Search found 41 matches
- Wed May 21, 2008 10:35 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: TIPS at -.91!!!
- Replies: 13
- Views: 3877
- Wed May 21, 2008 8:10 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: TIPS at -.91!!!
- Replies: 13
- Views: 3877
- Wed May 21, 2008 7:44 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: TIPS at -.91!!!
- Replies: 13
- Views: 3877
TIPS at -.91!!!
Bloomberg lists 5 year TIPS at -0.91 as of 8pm. A drop of 1.4% in just a few hours!! I guess the market didn't like the fed notes that came out today.
- Sun May 18, 2008 3:42 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Investing in Bonds
- Replies: 16
- Views: 4590
while recent years have seen a lowering of rates by the fed, if and when inflation starts up again, they will have to raise rates to control it. then your bond fund could be in the negative. This is probably the key point for the OP to consider. Basically, which is more important in a rising interest rate environment: higher yields or a safe principal? Are you looking for an income stream or a safe place for your investments? Do you want to take risks with your interest rate being low in a time of rising interest rates and possibly inflation risk at low interest rates but always get back your principle? Or do you want to take risks with your principal in exchange for the higher interest rates that the fund will capture and pay out more qui...
- Thu May 15, 2008 4:23 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Possible to be 100% free of Vanguard paper?
- Replies: 4
- Views: 1553
- Tue May 13, 2008 2:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: post-mortem instructions for spouse
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2317
Yeah, that sounds like a reasonable alternative if you have someone you trust. Just hand it over to them to deal with it all. Definitely something worth looking into.daryll40 wrote:There are two issues here:
1. How to be sure those surviving actually GET your instructions and passwords, etc.
2. Being sure your survivors are capable of implementing those instructions. In my case the first one has instructions for who they are to hire to assure #2, because as you point out, my wife would not have the financial skills to know what to do or how to do it.
- Tue May 13, 2008 1:59 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: post-mortem instructions for spouse
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2317
Simplicity
After the prior thread on this topic, my solution was to have much more simplicity. Assuming my spouse did understand my instructions and could access my accounts, etc how likely would she be to maintain what I had set up. If it's too complex or confusing I doubt she would carry whatever I had set up forward. That would then leave her with the arduous task of redoing everything in a way that she can handle herself. That might involve moving money all over, opening and closing accounts, fixing all those "convenient" automatic transactions that have been set up, etc. I think the only real way to succesfully leave this stuff behind is to have it simple enough that a spouse could take it over. Otherwise you are creating quite a nightm...
- Sun May 11, 2008 12:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Exclusive online banking and getting cash
- Replies: 19
- Views: 4990
Thanks for the various suggestions. I contacted my bank and they will only raise my ATM/cash advance limit to a paltry $500, so that won't cut it. I was leaning towards the give a friend a check idea, until jcm55 pointed out these other situations I hadn't even considered. As much as I don't want to have an extra account just sitting around for security and complexity issues, it looks like it might come in handy on occasion. Thanks, nathank We've been all-online with E*Trade Bank for about 8 years now. We do keep a checking account with a local bricks & mortar bank, specifically for cash transactions or cashier's checks. I'd say I use that account about once per year. If I need to make a large cash withdrawal, I do an ACH transfer from ...
- Sat May 10, 2008 11:04 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Exclusive online banking and getting cash
- Replies: 19
- Views: 4990
Exclusive online banking and getting cash
For those of you out there with only online savings/checking accounts, how do you make large cash withdrawals if you ever had a need for more than the ATM will provide? I am all online and recently had the need for more cash than my ATM/debit limit would provide, even over a couple of days. Do you just cash a check and pay the non-account fee at a local bank? What solutions have you found to this problem?
- Fri May 09, 2008 8:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: What do you use to clean your hard drive?
- Replies: 25
- Views: 7011
Try SCRUB. It was developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and attains government level cleaning
http://sourceforge.net/projects/diskscrub
http://sourceforge.net/projects/diskscrub
- Wed May 07, 2008 1:31 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Umbrella insurance
- Replies: 66
- Views: 21526
- Tue May 06, 2008 4:31 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Help me overcome my fear of investing!!
- Replies: 24
- Views: 5803
What really got me over my fears of investing was INFLATION! Leaving all my money in a money market account was actually more risky than investing it in something like the stock market. Why? Because with every passing day, that money in the money market slowly loses value.
So you are not really maintaining your money in there, you are losing it a little at a time, day by day! I read about that in an investment book early on and it really helped me out. It helped me to realize that unless I DID take some additional risks, I would be broke by the time I needed to retire, even though I was saving a lot.
I would also suggest that you continue with some of the recomended books.
So you are not really maintaining your money in there, you are losing it a little at a time, day by day! I read about that in an investment book early on and it really helped me out. It helped me to realize that unless I DID take some additional risks, I would be broke by the time I needed to retire, even though I was saving a lot.
I would also suggest that you continue with some of the recomended books.
- Tue May 06, 2008 4:12 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: American Funds
- Replies: 14
- Views: 3031
Yeah, they have another fidelity fund at 1.8 but it has been perfoming well above the SP500 for the last few years and appears to be relatively OK otherwise.
Yeah, I don't know what's up with holding 2 such similar funds. The third he put them in is:
Fidelity Advisor New Insights C FNICX
Which is basically another similar largecap fund.
Thanks again.
Yeah, I don't know what's up with holding 2 such similar funds. The third he put them in is:
Fidelity Advisor New Insights C FNICX
Which is basically another similar largecap fund.
Thanks again.
- Tue May 06, 2008 4:00 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: American Funds
- Replies: 14
- Views: 3031
I might be reading it wrong. It does look like it only goes back about 5 years on the M* data interpretter. But they certainly look like they have underperformed for all the years available (except last year). I don't think a 1% "advisor fee" is worth it if you underperform?matt wrote:The C shares haven't even been around for 10 years. If they had, however, they still would have beaten the S&P 500 even after the higher expenses.They are also all underperforming the SP500 for the last 10 years and are only large cap funds.
- Tue May 06, 2008 3:55 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: American Funds
- Replies: 14
- Views: 3031
- Tue May 06, 2008 3:38 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: American Funds
- Replies: 14
- Views: 3031
Thanks! I have always stuck with VG and such (due to low fees), so making my way through all of those fee charts and share classes is a little overwhelming at short notice.
I can't see any reason for them to stick with these funds then, especially given the 12-b fees (among others) and their generally poor performance.
Thanks again.
I can't see any reason for them to stick with these funds then, especially given the 12-b fees (among others) and their generally poor performance.
Thanks again.
- Tue May 06, 2008 3:08 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: American Funds
- Replies: 14
- Views: 3031
- Tue May 06, 2008 2:51 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: American Funds
- Replies: 14
- Views: 3031
American Funds
I'm looking for some advice for my parents who have asked me to take a look at their retirement portfolio.
Unfortunately their "advisor" has stuck them in a couple of American Funds with 1.5 and 1.8 expense ratios after taking a 2% commision. These funds also have deffered sales fees of 1%. They are also all underperforming the SP500 for the last 10 years and are only large cap funds.
I can't find any funds at American that don't have tons of fees or huge loads.
ANY suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.
Nathank
Unfortunately their "advisor" has stuck them in a couple of American Funds with 1.5 and 1.8 expense ratios after taking a 2% commision. These funds also have deffered sales fees of 1%. They are also all underperforming the SP500 for the last 10 years and are only large cap funds.
I can't find any funds at American that don't have tons of fees or huge loads.
ANY suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.
Nathank
- Tue May 06, 2008 11:49 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Going Paperless and Computer Security
- Replies: 18
- Views: 4247
Wow, that's a tremendous amount to think about! Thanks! So many options. I was very interested in the discussion about heirs, etc being able to get to this info. After a recent close call this has been on my mind. Considering my level of expertise versus anyone else in my family, I would guess all would be lost if something happened to me plus maintaining it at any level of complexity later on in life would be very hard, as was suggested. The visual guide sounds like a good idea. Even if they do find my stuff, would they have the expertise to carry that information forward? Could they deal with all those files and pickup with where I left off to continue the system? What would my non computer capable family do with 10,000 pdf files of recor...
- Mon May 05, 2008 10:17 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Going Paperless and Computer Security
- Replies: 18
- Views: 4247
- Mon May 05, 2008 9:43 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Going Paperless and Computer Security
- Replies: 18
- Views: 4247
Can I just make a copy of the truecrypt volume using something like rsync? Or does truecrypt have some kind of complicated backup process? Do you have to backup the ENTIRE volume to maintain the encryption at the new backed up location? Can you get into a truecrypt volume with SSH?
Sorry for the detailed questions, but I also noticed truecrypt as a possible solution and was curious about your experiences with it.
Thanks
Sorry for the detailed questions, but I also noticed truecrypt as a possible solution and was curious about your experiences with it.
Thanks
- Mon May 05, 2008 9:30 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Going Paperless and Computer Security
- Replies: 18
- Views: 4247
That's all I had until recently too and I did the same thing, a one file encryption and it worked great. Then I had my turobtax files with all my personal info and now I'm starting to include PDF's of financial statements. I can't imagine what people with a decade of financial PDF's must be doing. How do you secure all that and still be able to have adequet backups, portablilty, and accesiblity?
- Mon May 05, 2008 9:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Going Paperless and Computer Security
- Replies: 18
- Views: 4247
Going Paperless and Computer Security
For you tech-savy bogleheads out there, how do you secure your data? I use a usb drive to move my data between work, home, and other locations so I need a portable security solution. I also go between windows,linux, and mac systems. I've read through the "paperless" threads and see lots of people with unencrypted CDs/DVDs full of vital information being used for backups, etc. If you have to move information around, how do you secure it and yet still have it available?
Thanks
Thanks
- Mon May 05, 2008 2:18 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Which Online Bank
- Replies: 37
- Views: 9361
Looks like the OP is interested in any bank with online access. Hence the poll listing at least 3 major national B&M banks.sscritic wrote:No one has yet to answer my question of how you define an online bank. What can you do at your online bank that I can't do online at bankofamerica.com? Doesn't your online bank have an office somewhere in a physical building (B&M)?ziggy29 wrote:gkaplan wrote:The poll omits an option for those of us who still prefer a bricks and mortar institution.
Well, the question was about *online* banks. Presumably those who prefer B&M wouldn't vote.
I am not sure there is a distinction today when all banks have internet access for bill paying, opening accounts, transferring funds, etc.
- Mon May 05, 2008 1:46 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Which Online Bank
- Replies: 37
- Views: 9361
- Sun May 04, 2008 6:36 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Credit Freeze and Annualcreditreport.com
- Replies: 8
- Views: 4380
- Sun May 04, 2008 8:04 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Credit Freeze and Annualcreditreport.com
- Replies: 8
- Views: 4380
Credit Freeze and Annualcreditreport.com
After getting a credit freeze (in California) I can no longer access my free credit report at annualcreditreport.com. I guess this makes sense because it keeps other people from viewing it, but how am I supposed to review my credit report for errors, etc. if even I am locked out of it?
Thanks,
NathanK
Thanks,
NathanK
- Fri May 02, 2008 4:00 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: TIPS Funds and Principal Changes
- Replies: 8
- Views: 2147
- Fri May 02, 2008 3:48 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: TIPS Funds and Principal Changes
- Replies: 8
- Views: 2147
- Fri May 02, 2008 3:33 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: TIPS Funds and Principal Changes
- Replies: 8
- Views: 2147
So unlike a normal bond fund that sits at about the same NAV price forever (obviously other than typical price fluctuations), a TIPS fund NAV (if inflation continues for many years) would continually go up over time (again other than typical price fluctuations)? In otherwords, ongoing, long term inflation will likely cause the TIPS NAV to trend upwards over a long period of time?
Thanks
Thanks
- Fri May 02, 2008 2:37 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: TIPS Funds and Principal Changes
- Replies: 8
- Views: 2147
TIPS Funds and Principal Changes
This seems simple, but I can't find an answer out there. When the principal is adjusted in the underlying tips bonds of a tips fund, what happens with the fund? Is the NAV increased/decreased by that amount? Do you get a payment (or reduction) of somekind when a bond matures? It just seems wierd.
Thanks
Thanks
- Thu May 01, 2008 2:35 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: I Bond Fixed Rate is 0%!
- Replies: 48
- Views: 11514
I guess I was thinking of comparing them to other fixed investent options like CD's that earn <4% and don't have taxes deferred and you get taxed fully at state and federal. Either way you lose, but with Ibonds you lose less?oneleaf wrote:But even if you hold for the longterm, you still get negative real returns, since you have to pay taxes eventually.nathank wrote: Really bad deal in the short term at this point. Looks like you have to hold them longer to get ANY value from them.
- Thu May 01, 2008 2:29 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: I Bond Fixed Rate is 0%!
- Replies: 48
- Views: 11514
I didn't even think of that. If you sell at 1 year you actually earn less than inflation due to the 3 month loss AND you even get taxed on the 9 months you did earn!Kevinaom wrote: I think because you are taking interest rate risk on with an i bond. You cannot touch it within 1 year and within 5 years, you pay back 3 months interest. Given that you cannot sell it on the secondary market so you have no capability at all to sell at a gain or to liquidate immediately if you need to, you should be compensated I think
Really bad deal in the short term at this point. Looks like you have to hold them longer to get ANY value from them.
- Sun Apr 27, 2008 6:43 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Why I loathe the Total Stock Market Index, VTSMX
- Replies: 207
- Views: 53908
- Sat Apr 26, 2008 1:26 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Why I loathe the Total Stock Market Index, VTSMX
- Replies: 207
- Views: 53908
Why not just rebalance into bonds to escape "the bubbles"? I imagine you can't rebalance ALL the bubble away if it is only one sector of the entire fund, but perhaps it's enough to make a significant difference? If most of the funds growth is from that bubble, then whatever money you move into bonds from that fund will essentially be money from the bubble.
- Sat Apr 26, 2008 8:30 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Why I loathe the Total Stock Market Index, VTSMX
- Replies: 207
- Views: 53908
- Tue Apr 22, 2008 11:42 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: VG Brokerage, MMF, Treasuries, and Retirement Accounts
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1195
- Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:26 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: VG Brokerage, MMF, Treasuries, and Retirement Accounts
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1195
VG Brokerage, MMF, Treasuries, and Retirement Accounts
I'm trying to decide whether to invest in individual bonds or whether to just go with a bond fund. It would be nice to choose my own bonds and to save on expense ratios by buying them individually. However, it would appear that these investments will get killed in several ways, at least in vanguard retirement accounts: 1. $30 yearly brokerage fee 2. $3000 dollars sitting in a MMF in a TAX-ADVANTAGED account wasting that space and providing poor returns relative to other options. 3. Possibly multiple retirement accounts (Roth IRA and 403b for both wife and myself are available) each requiring 1. and 2. above. 4. $15 account fee for each 403b MMF That seems like A LOT of opportunity costs to save .1 to .26 expense ratio points compared to a b...
- Sat Apr 19, 2008 9:38 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Simba's backtesting spreadsheet [a Bogleheads community project]
- Replies: 1370
- Views: 824060
- Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:17 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Treasuries, State Taxes, and Retirement Account Withdrawls
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1025
- Fri Apr 18, 2008 9:31 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Treasuries, State Taxes, and Retirement Account Withdrawls
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1025
Treasuries, State Taxes, and Retirement Account Withdrawls
First off, this place is GREAT! I am amazed at the amount of useful feedback and information provided on the forum. Thanks!
I was wondering what happens to the tax advantages of treasuries if they are in a deferred retirement account (ie 401k). During withdrawals is the interest taxed at your normal state income tax rate or is the interest somehow separated out so that you still get the state tax advantage? I'm guessing it would be too good to be true (and a paperwork nightmare) to get both the tax deferral and the income tax advantage.
Thanks,
NathanK
I was wondering what happens to the tax advantages of treasuries if they are in a deferred retirement account (ie 401k). During withdrawals is the interest taxed at your normal state income tax rate or is the interest somehow separated out so that you still get the state tax advantage? I'm guessing it would be too good to be true (and a paperwork nightmare) to get both the tax deferral and the income tax advantage.
Thanks,
NathanK