| Back to Home > Bulletin Board > O/T Off Topic > Topic: Investing in a Vanguard IRA |
Topic: Investing in a Vanguard IRA
| Author | Message |
| shanirfriedman | Posted – 12/31/2007 3:22:20 AM | show profile | email poster Wondering what people have chosen to put into their IRAs in the recent past and how you chose what you did. |
| catlondon | Posted – 12/31/2007 12:46:17 PM | show profile Depends on how involved you want to be with your money. I have a portfolio of stocks I manage myself, but with my IRA's I do lifecycle funds--they are automatically rebalanced for you as time goes on. Vanguard has some good EFTs (Exchange Traded Funds) which can provide for diversity but don't need a lot of management. |
| Cyrus | Posted – 12/31/2007 5:07:19 PM | show profile I haven't adjusted mine based on the recent turmoil because I have a long time horizon. That is how anybody should make their selections, in concert with their risk tolerance. As Caitlin said, several companies offer investments that automatically rebalance to a lower risk option as you get closer to retirement. I actively manage my SEP IRA, my wife's 401(k) and our daughter's 529, but automatic rebalancing funds are great for those who don't want to mess with it. Alternatively, you can choose an exchange-traded fund, although they carry fees in most cases. ------ Cyrus Afzali Astoria Communications www.astoriacomm.com |
| UGoGirl | Posted – 1/1/2008 11:08:32 AM | show profile Well, you know this is coming...I'm going to start the new year off as a big fat downer, again. I don't have much faith in the long-term value of investments in the stock market, etc. People used to have things called pensions from their employers, but gradually pensions have disappeared and companies have shifted to 401ks and other plans that depend on investing in the stock market. This started probably around the 1980s, and as more and more people and companies switched from pensions to 401ks, the stock market went on a tear. You could've put your money in almost anything and it would greatly increase. I believe that big fat gravy train has left the station, and those of us unfortunate enough to need to retire in 25 or 50 years aren't going to be able to count on investment growth the way our parents did, for a number of reasons. First, we've entered an entirely new era of expensive energy and the entire economy depends on cheap energy to grow. Second, that massive shift from pension funds to the market is pretty much now complete... know many people these days with pensions? Third, the US federal government is heading toward bankruptcy as baby boomers retire and suck up the entire federal budget for their entitlements and something's got to give. Fourth, the US is a nation deeply in debt, at the family level and federal government level as well. I don't trust paper pushers to look out for my best interest... the things that seem valuable to me now are having a house that's paid for, having secure or guaranteed investments, and putting a little money in some higher risk yet potentially very profitable funds. |
