FYI: There’s a market-stomping mutual fund you’ve probably never heard of. Between 1970 and March 31, 2014, it averaged a 14.67 percent annualized return. That will double your money about every five years. Those investing $10,000 at its inception would have nearly $4 million today. It’s called the Sequoia Fund. It walloped the S&P 500 by nearly 4 percent annually for 44 years.
Regards,
Ted
http://assetbuilder.com/andrew_hallam/you_really_want_to_pick_stocks_think_about_following_these_guys

FYI: Managed accounts—in which 401(k) participants hire professionals to invest their retirement assets—are increasingly popular. But are they worth it?
A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office concludes that while these accounts can deliver higher returns and lower risk to 401(k) participants, they also charge higher fees that can offset some or all of their advantages.
Regards,
Ted
http://blogs.marketwatch.com/encore/2014/08/05/managed-accounts-too-pricey-for-retirees/tab/print/

I think that the bucket system is quite different from the sleeve approach being used by Old_Skeet and Old-Joe. As JohnChisum states, there are usually at least three different time buckets and the investments in each bucket are selected based on what the contents of the bucket are going to be used for. Morningstar uses Bucket 1 to cover two years of retirement expenses and that consists of cash, CD's, & safe ST bond funds. Bucket 2 for years 3 - 10 consists of mostly stable bond funds, including some TIP's, and possibly a conservative allocation fund like Vanguard Wellesley. Bucket 3 for years 11 -25 consists of mostly equity investments along with riskier bond funds like Loomis Sayles Bond and possibly a commodity fund. Bucket 2 is used to replenish Bucket 1 when needed and Bucket 3 is used to replenish Bucket 2 when needed. The bucket system seems more geared to the fact that withdrawals are occurring during retirement although I guess it could also be used during the accumulation phase in a slightly modified form.

Personally I think ANY system is better than lc, mc, sc, intl / 40, 20, 20, 20 tripe. Another thing it does it make people understand it is not all about comparing your performance against some index and trashing other people's opinions looking at 3 year and 5 year numbers and perpetually chasing "stAr" funds.
There is no price for ones sleep.

"Would seem the same to me."
I think the intent is the same but the way the intent is handled seems different. I see one traditional bucket system set up for time periods, ie 1-5 yrs, 6-10yrs, 11yrs and beyond for example. The sleeve is something new or in this case the management of the sleeves as Old Joe has done with sleeves for different investment strategies. ( cash, fixed income, etc. )

John, if you are interested in what the ownership of MLP's might have done for you should you have ventured to buy them I encourage you to read through the attached M* thread. I have owned them for a number of years with beyond my expectations results.
http://socialize.morningstar.com/NewSocialize/forums/p/340492/3564556.aspx

I continue to see the pop up. Is the above referenced thread locked?

which thread?
this one - http://www.mutualfundobserver.com/discuss/discussion/comment/45042/#Comment_45042
if it doesn't say closed - it isn't locked.

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=The+New+Frontier+for+MLPs
are these vehicles good for short term 3-5 yrs?

Is this a buying opportunity for VTMSX or the start of a retracement? Seems to me it's running above its longer term channel. One could argue it maybe reestablishing the original channel so by extending the 10 year channel out 15 years VTMSX would have some room to move.
Acknowledment: Charts sometimes fart (don't always work). I just thought this mutual fund made a nice picture!
On the topic of gas...love GASFX 15 year chart!
Thanks for link Ted.
Here's my take:

@MFO Members: What's also interesting to note is how Mid & Small Cap Indexes have outperformed the S&P 500 on average over the 15 year time period.
Regards,
Ted

Wasn't this the fund that was the focus of the Josh Brown article a few months back?
Edited: Yes, it was.
http://www.thereformedbroker.com/2014/05/28/brokers-liquid-alts-and-the-fund-that-never-goes-up/

Looks as though CSRSX would be a good NTF option to your FREAX with it's load and higher ER (.97 vs 1.25).

Hi Skeet and Old Joe - After reading your article, it made me curious of where I was putting my money. Here's my breakdown. My funds are either at Vanguard or TRP. I have never been outside of either those 2 companies. My wife and I are 51, I retired from military in 2008, she works part time and I work full time. I am sure loaded up on International funds, maybe even some of them in the same arena.
1. US Equity Funds: PRWCX, PRSVX, VWELX, VWINX, VTSAX, VMRGX
2. World and EM Funds: PRSNX, TRAOX, TRAMX, VFSVX, VTIAX, VWIGX, TREMX, PRLAX, VEUSX
3. Health Care: PRHSX, VGHCX
4. Real Estate: VGSIX
5. Communication: PRMTX, PRGTX
6. Natural Resources: PRNEX
John

TOLSX is also no load at Schwab with an ER of 1.25%

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/52136/000119312514302109/d771285d497.htm
497 1 d771285d497.htm NATIXIS FUNDS TRUST II
ASG DIVERSIFYING STRATEGIES FUND
Supplement dated August 8, 2014 to the ASG Diversifying Strategies Fund Class A, C and Y Prospectus and the Natixis Funds Statement of Additional Information, each dated May 1, 2014, as may be revised and supplemented from time to time.
On August 8, 2014, the ASG Diversifying Strategies Fund (the “Fund”) was liquidated.
The Fund no longer exists, and as a result, shares of the Fund are no longer available for purchase or exchange.

@Old_Joe: This is a sideshow, don't let this deter you from investing.
The 10-year Treasury note 10_YEAR +0.37% yield, which falls as prices rise, was down half a basis point at 2.420%, the lowest close since June 2013. The yield fell as low as 2.350% overnight, according to Tradeweb. It’s down 8.5 basis points in the week.
(Source): MarketWatch
Regards,
Ted

I'm not much of a technical guy, but interested enough to have questions without a lot of answers. The Bespoke guys are looking at a 50 days moving average and Bollinger bands around that. It seems the most typical moving average for Bollinger bands would be a 20 day moving average. Is there any reason one or the other, or something else for that matter, should be a better indicator of what's likely to happen this time?

I have access to the S class shares, which seem to have no load and an expense ratio that gets close to the institutional shares.

I also own TOLSX through my brokerage.

I find "D" shares at pimco and "N" shares at Janus and TCW and "Z" shares at Columbia are all investor share often NTF.
Some funds have both NTF share class and a TF share class...I will sometimes consider TF shares class if I plan on holding the position for a longer time frame.
Also TRP and Fidelity offer Advisor shares that are often NTF, but with a higher ER than the non-advisor shares (say for instance PRWCX vs PACLX).
It always has to do with costs...either Loads, Expense Ratios, 12-1 fees, early redemption fees, etc.
Some brokerage houses only offers the load or TF share class of a particular fund while some have FUNDX.lw (load waive) versions. These often are the institutional classes.
Very confusing isn't it?
I'm sure I missed something...lots to know when it comes to the slicing and dicing the mutual fund world.

Thanks for that observation, Ted. I have been watchful, but not panicking---particularly through the global mayhem involving airplanes shot down and the Russian Penis ---oops, I mean Putin--- causing such a stink, and so many deaths in Ukraine. (Why is it improper any longer to refer to THE Ukraine? I just read that, elsewhere.) Portfolio is down from an all-time high level just more than 2% through all of this. If things manage to "bounce" in the days to come, I'll be glad. My european fund PRESX does not like what's happening at all. I bought that fund last November, mid-month. It's dipped below 15% of portfolio, today.