Talk:Vanguard STAR Fund

Suggested Chronology of Fund Data Updates
Given the demands placed on editors for keeping wiki data current and updated, please use the following timelines for updating data. In most instances we can provide annual data once it becomes available, with links to the sites which can provide subsequent monthly data updates. This should help reduce the burden of editorial upkeep. Here is a suggested chronology for data updates.
 * Fund returns and standard deviations should be reported on an annual basis, with links to the Vanguard web pages for current year-to-date updates.


 * Fund accounting and tax distribution data should be reported on the fiscal year basis. A link to the Vanguard webpage can provide for the current status of these attributes.


 * Fund expense ratio updates should be reported on the semiannual and annual report dates. We have usually made an internal note of the semiannual report er and then update all references of the er upon the annual report. The  issuance of the annual report also allows one to estimate the foreign tax credit for international funds and estimate the return of capital distribution for REIT funds.


 * Qualified dividend percentages are released after the end of the calendar year. Updates must wait for the data release. Late in the year, Vanguard provides estimates for qualified dividends, we can provide these links as they become available. These can be placed in the fund distribution pages.


 * Fund brokerage commission expense is made available when the fund prospectus and statement of additional information (which is where brokerage commission expense is reported) is updated and released. Data for 2008 will become available by mid year 2009.

These directives should limit most data updates to the completion of the calendar year for updating returns, tracking error, and standard deviation; to the issuance of the annual reports for tax data; the issuance of semiannual and annual reports for expense ratios; and. when issued, the timely posting of final qualified dividend and brokerage commission data. Blbarnitz 09:19, 3 January 2009 (UTC)

SEC Filings
Here is a page of the complete listing of Vanguard Funds and SEC documents: Vanguard Egdar Documents


 * Searching EDGAR is a bear. That link has a serious problem: It only provides filings starting in 2006. This alternative search is inferior in terms of detail displayed, but at least it leads to filings from 1994 onward. Ken Schwartz 23:15, 1 June 2008 (EDT)

Asset Allocation Reporting
When determining the equity percentages associated with a balanced fund-of-funds, you'll get different results depending on whether you use Vanguard data (in the obvious way) or M* X-Ray. The discrepancy can be nontrivial if active funds are involved. The problem is cash holdings within non-money market funds. If a fund-of-funds invests in Windsor, for example, it's natural to count its percentage in the fund-of-funds as all equity. But M* takes into account the fact that Windsor actually hold some cash. Ken Schwartz 13:52, 1 June 2008 (EDT)


 * Do we really want to list the M* X-Ray data? We all know that it's not perfect and is a moving target. In lieu, we can provide a link to M* X-Ray tool and interested users can look it up. If we are uploading X-Ray data as images, it'll be hard to keep up with the changes for all the funds. Simba 14:11, 1 June 2008 (EDT)


 * I had it as "STAR Fund invests roughly 60-70% in stocks and 30-40% in bonds." I think that's OK as a general statement. The allocation will fluctuate because the underlying funds are actively managed. M* X-Ray data as a snapshot is OK but I don't think we ought to keep it updated over time. Tfb 16:18, 1 June 2008 (EDT)

I don't usually use M* data because Simba is quite right that it's not perfect and is a moving target. I did in this case for the following reasons: I've specified the date of the X-Ray in the article. Upkeep is indeed an issue; there's even a worse problem along these lines for the Excel pie charts I made myself for the Target Retirement Funds article. Ken Schwartz 17:04, 1 June 2008 (EDT)
 * Nowhere else in the article are STAR's holdings broken down into US Stocks, Foreign Stocks, Bonds, Cash, etc.
 * I find the fact that STAR holds almost 5% cash interesting, considering it invests in no money market funds. This feature is unlikely to change radically.
 * I also find the fact that STAR has only 4% of equity assets in small caps interesting. This feature probably won't change radically either.


 * Should that be as of 6/1/2008, not 6/1/2007? Tfb 17:44, 1 June 2008 (EDT)

Sure. I somehow lost a year. I made the correction. Ken Schwartz 18:06, 1 June 2008 (EDT)