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It's impressive in a way how Franklin has pulled access to TGBAX from DIYers. Scottrade shows this share class as available (albeit at a $50K min), but when I asked them about this, the response was that it's available, but only if you work with an advisor. I don't know of other places even showing it to be available for purchase.
GIM - a clone - is trading at a high premium to NAV (almost 10%), which effectively makes this a load fund, at least for now.
TPINX - I can get these shares without the load (though with a bit of a hassle), but its expenses are 40% higher than TGBAX's (mostly due to a 12b-1 fee).
An excellent and unique fund; the pricing while reasonable for its category is still disappointing.
USAA brokerage offers the advisor shares (TGBAX) with an initial transaction fee(max $75), but no load. I believe the minimum initial contribution is $25K. I am able to do automatic periodic contributions with no additional TF. This is also true for automatic periodic redemptions which I won't take for some time.
I consider this fund a long term hold and I try to add to it with periodic profits from other funds. TGBAX recent gains have come after an extended dip in 2011.
i have been watching and buying GIM for the last couple of years every time there is a sell off and premium is under 3% (once even at a discout!). this happens at the time of market panic and general sell off of risk assets when all prices drop more than NAVs. this year i did gulp and paid a 6% premium for a lot -- i needed more allocation and the timing had to do with $$ available in a Roth. GIM's posted distribution rate of 5.41% is a bit misleading. They keep the distribution low, and then send the rest of income to investors each December. its trailing 12 mo yield is around 8.8%.
Thanks, but it looks like USAA brokerage requires membership, and I don't see myself being eligible. (They say that USAA investment products, most checking and savings products, credit cards, life insurance, and shopping discounts are available to the general public, but a brokerage account seems to be a service and not a product like a USAA mutual fund.)
Good to know that some people still have access - sounds like a great deal.
Thanks. I sent them a note - they say that it is still available and open. Will consider them ($10 mutual fund trades if not NTF, which one can't complain about).
Comments
GIM - a clone - is trading at a high premium to NAV (almost 10%), which effectively makes this a load fund, at least for now.
TPINX - I can get these shares without the load (though with a bit of a hassle), but its expenses are 40% higher than TGBAX's (mostly due to a 12b-1 fee).
An excellent and unique fund; the pricing while reasonable for its category is still disappointing.
USAA brokerage offers the advisor shares (TGBAX) with an initial transaction fee(max $75), but no load. I believe the minimum initial contribution is $25K. I am able to do automatic periodic contributions with no additional TF. This is also true for automatic periodic redemptions which I won't take for some time.
I consider this fund a long term hold and I try to add to it with periodic profits from other funds. TGBAX recent gains have come after an extended dip in 2011.
Thanks, but it looks like USAA brokerage requires membership, and I don't see myself being eligible. (They say that USAA investment products, most checking and savings products, credit cards, life insurance, and shopping discounts are available to the general public, but a brokerage account seems to be a service and not a product like a USAA mutual fund.)
Good to know that some people still have access - sounds like a great deal.
It was available there a couple of moths ago.
Thanks. I sent them a note - they say that it is still available and open. Will consider them ($10 mutual fund trades if not NTF, which one can't complain about).