I purchased OSMYX in my retirement account at what was WellsTrade for a fairly low minimum.
Also own ARTJX, which just received some significant capital gains in a taxable account.

Hi @jerry and others,
I don't track a 60/40 but the 50/50 Index mix that I do track has had the following returns. They follow: 2012/9.96% ... 2013/17.31% ... 2014/5.60% ... 2015/0.54% ... 2016/7.04% ... 2017(ytd)/10.87%. The cumulative return for this period is 53.85% with the average being 8.98%.
The reason I use the 50/50 mix is that now in retirement I only move my equity allocation +/- 5% from its neutral position of 50% unless market conditions warrant otherwise. Years back I'd go +/-10% from the neutral position thus a 60/40 mix might be a better allocation for this adjustment range.
My cumulative return on my own portfolio for the above period has been 57.47% with the average being 9.58%. Some will ask ... Has it been worth it to be active? For me, it has been as it has put a good bit of extra cash in my pocket vs. running with a static 50/50 mix. Plus being a student of the market has been rewarding in of that itself.
In addition, I use American Funds' Capital Income Builder (CAIBX), my third largest holding, as my global hybrid fund bogey because of its global allocation and yield. Its cumulative return is 49.55% for the period with the average being 8.26%. My return over the 50/50 mix is about 6% and over CAIBX about 16%. Generally, I have found, higher yielding hybrid funds offer lower returns. And, my portfolio does kick off a good yield and has a global orientation. I also, use the Lipper Balanced Index as another standard.
In looking at a sampling of some of the funds listed in the article the two I looked at GSOFX & USMYX did not have the history necessary for a compairson. However, I did do one against KCMTX listed by Morningstar as a multialternative fund. I found it's cumulative return for the period to be 67.01% with the average being 11.17%. KCMTX is co-run; and, one of its managers Parker Binion has started posting on our board. Parker's handle is @PBKCM in case you did not, and would like to, know. Interestingly, I was asked (in another thread) by another poster as to why I'd be a buyer of this fund? It is pretty simple ... in spite of its expense ratio ... it is putting up some good numbers for a multialternative fund plus it is currently carrying 5 stars by Morningstar. Folks, it cost money to actively engage the markets. It also reminds me of two other funds I invested in early on (but, no longer own) one being Ivy Asset Strategy and the other being Marketfield. They got to the size where they could no longer effectively position in a timely manner with the ever changing market conditions. So, I let them go as their performance waned.
Below is a link to the Morningstar report on Parker's fund.
http://www.morningstar.com/funds/XNAS/KCMTX/quote.html
Notice it is ranked in the top 1% on the rolling 1 year return period ... top 2% on year-to-date returns ... top 2% on the 3 year period ... and, top 1% for the 5 year period.
For me, the big question is ... How did a good skilled seasoned writer such as John Waggoner miss by not including Parker's fund? Perhaps, Mr. Waggoner reads the board? And, will kindly make comment.
And, so it goes.
I wish all ... "Good Investing."

An alternative to 403(b) investing might be found right under the noses of the (K-12) educator who contributes through payroll deductions to fund their very own state pension. State systems often have what are referred to as "voluntary accounts" for their teacher members.
The IRS identifies these accounts as 401(a) accounts (the public sector's equivalent to a private sector's 401(k)). They are contributed to with after tax contributions that have unique features such as being invested in the same manner as the state pension fund.
The one I had access to had no fees and a "10 year smoothing average" was applied to the account once a year based on the last 10 year's performance of the state pension fund. Subsequently the smoothing average method was replaced with year to year returns for the 401(a) voluntary accounts.
At retirement, the "growth" in this account was available to be rolled over to T. IRA and the after tax contributions qualified to be rolled over to an individual Roth IRA according the pre-tax "cost basis" of the account.
Here's a link to the CTRB website describing the 401(a) option for CT members:
How do I initiate an Active Teacher Voluntary Account with CTRB?
Ask your teacher pension administrator if this 401(a) option exists and how you can contribute voluntarily.
Zacks has few articles on the 401(a):
Can-401a-403b-plans be rolled over?
How are 401a-different-401k?

Not an alternative fund, but I've been happy with performance of AUENX in my retirement accounts compared to FDFAX or RYCIX. Unfortunately still has 1 million minimum for taxable accounts.

Appears that many of the AQR funds are more suited to a down or bear market function.
Take care,
Catch

@Catch, or a flat market, or just generally going for the worthy objective of good risk-adjusted return. I've held the long-short and market-neutral equity funds (QLENX and QMNNX, both closed to new investors now) at some level for ~ 2.5y, and for the most part, they've worked on a risk-adjusted return basis. But, I can never predict with any certainty what they're doing and why any given day, week, or month.
Look at those two in calendar 2015 for the best example of what they can do for the portfolio.
Re: AQMIX, I dunno if there's any managed futures strategy I'd ever try out again.
Cheers, AJ
P.S. Not sure about the funds that are still open, but the two I own had low initial minimums at Fido in retirement accounts.

I cannot remember the last time anyone here seriously discussed what used to be the common investment risk parameters. Those are considerations like age, years to retirement (or years in retirement), risk tolerance, additional assets or sources of income, and one’s overall situation. It’s not something you turn “on” or “off” depending on whether you believe in Trump, like the economy, or think equities are going higher or lower. Those basic parameters (actually constraints) have always existed and been important. I can’t tell you we’ll enter a prolonged bear market this year or next. I can, however, assure you there will be another one someday. Acceptance of that reality is the only reason I can think of why risk exposure / asset allocation should be a consideration for most.

Connecting the David Swenson discussion dots:
https://mutualfundobserver.com/discuss/discussion/36708/conversation-with-david-swenson#latest
@MikeM2, using VWINX (VWENX) as a retirement distribution strategy is also another worthy attribute of the fund.

VWINX is the clear winner. Providing 25 years of inflation adjusted 4% annual distributions with a residual value over 89% greater than its beginning value

long-term-growing-income-open-end-mutual-fund-possible

FYI: Kristi Mitchem, CEO of Wells Fargo Asset Management has the research on the strong connection between control of your finances and happiness.
Regards,
Ted
http://wealthtrack.com/retirement-expert-kristi-mitchem-why-financial-planning-makes-millennials-and-boomers-happier/

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1282693/000089418917006085/baird-lrgcap_497e.htm
497 1 baird-lrgcap_497e.htm SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
Rule 497(e)
1940 Act File No. 811-09997
1933 Act Registration No. 333-40128
BAIRD FUNDS, INC.
Supplement to Prospectus dated May 1, 2017
and Summary Prospectus dated May 1, 2017
As Previously Supplemented September 29, 2017
Baird LargeCap Fund
(Investor Class: BHGSX)
(Institutional Class: BHGIX)
The Board of Directors of Baird Funds, Inc. (the “Company”), based upon the recommendation of Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated (“Baird”), the investment adviser to the Baird LargeCap Fund (the “Fund”), has determined to close and liquidate the Fund. The Board has concluded that it would be in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders that the Fund be closed and liquidated as a series of the Company effective as of the close of business on or about December 28, 2017 (the “liquidation date”). As previously announced, Baird and L2 Asset Management, LLC (“L2”), the Fund’s subadviser, have mutually agreed to terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement between Baird and L2 and the Fund was closed to new purchases and incoming exchanges effective after market close on October 4, 2017 (except purchases made by existing accounts of current shareholders of the Fund and purchases made through the automatic reinvestment of Fund distributions).
The Board has approved a Plan of Liquidation (the “Plan”) that determines the manner in which the Fund will be liquidated. Although the Fund is closed to most new purchases, you may continue to redeem your shares of the Fund as provided in the Fund’s Prospectus.
The Fund’s portfolio managers will likely increase the Fund’s assets held in cash and cash equivalents in order to prepare for the orderly liquidation of the Fund. As a result, the Fund is expected to deviate from its stated investment objective, policies and strategies. All remaining assets held by the Fund will be liquidated as of the close of business no later than December 22, 2017. Baird will bear all expenses of the liquidation to the extent such expenses are not part of the Fund’s customary fees and operating expenses.
Pursuant to the Plan, shareholders who have not exchanged or redeemed their shares of the Fund prior to the liquidation date will have their shares redeemed in cash and will receive one or more payments representing the shareholder’s proportionate interest in the net assets of the Fund as of the liquidation date, subject to any required withholdings. Shareholders (other than tax-qualified plans or tax-exempt accounts) will recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on the redemption of their Fund shares in the liquidation. In addition, the Fund and its shareholders will bear the transaction costs and tax consequences associated with the disposition of the Fund’s portfolio holdings prior to the liquidation date. The Fund expects to make a distribution of net capital gains and net investment income, if any, on December 26, 2017, with a final distribution of the proceeds from the liquidation of the Fund to be made promptly following the liquidation date. Shareholders should consult their tax adviser for further information about federal, state and local tax consequences relative to their specific situation.
Important Information for Retirement Plan Investors
If you are a retirement plan investor, you should consult your tax adviser regarding the consequences of redeeming Fund shares. If you hold your Fund shares through a tax-deferred retirement account, you should consult with your tax adviser or account custodian to determine how you may reinvest your redemption proceeds on a tax-deferred basis. If you will receive a distribution from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) IRA that is terminating as a result of the liquidation of the Fund, you must either roll the proceeds into another IRA within 60 days of the date of the distribution in order to avoid having to include the distribution in your taxable income for the year, if applicable, or request the distribution be made directly to another IRA or eligible retirement plan. Please note you can make only one tax-free rollover of a distribution you receive from an IRA to another (or the same) IRA in any 12-month period, regardless of the number of IRAs you own. If you receive a distribution from a 403(b)(7) custodian account (tax-sheltered account) or a Keogh account, you must roll the distribution into an eligible retirement plan within 60 days in order to avoid disqualification of the plan and inclusion of the distribution in your taxable income for the year. If you are the trustee of a qualified retirement plan or the custodian of a 403(b)(7) custodian account (tax-sheltered account) or a Keogh account, you may reinvest the proceeds in any way permitted by its governing instrument.
This Supplement should be retained with your Prospectus for future reference.
The date of this Prospectus Supplement is November 16, 2017.

Not for everyone, but interesting enough to post. Self Directed IRAs once set up properly can invest in many things other than merely just mutual funds, stocks/bonds or ETFs.

It may be surprising, but it is true: No law dictates that retirement plans be invested in stocks, bonds and mutual funds. In fact, the government allows investors to put the money in their I.R.A.’s and Roth I.R.A.’s into almost anything, be it condominiums or airplanes. A growing number of Americans are doing just that, through so-called self-directed I.R.A.’s that steer clear of mainstream investments.

Exotic I.R.A.’s: Leaving Stocks and Bonds Behind
nytimes.com/2007/10/20/business/yourmoney/20money.html?_r=1
Cautions to Consider:
real-estate-in-your-ira-be-careful

FYI: The California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the largest U.S. pension fund, is considering more than doubling its bond allocation to reduce risk and volatility as the stock bull market approaches nine years.
Regards,
Ted
https://www.fa-mag.com/news/calpers-considers-more-than-doubling-bond-allocation-to-44-35690.html?print

Thanks for your comments guys,I expected the too many funds and too low on some questions. Will try and address your comments:
@Art: Over the last ten years, converted quite a bit from traditional ira to roth. 2/3 of my retirement funds are now in the roth. I treat the roth a bit differently than the traditional ira, as it will be the last to be used, and it much more aggressive.
@Pudd: I only started VWINX this year, and because it is $75 each time I want to add to it, I wait until I sell another fund or stock to fund it more. As I stated, I tend to use a barbell approach rather than allocation or balanced funds, but will add to it over time. I use the staples, utilities, and more value and moderate stock funds as ballast to my more aggressive holdings. I have two general hc funds basically because I cant add to PHSZX at Fido, it was bought when I was with ML I sold the amount I had in the traditional ira and bought SHSAX so I could add to it. I used to have a biotech and a pure pharma etf but sold those to invest in IHI and FSPHX. Regarding the reit, I only bought FRIFX on Friday, selling VNQ after 5 years. I wanted to give a managed fund a try in this sector and liked the Fido offering. It is not a spif, I like having reits as a permanenet part of the portfolio. Not expecting rates to rise very fast anyway. I like how FRIFX is a bit more diversified in its components. Ive had MINDX for over 3 years, but probably would not be buying it now but perhaps a more diversified Asian fund. I have enough diversity in my other foreign holdings that I could risk it. I know I have many funds, primarily because I could not bring some of them from ML and had to find a comparable fund. I brought the traditional ira over first, a year later the rest, so in that year, some I could not bring over, and had to sell, and some closed so had to find alternatives.
@MikeM: I was expecting this comment from someone lol. I love small caps, but the reason they are so low is that I have many funds that have small caps in the portfolio and already at 24% small and mid.
Hope I addressed your comments enough, and no Im not sensitive, many times I think I have too many funds myself, but there is somethng I like about each of them that I hold. And each does have a role, maybe someday this will change :)

Hi Slick. Not to be negative but I am a proponent of lean and simple. Hell, I believe a Retirement fund from TRP would do just fine, but what fun is that.
Way to may funds for my taste and many at such low percentage - what's the point? . I think Pud mentioned why have 2 HC funds. You actually have 4 as I see it. When you have so many sector funds, that doesn't seem like trying to weight the portfolio in a specific direction, but more like a collection of "one of these funds has to do well, right?". Anyway, not my thing, but some good funds in your collection.
Hope I'm not being to critical. I enjoy your contributions.

Just put some "rewards cash" into FMIJX. Weird that credit cards now throw off rewards for investment. Adjusted my retirement (403B/401A) deposits to go to VHCAX & VWENX rather than a target date fund and encouraged the other money to go towards international.

@jlev, there are others here who would disagree and you can see it some of the portfolios but my rule of thumb has always been that I don't want more than 10% in a single fund and prefer to keep a fund family below 20%.
I'd also point out, however, that I would differentiate between Grandeur Peak and a lot of the fund families I own compared to a Fidelity or T Rowe Price and I'd also differentiate between an active fund and a passive one.
In the same vein I have multiple bank accounts and taxable brokerage accounts, not because I want to make sure everything is insured but because if anything ever goes wrong I don't want to lose access to everything for however long it takes the insurance to get worked out. I'm sure I'm overly conservative but there was a time in the early '90s when I worked on teams that shut some of the savings & loans down, I saw their customers and it affected me. I'm much less concerned about retirement accounts because there's no time sensitivity for me yet and I only make sure I don't exceed any insurance limits.

Hi Skeeter!
Thanks for the x-ray. The 40% stocks will rise as money is added. As for the PE of 19.1.....no, I'm surprised it's so high. I have been buying things with low PE which is why overseas has grown so quickly. It is something I look at when buying or adding. As to how I monitor the portfolio, Fidelity has screens to do this. Think of it as a lower class of Morningstar. Also use Yahoo. There are no caps on a position. I try to move where there is value. But saying that, no more will the S&P index be 30% of my portfolio.....nor healthcare, as it once was. I'm less of a gunslinger now.....after all, I'm retired. This portfolio is just my IRA, taxable money is in CDs with Ally and MDISX. Mrs. Pudd's 401 is in TSP (Thrift Savings Plan). We will roll that into an IRA upon her retirement. Where I am positioning looking for value.....I will say most new money will go overseas right now. What would I share? How hard it is to wait for value (i.e., pullback or, better yet, a correction!) to add new money in a market that has parts overvalued, I believe. Returns? I want more than 4% for sure. I did do a primitive back test, but I'm not sure I remember the number, so I won't say.
Hi Derf!
Yeah, it's hard. Value is driving where I'm adding so it's mostly overseas. PARWX was still reasonable at about PE 15 a while back. I started in 7-12-17 with over 50% cash, so it's a journey. Right now, I'm pausing to get some coverage on my buys before adding again.....where is a correction when you want one? lol......
MikeM,
I see what you're saying. But, as I'm adding, things are getting skewed because of where value is. I will say this: the funds that have "done" next to them are core: VWINX, PONDX, FSPHX. These following funds are a core wrap around.....they would have to stumble badly to be sold: PRBLX, PARWX, GIBLX, FMIJX, GLFOX.
Art,
Yeah, you're right. Small caps were sold after the Trump Bump as they then started to deteriorate. In January, I thought them overpriced and still do, as with other parts of the market. As far as real estate, that fund is not typical in its holdings. That's why I like it....but that's just me.
God bless
the Pudd

There's some ambiguity in the question. Does owning a fund for 10-15 years mean only that one doesn't make changes, or does it also imply that one is investing with the intent to draw from the fund after 10-15 years?
jlev seems to take the former view - starting at age 31, the portfolio could still have many years to go past the 15 year target before getting tapped. In that case, a more aggressive, pure equity fund would be a reasonable choice. No disagreement on that broad perspective.
Ted is hooked on growth funds (we've had this exchange before). Value and growth tend to take turns leading, but the alternations can be glacial. Personally, I wouldn't bet the farm on growth over the next fifteen years considering the long run that growth has already had. So in that sense I'd disagree with GPMCX.
Note that even existing shareholders can't buy much of GPMCX. From the prospectus:
"Fund is closed to both new and existing investors seeking to purchase shares of the Fund either directly or through third party intermediaries, subject to certain exceptions for participants in certain qualified retirement plans with an existing position in the Fund and direct shareholders with existing accounts who may purchase up to the amount of the current IRA catch up limit per year in additional shares, regardless of account type."

Hi @Old_Skeet
This is a broad based link for the fund you noted at Schwab. Not sure, of course; if this is what you mentioned for an investor link.
https://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/investing/investment_help/investment_research/mutual_fund_research/mutual_funds.html?path=/Prospect/Research/MutualFunds/Summary.asp?symbol=KCMTX
Also, the minimum of $100 you noted is for the R-1 share class. This class is not likely available to you with new money; as this class is designed for offering inside of employer retirement accounts.
This link is for the fund info from Kerns web site.
http://kernscapital.com/kcm-macro-trends-fund/
Please correct me if I have misstated.
My 2 cents.
And away I must be.....
Catch

My interest in posting this thread:
At some point in life one may have to make a decision to simplify their investments for the benefit of lovingly clueless relatives.
Even Warren Buffet has had to face this question:

Buffett describes advice he has left in his will as to how the trustee should invest money Buffett is leaving for his wife. Here’s Buffett’s advice:
“My advice to the trustee could not be more simple: Put 10 percent of the cash in short-term government bonds and 90 percent in a very low-cost S&P 500 index fund. (I suggest Vanguard’s.)”

the-warren-buffett-guide-to-retirement-investing

If I could only hold 1fund, it would be a fund I don't own today, a TRP Target Date Retirement fund. If it is one fund to hold for 10-15 years in a portfolio of funds - PRWCX.