Search found 175 matches
- Fri Jan 12, 2018 1:02 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: 100% VTSAX (Vanguard Total Stock Mkt Idx Adm)??
- Replies: 70
- Views: 6020
Re: 100% VTSAX (Vanguard Total Stock Mkt Idx Adm)??
Since we are currently in a bull market that has lasted for 9 years, I suppose we will have more and more threads and posts of people that are 100% stocks. I think it is a bad idea. As an aside, I work with several people that have never lived through a bear market market and are bragging about thei...
- Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:34 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Affect of Rising Interest Rates on Vanguard Total Bond Index
- Replies: 38
- Views: 6176
Re: Affect of Rising Interest Rates on Vanguard Total Bond Index
nisiprius, Thank you for the amazing clarity and detailed explanation of the hidden facts! Always a pleasure to lean from your posts! Happy New Year to you, and all! With the stock market rise, the allocations made couple of years ago are now out-of-whack. I wonder whether members are now making re...
- Tue Dec 05, 2017 2:49 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Asset allocation across accounts: Twist?
- Replies: 23
- Views: 1594
Re: Asset allocation across accounts: Twist?
Now the question, do you account for taxes at all in the relative valuation of your taxable and tax-favored locations? That is to say, if you are systematically locating one asset (stocks) in taxable and another (bonds) in tax-favored, is your AA really what you think it is? This is the reason I ha...
- Mon Oct 23, 2017 8:35 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Is it ok to have 100% stocks, 15 years+
- Replies: 97
- Views: 9814
Re: Is it ok to have 100% stocks, 15 years+
OP, in my opinion, if you did not experience the bear of 2009, which I believe you are alluding to, then I don't believe that you should be 100% stocks. We have had a 9-year-bull market which makes it easy to think that the party will last forever. I am about 20 years from retirement and I have 65% ...
- Thu Apr 20, 2017 7:41 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Larry Swedroe says "Goodbye."
- Replies: 336
- Views: 46779
Re: Larry Swedroe says "Goodby."
Larry, I would like to add another huge thank you. The academic approach to investing you brought to this forum was always informative. You changed the way I thought about fixed-income for the better. You will be missed but fortunately for me, I read your books.
- Tue Apr 04, 2017 1:55 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Is anyone decreasing % of bonds this year?
- Replies: 91
- Views: 9028
Re: Is anyone decreasing % of bonds this year?
I guess I'm going against the grain a little here but after the 8-year-bull market, it turns out I'm making great progress on my retirement number. The result is that I don't need to take as much risk to reach my retirement goal and I will therefore increase my bond allocation this year. I have a pl...
- Fri Mar 31, 2017 7:56 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: EE bonds vs F or G Fund vs Total Bond
- Replies: 57
- Views: 4231
Re: EE bonds vs F or G Fund vs Total Bond
In my opinion, you have to really love savings bonds to stick with them. I had a treasury direct account years ago and it just couldn't keep up with my other accounts (TSP etc.) and became a smaller and smaller percentage of my overall portfolio. When my savings bonds holding became less than 3% of ...
- Tue Feb 21, 2017 8:24 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: VBILX vs VBTLX [Vanguard Intermediate-Term vs. Total Bond]
- Replies: 49
- Views: 8862
Re: VBILX vs VBTLX [Vanguard Intermediate-Term vs. Total Bond]
One more opinion here. I agree that it doesn't matter much. Personally, I like VBILX. Mainly, because I don't want to own Mortgage-backed or long-term bonds. I like to keep my fixed-income as simple as possible and I don't completely understand how asset-backed bonds work. How they are pooled togeth...
- Wed Feb 15, 2017 9:05 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Tsp contribution question (contribute bi-monthly)
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1555
Re: Tsp contribution question (contribute bi-monthly)
I think you are over thinking it. Personally, if I wanted my TSP allocation to be 15% I fund, 15% S fund, 25% G fund, and 45% C fund than I would contribute (add new money) using the same percentages: 15% I fund, 15% S fund, 25% G fund, and 45% C fund. This would result in less need to re balance.
- Thu Jan 26, 2017 8:58 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: TSP?
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1865
Re: TSP?
The G fund is a bond fund and in my opinion should be considered a bond in a portfolio. According to TSP.gov, the G Fund invests exclusively in a nonmarketable short-term U.S. Treasury security that is specially issued to the TSP. The earnings consist entirely of interest income on the security. Sho...
- Thu Jan 26, 2017 8:54 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Dow hits 20,000. What next? Share your strategy
- Replies: 107
- Views: 10663
Re: Dow hits 20,000. What next? Share your strategy
Well, if the stock market keeps going up, I'll be purchasing bonds this year to get my AA back on track 

- Fri Oct 14, 2016 8:39 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: 39 Years Old; 50/50 Asset Allocation Reasonable?
- Replies: 19
- Views: 2436
Re: 39 Years Old; 50/50 Asset Allocation Reasonable?
Just one guy's opinion, but if you really don't plan to work anymore by age 40, I would consider going even more conservative until you reach an age where you can draw on SS. At 50/50, if your portfolio is your only source of income, and If the stock market goes down 50% while you are in your 40s, I...
- Mon Mar 21, 2016 4:07 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: What bond funds do you use, and why?
- Replies: 55
- Views: 5948
Re: What bond funds do you use, and why?
I have about a 1/3 of my portfolio in fixed income; split 50/50 in 2 bond funds.I own these funds because I want my fixed income to provide safety. Vanguard Total Bond: Like others have said, it does the job. I don't like the mortgage back securities in it but in the 15 years I have owned the fund i...
- Mon Mar 21, 2016 2:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: $1 Million+ Nest Egg From Less Than $100k Yearly Income
- Replies: 45
- Views: 9657
Re: $1 Million+ Nest Egg From Less Than $100k Yearly Income
When I started investing I made well under 100k (I now make more). My approach to getting to the infamous $1 million mark was extremely boring but it can work for almost anyone. 1) Get a college degree. 2) Marry someone with a college degree 3) Work very hard to get pay raises 4) Save as much as pos...
- Tue Nov 24, 2015 10:38 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Slicing, Dicing, Tilting, Factoring, etc-ing -- my take
- Replies: 100
- Views: 11427
Re: Slicing, Dicing, Tilting, Factoring, etc-ing -- my take
Here is why I decided not to tilt. If you don't go all in on the tilt, it doesn't make much difference to your overall portfolio's return. For example, take a 60% stocks/40% bond portfolio. Say an investor tilts 1/3 of her stock allocation to value. That means a total of 20% of her portfolio is tilt...
- Thu Aug 13, 2015 8:24 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Active or Passive bond funds?
- Replies: 7
- Views: 940
Re: Active or Passive bond funds?
Do passive emerging markets bond funds beat the actively managed ones? For example, VWOB (Passive) vs EMCB (Active). Thank you. ajacobs6: I believe that Nobel Laureate, William Sharpe's arithmetic, applies to bond funds as well as stock funds. He wrote: Properly measured, the average actively manag...
- Tue Aug 04, 2015 11:28 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Total Bond Market vs. Interm-Term Treasury
- Replies: 42
- Views: 6463
Re: Total Bond Market vs. Interm-Term Treasury
Timboktoo, I have had a similar debate with myself over the last 5 years or so. My main concern with the TBM is the large amount of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) in the fund/index. For this reason, each year, I think about moving to the Vanguard intermediate-term index fund. However, each year I ...
- Tue Jul 28, 2015 7:57 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Another look at dividend paying stocks
- Replies: 57
- Views: 7672
Re: Another look at dividend paying stocks
And btw I would never buy TBM either!!! why would I want to own bonds with the optionality of mortgages, that always works in wrong direction at wrong time? And I also personally don't want in general corporate credit risks with their optionality as well (as well as credit risk which has been poorl...
- Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:14 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: International increase in Target Retirement & LifeStrategy
- Replies: 235
- Views: 35683
Re: International increase in Target Retirement & LifeStrate
I think I'll stick with my current allocation of 1/3 international and 2/3 domestic. With zero international bonds. Having said that, I do think increasing the international bonds allocation makes sense. It always seemed like a waste of time having such a small percentage of the target retirement fu...
- Mon Dec 15, 2014 9:55 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: 3-funds, annual rebalancing, and then what??
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1636
Re: 3-funds, annual rebalancing, and then what??
OP, I'm not sure about your life situation but here is some food for thought. I have a 4-fund portfolio. 6-7 years ago, I wanted it to be more complicated because I read more and thought about it more. Now, I have 2 kids, and I am very happy with my simple 4-fund portfolio because I have almost no t...
- Wed Dec 03, 2014 11:57 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: to rebalance or not to rebalance
- Replies: 63
- Views: 4405
Re: to rebalance or not to rebalance
I rebalance once per year. I have stuck with this strategy for 15 years. I'm anal. And for one day a year at least, my allocation perfectly matches my AA:)
- Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:00 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: POLL: Are You Re-Balancing?
- Replies: 70
- Views: 6770
Re: POLL: Are You Re-Balancing?
+1Stonebr wrote:No. I don't fuss with this stuff until December.
- Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:30 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Want international exposure? You already have it.
- Replies: 65
- Views: 7859
Re: Want international exposure? You already have it.
I think international diversification makes sense for several reasons but my opinion is not nearly as important as the numerous experts the bogleheads look up to that believe international diversification is important. The experts include Swedroe, Bernstein, Ferri, the Vanguard Group, among others. ...
- Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:29 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: The Death of Savings Bonds
- Replies: 33
- Views: 4305
Re: The Death of Savings Bonds
I like Savings Bonds but I sold all of my Savings Bonds last year and don't plan on buying anymore. For me they kept becoming a smaller and smaller portion of my portfolio. Once they got down to 3% of my portfolio, I made the decision to get rid of them. Maybe a lame reason? It also had the added be...
- Fri Mar 21, 2014 9:34 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Talk me out of my TSP L2050 choice
- Replies: 20
- Views: 3974
Re: Talk me out of my TSP L2050 choice
OP, more opinions for you. 1) you need to look at your TSP in combination with the rest of your portfolio. 2) I too think that everyone should hold some bonds and the G fund is a great option. It has just about zero interest rate and default risk. I have been investing in the TSP for 15 years and I ...
- Thu Mar 13, 2014 11:01 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: 529 Plan Allocations
- Replies: 3
- Views: 444
Re: 529 Plan Allocations
I like the Vanguard moderate-age based fund. When my children are 16 it turns very conservative. You probably can't go wrong with any of Vanguard's age-based options.
- Fri Feb 21, 2014 9:27 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Would you invest an emergency fund?
- Replies: 30
- Views: 3934
Re: Would you invest an emergency fund?
I use a savings account and some CDs. In my opinion, if you want to have some safe money that you can get quickly for an emergency, keep things simple. In the long run it probably won't make much difference to your overall portfolio because your emergency fund will become a smaller and smaller part ...
- Thu Feb 20, 2014 10:34 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Bonds go in taxable (whitecoatinvestor aka EmergDoc article)
- Replies: 155
- Views: 21556
Re: Bonds go in taxable (whitecoatinvestor aka EmergDoc arti
The rational solution, for me, is to admit that I can't guess future returns and tax law changes. My solution simplifies rebalancing and doesn't require any calculation to tax-adjust my asset allocation. I use a mirrored asset allocation across accounts. It is NOT a behavioral mistake; it is a logi...
- Thu Feb 06, 2014 4:27 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Thoughts on putting emergency funds into vanguard muni fund
- Replies: 20
- Views: 2597
Re: Thoughts on putting emergency funds into vanguard muni f
OP, whether you put your emergency fund money in an intermediate fund, Savings Bonds, or in a Savings account it is not going to create much wealth or make much difference to your portfolio long term. If you are the type of person that likes the idea of a rainy day fund, I say put it in a very safe ...
- Wed Feb 05, 2014 3:01 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Amazon Prime Increase
- Replies: 185
- Views: 14356
Re: Amazon Prime Price Increase
I have seen a couple threads on this. I can't see why someone using prime and paying $80 a year would instantly drop it for and extra 20 or 40 bucks a year. I mean this equals a couple trips to Starbucks. I consider myself to be pretty cheap but I can't for the life of me see what the fuss is about.
- Thu Jan 30, 2014 4:12 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Bonds - Throw it all on the table!!!
- Replies: 222
- Views: 38073
Re: Bonds - Throw it all on the table!!!
1) List the bond funds, individual bonds, CD's, etc. that you invest in Total Bond and G Fund 2) In which account TSP, 401k, IRA, 529 3) Allocation as a percentage of Fixed Income about 50/50 4) Allocation to bonds overall (i.e. age in bonds, etc.) about 30% 5) Any other plans such as adding more bo...
- Mon Jan 27, 2014 2:17 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Which bond fund is best?
- Replies: 83
- Views: 8155
Re: Which bond fund is best?
I'm not sure which is better. For years I have thought about changing my total bond to Vanguard's intermediate-term bond index fund. Mainly because my plan calls for intermediate-term bonds and the intermediate-term bond index fund "feels" like the more accurate choice. I still have not made the cha...
- Fri Jan 03, 2014 11:06 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Should I opt out of my bond allocation?
- Replies: 47
- Views: 5404
Re: Should I opt out of my bond allocation?
All the reasons given so far to hold bonds are great but here is another reason to hold bonds that I think is very practical. It is important to hold some bonds, even at a young age, if for no other reason than to learn how they work. There is no better way to learn how an asset works than to own it...
- Thu Jan 02, 2014 12:24 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: REGISTRATION FOR THE 2014 BOGLEHEAD CONTEST
- Replies: 537
- Views: 29505
- Tue Dec 17, 2013 2:12 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Can TSP G fund be used as liability matching portfolio?
- Replies: 4
- Views: 546
Re: Can TSP G fund be used as liability matching portfolio?
Personally, I think the short answer is yes. It is not tied to inflation but here is the objective of the fund from TSP.gov: "The G Fund's investment objective is to produce a rate of return that is higher than inflation while avoiding exposure to credit (default) risk and market price fluctuations....
- Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:54 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Bond index funds vs cash
- Replies: 49
- Views: 6813
Re: Bond index funds vs cash
Also, a good argument could be made that cash as an asset class is always "safer" (less risk) than bonds as an asset class. These days are no different.Julieta wrote:It seems that cash is a safer investment these days than a bond index fund.
- Wed Dec 04, 2013 3:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Thoughts on having kids?
- Replies: 101
- Views: 5430
Re: Thoughts on having kids?
Wow. This is an emotional thread. I'll make my opinion short and sweet. Kids are amazing. If you are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to have some, you should.
- Wed Nov 20, 2013 11:23 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: investment with after tax money or pay off mortgage?
- Replies: 29
- Views: 2496
Re: investment with after tax money or pay off mortgage?
OP, I am in a similar situation. I decided to put most if the taxable money towards our mortgage and a small amount in the taxable account. No real good reason except I enjoy investing but also love the idea of being debt free. Also, it is nice to have some liquid assets outside the retirement accou...
- Thu Nov 07, 2013 9:20 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Estimated outcome of Boglehead Contest
- Replies: 16
- Views: 1069
Re: Estimated outcome of Boglehead Contest
I'm in the game! Sitting pretty at 21 with less than a 1% chance of winning 

- Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:41 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Short Term Bond Fund
- Replies: 21
- Views: 3075
Re: Short Term Bond Fund
Note: longer term rates have already gone up, short term rates have yet to go up. Beware market timing. +1 To jump on this market timing point, bond funds have already gone down. Some long-term funds are down double digits YTD. Granted, they could easily go down further but much of the damage could...
- Fri Sep 13, 2013 9:05 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: TIPS - Going Down with the Ship?
- Replies: 112
- Views: 15689
Re: TIPS - Going Down with the Ship?
At the end of the day, for us bonds are for safety and income. The Intermediate Term TIPS fund is paying next to nothing and has dropped over 9% this year. We just can not pull the trigger on this fund and get back into it. There is more than one road to Rome. This is true but also a little mislead...
- Thu Sep 12, 2013 7:27 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Allocation to international stocks
- Replies: 21
- Views: 2554
Re: Allocation to international stocks
More food for thought. If an investor's human capital and house are both in her home country, it might make some sense to diversify some net worth outside the home country. One way to do this is through international stocks. In other words, it helps avoid having one's entire net worth (human capital...
- Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:08 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: "In it for the long haul"
- Replies: 19
- Views: 2387
Re: "In it for the long haul"
Similar to other responses, its means that I plan to hold stocks and bonds for the rest of my life. I started investing at 22, so I it could mean 60-70 years.
- Wed Aug 21, 2013 7:58 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Any thoughts on a "Market Neutral" bond strategy?
- Replies: 29
- Views: 2977
Re: Any thoughts on a "Market Neutral" bond strategy?
I just wanted to add how quickly and to what extent things have already changed in the bond market. For example, the yield on the 10yr Treasury is starting to push 3%. I believe it has already increased over 150 basis points (doubled!) in the last 12 months. In other words, if you have not changed y...
- Wed Aug 14, 2013 8:51 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: poll; what % of your bond allocation is in I-bonds?
- Replies: 36
- Views: 3590
Re: poll; what % of your bond allocation is in I-bonds?
I Bonds are about 6% of my bonds but only 2% of my entire portfolio which is why I have decided to stop buying them. Over the years, my percentage of savings bonds as it relates to my total portfolio has gotten smaller and smaller. I think they are a fine investment but the more money I put into my ...
- Tue Aug 13, 2013 1:15 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Berkshire A
- Replies: 29
- Views: 2859
Re: Berkshire A
I don't know what was/is in your taxable but why not total stock market or total international market and get even more diversification. It sounds like you don't know what BRK is even comprised of. I don't want to come off mean but I would not recommend investing over 300k in a company that you don'...
- Tue Aug 13, 2013 9:51 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Bond Problems - Ignore the Chatter?
- Replies: 3
- Views: 624
Re: Bond Problems - Ignore the Chatter?
I think the best way to calm your nerves is to go to vanguard.com and check out the YTD performance of the total bond fund. After all the "panic" and "craziness" the fund is down 2.3% YTD. Yes, that is it, -2.3%.
- Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:01 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: college savings for kids - how much?
- Replies: 20
- Views: 3144
Re: college savings for kids - how much?
+1 for shooting for the low-end expected cost of college in the 529s. While 529s are nice, they do have many rules and penalties if not spent on allowable college expenses. I have decided to use a combination of 529s and taxable to pay for my kids' college. This way I'll make sure to drain the 529 a...
- Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:01 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Pay off student loans, or invest?
- Replies: 19
- Views: 1839
Re: Pay off student loans, or invest?
+1 for paying of the debt (unless Roth is an option than I would do that). It is a risk free rate of return and a good habit to get into. In my opinion, limiting your debt simplifies your finances and if you ever have a time in your life when you are under financial stress (loss of job), the less ma...
- Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:19 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Americans wary of stocks
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1851
Re: Americans wary of stocks
I actually think that the majority of citizens would be better off putting all of their savings in CDs and Savings Bonds rather than stocks and other bonds. And I'm not saying this because I think people are not smart enough to learn how to invest but I think most don't take the time and end up maki...