One of the most helpful articles I've seen in any forum. Thank you for all of your work as I know this will provide many ideas for those of us in or near retirement. I am on the Fidelity network and VWINX is my prime core fund by a long shot with PRWCX and QQQ also part of my core allocations to a much lesser degree. I am looking for ideas for "building downside protection" down the road and will look further into 10 of the funds/etf's listed.

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/773757/000119312520311432/d33073d497.htm
Columbia Multi-Asset Income Fund
Columbia Pacific/Asia Fund
497 1 d33073d497.htm COLUMBIA FUNDS SERIES TRUST I
Supplement dated December 7, 2020
to the Prospectuses, Summary Prospectuses and Statement of Additional Information (SAI), each as supplemented (as applicable), of the following Funds (each a Fund and together the Funds):
Fund Prospectus, Summary Prospectus and SAI Dated
Columbia Funds Series Trust I
Columbia Multi-Asset Income Fund----Prospectus and Summary Prospectus: 9/1/2020; SAI: 12/1/2020
Columbia Pacific/Asia Fund-----------Prospectus and Summary Prospectus: 8/1/2020; SAI: 12/1/2020
The Board of Trustees of the Funds has approved a Plan of Liquidation and Termination (the Plan) pursuant to which the Funds will be liquidated and terminated.
Effective at the open of business on January 11, 2021, the Funds will no longer be open to new investors. Shareholders who opened and funded an account with the Funds as of the open of business on this date (including accounts once funded that subsequently reached a zero balance) may continue to make additional purchases of Fund shares, including purchases by an existing retirement plan that has a plan-level or omnibus account with the Transfer Agent or other omnibus accounts relating to new or existing participants seeking to invest in the Funds. Effective January 11, 2021, any applicable contingent deferred sales charges will be waived on redemptions and exchanges out of the Funds.
Under the terms of the Plan, it is anticipated that the Funds will be liquidated on or about February 5, 2021 (the Liquidation Date) at which time the Funds' shareholders will receive a liquidating distribution in an amount equal to the net asset value of their Fund shares. For federal income tax purposes, the liquidation of the Funds will be treated as a redemption of Fund shares and may cause shareholders to recognize a gain or loss and pay taxes if the liquidated shares are held in a taxable account. You should consult with your own tax advisor about the particular tax consequences to you of the Funds' liquidation. Shareholders of the Funds may redeem their investments in the Funds or exchange their Fund shares for shares of another Columbia Fund at any time prior to the Liquidation Date (as described in the next paragraph). If the Fund has not received your redemption request or other instructions prior to the Liquidation Date, your shares will be automatically liquidated on the Liquidation Date.
As of the close of business on the business day preceding the Liquidation Date, the Funds will no longer accept any orders for the purchase of or exchange for shares of the Funds. Orders for the purchase of or exchange for shares of the Funds may, in the Funds' discretion, be rejected prior to the Liquidation Date, including for operational reasons relating to the anticipated liquidation of the Fund.
During the period prior to the Liquidation Date, the Funds' investment manager, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (the Investment Manager), may depart from the Fund’s stated investment objectives and strategies to reduce the amount of portfolio securities and hold more cash or cash equivalents to liquidate the Funds' assets in a manner that the Investment Manager believes to be in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders remaining in the Funds may bear increased transaction fees incurred in connection with the disposition of the Funds' portfolio holdings. Any such transaction costs would reduce any distributable net capital gains.
Shareholders who hold their Fund shares through a retirement plan or account (such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account) and who receive a distribution of liquidation proceeds will be subject to taxes and, if under 59½ years of age, applicable early withdrawal penalties, unless the distribution proceeds are reinvested as a rollover in an eligible retirement plan or account within 60 days after the proceeds are received.
The Funds will seek to pay out all distributable net income and net capital gains prior to the Liquidation Date. Shareholders will receive liquidation proceeds as soon as practicable after the Liquidation Date.
Shareholders should retain this Supplement for future reference.

I also found this RMD Calculator from AARP. If anyone has a niftier one please share.
retirement-planning/required_minimuum_distribution_calculator

FD: "But I understand what you do and it suits your style"
I did quite a bit of trading this year, but limited my trading to more risk averse trades, consistent with my rather conservative Retirement objectives--bought GIBLX in a trade this year and was very pleased with its performance until it cooled off. I hope to return to my preferred investing approach for the remainder of 2020 and 2021--trying to select solid bond oefs, that I hope to hold for longer periods. IOFIX and SEMMX may be good for traders, but they would not fit my more risk averse fund selection criteria. I am trusting that VCFIX will return to its lower risk days going forward, but that is just my optimistic projection, based on what I have seen from it in the last 6 months. Schwab's embracing of it in their Select Fund lists, is reassuring to me and my approach to fund selection. I wish you continued success with your trading and look forward to following how that is working out for you.

As of 11/30/2020, my "Retirement Portfolio" has total value of $1,113,533, and a YTD total return of 11.35%:
ARBIX----- $215,747----- 19.4%
FGDFX------ 122,431----- 11.0
PIMIX------- 217,673----- 19.5
TSIIX------- 222,628----- 20.0
VLAIX------ 335,054------ 30.1
TOTAL-- $1,113,533---- 100.0%
Fred

Thanks! I rebalance in early January, always. Not always with the same goal in mind, now, in retirement. 80 high, 71 low temp in Kaneohe today. I was at the beach in Kailua yesterday. Nice, though quite breezy. But you don't feel any breeze in the water! Water temp was 80, too.
https://www.best-of-oahu.com/kailua-beach-park.html

There are lots of what in most situations are minor differences between 401(k)s and IRAs. This includes at least a couple I don't think I saw in any of the links: Roth 401(k)s have RMDs, and so long as one is working, RMDs don't apply to a 401(k) with one's current employer.
https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-required-minimum-distributions-rmds
IMHO the key consideration is investment options; for most people the rest is noise. (If any of the many enumerated differences matter to you, I suggest going to authoritative sources for precise details as there are many nits to pick with popular press pieces.)
If the Fidelity 401(k) plan in question has investment options that would be used and that are cheaper than comparable options in an IRA, then (minor differences aside) go with the 401(k), at least with part of the money. Otherwise go with the IRA. For example, if the 401(k) has a stable value fund that would be used, or offers cheaper pooled investments in lieu of mutual funds, the 401(k) might be preferable. (A downside of pooled investments is less disclosure about the investments and performance.)
Note that no 401(k) plan is required to accept transfers. I suspect that nearly all do accept transfers from other qualified plans. Plans are less likely to accept transfers from IRAs, but some do. It's worth checking. That would facilitate transferring first to the IRA and later to the 401(k) if desired.
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/rollover_chart.pdf

@davidmoran, My understanding is a 401K has many attributes that a rollover IRA does not have. That said, a 401K that resides with an old employer can be transferred to a new employer's 401K plan. This may be advantageous if the new employer's plan has great investment choices (tax deductible at any income, employer match, higher contribution amounts, low fees, high rated investment choices, loan provisions). Also, if she were to separate service from the new employer (401K employer) anytime after 55 she could withdraw from her 401K plan penalty free (normally a -10% penalty). 401K plans may have important protections as well (from lawsuits, debtors, etc.)
A 401K can always be rollover over into rollover IRA, but it might worth boning up on the differences before she does.
401(k) vs. IRA: Reading the Difference
difference-between-401k-ira
rollovers-of-retirement-plan-and-ira-distributions
ira-vs-401k/
12-reasons-not-to-roll-your-401k-into-an-ira
legal-protection-401k-vs-ira

somewhat OT, but can anyone find a link for closing a vanguard 403B and rolling the money out in-kin to another firm? I am having trouble assisting one of my kids in this ...

The firms where I've had employer-sponsored plans have generally performed distributions in kind only to IRAs held at the same firm. Note that unlike IRA transfers, rollovers from employer-sponsored plans must be initiated on the sending side, not on the receiving end.
You can do an in-kind distribution from a Vanguard 403(b) to a Vanguard IRA, followed by an in-kind trustee-to-trustee IRA transfer to the other firm. See the Vanguard 403(b)(7) Single Distribution Kit:
http://www.bsgi401k.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/V-Minimum-Distribution.pdf
At the top of p. 3 (pdf p. 5):
"If you selected A, B, or C [direct rollovers to Vanguard IRAs], your assets will be invested in the same funds and proportions as in your existing Vanguard 403(b)(7) account, unless you indicate otherwise below ...
"D. [rollover to a] Retirement account held at another institution ... Rollover check will be made payable to the custodian/plan"

Winter will be grim but the pandemic's end is in sight, and all sorts of economic data is looking promising (housing starts, car sales, plus lots of money in savings accounts). I've been steadily buying and am now up to 80% equities. I mostly bought VDIGX and GPRIX, but that has to do with gaps in my portfolio than with any bets on what part of the market will do best.
Lots can go wrong, and the market can always drop 10-15% for no particular reason, but I think a bad winter is the base assumption now, already priced in.
Then again, I'm also at least hopefully 15 years from retirement and just got a raise, so I can sock away about a third of my salary going forward. If I were retired, as many posters here are, I would be more conservative.

I'd been mostly in stocks and some funds since a kid in the '80s. I wanted to get into futures to learn about them as a potential second income stream (active trading). It was an interesting time to be in the markets, as I both 'won' a lot, and lost a lot .... I should add that was just as algos were really taking off and I decided it wasn't worth playing against them regularly or spending the time to develop & code my own trading systems. Not to mention, in 2010 I left consulting & landed my (current) faculty position and priorities shifted. :) But I still monitor the equity index futures and will dabble with them now and then, since they trade 24x5 compared to stocks.
Back during the GFC I was sitting on a huge pile of cash that I was managing for an aging parent's immediate needs and was wishing we'd see 6, 8, 10% rates on CDs and bonds at some point ... I saw what that did for my grandparents decades ago and it made for a very comfortable retirement for them. If that ever happened again, I'd probably sell down 50% of my portfolios and throw it into government fixed income. :)

@rforno, you are way ahead of me with investing at that time period. I managed to invest few dollars in CDs that paid over 6% in the 80's.

I had the good fortune to buy AUENX for my 2 Fidelity retirement accounts, when the IRA minimum was $2500, while a 1 million minimum for taxable accounts. Needless to say, AQR a short time later increased the retirement minimum to 1 million also!

MWTRX is a good fund but GIBLX has a better record for 1-3-5 years.
Both are not funds I use since I'm mainly a bond investor in the last several years and their past performance (6% average for 3 years) will not happen in the future.
I'm also not impressed by LT record, DODGX had a great record years ago but now it trails the "stupid" index SPY for 10 years already
BTW, I used to be at 80-90% equities until several years prior to retirement where I change gradually to more bonds.

Can you please explain your comment? Are you saying that you won't buy a fund with good performance because it can't keep up? Not sure how you can be confident that a newer fund will outperform established winners. I have substantial positions in both MWTRX and GIBLX, a very big fan of the latter.

For the average Joe investor: KISS investing
1) I believe in using up to 5 (maybe 7) funds
2) The core portion should be about 70% and use very cheap indexes, the rest may be in managed funds that have something special.
3) Hardly trade which means looking at your portfolio 1-2 times annually and make small adjustments of 1-2 funds.
With that in mind:
1) Core: I would use SPY/VTI for most of my stocks. BIV as my generic bond fund.
Explore: PRWCX, VWIAX, PIMIX.
2) Let's check MWTRX and GIBLX in the last 5 years. I don't see MWTRX as anything more/special beyond BIV but GIBLX is different enough which is why I may use it in my explore portion. See 5 year

chart.
1) I'm a flexible investor with specific goals. Making over 6% annually using mainly bond funds, be positive every year, SD < 3, never lose 3% from any last top.
2) I mainly hold very concentrated portfolio of 2-3 funds. I may own a fund, weeks or years. I held PIMIX for 6-7 years, PHMIX for 3 years, IOFIX easily over 50% in the last 3 years.
3) Even if I own a fund for years, I may sell it for days to several weeks when market conditions are extreme which is one of my goals. This is not your usual trader as someone who buys 10 stocks and keep changing them.

Well, BIV and MWTRX will get you to the same place over time...but MWTRX has an SD of 3.53 (Sharpe 1.29) versus 5.19/.89 for BIV (still a big fan of BIV when I don't want to get locked into a mutual fund). I must say FD you are quite impressive in your trading skill, no doubt about that but I do question whether you might also get to the same place just holding quality bond funds like these two and say PIMIX. You say you've had very large positions in IOFAX and I recall you jumping out before it cratered, but had you guessed wrong you would have lost significant life savings in a matter of days. I could not live with that possibility...so I'd rather make my 5% to 6% by combining PIMIX with MWTRX, which is what PV say I would have made on average since 2008.

MWTRX is a good fund but GIBLX has a better record for 1-3-5 years.
Both are not funds I use since I'm mainly a bond investor in the last several years and their past performance (6% average for 3 years) will not happen in the future.
I'm also not impressed by LT record, DODGX had a great record years ago but now it trails the "stupid" index SPY for 10 years already
BTW, I used to be at 80-90% equities until several years prior to retirement where I change gradually to more bonds.

Can you please explain your comment? Are you saying that you won't buy a fund with good performance because it can't keep up? Not sure how you can be confident that a newer fund will outperform established winners. I have substantial positions in both MWTRX and GIBLX, a very big fan of the latter.

For the average Joe investor: KISS investing
1) I believe in using up to 5 (maybe 7) funds
2) The core portion should be about 70% and use very cheap indexes, the rest may be in managed funds that have something special.
3) Hardly trade which means looking at your portfolio 1-2 times annually and make small adjustments of 1-2 funds.
With that in mind:
1) Core: I would use SPY/VTI for most of my stocks. BIV as my generic bond fund.
Explore: PRWCX, VWIAX, PIMIX.
2) Let's check MWTRX and GIBLX in the last 5 years. I don't see MWTRX as anything more/special beyond BIV but GIBLX is different enough which is why I may use it in my explore portion. See 5 year chart.
My style isn't recommended to anybody.
1) I'm a flexible investor with specific goals. Making over 6% annually using mainly bond funds, be positive every year, SD < 3, never lose 3% from any last top.
2) I mainly hold very concentrated portfolio of 2-3 funds. I may own a fund, weeks or years. I held PIMIX for 6-7 years, PHMIX for 3 years, IOFIX easily over 50% in the last 3 years.
3) Even if I own a fund for years, I may sell it for days to several weeks when market conditions are extreme which is one of my goals. This is not your usual trader as someone who buys 10 stocks and keep changing them.

MWTRX is a good fund but GIBLX has a better record for 1-3-5 years.
Both are not funds I use since I'm mainly a bond investor in the last several years and their past performance (6% average for 3 years) will not happen in the future.
I'm also not impressed by LT record, DODGX had a great record years ago but now it trails the "stupid" index SPY for 10 years already
BTW, I used to be at 80-90% equities until several years prior to retirement where I change gradually to more bonds.

Can you please explain your comment? Are you saying that you won't buy a fund with good performance because it can't keep up? Not sure how you can be confident that a newer fund will outperform established winners. I have substantial positions in both MWTRX and GIBLX, a very big fan of the latter.

I never promote must have of anything. Each investor should do whatever they feel comfortable about. I'm a trader for 20 years with a great track record. I'm not your typical trader, I'm trading mutual funds based on momentum and good risk/reward. My trading habits are a lot faster now than 10-15 years ago.
MWTRX is a good fund but GIBLX has a better record for 1-3-5 years.
Both are not funds I use since I'm mainly a bond investor in the last several years and their past performance (6% average for 3 years) will not happen in the future.
I'm also not impressed by LT record, DODGX had a great record years ago but now it trails the "stupid" index SPY for 10 years already
BTW, I used to be at 80-90% equities until several years prior to retirement where I change gradually to more bonds.

Roth money is often mentioned as the last pool of money that one should draw from.

If you often spend more money in your early days of retirement, would you not want to draw on Roth vs traditional to not realize the income for tax purposes?

I personally agree that taxes matter. I presently try to manage my taxable withdrawal verses tax free withdrawals to stay below (or at) the 12% tax bracket. Roth withdrawals have the advantage of being a tax free withdrawal.
Even if one does not need income (equivalent to the 12% threshold) it seems to me that Roth conversions (up to the 12% threshold) make good sense as well. They my be the lowest rates we ever experience going forward.
For 2020 the 12% threshold:
Single = $40,125
Joint = $80,250
H of H = $53,700

Roth money is often mentioned as the last pool of money that one should draw from.

If you often spend more money in your early days of retirement, would you not want to draw on roth vs traditional to not realize the income for tax purposes?

Roth money is often mentioned as the last pool of money that one should draw from.
I agree , but I tend to also see Roth money as a pool of money that one can pull from at anytime in retirement. Spending these Roth withdrawals as income has the advantage of making your spending go further since it can be spent tax free.
Early on in my savings career my Roth dollars were positioned in my most aggressive investments. As I have entered retirement, I have re-positioned 3-5 years of income needs using Roth dollars. I place these Roth dollars into less aggressive investments while the rest attempts to grow aggressively (long term).

I am 61 years old and I am gathering information regarding reverse mortgages. Reverse mortgages become available to individuals after age 62. I plan on considering a reverse mortgage not for income (think annuity), but instead as a source for a growing line of credit (think HELOC). In a low interest rate environment, establishing reverse mortgage early (age 62), paying closing costs (much like a conventional mortgage), then maintaining a low balance (zero balance is better) creates a very interesting growth of line of credit for retirees who want to stay in their home.

This is an excerpt from Wade Pfau's book, Reverse Mortgages: How to Use Reverse Mortgages to Secure Your Retirement

Forbes Review of his book:
reverse-mortgage-calculator
HUD offers information on the topic:
https://hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/hecm/hecmhome
https://hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/hecm
This Calculator help you understand how much can be borrowed (think of this as a line of credit):
https://reversemortgagevalue.com/calculator/
Why not just take out a HELOC?

Benefits of a HELOC:
Lower interest rates in most cases
Lower upfront costs
May be more suitable for short term-needs
Benefits of a HECM:
Loan does not become due as long as all the loan obligations are met*
Line of credit cannot be frozen due to changing market values*
No monthly mortgage payments*

Source:
compare-hecm-to-heloc

Another one of the reverse mortgage advantages over the HELOC is the reliability that the HECM line of credit will stay open and available when needed. HELOCs are notorious for suddenly being decreased or being closed altogether, especially if the borrower has not been actively drawing from the loan. This is difficult because many borrowers prefer to have a line of credit available and open to withdraw from only if the time comes when a need arises. To be forced to stay actively borrowing on the credit line in order to keep an open status or finding out the line of credit has been decreased or closed suddenly would be frustratingly inconvenient for anyone.
The HECM LOC also has an advantage of significant line of credit growth potential. Taking out a HECM early in retirement and keeping the credit line open for use in the future proves to be a popular strategic plan. The unused line of credit grows at current expected interest rates; therefore, taking a HECM at 62 gives your line of credit time to grow as opposed to waiting until 82, especially if the expected reverse mortgage interest rates increase over time.

differences-reverse-mortgage-hecm-line-credit-home-equity-line-credit-heloc
An 8 Point Comparison of HECMs vs HELOCs:
https://mlsreversemortgage.com/title-bout-hecm-vs-heloc/