Looks like I am in the basic ball park as many others for 2015, but a few of my highlights were
OSMYX 15.6%
MSEQX 11.9%
FBTIX 11.4%
PJP 11%
CMTFX 10.5%
POGRX 6.1%
A few stocks did ok, but my two MLP funds did a major drag on equity portfolio, since these funds were down over 30%. Im down about 6% on equity side, but my 35% bond and cash allocation saved my taxable portfolio, since I have individual bonds that did not fluctuate. Basically Im down about 4% for year. Since I regularly take money out of taxable portfolio, that equals my distribution level, so basically flat for year. I consider that a win for 2015 considering how it could have been had I taken out from equities.

You are going to go from all cash to 100% equities (I consider the preferred stock ETF fund to be equity-like in its behavior) after a seven-year bull market that has taken the S&P 500 from 666 to 2011 (as I type this) ??
Uh, no. Try again.

Hi @Ted.
I recall you were going to divest your equity holdings earlier in 2015.
Based upon your numbers, you have 20% in each of the above holdings for your total investment portfolio, eh?
Take care,
Catch

@MFO Members: The Linkster's five funds were up an average 7.624% in 2015
Regards,
Ted
PRHSX: 12.98%
FBTCX: 10.22%
QQQ 9.45%
PFF: 4.22%
SPY: 1.25%

Here is how I faired in 2015 according to Morningstar's Portfolio Manager. My three best funds were SPECX (+7.1%) ... AGTHX (+5.4%) ... & ANWPX (+5.3%). My three worst funds were THDAX (-15.3%) ... TOLLX (-14.4%) ... & PGUAX (-10.3%) My three worst hybrid funds were FKINX (-7.8%) ... HWIAX (-7.6%) ... and CAPAX (-6.2%) My three best hybrid funds were ABALX (+1.7%) ... FRINX (+1.5%) ...and BAICX (-0.9%). Overall I was down by -2.2%. I have not received my yearending brokerage statement which will reflect how I truly faired as I had a spiff that produced a good return and this would factor in 2015 performance. Plus, I had a loss in two funds I sold ... but, I had gains in some other funds that I trimmed my position in.

@Charles, it is only paper loss until you sell. You are not alone - 2015 was tough for many investors to have any meaningful gain. Let's hope 2016 is a better.

I thought that VBS, like nearly every clearing brokerage, used DTC. That's certainly implied by their fee schedule, where they charge $50 to process a foreign security that can't be held by DTC.
If the clearing broker works with DTC, it seems that all you need to do (for the security to be held by DTC) is have the security registered in street name (which is the default at brokerages). See DTC page:
http://www.dtcc.com/matching-settlement-and-asset-services/issuer-services/how-issuers-work-with-dtc
So the problem may not be that your security isn't held by DTC, but that VBS isn't actively taking advantage of the DRIP discount that is available. Just a thought based on the information here; I've no additional info on how CEF DRIPs are handled.

Reliable, relatively un-volatile, dependable, Open Ended Mutual (bond) Funds would not generate your rather steep income requirements (per msf, mentioned above, 7.1%.) I'm thinking of DODIX, DLFNX, and there are many others. Typically they will give you 10 cents per share per quarter, or about .03 cents per share, if they pay monthly. A SMALL portion could be put into FNMIX and/or PREMX. I use the latter, and it brings me about .06 cents per share, each month, currently. But Emerging Markets bond funds are not for any kind of considerable stake in your portfolio. Keep it small.
For a more serious income stream, you might put money into some REITS.
LXP yields 8.37% right now.
NNN yields 4.36%
WRI yields 4.04%
RPT yields 5.07%.
HCN yields 4.83%.
Now I've shot all my bullets. "Break a leg."

@Alex
I would consider a portfolio consisting of: VMNVX (50%), GLIFX (20%), and QMNIX (30%). As a whole, this portfolio would provide relatively low volatility and reasonable returns. Other funds that I would consider would be VMNFX and QLEIX. The institutional AQR funds are available at Scottrade for $100 minimum in both taxable and retirement accounts.
Kevin

@vkt
Thank you.

Down 9%? That is serious damage!

Hmmm.
Yep, certainly if you need to sell.
But, glancing over some notable funds (thru Nov anyway), I'm in good company ...
PIMCO ALL ASSET ALL AUTHORITY INST (PAUIX) -13.5
T ROWE PRICE NEW ERA (PRNEX) -12.9
BERWYN CORNERSTONE (BERCX) -12.8
THIRD AVENUE INTERNATIONAL VALUE INST (TAVIX) -12.8
YACKTMAN SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES INST (YASLX) -12.7
FPA CAPITAL (FPPTX) -12.3
AQR FUNDS: AQR RISK PARITY II HV I (QRHIX) -12.2
GABELLI VALUE 25 A (GABVX) -11.4
GREENLEAF INCOME GROWTH (GIGFX) -11.3
DODGE & COX INTERNATIONAL STOCK (DODFX) -11.2
FRANKLIN INCOME A (FKINX) -10.7
JANUS CONTRARIAN D (JACNX) -10.5
WADDELL & REED ADVISORS HIGH INCOME A (UNHIX) -10.5
PIMCO ALL ASSET INST (PAAIX) -10
FORUM FUNDS: BECK MACK & OLIVER PARTNERS (BMPEX) -9.8
ARIEL FOCUS INV (ARFFX) -9.7
IVY ASSET STRATEGY C (WASCX) -9.4
BRIDGEWAY ULTRA-SMALL COMPANY (BRUSX) -9
It was a lame year.
Break, break.
Yes, backward-looking performance-based metrics have their limitations, indeed.
c

@willmatt72,
In 2016, I am sticking with my core fund, PRWCX, currently at 20% of our portfolio. For our foreign exposure, I continue to like GLIFX, as it has currency hedges and is avoiding energy. Currently we have a 12% allocation to GLIFX.
This year should be volatile, just like 2015. So we own QMNIX (10%), and will likely take an 8% position in MCXIX and an 8% position in QLEIX. As QSPIX will close to new investors later this month, I will likely take a foothold in this fund. I continue to like VMNFX, and would definitely prefer it over any and all FI funds, CEFs and OEFs, in this environment.
As for the beaten down sectors, oil should rebound, and I am looking at MLPX and RSX, but favor MLPX.
Tech has pricing power and is immune from the political bashing which will be directed at HC in this election year, so I like PRGTX and MGGIX. We will maintain our 5% position in PRHSX.
Kevin

Not really "changing" anything. Just sticking with what has worked for decades.
Allocation into QQQ 12/31/2015 as per variable #1 from model https://stockmarketmap.wordpress.com/2015/12/31/market-map-model-allocates-to-equity-etf/ ( 2015 return = "underperforming" year ( cash allocation ) after 2013, 2014 were "overperforming years )
Model may instruct back to cash allocation on Feb 1 as determined by variable #2 risk profile
https://stockmarketmap.wordpress.com/2015/11/14/market-map-model-tactical-asset-allocation-using-low-expense-index-etfs-2015/
Looking for entry into Biotech and then switch for Energy in Feb
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zlgOYdATSzC7YrUE9yE_uY03sHBRTcLUVyKusqqv2tI/edit#gid=113856734
Still allocated to Small Cap value as of Nov 2015.
Model may indicate cash position May 1 2016, as again determined by variable #2
https://stockmarketmap.wordpress.com/2015/11/03/model-with-sell-in-may-component-allocated-to-small-cap-value/
One may only need to have exposure in 3 - 4 different domestic market stock universes / sectors and strategies.
1) Small cap value universe has been academically proven to produce the highest alpha premium over 90 years marketwatch.com/story/8-lessons-from-80-years-of-market-history-2014-11-19.
2) The Nasdaq100 has been a superior growth index managed to constitute some of the the best growth companies in the world for 30 + years, and the QQQ is one of the lowest expense ETFs with exposure to it. No need to "pick" and manage individual stocks. They do it for me.
3) The biotech and energy spaces have 30 years of solid performance history. Using utilities as a risk ballast during the "rocky part of the year" fills out this portion.
As for "diversifying" with international, emerging, commodities, REITs, MLPs, etc. I think it is a ploy by the fund company industry to spread out assets to as many fund company managers as possible.

To willmatt's original question, which seems like a good discussion topic, here's ~ 2.03 inflation-adjusted cents' worth from this house.
For now, sticking with moderately significant changes made in mid-2015, which consisted of (1) reducing equity by quite a bit, concentrating it mainly in lower volatility funds with a strong tilt toward hedging foreign currency; (2) building up to about a quarter of the port in FI cef's, in munis, preferreds, and non-agency mortgages; (3) weeding out as much in hy corporates and commodity energy equity as possible; and (4) building up BBB/BB-ish muni oef's.
What are others doing?
Cheers, AJ

May I ask which muni CEFs you are looking at? I do own CPXAX (load waived at Fidelity) for preferreds and it seems to be pretty good. FWIW.

Yes Ted, Rex still has his job. The new owner gave him a 5 year contract last year and will give he and the GM Whaley time to produce. His and the teams downfall was to put in the Rex Ryan defensive scheme in with the wrong personnel. Last year the Bills were a top 5 D in every category. This year terrible. Toss up who will make the playoffs first, Bills or Bears. Both not to good yet.
At least my second favorite team is in the playoffs. That would be any, absolutely any team the Patriots play.

http://www.grandeurpeakglobal.com/documents/pdfs/grandeurpeakglobalopportunitiesfund-comm-20151215.pdf
I was reading through it an thought and saw GP wants to put more of an emphasis on momentum... "... as we move forward into 2016 we’re putting renewed emphasis on “captured earnings growth” and making sure that the names we own collectively have better momentum." Is now really the time to place a greater emphasis on momentum?

2.84% return for 2015??? Something is amiss. Maybe dividends are not included. Not even familiar with that particular index. Dex's HYD returned 5.06% Many of the open end high yield muni funds returned over 5% also in 2015.
Edit: Still think the junk corporates may surprise in 2016. Albeit I don't trade on what I think, just what I see.

DEX
! Yr and 5 r returns and two options for investment in High Yield Municipals and your post was.....Informative ?????

Does the information in the links include the reinvestment of dividends?

DEX
! Yr and 5 r returns and two options for investment in High Yield Municipals and your post was.....Informative ?????

FYI: In the Linkster's opinion the Closing Bell, made available daily to MFO Members , is most complete daily market summary found anywhere on the web !
Regards,
Ted
WSJ Slant:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/stocks-fall-sharply-on-china-slowdown-worries-1451899223
Bloomberg Slant:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-03/yen-rises-as-investors-monitor-saudi-tension-stocks-signal-drop
Reuters Slant:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-stocks-idUSKBN0UI14E20160104
MarketWatch Slant:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stocks-set-for-tumble-at-open-as-china-fears-return-2016-01-04/print
IBD Slant:
http://license.icopyright.net/user/viewFreeUse.act?fuid=MjEyNjE1NzM=
USA Today Slant:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/markets/2016/01/04/dow-tumbles-300-points-pre-market-after-china-rout/78250234/
WSJ Markets At A Glance:
http://markets.wsj.com/us
Sector Tracker:
http://www.sectorspdr.com/sectorspdr/tools/sector-tracker
Current Futures: Very Ugly
http://finviz.com/futures.ashx

If I understand you correctly you would like to achieve a return of 7.1% for this year, and increasing in subsequent years. That's based on Table III in IRS Pub 590B, which says an 86 year old's RMD is 1/14.1 years.
That's a bit ambitious, according to market expectations over the next few years.
You've suggesting fine, broad based ETFs, but they'll be as volatile as the stock market (e.g. see today), which can create difficulties in taking RMDs. Specifically, the RMD is based on your Dec 31st balance. A down or volatile year can have you withdrawing a higher percentage (since your portfolio may be below that mark when you decide to take your RMD). You can mitigate that by keeping some assets (at least a year's worth of RMD) in something less volatile - cash or short duration bonds.