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MrVargas

- Pay off non-mortgage debt - 42K - Pay off Mortgage to the point where I do not owe PMI - about 30K - Book a deluxe Disney World Vacation for this summer for my family - 8k - Some house remodeling & maintenance items - 15k - Add to Emergency fund - 5k *Doing the Roth IRA contributions would be the ...

MrVargas

Correct me if I'm wrong, Equally weight index funds divide their assets equally among the companies in an index. For example an equally weighted S&P 500 index fund would have approximately 0.2% of assets in each company in the index. Well, wouldn't a regular index fund also be equally weighted, but ...

MrVargas

It looks like people are rushing into emerging markets now that they've had a nice 15% pop. Fools rush in you know. I didn't even know that they had done well. I thought they were still down. I don't really follow markets besides the S&P 500 (and whatever is in my portfolio). I am not one to chase ...

MrVargas

My wife and I both contribute to government pensions (mine is state, her's is local). In addition to that we have begun contributing to a 403B. At first our choices were mostly overpriced actively managed funds. I was in a T Rowe Price target date fund. They have now added some index funds and I am ...

MrVargas

Quick question: Thoughts on an equity breakdown of 35% International vs 65% Domestic?

Does that same about average to you? Thanks.

MrVargas

Who is your 403(b) provider and which fund is it? Maybe someone else here has direct experience with them. Do you get statements (monthly, quarterly, whenever)? It may be that the fund doesn't pay out dividends and then reinvests them to give you more shares. Instead, they may simply be folded into...

MrVargas

I have a 403b account and all of my money is invested in a target date fund. From what I understand, with retirement accounts they automatically invest dividends. However, I do not see any details on the provider website detailing when dividends were paid and how much where they. Is this something I...

MrVargas

For Retirement plans that are missing index funds for certain asset classes, do you think an actively managed fund (or an equal split among all of the available active funds) could be a reasonable substitute for that asset class? For example my retirement plan does not offer an index fund for intern...

MrVargas

For the stock side, consider 20% US large cap blend, 20% SCV, 20% REIT (consider splitting between US and international), 20% Developed international (or 10% int'l small and 10% int'l value if you want to tilt), and 20% EM. You'll want to balance the risk with a high quality bond fund such as a int...

MrVargas

Hypothetical Portfolio: 1/3 equal parts each of Small Cap Value, Emerging Market Index and REIT index. All very volatile, all have a high expected rate of return. Reasoning: 1. High Long Term Return. Though no one one knows the future, the expected return of these asset classes (at least SCV and EM)...

MrVargas

3 Questions: 1) Is there a site that allows me to see the quarterly/yearly dividend amounts/yields for a mutual fund? I can only seem to find sites that show total return. 2) When the stock market tanks what usually happens to the amount of dividends given off by a Dividend paying fund such Vanguard...

MrVargas

Is there any research/discussion out there on the performance of Active Management if fees were ignored? Is their underperformance solely due to the fees (on average)?

MrVargas

In our district's 457b, the T.Rowe Price target date funds were replaced with BlackRock Lifepath index funds with ER of under .2%. What company operates your plan? Does your district have a committee that oversees the plan, or does HR just handle it? There is a commitee but they seem clueless. Some...

MrVargas

Can I have your opinion on what I should do? Background info: I'm 33 My goal is to retire early in 24 years (2040) My wife and I both have state pensions My 403B through my school is not very good and I am debating between the possible two paths 1. 100% in T Rowe Price 2040 Target Fund (rrtdx) Expen...

MrVargas

I have never looked seriously at Corporate Bonds (I have only ever used Total Bond Fund or Government Bond Funds). I just glanced at the Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF and was a little surprised by the yield which is 4.89%. That seems like a pretty good deal. That's a higher yield than Vangu...

MrVargas

I have never looked seriously at Corporate Bonds (I have only ever used Total Bond Fund or Government Bond Funds). I just glanced at the Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF and was a little surprised by the yield which is 4.89%. That seems like a pretty good deal. That's a higher yield than Vangua...

MrVargas

I'm only 33 and my wife and I both have pensions at very stable jobs so it's a little difficult to project out nearly 30 years from now. However from looking at the Trinity Study, 4% on a 50% stock/ 50% Bond mix seemed to be the one that appealed that seemed to make the most sense from a numbers sta...

MrVargas

1% or less. Even if it was available I think I'm too lazy to pursue this unless it was very easy to obtain. But yeah, if I could borrow money at 1% interest or less and the monthly payments were say interest only, I'd do it. As far as how I'd invest, maybe I'd go for the Permanent Portfolio or somet...

MrVargas

I had similar options in my 403b (littered with insurance companies selling crappy annuities). I contacted my school district and after expressing my disappointment they steered me towards one of the firms that had a mutual fund option and lower fees. Looking at your list, I'd check out the companie...

MrVargas

Weight Watchers is the only thing that works for me (I'm down 35 lbs from my peak). I was very hesitant to join as I think everything is a scam. The accountability of weigh-in's and meetings and their nutritional guidelines seem to click with me. BTW, they recently changed their points system to ste...

MrVargas

I think you did something wrong. I am also a teacher and I used H&R block online and I was able to deduct the $250 educator expense.

MrVargas

Why did you pick 1971 as a starting point? That's the year the data starts as the portfolio visualizer. If you know of a tool that would let me start earlier, let me know. I'm not familiar with these tools, but using what you've already got, how do the results look if you use a starting point of 19...

MrVargas

climber2020 wrote:Why did you pick 1971 as a starting point?

That's the year the data starts at portfoliovisualizer.com. If you know of a tool that would let me start earlier, let me know.

MrVargas

Wow the comments on that guy's post are alarming, very uneducated people. The lack of financial and investment knowledge in the real world is mind-blowing. At my job (I'm a high school teacher) I have encountered 2 people that have any solid understanding of investing (one is the principal who come...

MrVargas

I was reading about Permanent Portfolio and I was wondering how it would fair without the 25% allocation to cash. So I backtested a 1/3 stocks, 1/3 bonds, 1/3 Gold. I was pretty impressed with the results. The $10,000 grows at a CAGR of 9.41 and would end up as $523,485. The best year was a whopping...

MrVargas

I am 49 and was always 100% equities until very recent years because I didn't know any better. Now I am staying around 74-78% equities and I am comfortable with those numbers. We probably have about 14 years before we will need to touch the money. I don't regret being 100% equities, mainly because ...

MrVargas

Thank you for this thread. I had a momentary impulsive urge today to put some money into Oil but reading this thread reminded me of the principles that brought me here. The money stays in my Target Retirement Fund.

MrVargas

runner9 wrote:Duplicate of here, flagged for deletion:

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=184226

I posted it on the wrong board. I indicated in that thread for it be merged. Sorry for the duplicate post.

MrVargas

I just realized that I posted this in the wrong board. I reposted over there. Mods, you are welcome to merge threads. Thanks.

MrVargas

I am 33 years old and have the below options available to me within my 403B plan. They are not great. There is a Vanguard S&P 500 but as you can see after the Custodian's fund fee's it's no longer a great deal. Also the custodian expenses are higher (.60) and I don't like the way they deduct from my...

MrVargas

My 403B comes with a wrapper fee of about 1.25% on top of the fund expenses. There are some index funds to pick from but they are not of the affordable variety. They have expense ratios around .5%. Is it even worth investing in the 403B with a total expense ratio of around 1.75%? My plan is to max o...

MrVargas

I don't know anything about anything and I can find a flaw in your arguments. Every single one. IT'S ALREADY PRICED IN! The thousands of investors, many with high iq's, ivy league degrees, decades of experience and look at these numbers daily have spoken and about half the money thinks prices are t...

MrVargas

I'd like to point out that my move to bonds wasn't initiated because of the movement of the Chinese market, it was a trigger. My movement was based far more on geopolitical concerns. The Chinese market move only served as confirmation (bias) of some larger trends. I'll sum it up briefly so we can a...

MrVargas

I've heard it mentioned that Treasures are like ultra-short duration bonds? Is there any truth to that? If so I would think that the 70/30 Treasures Only mix would have a slightly higher yield as well as slightly higher risk since the Percent of Stock vs. Stable Investment (Bond or Treasures) is mak...

MrVargas

I'm sure most of you are aware of the lawsuit against Vanguard (read https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=143686&start=450 ). It keeps bothering me that the company that is holding my retirement assets is involved in a lawsuit where they could theoretically owe millions/billions of ...

MrVargas

It Ii difficult to do anything in is environment. On the down day Friday, one could not buy for fear of catching a falling knife. On the up day Tuesday, one could not buy because the price was up too much. This morning, I wish I made a purchase yesterday. As far as I'm concerned buying "dips" is ju...

MrVargas

The best choice will always be 100% in the single asset that returns the most over whatever span you are measuring. However since that is unknowable investing 100% in any asset is always the "wrong" choice. Currency Risks, Taxation issues, and the higher expense ratio of the total world stock index...

MrVargas

The best choice will always be 100% in the single asset that returns the most over whatever span you are measuring. However since that is unknowable investing 100% in any asset is always the "wrong" choice. Currency Risks, Taxation issues, and the higher expense ratio of the total world stock index ...

MrVargas

Would it not be a safer bet to find specific opportunities within the stock market itself? That way, you are not controlled by the growth of the general market, rather you carefully select issues that would appear to be defensive and more conservative? The problem is that any information you know a...

MrVargas

Thanks for posting. Reassuring to read.

MrVargas

A genuine question for those who believe there is nothing to fret about; what potential GOOD news do you see coming out in the next few months that would counteract the collapse of the global commodities market and China's declining importation of said raw materials? I am in a position to gamble gi...

MrVargas

His advice for the accumulation phase of retirement is "ok." It's his advice in retirement and near-retirement that is downright dangerous. He wants you to be in 100% equities and has suggested an 8% withdrawal rate as reasonable. That is way too volatile and risky for most people.

MrVargas

I went to Cash a week or so ago in my Roth IRA because I'm moving from Schwab to Vanguard and I figured cash would be easier to move. Not a market timer but feels good to have dodged a few percentage points of losses by accident. I will jump back in once the transfer is complete.

MrVargas

20% of my equities. 16% of my entire portfolio. I'm obviously overweight in them

MrVargas

The new $1 minimum at Vanguard is lower than all the others I am aware of. For example, Fidelity is $10, and Schwab is $100. Automate Your Investments is a gee-whiz piece on considerations. Of course all require you to invest in their funds to avoid fees. Schwab is $100 minimum initial and $1 for a...

MrVargas

Wade Pfau recently published a research paper regarding glide paths. He recommends a "rising equity guide path." I think he makes a lot of sense. There was a recent thread on this topic if you want to search for it. Here is a quote: Wade Pfau – Rising Equity Glide Path "the optimal equity exposure ...

MrVargas

The new $1 minimum at Vanguard is lower than all the others I am aware of. For example, Fidelity is $10, and Schwab is $100. Automate Your Investments is a gee-whiz piece on considerations. Of course all require you to invest in their funds to avoid fees. Schwab is $100 minimum initial and $1 for a...

MrVargas

I am new to investing (I started my first Roth IRA 8 Months ago). I began with Schwab because I don't have a lot to contribute and Schwab has very low minimums ($100 to buy in a fund and $1 for additional contributions) as well as some competitive index funds. My desired asset allocation puts a cert...

MrVargas

Any other thoughts?

MrVargas

I found an ETF that uses a similar strategy It's called the ALPS Sector Dividend Dogs ETF (SDOG), it is based on the S-Network Sector Dividend Dogs Index (^SDOGX). (http://sdogx.snetglobalindexes.com). I'll have to dig into performance comparisons later.

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