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Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
  • Barry Ritholtz’s 12 Investing Tips
    Probably linked before. Worth a look as the year winds down.
    LINK to Full Article
    Summary -
    1. Hold onto your winners and cut your losses short.
    2. Avoid making predictions and forecasts.
    3. Study crowd behavior.
    4. Think like a contrarian.
    5. Asset allocation is critical.
    6. Indexing is a better bet..
    7. Avoid cognitive and psychological errors.
    8. Admit your mistakes.
    9. Understand financial cycles.
    10. Don’t settle in a comfort zone.
    11. Reduce investing friction.
    12. Remember that there is no free lunch.
  • Drawdown Plan in (Early) Retirement
    For the love of Pete...I hope there are NOT any blog entries by any "FIRE" proponents who burnt out from the corporate world, stated they retired early, got a van to escape reality but in reality are still working writing a blog which contains "financial investment porn", securing eyeballs so they can post and monetize digital ads.
    Just like Elizabeth Warren, AOC, Bernie Sanders...just go away. Everyone is tired of your nonsense and general kookiness.
    It's kind of like when you put on a suit and tie and are a white dude...no one questions you or looks at you funny when you walk into a store....you write an investment porn blog and just because you get a following that makes you an expert? Never take investment advice from anyone who doesn't have over $10MM. As Josh Brown refers to in is book, "How do you invest, show me your portfolio". Sheet.
    Apologies for the snark. Sincerely DO appreciate the post.
    In reality, all snark aside, I do truly believe the only safe retirement plans are for those who have a gov't pension and live in a "blue" state and will suckle off the teets of their fellow tax payers, come what may. The rest of us are all somewhat gambling in the casino and left to the whims of government monetary and fiscal policy.
    Maybe, just maybe, keep it simple, control your spending, stay healthy as much as possible, don't take on too much risk (meaning either too aggressive investments or too conservate (guilty as charged))
    Best,
    Baseball Fan
  • Drawdown Plan in (Early) Retirement
    Additional links can be found in the link I included below:
    “The Chain”
    As you’ll see in the P.S., we’re trying something new in the blogosphere. We’re “Building A Chain” of blog articles, where different bloggers are sharing their detailed Drawdown Strategy. To help keep track, I’ll edit this post as new “links” are added in the chain. Eventually, we’re planning on compiling these into an e-book, and donating all proceeds to charity. Thanks to the following bloggers who have joined “The Chain Gang”!!
    Anchor: Physician On Fire: Our Drawdown Plan in Early Retirement
    Link 1: The Retirement Manifesto: Our Retirement Investment Drawdown Strategy
    Link 2: OthalaFehu: Retirement Master Plan
    Link 3: Freedom Is Groovy: The Groovy Drawdown Strategy
    Link 4: The Green Swan: The Nastiest, Hardest Problem In Finance: Decumulation
    Link 5: My Curiosity Lab: Show Me The Money: My Retirement Drawdown Plan
    Link 6: Cracking Retirement: Our Drawdown Strategy
    Link 7: The Financial Journeyman: Early Retirement Portfolio & Plan
    Link 8: Retire By 40: Our Unusual Early Retirement Withdrawal Strategy
    Link 10: Early Retirement Now: The ERN Family Early Retirement Captial Preservation Plan
    Link 11: 39 Months: Mr. 39 Months Drawdown Plan
    Link 12: 7 Circles: Drawdown Strategy – Joining The Chain Gang
    Link 13: Retirement Starts Today: What’s Your Retirement Withdrawal Strategy?
    Link 14: Ms. Liz Money Matters: How I’ll Fund My Retirement
    Link 15a: Dads Dollars Debts: DDD Drawdown Part 1: Living With A Pension
    Link 15b: Dads Dollars Debts: DDD Drawdown Plan Part 2: Retire at 48?
    Link 16: Penny & Rich: Rich’s Retirement Plan
    Link 17: Atypical Life: Our Retirement Drawdown Strategy
    Link 18: New Retirement: 5 Steps For Defining Your Retirement Drawdown Strategy
    Link 19: Maximize Your Money: Practical Retirement Withdrawal Strategies Are Important
    Link 20: ChooseFI: The Retirement Manifesto – Drawdown Strategy Podcast
    Link 21: CoachCarson: My Rental Retirement Strategy
    Link 22: Accidently Retired: How I Planned my Early Withdrawal Strategy
    Link 23: Playtirement: Playtirement Preservation Stage
    Find the above links within this link (found at the end of article):
    our-retirement-investment-drawdown-strategy
  • Inflation
    “So quit worrying so much about that unlikely event ( really old and broke)”
    Suppose we’ll get blasted for straying OT. Appreciate the takes of everyone. @Junkster doesn’t comment often enough. As he has mentioned before, the longer we’re invested the faster the stash appreciates in nominal terms owing to compounding. . And, considering one’s ever increasing financial knowledge and skill-set, that $$ should appreciate even faster than it did in earlier years (at least on a risk-adjusted basis).
    Now the other side. I was terrible managing money up until near age 50. A good job kept me afloat. (and a bad marriage nearly done me in). The “catch-up” provisions in our workplace tax-deferred plan saved my a** in hind-sight. But I will say, having at least glimpsed both conditions, it’s a thin line between “rags” and “riches”. Die rich? Die broke? They’re not really comparable - the former being much more endurable ISTM.
    I’ve no answer to the dilemma. You could annuitize everything and really splurge in those luxurious later years. Just be sure that annuity has a generous inflation rider - because inflation is the big unknown - and probably the reason we over-save.
  • Variant Alternative Income - NICHX
    @LewisBraham - the OP stated earlier that they were placed in the fund through a financial advisor. That seems to be the link if one doesn't have a million to play with.
  • Variant Alternative Income - NICHX
    I do not have any business relationship with this fund or any other fund. I'm invested in this via Schwab at a significantly lower amount through a financial advisor. I don't have $1M to invest into a single fund.
    No proof of accreditation was sought by Schwab at purchase. I was able to buy just like any other mutual fund.
  • Variant Alternative Income - NICHX
    This fund has a $1 million minimum investment and is an interval fund that only allows quarterly redemptions. Do you have any business or financial relationship with this fund?
    https://funds.variantinvestments.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/12/Variant-Alternative-Income-Fund-NICHX-Factsheet-2021-11.pdf
  • George F. Shipp of Sterling Capital to retire in 2022
    update:
    https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/889284/000139834421024111/fp0071142_497.htm
    497 1 fp0071142_497.htm
    STERLING CAPITAL FUNDS
    SUPPLEMENT DATED DECEMBER 20, 2021
    TO THE
    CLASS A AND CLASS C SHARES PROSPECTUS AND THE
    INSTITUTIONAL AND CLASS R6 SHARES PROSPECTUS,
    EACH DATED FEBRUARY 1, 2021, AS SUPPLEMENTED
    This Supplement provides the following amended and supplemental information and supersedes any information to the contrary in the Class A and Class C Shares Prospectus and the Institutional, Class R6 Shares Prospectus, each dated February 1, 2021 (collectively, the “Prospectuses”), with respect to Sterling Capital Special Opportunities Fund and Sterling Capital Equity Income Fund:
    Sterling Capital Special Opportunities Fund
    Effective immediately, George Shipp will cease to serve as co-portfolio manager of the Fund, due to his upcoming retirement from the Adviser as disclosed July 12, 2021. Accordingly, the “Management—Portfolio Managers” section in the Prospectuses with respect to Sterling Capital Special Opportunities Fund is hereby deleted and replaced with the following:
    Portfolio Managers
    Joshua L. Haggerty, CFA
    Executive Director of Sterling Capital and Co-Portfolio Manager
    Since July 2021
    (formerly, Associate Portfolio Manager from February 2016 – July 2021)
    Daniel A. Morrall
    Executive Director of Sterling Capital and Co-Portfolio Manager
    Since December 2021
    (formerly, Associate Portfolio Manager from July 2021 – December 2021)
    Sterling Capital Equity Income Fund
    Effective immediately, George Shipp will cease to serve as co-portfolio manager of the Fund, due to his upcoming retirement from the Adviser as disclosed July 12, 2021. Accordingly, the “Management—Portfolio Managers” section in the Prospectuses with respect to Sterling Capital Equity Income Fund is hereby deleted and replaced with the following:
    Portfolio Managers
    Adam B. Bergman, CFA
    Executive Director of Sterling Capital and Co-Portfolio Manager
    Since July 2021
    (formerly, Associate Portfolio Manager from February 2016 – July 2021)
    Charles J. Wittmann
    Executive Director of Sterling Capital and Co-Portfolio Manager
    Since December 2021
    (formerly, Associate Portfolio Manager from July 2021 – December 2021)
    The following replaces the description of the Portfolio Managers set forth under “Fund Management—Portfolio Managers” in the Prospectuses with respect to the Sterling Capital Special Opportunities Fund and Sterling Capital Equity Income Fund:
    Special Opportunities Fund and Equity Income Fund. Joshua L. Haggerty, CFA, Executive Director, joined the CHOICE Asset Management team of BB&T Scott & Stringfellow in 2005, which integrated with Sterling Capital in January 2013. He has investment experience since 1998. He has been Co-Portfolio Manager of the Special Opportunities Fund since July 2021 and was Associate Portfolio Manager of the Special Opportunities Fund from February 2016 to July 2021. Josh is a graduate of James Madison University where he received his BBA in Finance. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.
    Adam B. Bergman, CFA, Executive Director, joined the CHOICE Asset Management team of Scott & Stringfellow in 2007, which integrated with Sterling Capital Management in January 2013. He has investment experience since 1996. He has been Co-Portfolio Manager of the Equity Income Fund since July 2021 and was Associate Portfolio Manager of the Equity Income Fund from February 2016 to July 2021. Adam is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce where he received his BS in Commerce. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.
    Charles J. Wittmann, CFA, Executive Director, joined Sterling Capital Management in 2014 and has investment experience since 1995. He has been Co-Portfolio Manager of the Equity Income Fund since December 2021 and was Associate Portfolio Manager of the Equity Income Fund from July 2021 to December 2021. Prior to joining Sterling Capital, he worked for Thompson Siegel & Walmsley as a portfolio manager and (generalist) analyst. Prior to TS&W, he was a founding portfolio manager and analyst with Shockoe Capital, an equity long/short hedge fund. Charles received his B.A. in Economics from Davidson College and his M.B.A. from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.
    Daniel A. Morrall, Executive Director, joined Sterling Capital Management in 2014 and has investment experience since 2001. He has been Co-Portfolio Manager of the Special Opportunities Fund since December 2021and was Associate Portfolio Manager of the Special Opportunities Fund from July 2021 to December 2021. Prior to joining Sterling Capital, he worked as an equity analyst for Harber Asset Management and S Squared Technology LLC, technology-biased long/short funds. Dan received his B.S. in Business and Economics from Washington and Lee University, his M.B.A. from Columbia Business School, and his M.S.I.T. from Capella University.
    SHAREHOLDERS SHOULD RETAIN THIS SUPPLEMENT
    WITH THE PROSPECTUSES FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.
    SUPP-1221
    -2-
  • Wealthtrack - Weekly Investment Show
    Thanks @bee. I was more concerned about you. I did watch it but always nice to have MFO be the one stop shop for my financial literacy.
  • The Age of Financial Misinformation
    By Nick Maggiulli writing in Of Dollars and Data. (Of Dollars And Data focuses on personal finance using data analysis. Nick Maggiulli is the Chief Operating Officer for Ritholtz Wealth Management LLC.)
    ARTICLE
  • T. Rowe Price Summit Program
    My wife and I did decide to move our accounts back to TRP from Schwab to take advantage of the new Summit Program, primarily to access TRP institutional share classes at greatly reduced minimums and access to closed TRP funds. With us holding around 80% of our investments in TRP funds, primarily PRWCX, it just made financial sense to make the move. Their brokerage arm is able to hold our non-TRP funds.
    6 accounts were moved. The process began on November 17 and was completed today, December 14. Took a little longer than I thought it might as there were a couple hiccups, for a bit they were having difficulty moving the non-brokerage part of my wife's Roth IRA and we were not able to connect our bank account to our new TRP accounts from the TRP website and needed to mail in the forms. A little patience and all is fine. Next step is to transfer into the institutional share class of PRWCX.
    We were assigned a Senior Financial Consultant from TRP to assist in the transfer of our accounts. He communicated via phone and email, and when necessary did the leg-work to provide answers to questions we had instead of us having to deal with customer service via phone.
    Now, I just need to get reacquainted with navigating the TRP website again.
  • JPMorgan Hedged Equity -JHQDX (JHQAX)
    JHQAX (reviewed series) annual distributions have been about 1% (though M* shows the fund has about 40% annual turnover). My thought was to put it in a taxable account. The inevitable question is, how tax risky is it to put it in a taxable account? It seems this fund provides a 15% downside protection, if S&P 500 falls 20% or more (no protection for first 5% loss). In a choppy, sideways market, it could lose more than the SPY because of the cost of its option outlays and the Calls written may not fetch as much premium as they have in the past. It would be a tragedy if the fund ends up distributing a lot of cap gains in a year when it is not performing well, which is probably the scenario when it would trigger cap gains because of AUM outflows. Prior to November 2021, the only month of net outflows was March 2020. The other month of net outflows was November 2021, which was a surprise to me. What do its shareholders expect from it? What would constitute "not performing well" for this fund? I do not know the psychological make up of a typical investor in this fund as it is not a mainstream strategy. (May be I should head over to the Bogleheads forum and see if there is an interest there for this strategy - I am told those guys tend to be buy and holders!)
    As an aside, its performance from inception (2014) until the beginning of Covid is about the same (more or less) as a good high yield fund but bond funds had falling rates as a tail wind - may be not a fair comparison.
    Please share your reasonable comments / thoughts.
    With due respect, I do not find your analysis of the inner workings or risk mitigation features of this fund far superior to mine. I trust Lipper, The Financial Times and other sources referenced to be fact based. It’s not about speaking with God or not. It’s about delving into the workings of a fund that promotes itself as a safer alternative to many competitive investments. It may well be that. What’s wrong with poking and prodding a bit before sending your hard earned money?
  • Schwab needs to "re authorize" Quicken access
    If people are interested I seem to have fixed the Quicken issue using @gsundel suggestions on the Quicken Community board.
    IT is lengthy but in sum
    deactivate all your Schwab accounts, especially hidden ones. Then Erase the account numbers and financial institution name
    On SChwab.com, go to "Services" then "security center" and allow Quicken access to all of the accounts you want to link
    @gsundel suggests you log out of quicken and log back in
    In Quicken "Add account" Use "Schwab& co" log in
    A list of all your accounts should pop up allowing you to link to existing accounts
    IF anyone has a recommendation for another portfolio management program I am all ears
  • who couldn't live with ~5% a year?
    Followers of Dave Ramsey would be disappointed with 5%. He tells listeners to "invest in good growth stock mutual funds" returning 12% a year. But you can't pick these funds yourself, because he thinks listeners should use ELP's to manage their money(Endorsed Local Providers)! I could go on, but I've discussed this Theocratic Financial Advisor Asshat too long already !
  • Schwab needs to "re authorize" Quicken access
    Victory! First - I deactivated all my Schwab accounts in Quicken and changed the Financial info to say "Charles Schwab". Just plain old "Charles Schwab".
    I followed the steps on this web Support page; specifically the sections titled "What if my Schwab accounts aren't all available for reauthorization" followed by the section titled "What if I am getting a CC-501 error".
    https://www.quicken.com/support/errors-when-updating-or-adding-charles-schwab-accounts
    After following those steps (except for the "Cloud reset" - I don't use their web version. I only use my Desktop software), I was able to successfully download transactions.
    BEWARE: The download brought in a bunch of "Match" and "New" transactions that were already in Quicken. I reviewed every downloaded transaction and deleted the downloaded line items that were already in Quicken - even the ones marked as Match. I ONLY accepted the transactions that were truly NEW.
    Now let's see how long it lasts!
  • Jet Bear Airways Flight 1121 to Forlorn USA
    Great piece of humorous financial commentary from this week’s Barron’s - whether you agree with the writer’s assessment or not. I’ve tried in vain to track down the source from which Barron’s is quoting this. If you can obtain the complete essay you’re in for some additional entertainment.
    Couple brief excerpts:
    “Ladies and Gentlemen: Welcome to Jet Bear Airways, flight 1121 with nonstop service to Forlorn, USA….Our captain has informed us today's flight could be rather choppy due to economic headwinds, popping bubbles, delusional government spending, and a zero interest-rate policy that stayed too long at the party, leaving an intoxicated Reddit wolf pack eyeing a crypto-trading hamster while mingling with the cats and dogs around the open bar …..
    “In preparation, turn off your electronic devices and please bring your body to an upright, numbed position. Flight time is unknown, starting at a maximum altitude of approximately SPX 4743 before heading downward from this dizzying peak while anticipating several excruciating troughs before we begin our final descent into Forlorn. After reaching cruising altitude, we will serve giant stock grants and loan-forgiveness programs to all executive class fliers …”

    Attribution:
    From: Barron’s December 7, 2021
    Title: “What a Long, Strange Trip”
    Author: William Gibson
    Original Source: Gibson’s Technical Strategist - Nov. 30
  • Roth conversion
    I feel that longevity insurance is one of the few useful products that the financial industry has created in the past several years. That said, if it's not a product that you are interested in independent of tax considerations, then buying a QLAC is a poor way to reduce RMDs.
    Kitces, Why A QLAC In An IRA Is A Terrible Way To Defer The Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Obligation
    https://www.kitces.com/blog/why-a-qlac-in-an-ira-is-a-terrible-way-to-defer-the-required-minimum-distribution-rmd-obligation/
    Getting back to timing of conversions ... Though recharacterizations (undo's) of conversions are no longer allowed, there are a couple of other tactics that provide some or much of the same effect.
    One is to use a recharacterization that is still permitted. A contribution as opposed to a conversion can still be recharacterized. So if you contributed $6000 to a Roth IRA in 2021 but in doing your taxes you discover that you'd have been better off taking the deduction, you can recharacterize the $6K as a contribution to a traditional IRA. (You can also do the opposite: contribute to a T-IRA and then recharacterize it to a Roth.)
    https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-faqs-regarding-iras#Recharacterization of IRA Contributions
    Another it to take advantage of the 60 day rollover rule (sometimes limited to one per year). One could withdraw money from a T-IRA near the end of the year, and then early the next year when the tax situation is clearer (and within 60 days of the withdrawal) either put the money back into the T-IRA (60 day rollover), put the money into a Roth (indirect rollover conversion), or split the money between a T-IRA and a Roth.
    If any money goes back into a T-IRA, you can't do this again for another 365 calendar days. The restriction is according to days, not fiscal years.
  • Roth conversion
    @ Hank
    Does it matters what you convert, if you can always buy or sell anything in either account tax free?
    Once you have the capital in a Roth, I agree it should be probably devoted to more risky, long term investments.
    Converting before you are on Medicare and after are two different calculations.
    It is important to remember that the IRMAA surcharges go from zero dollars ( B Medicare Premium $1776 /year in 2021) to $700 for ONE DOLLAR of income ( AGI before the standard deduction) above $176,000 for a couple and $111,000 single. A couple would therefore pay $1400 extra.
    IRMAA is based on two years before 1040, so 2022 will look at 2020 AGI. Once you file 2021 taxes in 2022 you can ask for redo, if your 2021 income is lower. It takes a month or so, so you will end up paying more for a few months.
    One strategy I am considering is to do a large conversion, all in one year, before I take SS at 70. Then the impact of the conversion on the IRMAA will be limited to one year.
    Other things to consider. IRS lets you put up to $135,000 in a QLAC which will reduce you RMD proportionally.
    Lawrence Kotlikoff from BU has a great article in Barrons
    https://www.barrons.com/articles/most-retirement-planning-is-wrong-laurence-kotlikoff-51631207476
    He also runs a web site with a neat financial planning program for $100, Maxifi. It may be overkill for a lot of folks, but it will allow you to run all sorts of projections and scenarios about Roth conversions pretty easily
  • Schwab needs to "re authorize" Quicken access
    @MikeM- like you, I view all of our financial accounts through Schwab because it's easier to see everything together on one site. There is one institution though- JP Morgan bank accounts, that seems to need "reauthorization" every so often, presumably to maintain security measures.