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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.
  • New Retiree question. Use more than one retail brokerage for whatever reason ???
    Fidelity’s cuss service is slipping a little. Sad to say. Recently a “corporate action” resulted in my having 2 (near identical) positions in my CEF basket. The fund was SWZ which had sent me an “offer” involving a corporate restructure. (I had 2-3 weeks to accept.) It was a small sum, so rather than having to deal with it, I sold the fund and replaced it with something else. However, the “basket”, for which I pay $5 monthly, started to hyperventilate. It insisted I had 11 holdings (including the 0 sum “offer”) where I only had 10. Essentially, all the basket functions (sell, buy, rebalance) shut down. I called Fido twice seeking resolution. The first person sounded young and knew very little. A day later, I spoke with someone more experienced who thought the problem would self-correct over night. It didn’t. I finally realized that the best approach was to close out the basket (move all CEFs outside) and then to create a new basket with a slightly different name. Moving holdings into and out of a basket is fast and simple. And doesn’t involve any trades. But why didn’t the Fido reps figure this out?
    To the OP - If younger I would spread holdings around more (2-3 brokerages). At late middle age I don’t think that’s as critical. Only, I think, from the standpoint of some extra security. In terms of functionality, Fido can do most anything needed. Easy to link to outside accounts for money transfer.
  • New Retiree question. Use more than one retail brokerage for whatever reason ???
    Two things I would consider. SIPC coverage is 500k on any one account at any brokerage so I would want to know all the details regarding how to set up the accounts with this in mind. No company IMHO is absolutely free of possible hacking and inability to access an account for a period of time. Therefore having accounts at 2 brokerages possibly protects against inability to access your funds if this occurs. We use 3 brokerages with the above in mind.
  • New Retiree question. Use more than one retail brokerage for whatever reason ???
    We have been Fidelity and Vanguard customers since the 90’s. Both firms were my 401(K) administrators with different jobs we had. Two years ago, we consolidated most of our Vanguard’s IRA accounts to Fidelity for ease of management. While Vanguard offers many low cost index funds and ETFs, we prefer Fidelity since it has many more financial planning tools than that of Vanguard. Don’t think any large brokerage is perfect, but Fidelity able to meet 90% of our needs. Although we are not their Wealth Management client, there is a private number that you can call them directly.
    We rollover our 401(K) to Fidelity. They make the 3-way phone call arrangement ahead of time, where the process is completed over the phone. The rollover took about 5-7 business days to complete, and Fidelity will keep you informed along the way.
  • 2025 Yearend Tax Moves Under OBBBA from Kitces
    As usual, the analysis on the Kitces site is outstanding. I spot checked a few areas that I'm focused on this year or have been in the past and the subtleties and calculations are presented with great clarity.
    I've exercised options in that past and looked for the statement that paying AMT is often a timing issue - you're paying taxes now instead of down the road when you sell your stock - but you're not paying more.
    It's worth remembering that paying AMT on an ISO exercise creates an AMT credit, which can offset regular tax in future years to the extent that the taxpayer's regular tax exceeds AMT. For clients who receive ISO grants only sporadically or on a one-time basis, paying AMT in one year isn't necessarily a problem if they'll eventually recover it through the AMT credit.
    I'm in the process of helping a non-married taxpayer decide on the size of their 2025 Roth conversion. Someone below RMD age who won't need the RMD amounts later. So converting more now is better.
    The column notes that with the phaseout of the $6K senior credit, tax brackets for singles get multiplied by 1.06 (until fully phased out). A 22% bracket becomes a 23.32% bracket (6% higher). That's still better than edging into the 24% bracket in the future. But for couples, the multiplier is 1.12, so the 22% bracket becomes a 24.64%. For couples it might be better to just keep the T-IRA money and pay 24% on it later.
    Lots of moving parts. I've included the multiplier effect table from the Kitces site column for various phaseouts:
    image
    https://www.kitces.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/03-Magnifying-Effect-Of-OBBBA-Deduction-Phaseouts-On-Marginal-Tax-Rates-2000x1062.png
    Then there's the elimination of energy efficient home improvement credits. Trigger warning - here's where we get into politics. I expect to be able to wait until tax credits are revived. We try to keep our place set at 76° - 78° so we haven't been taxing our HVAC as severely as some of our neighbors who recently replaced their units (with obsolete 2024 models that use an old, high Global Warming Potential coolant :-()
    Given that COP30 was another disappointment, and climate change related damage is increasing rapidly in the US, we may see those tax credits revived sooner rather than later.
    https://abcnews.go.com/International/cop30-delegates-agree-minute-deal-falls-short-expectations/story?id=127785289
    https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/billions/state-summary/US
    (There are no updates from NOAA after 2024 to "align[] with evolving priorities, statutory mandates, and staffing changes".)
  • January MFO Ratings Posted
    Just updated all ratings to MFO Premium site, using Refinitiv data drop through Friday, 21 November 2025. Monthly flow tools updated through October and the daily FLOW tool updated through Friday.
  • The view today (stinky) from 30,000 feet
    Today’s market is up due to the increased chance of rate cut in light of weak labor market. Quite honestly, cutting rate will not promote more hiring and less layoff. Companies are uncertain of future investment due to the tariffs.
    Project 2025 is the radical craziness, not anything from the Dems or Mamdani.
  • Sterling Capital Short Duration Bond and Ultra Short Bond funds reorganized
    https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/889284/000139834425021176/fp0096359-1_497.htm
    497 1 fp0096359-1_497.htm
    November 21, 2025
    STERLING CAPITAL FUNDS
    STERLING CAPITAL SHORT DURATION BOND FUND
    STERLING CAPITAL ULTRA SHORT BOND FUND
    SUPPLEMENT DATED NOVEMBER 21, 2025
    TO EACH OF THE
    CLASS A AND CLASS C SHARES PROSPECTUS, INSTITUTIONAL AND CLASS R6 SHARES
    PROSPECTUS, SUMMARY PROSPECTUSES AnD STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
    each DATED FEBRUARY 1, 2025, AS MAY BE supplemented FROM TIME TO TIME
    At a meeting held on November 19, 2025, the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of Sterling Capital Funds (the “Trust”), after careful consideration and upon the recommendation of Sterling Capital Management LLC, the investment adviser to the Trust (the “Adviser”), approved the conversion (the “Reorganization”) of each of the Sterling Capital Short Duration Bond Fund and Sterling Capital Ultra Short Bond Fund (each a “Mutual Fund,” and collectively, the “Mutual Funds”) into the Sterling Capital Short Duration Bond ETF and Sterling Capital Ultra Short Bond ETF, respectively (each a “Survivor Fund,” and collectively, the “Survivor Funds”), which are new series of the Trust that will operate as exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). Each Reorganization is expected to occur by 9:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time on or about March 30, 2026 (the “Closing Date”). The Survivor Funds will not commence operations before the completion of the Reorganizations and do not have existing shareholders. Shareholders of the Mutual Funds are not required to approve the Reorganizations, and shareholders will not be asked to vote on the Reorganizations.
    The Board, including all of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) of the Mutual Funds, determined that participation in the Reorganization is in the best interests of each Fund and its shareholders and that the interests of shareholders of the Mutual Funds will not be diluted as a result of the Reorganizations. Each Survivor Fund will have the same investment objective and substantially similar principal investment strategies as those of its corresponding Mutual Fund, and the investment adviser and portfolio management team for each Survivor Fund are expected to be the same as those of the corresponding Mutual Fund. The total annual fund operating expenses of each Survivor Fund are expected to be the same or lower than those of each class of the corresponding Mutual Fund.
    Each Reorganization is expected to be a tax-free reorganization for federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, no gain or loss is expected to be recognized by the Mutual Funds or Survivor Funds as a direct result of the Reorganizations. However, Mutual Fund shareholders may recognize a gain or loss upon receipt of cash in redemption of fractional shares of the Mutual Funds, which will occur prior to the Closing Date. In addition, shareholders whose Mutual Fund shares are not held in a brokerage account, or are held through a brokerage account that cannot accept shares of the Survivor Funds on the Closing Date, may recognize a gain or loss if their Mutual Fund shares are either liquidated or redeemed for cash, or transferred by their fiduciary intermediary to a different investment option.
    At the Closing Date, Mutual Fund shareholders will receive shares of the corresponding Survivor Fund with an aggregate net asset value (“NAV”) equal to the NAV of the Mutual Fund shares they held immediately prior to the Reorganization. After distributing these shares, each Mutual Fund will cease operations and terminate as a series of the Trust. Shareholders may redeem their Mutual Fund shares at any time prior to the Closing Date, as set forth in the Mutual Funds’ prospectuses. However, no redemptions will be permitted after March 26, 2026. Such redemptions may be taxable transactions.
    Completion of each Reorganization is subject to a number of conditions. Shareholders of each Mutual Fund will be mailed mid-February 2026, a prospectus/information statement describing in detail the Reorganization, the corresponding Survivor Fund, and a summary of the Board’s considerations in approving the Reorganization. Before the Closing Date, each class of shares of a Mutual Fund, other than Institutional Class Shares, will be consolidated into Institutional Class Shares (the “Share Class Consolidation”). The Share Class Consolidation will be effected on the basis of the relative NAVs of the relevant classes, without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge. The Share Class Consolidation is intended to move shareholders into a single share class of the Survivor Fund that most closely resembles the corresponding Mutual Fund’s Institutional Class Shares.
    After the Share Class Consolidation, any fractional shares held by shareholders will be redeemed, and the Mutual Funds will distribute the redemption proceeds attributable to the redemption of fractional shares to those shareholders. The distribution of redemption proceeds to shareholders may be a taxable event and shareholders are encouraged to consult their tax advisors to determine the effect of any such redemption.
    In order to receive shares of a Survivor Fund as part of the Reorganization, Mutual Fund shareholders must hold their shares of through a brokerage account that can accept shares of an ETF. If shareholders do not hold their shares of a Mutual Fund through that type of brokerage account, their Mutual Fund shares will be liquidated or redeemed for cash with the proceeds sent to the shareholder if not moved to an appropriate brokerage account. For shareholders that do not currently hold their shares of a Mutual Fund through a brokerage account that can hold shares of an ETF, information will be provided regarding additional actions that those shareholders must take in order to receive shares of an ETF as part of the Reorganization. No further action is required for shareholders that hold shares of a Mutual Fund through a brokerage account that can hold shares of an ETF.
    Because the Survivor Funds are ETFs, their shares trade differently than Mutual Fund shares. Unlike the Mutual Funds, individual shares of the Survivor Funds are not purchased or redeemed directly with the Survivor Funds at NAV. Rather, shareholders will buy and sell shares of the Survivor Funds only in secondary market transactions on a stock exchange. Shares will trade at market prices, which may be greater than, equal to, or less than NAV. In addition, unlike shares of the Mutual Funds, which can only be purchased or redeemed at the next determined NAV, Survivor Fund shares can be purchased and sold throughout the trading day like shares of publicly traded companies, which gives shareholders the flexibility to enter into or exit out of their investment.
    PLEASE RETAIN THIS SUPPLEMENT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
  • This Day in Markets History
    From Markets A.M. newsletter by Spencer Jakab.
    On this day in 1985, the S&P 500 closed above 200 for the first time, finishing the day at 201.41.
    It had taken the index more than 17 years to double.
  • SEC approves Dimensional Fund Advisors launch of ETF share class for 13 mutual funds
    I did not find "authoritative" information via the DFA website or elsewhere.
    PDFs from two financial services firms did include the following statement.
    "Unlike traditional fund managers where advisers can place business immediately,
    advisers must complete rigorous training at their own expense before they can recommend
    Dimensional funds to their clients. DFA want to be satisfied the adviser’s knowledge,
    understanding, and business processes share an affinity with their own.
    In addition, advisers are encouraged to follow a program of continual education and improvement."
    https://www.aesinternational.com/hubfs/All%20About%20You%20-%20Wealth/Post%20Discovery/Why%20Use%20DFA.pdf
    https://1435699331.rsc.cdn77.org/operations/2020/Dimensional%20Ethos%20v.2.0.pdf
  • Gina Raimondo on Trump tariffs
    The TACO trade has reversed direction on selected food items from Brazil on coffee, coca, and beef, as the outcry on high food cost. Realistically, he only cares that his approval rating is falling to all time low.
    Donald Trump on Thursday removed his 40% tariffs on Brazilian food products, including beef, coffee, cocoa and fruits that were imposed in July to punish Brazil over the prosecution of its former president, Trump ally Jair Bolsonaro.
    The move follows a similar order by the administration last Friday to remove tariffs on several agricultural products from other countries as the White House makes a U-turn on some tariffs that have increased the cost of food in the United States.
    https://reuters.com/world/us/trump-signs-order-remove-tariffs-some-brazilian-agricultural-imports-2025-11-20/
    On the front with China, he has little leverage as shown the negations are postponed to later and later dates. When China imposes licensing on the buyers, they have complete control on who and how much rare earth metals they will sell them too. Investment on domestic mines today is too late to catch up for producing the quantities needed today.
  • Sentiment & market Indicators, 11/19/25
    @hank: ...Economies have a mind of their own...End of rant.
    A very pragmatic rant, if indeed it was a rant.
    Even though I detest the orange buffoon and his unqualified knee-scraping appointees, I agree there is no obvious connection between his corrupt/inane actions and the current market (just like Biden's senility had nothing to do with the market's exuberance during 2023/2024), but I don't agree that his administration hasn't affected the economy. DOGE? Tariffs? The Big Stupid Bill (otherwise known as Project 2025)? ACA dismissal?
    We are due for a significant correction regarding this "expensive" market, but there is too much extraneous bullshit and insider shenanigans within this unchecked executive branch to ignore how it may affect future market/economy confidence. I'm sure to get some grumbles for this, but egotistical billionaires shouldn't be involved in any government oversight, imho. Thanks for the nonsense, voters!
    (I must admit that last weekend's 60 Minutes episode on obvious gov corruption within this admin really pissed me off. There's a new impeachable offense every damn week)
  • This Day in Markets History
    From Markets A.M. newsletter by Spencer Jakab.
    On this day in 1991, Cascade International, a fashion chain ranked No. 26 on BusinessWeek’s 1990 list
    of “hot growth companies,” said its chairman had disappeared—as had more than 200 stores.
    He had claimed that Cascade had between 255 and 400 outlets.
    In reality, there were fewer than 30.
    They were later sold for a fraction of the chain's peak value.
    Comments: Where did the chairman go? The only thing that seemed to be growing at this company was fraud!
  • Gina Raimondo on Trump tariffs
    Certainly sounds like other nations are finding ways to bypass the U.S. and build new trade routes.
    Hell, ya. The Orange Plan (Project 2025?) is a hill of dandruff.
  • Gina Raimondo on Trump tariffs
    Japan's exports are booming. Making Japan Great Again!
    https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/21/japan-october-exports-massively-beat-estimates-on-robust-growth-in-shipments-to-asia-and-europe-.html
    "Exports to Asia climbed 4.2% and shipments to Western Europe surged 8.8% year on year, helping offset the 2.7% decline to North America as goods shipped to the U.S. fell 3.1%."
    Certainly sounds like other nations are finding ways to bypass the U.S. and build new trade routes.
  • The view today (stinky) from 30,000 feet
    The 25th amendment is interpreted by his ring kissers (cough: Cabinet) as offering zero counter-argument when Dear Leader talks about running for a 3rd term.
  • The view today (stinky) from 30,000 feet
    @crash. Take a look at Charlie Garcia at market watch today and a listen to the recent Thoughtful Money episode with Stephanie Pomboy. Similar theme. I don’t know if the markets can handle chaos and insanity at the top for much longer. The best near term temporary solution would be a 25 amendment. Can we count on professional repugnants to do what is right for the country? Hardly.
  • The view today (stinky) from 30,000 feet
    I see today's drastic moves--- both up and then down---as an instance in the manufactured pattern of excess volatility in the Markets brought on by an Orange regime which is like a child put in charge of constructing a skyscraper. What could possibly go wrong?
    https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/19/stock-market-today-live-updates.html
  • December Rate Cut in Doubt as Fed Fault Lines Deepen, Minutes Show
    Jobs report:
    “These numbers are a snapshot from two months ago and they don’t reflect where we stand now in November.”
    https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/20/jobs-report-september-2025.html