Anyone want to give me some advice on 401k?

[hevnsnt]

If anyone would like to help me with my 401k, would you be so kind to pm me?

 

[PlatinumGold]

ya, call a pro.

Jason Akers
Northwestern Mutual
609-951-8700 3043

he's in princeton, if you want someone closer he can probably refer you.

 

[hevnsnt]

Thanks man, but looking for free advice..

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
Thanks man, but looking for free advice..

he only charges on implementation. unless you plan on doing all the trading yourself online (which isn't free either) i'm not sure how much it would hurt.

 

[wyvrn]

Sure I will. Was a broker years ago... Though I don't guarantee results

PM me.

 

[CPA]

First question: How old are you?

Second question: What is your current portfolio?

Third question: What do you expect you will need annually once you retire?

Fourth question: How adverse are you to risk?

 

[gotsmack]

I'll let you know after next semester when I take (MBA level) porfolio theory.

but according to my Professor with a Columbia PhD in Finance. 40 stocks across most sectors will give you the maximum amount of protection and return.


I'd just put the money into a mixture of S&P 500 index funds and AAA rated bonds though.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: gotsmack
I'll let you know after next semester when I take (MBA level) porfolio theory.

but according to my Porfessor with a Columbia PhD in Finance. 40 stocks across most sectors will give you the maximum amount of protection and return.


I'd just put the money into a mixture of S&P 500 index funds and AAA rated bonds though.

so why not just buy into a Vanguard Index fund?

unless you are talking over $100k, i just don't see trying to manage it yourself.

 

[hevnsnt]

1) 27 Married no kids
2) Stock portfolio is not very diverse, 401k portfolio is what I am conscerned about
3) Not sure
4) @ 27 I am fine with risk

I have had my 401k split 50/50 with company stock and a mutual fund called Fidelity Magellan Fund for 5 years.. I think it is time to change it. So I put it 50/50 into S&P 500 and an agressive growth fund..

But...

There is like 40 different choices I could make, and wondering if I did the right thing. My wife will also be contributing to hers as well...

 

[DaveSimmons]

S&P 500 fund is one of the best long-term choices, especially for anyone under 40. You're too young to bother putting much more than maybe 10% into a bond fund, if anything.

Besides the S&P and (maybe) a bond fund, you could put something like 30-50% into actively managed funds, no more than 2 or 3 funds.

Small-cap value funds have had a good run, but even the fund managers are saying they're having a hard time finding bargains now. The "gurus" are expecting large-cap to do well next.

Vanguard's international funds have had great returns, if you can get one of theirs like VEIEX it's a good balance to the S&P. Other international funds would work too, but be careful, Janus for example had a badly-managed fund that underperformed even before they were caught in the market timing scandals.

 

[gotsmack]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: gotsmack
I'll let you know after next semester when I take (MBA level) porfolio theory.

but according to my Porfessor with a Columbia PhD in Finance. 40 stocks across most sectors will give you the maximum amount of protection and return.


I'd just put the money into a mixture of S&P 500 index funds and AAA rated bonds though.

so why not just buy into a Vanguard Index fund?

unless you are talking over $100k, i just don't see trying to manage it yourself.

Because I have more control when I buy ETFs.

 

[Taggart]

Definetely have international exposure in your portfolio. I invest in an international stock index fund. Don't invest in a fund with a load, and don't invest in one with an unreasonable expense ratio (2% or less is good, the lower the better). If you have the option you can't go wrong with Vanguard index funds.

 

[wyvrn]

International exposure is a good idea. Though International returns don't normally do as well as the S&P in the long run, you are covering yourself against say China becoming a Superpower in the next 20 years. Which a lot of analysts have said is possible if certain pieces fall in place.

 

[Shelly21]

I can help, list your options? and how old are you?

I'm still young, so I have 100% stocks and I spread them out in the top 7 funds offered.

 

[rahvin]

Here's the best advice you can get:

Put your money into Vanguards Index 500 fund and forget about it.

 

[Psyber]

I'm about the same age as you, but not married. The rules of thumbs I've gotten from reading is
-contribute 401K up to the company match (this is a must)
-max out Roth IRA(as much as you can afford)
-then contribute up to the max of the 401k

Unless you're a business owner, this is the best approach to retirement savings. In terms of fund selection, people suggest a 100% index fund portfolio for guys our age, but I don't like that much risk so I do a 70% index fund, 5% small cap fund, and 25% bond fund mix. If you do asset allocation, make sure you rebalance your portfolio frequently. I used to be into stocks alot so I read the motley fool http://www.fool.com and went to http://www.bankrate.com for investing information. I don't go to them much anymore, but I do get their newsletters, which are fairly informative.