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I had a strategy, but it wasn't working. As recommended in here, I went and talked to a pro. I'm not doing EVERYTHING he recommended for me, but I made substantial changes. The results have been much better. Thanks. Really.
I remember very well getting recommendations from some of you in here, and I'm grateful. I just needed to feel more pain, I suppose--- and then also to have someone FACE TO FACE confirm what you all had told me. Then I moved pretty quickly. He suggested I hold up to 70% equities, in light of the prospect that I might NEVER cash-in and just leave my whole stash to loved ones. And, I should reduce my EM exposure. I do not think I'll reduce my EM quite as much as he suggested. My wife and I do have a legal will. Her brothers and my son (first marriage) are part of that picture.
I had been grossly overweight PREMX. It was up to about 35% of total porfolio. I stayed with it for several months too long, after the environment in the late Spring turned sour for bonds. And I'm sick of filling out forms, so I was bound and determined to find suitable funds WITHIN TRP. I chose PRWCX and PRESX. (And I own TRAMX at TRP, too.) All of these are Rollover IRAs.
After the New Year gets here, a substantial chunk of my MAPIX (Trad. IRA) will be fed to MAPOX (Trad. IRA.) The amount I'll be moving will be just less than one-third of my current MAPIX total.
(Sorry, but at the moment, I cannot be very precise, until I see the actual dollar amounts on statements and transaction confirmations.)
I'm taking some goodly profit from Mairs & Power small-cap MSCFX and feeding it to MAPOX, as well. MAPOX and PRWCX will be my twin domestic core anchors. And I'm taking TRAMX profit and feeding that to PRWCX.
Here's the picture right now, before making the "MAPIX to MAPOX" move, and the other steps I've just mentioned:
1. DLFNX 2.49% of total (Just treading water. I'm down literally only -$10.00 there, but that will be given back to me with the monthly distribution. That's the way it's been since I bought-in, at the Market top. Regular, taxable acct.)
2. MAPOX 8.09% Trad. IRA 3. MSCFX 3.33% Trad. IRA
(Both of these will be distributing nice year-end pay-outs, very late, as of next Monday, 30th December.)
4. MAPIX 36.27% of total. That will shortly be substantially smaller, about 22% of total. (Trad. IRA.)
5. MAINX 3.6% of total. It's treated me well. I added $1,000 lately, so it's up from $3000 invested to $4,000 invested. It's grown to $4,316.53 exactly. That extra $1,000 hasn't had much time to grow, yet. (Trad. IRA.)
6. MACSX. Held since 2003. I think it was my very first mutual fund investment. Regular, taxable account. It's 2.58% of total. This is the fund we "raid" as need be. But rarely.
7. SFGIX 2.76% Regular, taxable.
8. TRAMX 3.22% I bought it just when it stopped sinking and started growing, after watching it for years. Good luck, there. (Rollover IRA.)
9. PRWCX 17.81% (Rollover IRA.)
10. PREMX (Rollover IRA) 3.88%, down from 35%.
11. PRESX (Rollover IRA.) 15.97%.
ELEVEN funds. Too many. But it is prudent not to have too much in one place. The smaller holdings will remain, even SFGIX, which I was lately whining about. But I have learned, I think, not to be "married" to my choices forever. The PREMX move was late, but there was no disaster involved at all, by any means. I missed out on several months' profit in those other TRP funds, but caught the year-end pay-outs. Did I "buy" the dividends? I suppose. PRESX has been surging, even since the December pay-out. And since I made the changes in November, the portfolio is up nicely. Live and learn.
Reply to @MaxBialystock: I like this move! "I'm taking some goodly profit from Mairs & Power small-cap MSCFX and feeding it to MAPOX, as well. MAPOX and PRWCX will be my twin domestic core anchors. And I'm taking TRAMX profit and feeding that to PRWCX". But still own too many funds. regards, Ted
i have a little bit of a broader question. based on max's mainx-holding size, i calculate max's total portfolio size to be around $120k. for some of us, that's a small amount; for others, quite large. my question is, does or should portfolio size have any bearing on portfolio composition?
You're spot-on. Portfolio is just shy now of 120k. But the choices in the portfolio are partly on account of the results of doing my homework; partly due to being locked-in on fund choices in my 403b. It was always self-directed, but for convenience, I didn't want to be switching fund-families every month. My Treasurer would have been annoyed with me, too. And part of the reason those funds are in the portfolio is because I bought them all retail, not through a broker. Moving and substituting and inserting different funds from different families is not impossible, but not quick and easy. Maybe soon I'll give Fidelity another try, down in Connecticut. ..... And i own too many funds for my liking. I invested money when it came to me, not with a Grand Plan in mind. On the other hand, I didn't do all of this randomly. I researched and knew what I needed--- often due to good information offered in here.
Reply to @linter: My 2 cents would be similar to Hanks. Percentage diversification means more than dollar amounts. I've noticed that people with larger portfolio dollars tend to hold more funds just 'cause they can. The usual justification to owning many funds is typically "manager diversification". But I just don't see how that is any different than having a goal of matching an index fund. Some funds will do better, probably more will do worst then the index - manager diversification.
You will never get everyone to agree, but in my opinion you never need to duplicate categories, example, 3 LC funds, 4 different SC funds, ect... But opinions are what makes this board so interesting!
Good. You are moving towards a more balanced portfolio. We all make mistakes and some of them are only so in retrospect so don't dwell to much in the past, learn and move on.
For me your portfolio is too small for retirement. I know you are semi retired but I would seek for opportunities for gainful employment as long as possible.
Comments
Regards,
Ted
In the past we have given some basic recommendations for your portfolio and you did not quite follow them. I am curious what you are doing now...
I remember very well getting recommendations from some of you in here, and I'm grateful. I just needed to feel more pain, I suppose--- and then also to have someone FACE TO FACE confirm what you all had told me. Then I moved pretty quickly. He suggested I hold up to 70% equities, in light of the prospect that I might NEVER cash-in and just leave my whole stash to loved ones. And, I should reduce my EM exposure. I do not think I'll reduce my EM quite as much as he suggested. My wife and I do have a legal will. Her brothers and my son (first marriage) are part of that picture.
I had been grossly overweight PREMX. It was up to about 35% of total porfolio. I stayed with it for several months too long, after the environment in the late Spring turned sour for bonds. And I'm sick of filling out forms, so I was bound and determined to find suitable funds WITHIN TRP. I chose PRWCX and PRESX. (And I own TRAMX at TRP, too.) All of these are Rollover IRAs.
After the New Year gets here, a substantial chunk of my MAPIX (Trad. IRA) will be fed to MAPOX (Trad. IRA.) The amount I'll be moving will be just less than one-third of my current MAPIX total.
(Sorry, but at the moment, I cannot be very precise, until I see the actual dollar amounts on statements and transaction confirmations.)
I'm taking some goodly profit from Mairs & Power small-cap MSCFX and feeding it to MAPOX, as well. MAPOX and PRWCX will be my twin domestic core anchors. And I'm taking TRAMX profit and feeding that to PRWCX.
Here's the picture right now, before making the "MAPIX to MAPOX" move, and the other steps I've just mentioned:
1. DLFNX 2.49% of total (Just treading water. I'm down literally only -$10.00 there, but that will be given back to me with the monthly distribution. That's the way it's been since I bought-in, at the Market top. Regular, taxable acct.)
2. MAPOX 8.09% Trad. IRA
3. MSCFX 3.33% Trad. IRA
(Both of these will be distributing nice year-end pay-outs, very late, as of next Monday, 30th December.)
4. MAPIX 36.27% of total. That will shortly be substantially smaller, about 22% of total. (Trad. IRA.)
5. MAINX 3.6% of total. It's treated me well. I added $1,000 lately, so it's up from $3000 invested to $4,000 invested. It's grown to $4,316.53 exactly. That extra $1,000 hasn't had much time to grow, yet. (Trad. IRA.)
6. MACSX. Held since 2003. I think it was my very first mutual fund investment. Regular, taxable account. It's 2.58% of total. This is the fund we "raid" as need be. But rarely.
7. SFGIX 2.76% Regular, taxable.
8. TRAMX 3.22% I bought it just when it stopped sinking and started growing, after watching it for years. Good luck, there. (Rollover IRA.)
9. PRWCX 17.81% (Rollover IRA.)
10. PREMX (Rollover IRA) 3.88%, down from 35%.
11. PRESX (Rollover IRA.) 15.97%.
ELEVEN funds. Too many. But it is prudent not to have too much in one place. The smaller holdings will remain, even SFGIX, which I was lately whining about. But I have learned, I think, not to be "married" to my choices forever. The PREMX move was late, but there was no disaster involved at all, by any means. I missed out on several months' profit in those other TRP funds, but caught the year-end pay-outs. Did I "buy" the dividends? I suppose. PRESX has been surging, even since the December pay-out. And since I made the changes in November, the portfolio is up nicely. Live and learn.
"I'm taking some goodly profit from Mairs & Power small-cap MSCFX and feeding it to MAPOX, as well. MAPOX and PRWCX will be my twin domestic core anchors. And I'm taking TRAMX profit and feeding that to PRWCX". But still own too many funds.
regards,
Ted
You will never get everyone to agree, but in my opinion you never need to duplicate categories, example, 3 LC funds, 4 different SC funds, ect... But opinions are what makes this board so interesting!
Good. You are moving towards a more balanced portfolio. We all make mistakes and some of them are only so in retrospect so don't dwell to much in the past, learn and move on.
For me your portfolio is too small for retirement. I know you are semi retired but I would seek for opportunities for gainful employment as long as possible.