? Is...

I think we have a natural tendency to tilt. And as long-term investors, with horizons of 50 years or more, it may make sense to tilt in some way. Whatever tilt decision you make is wrong, so what's wrong with making a random one? Buy random [investments] with a small portion of your portfolio and never sell. But only good random [investments] , not TSLA. I think that there is some value in this random strategy. If you buy littles each month, then eventually your assets would approach an average market, like Direct Indexing. Buying random stuff could be better than buying whatever did best last year, as they return to mean. Could save lots of time and worthless analysis. You get to brag if you are lucky. Throwing darts at the stock listings...

I think we have a natural tendency to tilt. And as long-term investors, with horizons of 50 years or more, it may make sense to tilt in some way. Whatever tilt decision you make is wrong, so what's wrong with making a random one? Buy random [investments] with a small portion of your portfolio and never sell. But only good random [investments] , not TSLA. I think that there is some value in this random strategy. If you buy littles each month, then eventually your assets would approach an average market, like Direct Indexing. Buying random stuff could be better than buying whatever did best last year, as they return to mean. Could save lots of time and worthless analysis. You get to brag if you are lucky. Throwing darts at the stock listings...

OP here. Thanks everyone for the responses. After further consideration, I like the option of putting money in I-bonds, at least for now. My wife and I maxed out I-bonds for 2021, 2022, and $20k as gifts for each other, but we can gift more to each other for 2024. We could contribute around $1,600 per month as gifts to each other. We plan to lump sum $13k for Roth IRA in Jan 2023 for self/spouse from savings. We could use the money in I-bonds at some point for new car purchases as our cars are getting old. I feel somewhat confident about future inheritance to help pay for my children's education. There is just more flexibility with I-bonds than with 529 plans. We are in a fairly similar situation with household income around $150k and a co...

Even for CA the HSA (employer plan type) is unique as a savings vehicle that avoids FICA. For us, FICA and state tax effective rates are similar, at least currently. https://smartasset.com/taxes/california-tax-calculator You only get the FICA savings if you contribute by payroll deduction. And that is not necessarily a benefit, as the reduced SS tax payment will lead to lower SS benefits. See Payroll - cafeteria plan deductions on the wiki. Interesting (if convoluted) read thank you. It is difficult for me to wrap my mind around the bendpoints and all of the ramifications. I think I get that you are saying that reducing FICA tax may not always work out favorably in the long run. Is this statement true in all scenarios: “ the reduced SS tax...

I live in CA so I don't even get the tax breaks that most people in the US gets, but I still max out the HSA every year and invest it. I figure I will use it eventually for health expenses down the road. It's basically just another taxable account for me though, as far as the tax stuff goes. To be clear, it’s only “another taxable account” as far as CA state taxes go. You still get a federal deduction for the contribution and a tax free use of the funds when used for qualified medical expenses . And because you get no deduction on CA state taxes, you have a basis, so it is only increases that are potentially taxed when withdrawn to use for medical expenses. And if the funds are invested in state tax free Treasuries, a withdrawal for medica...

I can’t answer for what the boglehead consensus is.

If you can have a 30 year with a 5.75% rate then you can make it a 15 year by just paying extra. So if you are approved for a 30 year at a rate that’s better than what you could currently get for a 15, then I can’t think of any reason to go with the 15.

As for how much to finance, my inclination would be to imagine a job loss and what monthly payment could you afford on a 30 year with a single income?

Hi all, New to this organization. Been trying to get my finances in order, and I just can't seem to figure out how people live in my area and still get to enjoy life without spending a crazy amount of money. I look at the things we buy and it doesn't seem like we're buying anything lavish or expensive, but the money just evaporates. Mortgage/tax/insurance is about $4500 a month. Then there is still child care, food, healthcare costs, etc. for a family of 4. Any thoughts, tips, suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks! Nor Cal HCOL here. My main tip is to stay put if you (sustainably) can. Our house has been a reliable fixed cost. We get raises and the cost of everything goes up, except for the house. The house is the same cost as it w...

Rates on secondary market t-bills took a hit today per treasury direct.

https://home.treasury.gov/resource-cent ... nth=202211

Would this be because existing bills are being sold off? Or some expectation of future rates being re-aligned?

Thank you Nohbdy. I think it would be best to hold something different (or at least not substantially identical) in the taxable accounts. Loss harvesting is not something you will get rich doing but it helps defer taxes in down years. I prefer ETF’s in taxable. You might want to avoid VTI since it is basically the same thing as VTSAX and I’m not sure what indeces all your various vanguard funds track. My suggestion would be to look at ITOT, SCHB, and/or SPTM as loss harvesting partners in taxable since you want FSKAX in your other accounts. I was also thinking it may be too much trouble if I want to keep it simple. I've been reading that in many cases the benefit is very small considering the extra effort and learning curve for the novice....

Thank you delamer. I get that. I just read another post about keeping the same funds in all your accounts - re TLH and concerns for wash sales, etc. Would it be best to choose something other than FSKAX in this taxable account since I already own some in other accounts? This seems contrary to simplifying and the "3-fund" approach but I think I also read on this board that that can be more of a concept and not literal. Thank you everyone for indulging my questions. I'm still reading, learning and trying to take everything in... I think it would be best to hold something different (or at least not substantially identical) in the taxable accounts. Loss harvesting is not something you will get rich doing but it helps defer taxes in d...

Hi All, Trying to ape VTSAX in my wife's new 401k with the following available Vanguard funds: VIIIX, VIEIX, VTSNX. What's my best breakdown to do it? Pretty new to all this so thanks in advance! You may already have your answer in the wiki link above, but I noticed that you seem to be thinking of this account in isolation. The total portfolio is worth considering. Are there any other accounts? If so you may want to post the whole portfolio. My 401k breaks it up in a similar manner. Since my 401k needs to have about 85% of my US stock allocation, I hold the S&P in the 401k and I hold small&mid (mostly the completion index) in all other accounts (tickers vary: VXF, VIEIX, VEXAX). I like to hold the whole market. The idea of tilting ...

stan1 wrote: ↑Sun Oct 23, 2022 2:29 pm

calmaniac wrote: ↑Fri Oct 21, 2022 4:46 pm Not much more to say than:


http://403bwise.org

You know things are bad when Edward Jones gets a Red+ and there are worse Red and Red- providers.

It’s pretty bad.

Can I queue up a rant about the differences between insurance vs investing?

Brandon4454 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 22, 2022 8:34 pm

calmaniac wrote: ↑Fri Oct 21, 2022 4:46 pm Not much more to say than:


http://403bwise.org

We are librarians and not part of a school.

This vendor tier list might still broadly apply.

https://403bwise.org/advocacy/rating_system

Hello there.

Can you please clarify what we should expect regarding the FAFSA and how “need” based aid is evaluated? I understand that income and assets for parents and students are considered to varying degrees. If we have a year or two to position assets, then what is the optimal position for those assets as it relates to need based aid? What is the timeframe for consideration? And at what income and/or asset level (if any) is the FAFSA no longer worth filling out?

Thanks!