Don't know much about the tax angle, but VEIPX is one of the best V'rd LCap value funds in the last 5-10 years.

I likely wrote a bit too compressed.
The M* figures in the article are as of 9/30/2015. When one quotes YTD figures, one has to be clear on what the "date" is in "year to date". (The Nov 2 dateline of the article is the date the article was written, not necessarily the date of the data within the article.)
M* shows YTD (D = Nov 3) for PREMX of 3.14%. Likely rounding was done differently by Bloomberg; I'm not going try to figure out why the two figures differ by 0.01%. They're basically the same.
If you're looking at YTD performance that includes October and part of November, it would be nice to know what was in the portfolio that produced that performance. Unfortunately, funds report their portfolios with a 30 day lag (at least I think that's the delay), so the best you're going to get is a portfolio as of 9/30/15.
It seems to me that if that's the portfolio one is looking at, then one should also be looking at the performance that this particular portfolio achieved - that is, the returns through the same date, 9/30. Not that it makes a big difference. The portfolio is in constant flux, day by day and even minute by minute, so a snapshot still doesn't tell you what happened along the way to achieve the performance shown.
The raw data for holdings should be the same regardless of the source of you data. That is, Bloomberg, M*, the fund page, should all report exactly the same holdings for a fund on a given date.
But any analysis of the holdings (average credit rating, percent in cash, etc.) is going to vary from source to source. That's because while two sources (M*, fund page) may use the same names (e.g. percent in cash), their calculations may be different.
M* throws bonds with maturities under 1 year into the cash bucket. So if you have a portfolio that is filled entirely with bonds where half mature in six months and half mature in 10 years, M* will say that your portfolio is 50% cash, 50% bonds. My guess is that when M* analyzes the country exposure of the portfolio, it only looks at the 50% in long term bonds. And the country exposure of those bonds may be different than the country exposure of the short term bonds. So what's reported as country exposure might depend on whether you look at just the long bonds or all the bonds.
I haven't even gotten into derivatives, in part because I haven't tried thinking through how one might analyze them. Suffice to say that TGBAX plays enough games with currency exposure (it bears no relationship to the bond country exposure) that one should be able to come up with very different figures depending on how one treats derivatives.
Ideally, one should read up on how all of the numbers are calculated. (I've posted before about how M* computes average credit quality in a way that gives a lot more weight to lower graded bonds.)
If one doesn't fully understand what the numbers mean (I certainly don't), the next best thing is to stick with one source (M*, Bloomberg, some other aggregator). That way, any summary figure (e.g. average credit quality) is computed the same way for each of the funds one is comparing. M* will compute credit the same way for PREMX as for VTBIX.

Howdy @heezsafe
Listening to sounds for investing................and happened to read your thought about the market place. while this was playing (below). Perhaps not totally relevant for all the words for investing, but.............
As crazy as the markets and the science of money may be, there is too much moving around looking for a place to play, eh? We're riders on the money trains if we choose to participate. I think about the many I know who don't have the concerns, cares or thoughts that pass across the typed pages here. There are days when I think about running away from home (investing that is); but, I know what I know and am pleased that I have enough knowledge and time into this game to participate with some success.
I wouldn't have it any other way, among the various other areas in my life today. Next month or next year I may run out of the desire. I hope I am able to see and understand when that day arrives, and it will.
Regards,
Catch
"Déjà Vu" Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, 1970
One Two Three Four
If I had ever been here before
I would probably know just what to do
Don't you?
If I had ever been here before on another time around the wheel
I would probably know just how to deal
With all of you
And I feel
Like I've been here before
Feel
Like I've been here before
And you know it makes me wonder
What's going on under the ground, hmmm
Do you know? Don't you wonder?
What's going on down under you
We have all been here before, we have all been here before
We have all been here before, we have all been here before
We have all been here before, we have all been here before

Some may have to double click the play arrow.

Gosh, if needed it in 3y for college, albeit stretchable to 5, I might not even go with GLRBX. I might try to find a 5y CD @2% and get $5500 at the end. Or put in FTBFX or PONDX or equivalent. Now, I am looking at the 5y rolling returns of GLRBX, and understand their short bounceback. So maybe 50-50? You are not talking about making a lot in any case, probably.

I own another microcap fund from a fund company that also flies a bit under the radar, Buffalo Fund's Emerging Opportunities Fund (BUFOX). The fund has 53 holdings with a recent concentration in Technology. It's off its high by 20%, but boosts a 5 yr avg return of over 15%. The reality is that this fund experienced a MAXDD of 48% and it took 6 years to dig out of that hole. These funds are not for the faint of heart and in my opinion require an entry and exit strategy. These funds move in cycles so attempt to buy the lows.

Howdy@chip
Is this money in a taxable account or a 529 college plan?
My 2 cents worth is to echo "districtwanderer's" comments about these funds.
If open choices are available within the conservative allocation area, I would opt for VWINX for this task.
Regards,
Catch

James Funds:
http://www.jamesfunds.com/our-funds-distributions.php
Janus Funds:
https://17eb94422c7de298ec1b-8601c126654e9663374c173ae837a562.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/Documents/retail/planning page documents/Supplemental Tax and Distribution Information/2015/Janus Funds Preliminary Distribution Estimates 2015.pdf
JP Morgan:
https://www.jpmorganfunds.com/blobcontent/547/655/1323436047000_2015-JPM-Funds-Capital-Gains.pdf
Keeley Funds:
http://www.keeleyfunds.com/funds/distributionsummary.php
Kinetics Funds:
http://kineticsfunds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/KMF-2015-distributions_est.pdf
Kopernik Global Fund:
http://kopernikglobal.com/sites/default/files/KGI CG MEMO 930 2015.pdf
Leuthold Weeden Funds:
http://lwcm.com/sites/lwcm.com/files/Nov_2015_Cap_Gains_Estimates-1.pdf
Liberty Street Funds:
http://www.libertystreetfunds.com/sites/default/files/docs/Dividend & Distribution Info - Liberty Street Funds_2.pdf
Litman Gregory Masters Select Funds:
http://www.mastersfunds.com/distribution-estimates
LKCM Funds:
http://www.lkcmfunds.com/media/pdfs/LKCM_Distribution_Estimates.pdf
LMCG Funds:
http://www.lmcgfunds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Distribution-Letter_Oct-2015.pdf
Longleaf Partners:
http://longleafpartners.com/sites/default/files/categories/Documents/Longleaf-Partners-Funds-Capital-Gain-Distribution-Estimate-2015.pdf
Loomis Sayles Funds:
http://www.loomissayles.com/internet/internet.nsf/content?readform&ctype=capitalgains&channel=mf
Lord Abbett Funds:
https://www.lordabbett.com/en/resources/tax-center/capital-gain-distribution.html#la_Estimated_Capital_Gains
Lyrical Value Funds:
http://lyricalvaluefunds.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/2015_Distribution_Estimate.pdf
Madison Funds:
http://madisonfunds.com/individual/tax-info
MainStay Investments:
http://www.nylinvestments.com/polos/MSSR06-10-1556540.pdf
Manning & Napier:
https://www.manning-napier.com/Portals/0/FundsDocs/distributions/2015-year-end-distribution-estimates.pdf
Marsico Funds:
http://www.marsicofunds.com/funds/content/distributions.fs
Matthews Asia Funds:
http://matthewsasia.com/investor-resources/fund-distributions.fs
Meeder Investment:
http://www.meederinvestment.com/Resources/Doc/Meeder Funds 2015 Capital Gains Distribution Estimates.pdf
Meridian Funds:
http://meridianfund.com/literature/tax-information/
Metropolitan West Funds:
https://www.mwamllc.com/documents/MWFunds_DistributionEstimates-1115.pdf
Mirae Asset Discovery Funds:
http://investments.miraeasset.us/files/4114/4562/4737/2015_Estimated_Capital_Gains_Distributions.pdf
Muhlenkamp Fund
http://muhlx.muhlenkamp.com/distributions/
Natixis Funds:
http://ngam.natixis.com/us/investor/1250204324790/Year-End+Distribution+Estimates+for+2015
Northern Funds:
https://www.northerntrust.com/documents/white-papers/mutual-funds/individual/2015-preliminary-estimated-capital-gains.pdf?bc=24089026
Nuveen Funds:
http://www.nuveen.com/Home/Documents/Viewer.aspx?fileId=49964
Oak Associates:
http://www.oakfunds.com/OakLibrary/Distributions2015.aspx
Oakmark Funds:
http://www.oakmark.com/News/News-and-Insights-Placeholder/2015-Fund-Distribution-Estimates.htm
Oberweis Funds:
http://oberweisfunds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2015CapitalGains.pdf
Oppenheimer Funds:
https://www.oppenheimerfunds.com/advisors/doc/2015_Capital_Gains_Estimates.pdf?dig_asset_metrics=done&cb=42653008356
Optimum Funds/Delaware Investment:
https://delinvest.fgsfulfillment.com/download.aspx?sku=CGE-OPT
Pacific Life Mutual Funds:
http://www.mutualfunds.pacificlife.com/public/performance/perf_updates/2015/w30027.pdf
Palmer Square Fund:
http://www.palmersquarefunds.com/uploads/2015 Estimated Capital Gains Distribution.pdf
Payden Funds:
http://www.payden.com/mutualFunds/distribution/2015CapGains.pdf
Pear Tree Funds:
http://www.peartreefunds.com/sites/default/files/2015 Distribution Estimates.pdf
Perritt Capital:
http://www.perrittcap.com/news-events/events/
Pinnacle Value Fund:
http://www.pinnaclevaluefund.com/historicalresults.asp
Poplar Forest Funds:
http://www.poplarforestfunds.com/pdfs/2015_PFCapGains.pdf
Primecap Odyssey Funds:
http://www.primecapmanagement.com/prices_and_performance/distribution_information.html
Principal Funds:
https://secure02.principal.com/publicvsupply/GetFile?fm=MM3682&ty=VOP&EXT=.VOP
Prudential Funds:
https://www3.prudential.com/email/pi/a/capgains2015.pdf
Quaker Funds:
http://www.quakerfunds.com/performance/tax/2015distributions
Rainier Funds:
http://rainierfunds.com/Documents/2015 Distribution Estimate.pdf
Ridgeworth Funds:
https://www.ridgeworth.com/includes/files/assets/files/1446127496_2015-YearEndCapitalGainsEST.pdf
Riverpark Funds:
http://www.riverparkfunds.com/downloads/News/2015_EstimatedDistributionInfo.pdf
Roosevelt Fund:
http://www.rooseveltmcf.com/files/documents/2015-513B-RooseveltEst.Distributions.pdf
Royce Funds:
https://www.roycefunds.com/news/2015/10/open-end-funds-2015-year-end-distributions
RS Investments:
http://www.rsinvestments.com/wps/RSContent/Render?content_id=268e4044-807c-48d4-8a73-5caf92294b91&channelname=financialadvisors
Salient Partners:
http://www.salientpartners.com/static/pdfs/rpf/Salient 2015 Preliminary Capital Gain Distribution Information.pdf
Schroders Funds:
http://www.schroders.com/en/SysGlobalAssets/staticfiles/schroders/sites/americas/schroderfunds/documents/2015-year-end-distribution-information.pdf
Schwab Funds:
http://ims.schwab.wallst.com/repository/?doc=2008DistAct
Scout Investments:
http://scoutinv.com/resources/documents/literature/taxinfo/2015YearendDistributionEstimatesMemo.pdf
Seafarer Funds:
http://www.seafarerfunds.com/fund/distributions
Selected Funds:
http://selectedfunds.com/document/read/2015_estimated_year_end_capital_gains_distributions
Sentinel Funds:
https://www.sentinelinvestments.com/pdf/capgainsdist-est2015.pdf
Sit Funds:
http://www.sitfunds.com/services/2015distribution-estimates.php
Smead Value Fund:
http://smeadcap.com/files/9914/4683/5862/2015_Dividend_Distribution_Estimates.pdf
Sound Shore Fund:
http://www.soundshorefund.com/cap_gains.asp
Sterling Capital Funds:
http://www.sterlingcapitalfunds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Estimated-Capital-Gains-2015.pdf
http://www.sterlingcapitalfunds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Estimated-Capital-Gains-2015-Stratton-Funds-v1.pdf (Stratton Funds)
SunAmerica Funds:
https://www.safunds.com/pdf/capital-gains-estimates-as-of-9-30-15-with-nav.aspx
TCW Funds:
https://www.tcw.com/~/media/Downloads/TCW_Funds/Distribution_and_Tax_Information/FUNDsb.ashx
T Rowe Price (financial intermediary link; individual link is below...figures look similar)
https://www4.troweprice.com/tpw/ivp/public/fiTaxInformationPage.do
Third Avenue Funds:
http://thirdave.com/top-news/2015-estimated-income-capital-gain-distributions/
Thornburg Funds:
http://www.thornburg.com/products-performance/mutual-funds/dividends-capital-gains/
Thrivent Funds:
https://www.thrivent.com/tax-resource-center/files/28341.pdf
TIAA-CREF Funds:
https://www.tiaa-cref.org/public/tcfpi/InvestResearch?shareclass=retail class&view=distributions&subview=projectedview
Tocqueville Funds:
http://www.tocqueville.com/sites/default/files/Distributions_2015_prelim_2015-10-09.pdf
Touchstone Funds:
https://www.touchstoneinvestments.com/documents/pdf/TSF618.pdf
Transamerica Funds:
https://www.transamerica.com/images/capital-gain-distributions_tcm73-37718.pdf
Turner Investments: (TMCGX another large payout)
http://www.turnerinvestments.com/tax-information/
USAA Funds:
http://www.advisorusaa.com/~/media/Files/U/USAA-RWD/documents/forms/pronotification-letter041115.pdf or
https://content.usaa.com/mcontent/static_assets/Media/MutualFundDist_PreNotification.pdf?cacheid=3881185387_p
Victory Funds:
http://www.vcm.com/docs/default-source/Victory-Fund-Forms-and-Documents/2015-estimated-capital-gains.pdf?sfvrsn=2
Virtus Investment Partners:
https://www.virtus.com/vsitemanager/Upload/Docs/7065_capgainsestimate.pdf
Vulcan Value Partners:
http://www.vulcanvaluepartners.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/MF-Estimated-Cap-Gains-2015.pdf
Waddell & Reed Funds:
http://fulfillment.dstweb.com/showpdf-sku.cfg?sku=WRCAPGAINS&clientcode=wrf
Walthausen Funds:
http://www.walthausenfunds.com/index.asp
Wasatch Funds:
http://www.wasatchfunds.com/Email/docs/2015_Yr_End_Dist_Est_Mobile_v1w0.pdf
Westchester Capital
http://www.westchestercapitalfunds.com/media/pdfs/2015_Est_Distributions.pdf
Westcore Funds:
http://westcore.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2015-Distribution-Estimates.pdf
Westport Funds:
http://www.westportfunds.com/files/Tax.pdf
Westwood Funds:
http://www.westwoodfunds.com/pdf/2015-estimated-distribution.pdf
William Blair Funds:
https://www.williamblairfunds.com/resources/docs/funds/other/Estimated Distributions 2015 I and N.pdf
Wilmington Funds:
http://www.wilmingtonlit.com/downloads/performance/capitalgains/December_2015_Capital_Gains_Estimates.pdf
Wintergreen Fund:
http://www.wintergreenfund.com/reports/dividends/distribution.php
Van Eck Funds:
http://www.vaneck.com/van-eck-funds-2015-yearend-estimated-distributions-pdf.pdf
Vanguard:
https://personal.vanguard.com/us/insights/article/estimated-yearend-distributions-122015

FYI: The S&P 500 is now less than 1% from the all-time closing high it made back in May. It has been nearly six months now since the last high was made, and a breakout to new highs will be seen as a very positive development by technicians. We expect this resistance level to be very stiff, and given how overbought the index is as it sets up for a test, it could take a few tries to finally break through. If the S&P 500 closes the year at it's May 21st all time high of 2130. it will be up 3.47% for all of 2105. The Linkster's projection is a little higher, with a 6.70% 2015 return.
Regards,
Ted
https://www.bespokepremium.com/think-big-blog/sp-500-closing-in-on-all-time-highs/
According to CXO Advisory, the S&P 500 since 1990 has had 17 positive days and 8 negative trading days in November, and 20 positives and only 5 negative trading days in December.

It may be a bit irrational, but I like the allure of smaller firms who have a specific focus and operate in an environment where they are under the radar to a degree. This autonomy affords them a measure of leeway in terms of following their specific direction without the glare of media spotlight. At a minimum...it certainly holds the AUM down to a modest level.
James, Vulcan Value Partners and Stewart Capital come to mind within my positions.
On the surface, this micro cap fund draws immediate comparison to the new Grandeur Peaks offering, simply due to timing. I noticed that the younger James associate (son) is the PM for this fund...which may be instructive for GLRBX when the senior Dr. James retires.
The other glaring difference is the scope of holdings. With a similar market cap target of about $1.5B, this James fund holds only 41 equity positions per their website. While not disclosed, per their history I would think that the GP micro cap fund holds 4 to 5 times that number. That is what I call rolling the dice.
I look forward to a more thorough analysis sometime in the future.
press

Oh, that's just great. It's back to stupid we go. I am sooooo #*$&! sick of this!
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-11-03/if-s-p-500-valuations-had-you-worried-in-august-they-re-back

Love seeing these old "ST" tickers from the old Strong Funds where I once invested. Wells inherited these from Dick Strong when he was banned from the securities business by the SEC. Bought up what was left of his firm and kept the old fund names for awhile. The "Advantage" label came from Strong too. But I can only recall it applying to their Ultra-Short bond fund.
While he was a crook, Strong actually had some pretty good funds and some talented managers. 15 years have passed. Possibly Wells is trying to distance themselves from the origin of some of these.
Memories :)

Depends on how this may fit into your larger investment strategy for college savings, as these two funds are quite different. But in terms of an "all-in-one" solution I would go with GLRBX. The fund has a healthy slice of stocks--50% currently--to add some return. SDGIX is a bond fund, and frankly I wouldn't expect much from a bond fund over the next 3-5 years. While a loss of principal is always possible over a time frame as short as 3 years, I'd say the odds are much higher for that occurring in a global bond fund (even a good one like SDGIX) than a conservative allocation fund with stock exposure.

FYI:
Regards,
Ted
WSJ Slant:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/global-stocks-broadly-steady-after-rally-on-wall-street-1446540520
Bloomberg Slant:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-11-02/asian-stock-futures-pace-u-s-recovery-with-august-rout-reversed
Reuters Slant:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/03/global-markets-idUSL1N12Y1X620151103
MarketWatch Slant;
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/wall-street-eyes-pullback-after-rally-ahead-of-earnings-factory-orders-2015-11-03/print
WSJ Markets At A Glance;
http://markets.wsj.com/us
Sector Tracker:
http://www.sectorspdr.com/sectorspdr/tools/sector-tracker
Current Futures: Positive
http://finviz.com/futures.ashx

Some of the figures above mix Q3 data (portfolio composition) and 11/2/15 data (performance).
The fault ... is not in our (Morning)stars, but in ourselves.
The Morningstar data in the article cited are all Q3 data. That's why you're seeing -1.06% YTD for PREMX. Go to the M* performance page for the fund, and in the Trailing Total Returns section, click on the "Quarterly" tab.
M*'s definition of cash includes bonds with maturities of up to a year. How do funds define cash? Whatever it is, I suspect it is different (much more constrained, resulting in a much lower stated cash allocation).
It is best to stick with a single data source - that way you know the same definitions and calculations apply to all the figures, and the will be reliable. Otherwise, one might wind up wondering whether PREMX (as of the end of Q3) indeed had 4.46% in Ukrane (M*'s figure) or 4.9% (T. Rowe Price's figure).

FYI: ( Click On Article Title At Top Of Google Search)
It has taken index fund evangelist John Bogle 40 years to get the mutual fund industry to be comfortable talking about fees. Everyone now agrees that they matter. But there’s another way Bogle likes to look at fees that no one’s talking about. Instead of just comparing funds’ expense ratios, as is standard practice, he thinks investors should also examine the total dollars that each fund collects in fees.
There are two reasons why calculating total-dollar fees matters. One is legal. “The Gartenberg court decision in 1982 determined that a mutual fund fee has to be so large as to offend the conscience of the community before the courts will intervene,” Bogle says. “A percentage fee can never offend anyone’s conscience. What does one say about a fee that should be 0.5% but is 0.75% instead?”
Regards,
Ted
https://www.google.com/#q=Mutual+Fund+Fees:+How+Low+Is+“Low”?+barron's

@PRESSmUP You're welcome.
China is an interesting case. They appear to be "getting serious" about solar. But, the most recent data I have seen tells me 2/3's of China's energy still comes from coal. And, solar just represents a blip on their energy source chart. Five times a blip just makes for a big blip. Also, I have read that what they are doing in part is to shut down their dirtier coal burning plants close to urban areas and replace them with plants located further from those urban centers. (From an environmental perspective, this helps their domestic population somewhat but not the planet.)
About the possibility oil will wind up be left forever in the ground....well, forever is a long time. I suspect future extraction will increasingly come with more strings attached. Here are some quotes about that general subject from an article I just read:
"The International Energy Agency (IEA) and many other credible parties continue to forecast that our growing world population from 7 billion people today to 9 billion by 2050 will need much more energy – in particular as most of these people will aspire a life like we have here in North America."
"“Sustainable Innovation” may become key to future energy financings and.....oil and gas companies will have to innovate much more than they do today in order to survive as energy-producing Fortune 500 companies in the decades to come."
"....lacking some spectacular new innovations, longer term most Canadian oil sands reserves will likely remain undeveloped."
See: This Oil Bust Will Change The Energy Industry Forever

Openice is correct.
STHYX and STHBX - http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1081400/000108140015000890/invclassliquidation.htm
(click to see filing)
Excerpt from filing:
"Effective after the close of business on October 23, 2015, all Investor Class shares of each Fund converted to Class A shares of the same Fund (the “Conversion”). Following the Conversion, all references to the Investor Class shares in each Fund’s Statement of Additional Information are hereby removed."
October 23, 2015

I have been trying to find out what happened to my 2 funds, STHBX and STHYX. There are no more quotes for these funds after 10/23/2015. And I did not receive any e-mail from Wells Fargo. Can someone point me where to look? Thanks.

As I understand it you aren't going to find it at any brokerage... it's only being offered directly from GP. The only exception I'm aware of is if an advisor uses a broker's platform for his business then they'll be able to buy the fund, based on their allocation, on that platform, but I don't believe it will ever show up as available to the general public at any broker.
What surprises me is that the fund says it's "open" on their website. I must be definitionally challenged when it comes to what that means, because $85 million of interest whiddled down to $25 million or so of allocations doesn't exactly sound like "open" to me.

TGBAX ytd -2.83 1-year -4.94 3-year+1.27 5-year +3.00%
MAINX ytd +0.45% 1-yr: -0.95% 3-yr: +1.31% (too young for 5-year number.)
PRSNX ytd +0.60% 1-yr: -1.14% 3-yr: +2.18% 5-yr: +3.48%
My PREMX holds 4.46% in Ukraine, but it's explicitly an EM bond fund.
At FNMIX, another EM bond fund, Ukraine doesn't appear in the top 10 countries.
Consider this, which I just saw, dated 27th October: (re: PREMX)
"...Conviction investments keep the portfolio dynamic. An overweight to Ukraine has benefited from recent debt restructurings that were in favor of bondholders. And the fund remains committed to Brazil, with investments in sovereigns and government-backed companies--in particular, Petrobras (PBR)..."
LINK: http://www.morningstar.com/cover/videocenter.aspx?id=718764
Here's a less pertinent M* article. After going into it up to a point, I stopped reading. Her numbers are all screwed up. The thing is dated 02 November. She says that PREMX, (among others) is down y-t-d by -1.06%. Go to the "quote" page for the fund, and it tells you that PREMX is up, ytd by +2.60%. How reliable are her OTHER numbers in there, eh?
For what it's worth, here's the link:
http://news.morningstar.com/articlenet/article.aspx?id=720665