User:Sewall

Who Am I?
I'm sewall on Bogleheads.org. My professional area of expertise is health economics (Medicare, VA, public and private insurance). My hobbies and other interests include home improvement, gardening, economics and financial markets more generally, the game of Go, and of course, personal finance.

Since I mentioned Go. I have worked on the Sensei's Library wiki under the name SnotNose, though not for several years. I have not devoted any time to Go since my two children were born.

Personal Finance Activity Log
Early 1990s: My father started Vanguard Index 500 and Star funds on my behalf. He gave me reading material on mutual funds, indexing, and costs.

Mid 1990s: I started an IRA.

1998: Converted IRA to a Roth.

1999: Started my first job with a 401(k), contributed 15% of salary.

2000: Withdrew $10,000 from Roth for down payment of first house. Refinanced that first house multiple times to get down to a 5.5% 30-year fixed rate mortgage. Every refinance was no points, no closing costs.

2001: Married.

2003: Began working for a Federal agency and become eligible for the Federal TSP. Contributions totaled 15% of salary, including Government match.

2004: Had first child, created first estate plan with wills, living wills, durable power of attorney, medical proxy. Purchased life insurance. Began 529 for first child.

2006: Bought second home, sold first.

2007: Had second child. Increased life insurance. Began 529 for second child.

2007: Increased international holdings to 50% of equities using funds in a Rollover IRA from my first employer's 401(k). Now all holdings are with TSP and Vanguard.

March, 2008: Registered at Bogleheads.org and began reading personal finance books. Soon after bought TIPS for the first time, 50% of bond holdings.

Summer, 2008: Updated estate plan.

November, 2008: Added an REIT fund to my holdings (5%).

Fall/Winter, 2008: Executed TLH-ing several times. I had never done that before.

January, 2009: Refinanced to 30-year fixed @ 4.75% (no points, ~$375 in closing costs)

January, 2009: Optimized holdings over TSP and Vanguard so that TSP holds only the G, C, and S funds and VG holds TSM, Total Int'l, REIT, TIPS, and Prime MM. Below is my non-cash AA.

February, 2009: Reached 1,000 posts on Bogleheads.org. Decided to spend less time there and more time on this wiki.

Most Influential (Non-Book Author) Bogleheads
My AA and investment style has been strongly influenced by many Boglehead forum posters. Some of those also author books. Of those that do not (to my knowledge) author books, my thinking, to date, has been most influenced, in no particular order, by EmergDoc (TSP and TIPS/G fund), Tramper Al (TIPS), and ValueThinker (risks).