Author Topic: New To Investing Thread  (Read 327345 times)

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Offline ben ji

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2225 on: October 09, 2019, 09:41:35 AM »
If your really worried about the market tanking just increase your bond allocation, don't let it sit in a money market fund.

I was yolo'n at 100% equities since I graduated but have been moving to 20% bonds over the past year.

Offline Kat Kid

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2226 on: October 27, 2019, 10:46:36 AM »

Offline Kat Kid

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2227 on: October 27, 2019, 10:57:51 AM »
Do I put it in to a money market or Vanguard Long Term Bond Index or Long Term Treasury? or what?

Offline sys

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2228 on: October 27, 2019, 01:16:03 PM »
don't fight the fed, katkid.
"experienced commanders will simply be smeared and will actually go to the meat."

Offline Kat Kid

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2229 on: October 27, 2019, 01:28:09 PM »
It is a go.  I will let everyone laugh at me or praise me. 

Transferred everything from VFIFX (90% stocks/10% bonds) to VTINX (30% stocks/70% bonds).

Wait and see time.

Offline sys

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2230 on: October 27, 2019, 01:30:07 PM »
your impoverished children will curse your memory, but oh well.
"experienced commanders will simply be smeared and will actually go to the meat."

Offline Kat Kid

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2231 on: October 27, 2019, 01:33:52 PM »
It will be fine.

Offline Kat Kid

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2232 on: October 27, 2019, 01:34:28 PM »
You are too cowardly to see things as they are and act.

Offline DaBigTrain

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2233 on: October 27, 2019, 01:35:44 PM »
Should have bought Bitcoin. smdh
"The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks"

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Offline Kat Kid

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2234 on: October 27, 2019, 01:39:58 PM »
Should have bought Bitcoin. smdh

there's something that doesn't have a lot of volatility.

Offline sys

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2235 on: October 27, 2019, 02:12:02 PM »
You are too cowardly to see things as they are and act.

 :)

in this decisive moment of truth, i have the courage of my convictions, to see clearly, to speak honestly and to act decisively, doing the right thing for this country while there is still time to do the right thing for this country.

by which, i mean i'm gonna put some money in canadian energy.  seems cheap.
"experienced commanders will simply be smeared and will actually go to the meat."

Offline Kat Kid

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Offline catastrophe

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2237 on: December 11, 2019, 04:30:29 PM »
Stocks win again! :woot:

Offline slackcat

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2238 on: January 31, 2020, 05:52:42 AM »
Global markets in turmoil.  Thanks a lot China.  :shakesfist:

Offline slackcat

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2239 on: January 31, 2020, 06:45:25 AM »
Should've shorted beans.  :angry:

Offline mocat

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2240 on: January 31, 2020, 06:50:37 AM »
Should've shorted beans.  :angry:
Right before the super bowl?

Offline catastrophe

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2241 on: February 20, 2020, 11:07:42 PM »
So I've crunched at the numbers and my Vanguard funds are outperforming my stuff in Betterment after a couple of years.  Not by much, but enough to make me feel like I don't need to pay the .25% management fee on everything I invest.

Anyone have advice on Vanguard funds?  I think I found some that I like, just still don't really understand how much I should worry about diversifying when it comes to index funds.  Right now I'm mostly in VXUS, VTI, VOO, and VIMAX, FWIW.

Offline michigancat

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2242 on: February 20, 2020, 11:15:26 PM »


So I've crunched at the numbers and my Vanguard funds are outperforming my stuff in Betterment after a couple of years.  Not by much, but enough to make me feel like I don't need to pay the .25% management fee on everything I invest.

Anyone have advice on Vanguard funds?  I think I found some that I like, just still don't really understand how much I should worry about diversifying when it comes to index funds.  Right now I'm mostly in VXUS, VTI, VOO, and VIMAX, FWIW.

Depends on how much and what it's for. I mean vanguard's target index funds basically do what betterment does at a lower expense ratio. My company uses Betterment for our 401k and it seems like a rip off.

Offline michigancat

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2243 on: February 20, 2020, 11:19:20 PM »
I'm thinking about hiring a financial advisor. Fee based fiduciary. Should I?

We've pretty much maxed out our annual retirement investments and just paid off big student loans and aren't sure if it would be a good idea to try to save for a down payment on a stupid million dollar house in the Bay or do something else with the excess. Or should I just make myself spend the time to figure it out myself

Offline steve dave

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New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2244 on: February 21, 2020, 06:44:40 AM »
Don’t pay some advisor. You’ll get the same quality of advice here.  You blowing out some 529s after maxing out the tax deferred retirement plans? You want to wild out and backdoor a Roth before some lib gets in and shuts down that option?


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Offline catastrophe

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2245 on: February 21, 2020, 07:11:10 AM »


So I've crunched at the numbers and my Vanguard funds are outperforming my stuff in Betterment after a couple of years.  Not by much, but enough to make me feel like I don't need to pay the .25% management fee on everything I invest.

Anyone have advice on Vanguard funds?  I think I found some that I like, just still don't really understand how much I should worry about diversifying when it comes to index funds.  Right now I'm mostly in VXUS, VTI, VOO, and VIMAX, FWIW.

Depends on how much and what it's for. I mean vanguard's target index funds basically do what betterment does at a lower expense ratio. My company uses Betterment for our 401k and it seems like a rip off.

Betterment has some tools I really like, so I’m not ditching it entirely. Just hoping to come up with a game plan of an asset mix I like for DIY investing. I’m hoping to be able to start relying on investment gains as my main source of income in about 15 years or so, so I think I need to start focusing more on bonds (been 100% stocks up to this point).

Offline steve dave

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2246 on: February 21, 2020, 07:13:47 AM »
if you subscribe to the sd kk newsletter text message chain you'd know there were high level insider wallstreet types that are already making some moves to protect their assets from the inevitable bernie sanders driven market collapse.

Offline catastrophe

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2247 on: February 21, 2020, 07:28:31 AM »
I'm thinking about hiring a financial advisor. Fee based fiduciary. Should I?

We've pretty much maxed out our annual retirement investments and just paid off big student loans and aren't sure if it would be a good idea to try to save for a down payment on a stupid million dollar house in the Bay or do something else with the excess. Or should I just make myself spend the time to figure it out myself

SD is right, and navigating these accounts is a little passion of mine.  Here are the accounts I would make sure to take advantage of before using a regular taxable account or just fun money (more or less in order of priority):

1. HSA [$7k max for family plans]
2. Pre-tax 401(k) (or Roth 401(k) depending on income) [$19k max]
3. Post-tax 401(k) (if your employer offers it) (this is different than a Roth) [additional $38k above the $19k I think?]
4. IRA (or Roth IRA depending on income) [$6k]
5. 529 for the kids (if applicable) [$300k total max (don't do that much); careful about gift tax junk which kicks in after like $13k/year]
6. Some kind of low-risk safety net (money you can use for big unexpected expenses--I'd keep it in a low risk/bond heavy portfolio rather than high interest checking, but not a huge difference)

#3 and #4 can be backdoored into a Roth IRA with very little consequences.  If your employer offers Post-tax 401(k) AND in-plan Roth conversions you definitely need to take advantage of it.  Like SD said, if you make too much to contribute to a Roth IRA directly, just contribute to a regular IRA and then immediately convert it.  It's a stupid rule, but the IRA and Congress have blessed this as pretty much totally legit, so any of the major account providers give you simple instructions for doing the conversion.

After those accounts, it's really just a personal preference thing.  I want to retire when I'm still healthy enough to do fun things, so a lot of my excess goes into a regular investment account for that purpose.  But I don't fault anyone who would rather plan on a comfortable 60-65 year retirement and just have fun with what is left.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2020, 07:33:00 AM by catastrophe »

Offline DaBigTrain

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2248 on: February 21, 2020, 07:33:30 AM »
Being completely honest it’s stupid to NOT have some Bitcoin now, just as a diversification if nothing else. All the normal stuff is fine but the best investment of the 2010’s not being in your portfolio is doing yourself a disservice.
"The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks"

https://blockstream.info/block/000000000019d6689c085ae165831e934ff763ae46a2a6c172b3f1b60a8ce26f

Offline catastrophe

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Re: New To Investing Thread
« Reply #2249 on: February 21, 2020, 07:36:50 AM »
if you subscribe to the sd kk newsletter text message chain you'd know there were high level insider wallstreet types that are already making some moves to protect their assets from the inevitable bernie sanders driven market collapse.

Would like to know the super secret strategies.  Although I don't wanna mess with trying to time the market.