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As a much less experienced investor, I can only agree with the other's sentiment. I keep an int'l allocation for some diversity, but it's not a large percentage. I basically have VTIAX and a few ETF's (VEA, IEMG, EFAV) that I will eventually trade i…
@Starchild- At 43, I'd indeed recommend riding this out, and a bit after it looks like bottom, start buying on the way back up. Best of luck!
Many thanks on the input gang. I'm not as hard core as you folks, but learning as I go. I'm doing the slow …
At 43, I'm riding this out and adding each month. Already have a high % of cash, but don't have good enough karma to dump it all at once. Appreciate the voices of more experienced investors here.
Thanks Ted! I'm sticking with it too. This fund seems to zig zag year to year a bit. I'm sure it would blow up right after I sold it. I thought about VBTLX when I set up my bond allocation, mostly because of the fees and it was something I understoo…
Hi @Starchild, Indeed PONAX is a great fund and thus far this year it too is feeling the effects of rising interest rate headwinds as its total return ytd is -0.30% according to Morningstar. The fixed income investing climate is just plain tough o…
Hi @Starchild, for what its worth .
I have owned NPSAX, off & on, through the years. Currently, I do not own this fund as its total return (nav expansion) can not cover its distributions this results in a negative total return year-to-date. I'…
I know a few people who are paying 1% - some are getting a good amount of help with their financial situations (i.e. are getting reasonable value for their money), some are getting investment help and some long term planning (IMHO not in itself wort…
@Starchild: what LewisBraham said! No need to pay 1%. That advisor will not like it if you pull out, but you are correct: that 1% adds up! Steel yourself toward his reaction, and get out from under that 1% arrangement. Do your own homework. You ca…
I wonder and would also calculate how much of your total portfolio is held in this fund along with whatever other bond funds that you might be holding. As a 31-yr old when you started you should have had 5-10% at most unless you are extremely risk a…
@Starchild,
I live in NJ, so don't know the tax bracket situation
When you file your tax return this year, your adjusted gross income tells you which tax bracket you are in. NJ is one of high tax state of the northwest region of the county that in…
Thank you all so much! I will look into these funds and ignore the FA. I began by reading the John Bogle book and the Random Walk Down Wall Street one, among other research and devised portfolios app. 80/20 s/b using etf's (SPY, SLY, VO, VEA, etc), …
@Starchild PONAX has been a strong performer, but it normally carries a 3.75% load/commission to make purchases and has a higher expense ratio 0.90% than other share classes of the same mutual fund. So at the least I would recommend buying a differe…