investing

We lost our head & invested $50k in a startup

November 4, 2015 by FRA Guy Leave a Comment

No, we’re not really crazy. But this is out of character for us.

I typically hew pretty close to the JL Collins and the Bogleheads approach to investing: choose a few low-cost Vanguard funds (no bonds for me, thanks), or the lowest cost funds I can find within our 403(b)s and 457(b)s. I now avoid investing in individual stocks (although dividend fund investing is something I’m planning on looking into down the road – see dividend mantra) because I’ve gotten burned (I’m looking at you, Yandex…). I do vary a bit from the pack, in that I’m heavily invested in healthcare mutual funds and not just VTSAX and its brethren. [Read more…] about We lost our head & invested $50k in a startup

The Pig in the Python – Why I’m Long on Health Funds

October 6, 2015 by FRA Guy Leave a Comment

I’ll admit it. I’m much more heavily invested in health care than you think I should be, and that’s alright – it’s perfectly within your right to be wrong.*

I’m so bullish, even my kids’ 529’s and Coverdells are heavily invested in health funds.

Why?

It’s all about the pig in the python. [Read more…] about The Pig in the Python – Why I’m Long on Health Funds

Nobody ever talks talks about 457(b)’s – but they should

September 26, 2015 by FRA Guy Leave a Comment

So you’re a government employee, and you want to save as much as you can for early retirement. Excellent – me too. Chances are good that you’re in a 403(b) – also good, or at least not bad.

But how are your fees? And how long do you have to wait to get that money WHEN you retire early?

If you want to access that money early, you can jump through the hoops and do your fancy Roth conversion ladder or 72(t) distribution (and you do plan on retiring early, right?), but there is an easier way: [Read more…] about Nobody ever talks talks about 457(b)’s – but they should