401k and investments

I will look into that. I researched Edward Jones before I invested with them, and got a lot of negativity about the fees and some positive feedback as well. Do you (or anyone else here) have experience with them (Or other brick and mortar investing companies)?

 

Personally no, and no on the brick and morter places. All my money is in employer 401k's, and rollovers and non-retirement $$$ is in Vanguard. IMHO, if you have a choice stick with Vanguard or TIAA-CREF as they seem to stay true to consideration for the investor, as opposed to money making for themselves (e.g., lower fees, control manager turnover, no 12b-1 fees). I'm sure there are others though, this is where the research comes in.

I'll say this again too, nothing wrong with opening an investment account with whomever makes sense to you, then just stick the money into a money market, or some safe cash alternative until you get comfortable with the funds/investments you want. Losing a few months of possible gains is probably cheaper then losses, buy/sell fees or redemption fees to change.

 

So with something like Vanguard you just do all the research yourself and make your own decisions on investments? I'm stuck with EJ right now as I have a lot in there, but I'm confident that it will be profitable in the future. What is a TIAA-CREF?

 

Vanguard let's you buy exactly what you want as long as they offer it. Low fees. But most funds have a 3k minimum investment as well.

They do offer financial planning as well but not sure how it is. It's still pretty new from them.

 

That isn't an issue. I think I'm going to keep pumping money into my EJ account since I already have it though. Why do some people have multiple accounts?

 

I understand a Capital Preservation Fund is less likely to have significant market fluctuations (good or bad), and is best for people nearing retirement to try to maintain/preserve wealth.

What could cause these Capital Preservation Funds to decline? Are they tied to the bond market? If that is it the case, I fear that when interest rates finally rise, the bond market will suffer.

 

Newb here to tacomas, but have been in the finance world for a while. Answer is a little late, but you are correct here, capital preservation funds are bond heavy (generally in U.S. Treasuries and Agencies). Much lower systematic risk but you are correct about rising rates hurting your returns.

 

Does anyone still read this? I have proudly stopped funding my EJ account (Mostly) and am now independently buying stocks with Scottrade. Made my first profit today.

 

sub'd -time for bed . . .or is it??? . . . . zz peace out

 

Yep, I'm still reading.

I assume you got rid of your advisor and are buying the stocks you want for yourself without the fees associated? Or are you talking 401K?

 

Who is looking at Alibaba!!?? I put half the money in my portfolio into Yahoo about a week before Alibabas IPO. Im already into the profits and I am waiting for the big day this friday. After that I am dumping Yahoo almost immediately.

 

I didn't get rid of my advisor because my EJ is still in the red. To withdraw would be to finalize my losses. Once the stocks I have in there go up enough to compensate for the fees I paid I am withdrawing my money and putting it into my scottrade account or another market account. And I don't know anything about 401Ks.

http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/BABA?link=quicklinks#

Why does this show 0.00?

 

The stock has not started trading yet! Friday! it is expected to be the biggest stock to ever open up!

 

So... We buy it?

 

Outch.

 

You guys realize that stock trading is as bad as gambling, the odds are stacked aganst you.

A three fund portfolio, in low cost INDEX funds is low maintenance and the only way to guarantee your fair share of stock market returns.

 

X2
Contribute to employer 401k to the match, $5500/yr. into a Roth IRA, back to the 401k to total 15% of your gross income.

 

Stocks are very risky. Parents lost almost a million in the crash in the 90's

What I am doing now is contributing first to my Roth and then to an 401k but my company doesn't match. If your company matches I would put into that first until you max the matching by the company.

 

Yahoo was up 27% from mid june of this year till baba released. This was driven from the baba release. Prior to this yahoo was struggling. If it were me i would dump yahoo asap.

 

I understand the stock market could crash at any time and anything you put in there you should consider possibly gone, but I would not equate it to gambling (unless you gamble with your stocks) as usually a lot more research goes into it and makes it an educated guess.