I’ve been reading BH “Three-Fund” strategy for years, but for some reason have just kept my S&P500 (VFIAX), Balanced Index (VBIAX), Dividend (VDIGX), Equity Income (VEIRX), and some Apple stock. My Vanguard acct. tells me my average interest since 2015 has been 10.8%. Well, yesterday after going over most of Taylor’s and many others posts, I’ve finally settled on a “Two-Fund” portfolio. I don’t know enough about foreign equities to invest, but maybe that will change in the future.
I’m 53 and just went full-time to a new part-time 8 months/year, I call it my “pre-retirement”, and my wife is a teacher with about 5 years left of full-time. In 2015, I got laid off and had to roll my $182k 401k into a t-IRA with Vanguard. That $182k has now grown to $488k without adding to the principal. My wife and I started and max out Roth IRAs in 2019, they are both now worth about $70k each, and I also have a separate simple IRA from my last job that is $54k (I maxed out for 1.5 years). All together non-taxable investments are $683k, savings and CD’s are about $180k, we own our home and have zero debt. Just paid for our two sons Bachelor’s degrees. My wife and I travel a little, and I’m a sucker for buying nice, original old Jeep CJs and Ford trucks (but it’s fun!).
My point? Since I’ve been reading Bogleheads for the last nine years, I really believe the advice on this forum has helped me immensely - especially Taylor’s simple advice of course!! As of yesterday I’m 90% VFIAX (SP500) and 10% VBTLX (Total Bond Index). Each year I’ll creep up closer to 30% VTBLX, but I still have a good 10 years before we start to withdraw. I’m sure there will be ups and downs in the market, but hopefully things will work out OK.
Another thing that both my wife and I had - parents who really didn’t make tons of money, but taught us growing up to save up and buy with cash as opposed to financing everything, and to watch out spending money on the “little stuff”, because that stuff really adds up. Hopefully we’ve passed this on to our boys, both of which started their own Roth IRAs at age 18!
Thanks Bogleheads!!
I’m 53 and just went full-time to a new part-time 8 months/year, I call it my “pre-retirement”, and my wife is a teacher with about 5 years left of full-time. In 2015, I got laid off and had to roll my $182k 401k into a t-IRA with Vanguard. That $182k has now grown to $488k without adding to the principal. My wife and I started and max out Roth IRAs in 2019, they are both now worth about $70k each, and I also have a separate simple IRA from my last job that is $54k (I maxed out for 1.5 years). All together non-taxable investments are $683k, savings and CD’s are about $180k, we own our home and have zero debt. Just paid for our two sons Bachelor’s degrees. My wife and I travel a little, and I’m a sucker for buying nice, original old Jeep CJs and Ford trucks (but it’s fun!).
My point? Since I’ve been reading Bogleheads for the last nine years, I really believe the advice on this forum has helped me immensely - especially Taylor’s simple advice of course!! As of yesterday I’m 90% VFIAX (SP500) and 10% VBTLX (Total Bond Index). Each year I’ll creep up closer to 30% VTBLX, but I still have a good 10 years before we start to withdraw. I’m sure there will be ups and downs in the market, but hopefully things will work out OK.
Another thing that both my wife and I had - parents who really didn’t make tons of money, but taught us growing up to save up and buy with cash as opposed to financing everything, and to watch out spending money on the “little stuff”, because that stuff really adds up. Hopefully we’ve passed this on to our boys, both of which started their own Roth IRAs at age 18!
Thanks Bogleheads!!
Statistics: Posted by oldbarn70 — Sun Mar 24, 2024 10:52 am — Replies 3898 — Views 2431083