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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.
  • Minimizing Tesla exposure
    Ty for the comments
    No choice but hold til 2035 retirement now
    Added more TNA TQQQ tsla today
    Slashed down heavily today
    Both leaped call
    Not sure if fake news
    Buffett sold BYD last month and they say loaded Tsla last wk
    Tsla
    Apple
    Growth stocks forward P/E extremely low
    Tsla vixx Prob 40 w RSI NEG 5 lol
    No big whales adding now
    Could be bloody new yr
  • Secure Act 2.0, Roth's, RMD's, 529 to Roth conversions, employer plans, etc.....changes
    I found this on LTCI premiums from tax-deferred plans from KPMG summary. However, meaning of "high-quality" LTC plan isn't clear, so we have to wait for clarification.
    Section 334, Long-term care contracts purchased with retirement plan distributions. Section 334 permits retirement plans to distribute up to $2,500 per year for the payment of premiums for certain specified long term care insurance contracts. Distributions from plans to pay such premiums are exempt from the additional 10 percent tax on early distributions. Only a policy that provides for high quality coverage is eligible for early distribution and waiver of the 10 percent tax. Section 334 is effective 3 years after date of enactment of this Act.
    https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/us/pdf/2022/12/tnf-secure-act-section-by-section-dec20-2022.pdf
  • Secure Act 2.0, Roth's, RMD's, 529 to Roth conversions, employer plans, etc.....changes
    Here's KPMG's description of every section of Secure Act 2.0 that made it into the omnibus bill (19 pages).
    https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/us/pdf/2022/12/tnf-secure-act-section-by-section-dec20-2022.pdf
    Full text of bill: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/JRQ121922.PDF
    Since Forbes offered opinions about some of the sections, I'll try to explain Kiplinger's observation that "other [supporters of the legislation] have expressed concern that some provisions in the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 primarily benefit high-income earners."
    https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/bipartisan-retirement-savings-package-in-massive-budget-bill
    Section 107: raising retirement age. This is a tax break for high earners; Forbes notes: "This provision mostly impacts people with wealth who don’t need their RMD and can leave the money to grow."
    It might have made more sense to treat IRAs and 401(k)s the same - don't require RMDs so long as you are working. Otherwise, you are retired and thus should be drawing from retirement accounts.
    Wonder why increasing the age to 75 won't happen for a decade? It's because these laws only have to look ten years out when considering budget impact. This change in RMD age is said to be the most costly provision of the SECURE Act, but most of that cost escapes scrutiny. Accounting gimmick. (See also JCT analysis of SECURE 2.0 Act.)
    Sections 108, 109: increasing catch up amounts. According to a current Vanguard study, only 2%-3% of those earning under $100K max out even with the limits already in place. 37% of those earning over $100K max out.
    Section 202: raising QLAC limits. Currently $145K (inflation indexed) up to 25% of account balance, will be raised to $200K (inflation indexed), with no percentage cap. QLACs are basically insurance policies against living "too long". There is a strong correlation between income and longevity.
    Section 325: No more RMD for Roth 401(k)s. This section comes under Title III - Simplification and Clarification of Retirement Plan Rules. There's a lot of good cleanup in this Title. Section 325 makes the RMD treatment of Roth 401(k)s and Roth IRAs the same. Complete simplification would have made the treatment of RMDs the same for everything - Roths and Traditionals, employer plans and IRAs.
    Being able to leave more money in tax-sheltered accounts mostly benefits those who do not need to take money from those accounts. So while this section doesn't add benefits for the better off, it doesn't address this disparity of benefits either.
    Sections 603 and 604 come under Title VI - revenue provisions. They are more accounting gimmicks to make it look like tax revenue is being increased. By moving some contributions (high wage earner catch ups and some employer matches) from traditional to Roth, these provisions increase immediate revenue while moving the costs largely outside the 10 year budget window. At best, the present value of those costs is break even; more likely these changes are revenue losers.
    Analysis of earlier but similar Senate Bill (EARN):
    https://www.crfb.org/blogs/senate-retirement-bill-would-cost-84-billion-without-gimmicks
    Section 603: High earner catch up provisions must be Roth. Since this doesn't affect anyone earning $145K (inflation adjusted) or more and rhus constitutes a new restriction on high earners, simple logic says this is not a change that benefits high earners. But it's not the onerous provision that Forbes suggests. Effectively it is a forced Roth conversion.
    Higher wage earners rejoiced when they were finally permitted to do Roth conversions starting in 2010. While those conversions were not forced, converting some savings was generally regarded as a positive. Especially since pre-paying taxes enables one to enhance the post-tax value of tax-sheltered accounts.
    https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2010/jan/20091743.html
    This legislation has much to commend it, including changes that encourage participation and make it easier to participate. Though in terms of dollars and cents, it is skewed toward those who are already contributing and can afford to contribute more.
  • Miller Opportunity Trust to change name and manager change
    When it launched, we referred to it as "Mr. Miller's retirement present from Legg Mason."
    He's collecting a 0.77% management fee on $1.1 billion in a fund that - per Morningstar - is in the 100th percentile for the past week.
    Month.
    Quarterly.
    Year.
    Three years.
    Five years.
    Fifteen years.
    - - - - -
    The key is the "alpha or omega" performance that Mark alludes to. The fund trails only 84% of its peers over the past decade buoyed by top tier performance in five of those years and anchored by three dead last years.
  • How Worried Should New Retirees Be About Market Losses and High Inflation?
    Several inflationary scenarios were discussed:
    Sequence-of-Returns Risk, Explained
    What is sequence-of-returns risk? It’s the risk of running out of money in retirement because of losses in the early retirement years. Early losses increase the probability of portfolio exhaustion for two reasons. First, they forestall the stock and bond gains needed to maintain and enlarge retirement funds over time. Second, they can force retirees to sell assets to support their spending at inopportune times—when stocks and bonds boast more-attractive expected returns.
    High inflation has accentuated that risk in 2022, as many retirees naturally increase their spending as consumer prices escalate. While this inflation adjustment helps retirees maintain their standards of living, it further ratchets up the pressure on retirement funds and permanently elevates the base spending amount to which future inflation adjustments will be made. After all, today’s currently torrid inflation rate may moderate, but consumer prices are unlikely to go back to previous levels.
    https://morningstar.com/articles/1129750/how-worried-should-new-retirees-be-about-market-losses-and-high-inflation
  • Miller Opportunity Trust to change name and manager change
    retirement? He's been around since forever. It seems to me he lost his mojo or juju, years back.
  • Franklin International Small Cap Fund to liquidate
    https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1124459/000174177322004196/c497.htm
    497 1 c497.htm FGT3 P1 121522
    FGT3 P1 12/22
    SUPPLEMENT DATED DECEMBER 15, 2022
    TO THE PROSPECTUS DATED DECEMBER 1, 2022
    OF FRANKLIN INTERNATIONAL SMALL CAP FUND
    (a series of Franklin Global Trust)
    The prospectus is amended as follows:
    The following paragraphs are added to the beginning of the “Fund Summaries – Franklin International Small Cap Fund” and “Fund Details – Franklin International Small Cap Fund” sections of the prospectus:
    On December 14, 2022, the Board of Trustees of Franklin Global Trust, on behalf of Franklin International Small Cap Fund (the “Fund”), approved a proposal to liquidate and dissolve the Fund. The liquidation is anticipated to occur on or about February 22, 2023 (Liquidation Date); however, the liquidation may occur sooner if at any time before the Liquidation Date there are no shares outstanding in the Fund. The liquidation may also be delayed if unforeseen circumstances arise.
    At the close of market on January 17, 2023, the Fund will be closed to new investors, except as noted below. Existing investors who had an open and funded account on January 17, 2023 can continue to invest in the Fund through exchanges and additional purchases after such date. The following categories of investors may continue to open new accounts in the Fund after the close of market on January 17, 2023: (1) clients of discretionary investment allocation programs where such programs had investments in the Fund prior to the close of market on January 17, 2023, and (2) Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans or benefit plans and their participants where the Fund was available to participants prior to the close of market on January 17, 2023. The Fund will not accept any additional purchases after the close of market on or about February 17, 2023. The Fund reserves the right to change this policy at any time.
    Shareholders of the Fund on the Liquidation Date will have their accounts liquidated and the proceeds will be delivered to them. For those shareholders with taxable accounts and for Federal, state and local income tax purposes: (a) any liquidation proceeds paid to such shareholder should generally be treated as received by such shareholder in exchange for the shareholder’s shares and the shareholder will therefore generally recognize a taxable gain or loss; (b) in connection with the liquidation, the Fund may declare taxable distributions of its income and/or capital gain; and (c) an exchange out of the Fund prior to the Liquidation Date may be considered a taxable transaction and such shareholders may recognize a gain or loss. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers regarding the effect of the Fund’s liquidation in light of their individual circumstances. Participants in an Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan that is a Fund shareholder should consult with their plan sponsor for further information regarding the impact of the liquidation. In considering new purchases or exchanges, shareholders may want to consult with their financial advisors to consider their investment options.
    Please keep this supplement with your Prospectus for future reference.
  • tax loss selling question
    I (think) you're out of luck on that issue, although I could be wrong.
    Try this link, @Old_Joe https://www.investopedia.com/articles/retirement/05/012505.asp
  • Secure Act 2.0, Roth's, RMD's, 529 to Roth conversions, employer plans, etc.....changes
    There are several parts of the Secure Act 2.0 that improve the current situation on retirement saving.
    One is to ensure workers to have access to some form of retirement saving. Many people who work for small business (full time or not) do not have 401(K) plans. Today small business owners do not offer retirement plan to their employees since they bear the cost to a plan administrator such as Fidelity, BlackRock, and others. Outside of 401(k), the $ amount allows in traditional IRA is no where near that amount allow in 401(k).
    Nearly half of working-age Americans—57 million people—don’t have access to an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan, according to new AARP research. Workplace plans are by far the easiest, cheapest way to save for retirement, and many Americans who can’t save at work aren’t saving at all.
    And there are more that I will add to this as I read further.
  • Secure Act 2.0, Roth's, RMD's, 529 to Roth conversions, employer plans, etc.....changes
    Retirement. People unprepared. NO ONE who is an ordinary working stiff can put away enough money to retire on. The traditional pension has disappeared. And it's not the working stiff's fault.
  • Morningstar Inches Closer to 4% with 3.8% Safe Withdrawal Rate
    For me, the change in the rate more so than the actual percentage from this study instils the fact it does matter where in the market cycle you start your retirement.
    https://401kspecialistmag.com/morningstar-inches-closer-to-4-with-3-8-safe-withdrawal-rate/
    Morningstar has risen its safe withdrawal rate to 3.8%, a stark increase from last year’s 3.3%, according to its latest annual model.
    As in their 2021 study, Morningstar analyzed rates using a conservative base portfolio of 50% stock/50% bonds for new retirees with a 30-year retirement horizon and a 90% probability of success, finding that as stocks and bonds improve next year, so will the safe withdrawal rate.

  • abrdn Emerging Markets Debt Fund to be liquidated
    https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1413594/000110465922126922/a22-31651_7497.htm
    abrdn Funds
    (the “Trust”)
    abrdn Emerging Markets Debt Fund
    (the “Fund”)
    Supplement dated December 14, 2022 to the Summary Prospectus, Prospectus and
    Statement of Additional Information dated February 28, 2022, as supplemented to date
    On December 14, 2022, the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Trust approved a Plan of Liquidation for the Fund pursuant to which the Fund will be liquidated (the “Liquidation”) on or about February 16, 2023 (the “Liquidation Date”). Shareholder approval of the Liquidation is not required.
    Suspension of Sales. Effective after market close on December 16, 2022, shares of the Fund will no longer be available for purchase by investors with the exception of: (1) existing shareholders (including shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions); (2) employer sponsored retirement plans; or (3) fee-based programs sponsored by financial intermediaries that have selected the Fund prior to market close on December 16, 2022. Any applicable contingent deferred sales charges will be waived on redemptions and exchanges out of the Fund following the close of business on December 16, 2022. Effective after market close on January 31, 2023, the Fund will be closed to all investments except shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
    Liquidation of Assets. The Fund will depart from its stated investment objective and policies on or around December 14, 2022 as it liquidates holdings in preparation for the distribution of assets to investors. During this time, the Fund may hold more cash, cash equivalents or other short-term investments than normal, which may prevent the Fund from meeting its stated investment objective. On the Liquidation Date, the Fund will liquidate and distribute pro rata to the shareholders of record as of the close of business on the Liquidation Date such shareholders’ proportionate interest in all of the remaining assets of the Fund in complete cancellation and redemption of all the outstanding shares of the Fund. See “IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR QUALIFIED ACCOUNT HOLDERS” below if you are a qualified account holder. Contingent deferred sales charges will be waived in connection with any redemptions prior to the Liquidation Date. The Fund’s investment adviser, abrdn Inc., will bear all expenses of the Liquidation to the extent such expenses are not part of the Fund’s normal and customary fees and operating expenses; however, the Fund and its shareholders will bear transaction costs and tax consequences associated with turnover of the Fund’s portfolio in anticipation of the Liquidation.
    Alternatives. At any time prior to the Liquidation Date, the Fund’s shareholders may redeem all or a portion of their shares or exchange their Fund shares for shares in the corresponding class of another series of the Trust pursuant to procedures set forth in the Trust’s Prospectus. If you wish to exchange your shares of the Fund into another series of the Trust, or would like to request additional copies of the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information for the Trust, please call abrdn Funds Shareholder Services at 866-667-9231.
    Holders through Financial Intermediaries. If you are invested in the Fund through a financial intermediary, please contact that financial intermediary if you have any questions. If you are invested in a tax qualified account, please see important additional information below.
    Income Tax Matters. The liquidation of the Fund, like any redemption of Fund shares, will constitute a sale upon which a gain or loss may be recognized for state and federal income tax purposes, depending on the type of account and the adjusted cost basis of the investor’s shares. Please contact your tax advisor to discuss the tax consequences to you of the Liquidation...
  • How are you positioned going into 23'?
    retirement is great. i can attest!!! Congratulations.
  • How are you positioned going into 23'?
    Don't forget about major recessions, jobs loss, unstable banking systems due Feds potential over corrections, lots folks won't be able to pay for houses and cars along w job loss (triple whammy).... I think Ukraine Russian issues are priced in unless nuclear arsenals are used. Oil Xle would be worst asset to hold going forward next 12 18 months due to high rates. US dollars, Ust be very careful, it's too high now w high RSI ( except ust 10 yrs or 20yrs extremely cheap).
    We are still young and don't know how to time market well. Could be stagnation for 12 24 months (look at high rates high inflation, high unemployment environments in 1990s downturns stagnation conditions for quite a long time).
    We Keep buying stocks while cheap hope hold for 15 20 yrs til retirement hopeful 3x by then 2035. Been dca into growth, techs stocks, emergent markets, US Sp500, and 401k still at 90/10 distributions.
    Unless near retirement would be in lots Corp Bonds ust cash cd and less riskier assets, maybe 40% stocks. Friend 70 yo has 70% stocks unclear why but that her monies. Mama retired portfolios 70s% fixed asset and safe vehicles, she loss about 17% last 12 months but made some back. Biggest holders: Fidelity 2015 tdf, fbnd, and lots Corp bonds
    Happy holidays
  • The $42 Billion Question: Why Aren’t Americans Ditching Big Banks?
    Same here. Some of you may recall that some months ago I had reached my limit of tolerance at the treatment received at JP Morgan Chase. The problem was that four retirement deposits are made each month to the Chase account. Getting government entities to change the deposits to another bank would have been an exercise in total frustration, and I'll bet that even God couldn't predict how that would all work out.
    I was able to effectively withdraw from dealing with Chase by having First Republic, another bank, generate two automatic scheduled monthly withdrawal transfers from Chase to First Republic, for an amount equal to the monthly retirement deposits. Now we deal only with First Republic, allowing Chase (who has a large branch one short block away from us) to retain only a few thousand dollar residual amount.
    First Republic has a branch two blocks away, and walking the extra block is well worth while. They have also electronically linked us with our Schwab Bank account, allowing instant and easy transfers to our Schwab Brokerage account. All done via the internet, with no problems. The Schwab Bank/Brokerage also happens to be just a block away, so if any problems with transfers should occur, there are actual human beings very close to us to work with.
    Screw JP Morgan Chase.
  • Protect Your Income With Preferred Stocks
    Protect Your Income With Preferred Stocks https://seekingalpha.com/article/4561795-protect-your-income-with-preferred-stocks?source=Messenger
    ****Your retirement should not depend on the emotions of the markets.
    Preferred securities provide additional reliability to your income.
    Two discounted preferreds with up to 8.3% qualified dividends****
    AEL.PB, HT
    Could be two vehicles to add for long term preferred good stock list
    Some good discussions about investing ideas at discussion section
    We also held $PFF since 2014
    Have/exposed $schd last 4 5 months
  • Hotmail emails archive to computer hard drive.
    Maybe this thread over at retire-early might ease your mind. Everyone, or many, with older hotmail accounts started getting spammed like crazy several weeks ago. I set my hotmail account to block all incoming email except email from my brother-in-law. I would have deleted the account if I felt he wouldn't be frustrated by it. They seem to be just random junk/spam and don't seem to be tailored to an individual. It's like many hotmail accounts receive the same spam hoping a few will act on it.
    Sudden Flood of Spam emails
  • Crypto investing coming to your 401(K) account
    With all due respect to Elizabeth Warren, Dick Durbin and Tina Smith, IMHO cryptocurrency is no more unsuitable today for employer-sponsored plans than it was a month ago. Their current letter is more or less a followup to a similar but more extensive letter sent by Senators Warren and Smith in May. That in turn came after DOL issued guidance on cryptocurrency in 401(k) plans in March, emphasizing its risks.
    Fidelity isn’t the first company to give 401(k) participants access to cryptocurrency assets. Another industry provider, ForUsAll Inc., has linked workers with cryptocurrency exchanges through brokerage windows for several years. Fidelity takes a different approach with its Digital Asset Accounts product, which doesn’t rely on outside exchanges or brokerage windows.
    Employee Benefit Plan Review, October 2022, Volume 76, Number 8, pages 16-19. CCH Incorporated.
    (Published before FTX's collapse)
    The genie has been out of the bottle since brokerage windows were allowed. Fidelity just provided another route to the same investments. That's not to say that plan sponsors have no responsibility for how those windows are used. The DOL guidance hints at that. Quoting again from CCH:
    DOL provides a clear and definite warning to plan fiduciaries:
    The plan fiduciaries responsible for overseeing such investment options or allowing such investments through brokerage windows should expect to be questioned about how they can square their actions with their duties of prudence and loyalty in light of the risks described above.
    While the focus of this guidance is on 401(k) plans, the DOL’s warnings also extend to plans and plan fiduciaries responsible for allowing cryptocurrency investments through self-directed brokerage windows.
    One way of addressing this is to set limits. As stated in the OP, Fidelity sets a 20% limit. So the 20% Bitcoin decline in value lamented in the senators' letter would have resulted in a 4% or less decline in a participant's plan value. Significant but not catastrophic. And ForUSAll sets an even tighter limit, just 5%.
    Finally, note that while some senators are advocating caution, others welcome wild west investing in retirement accounts.
    Update: A Partisan Divide

    The Department of Labor's cryptocurrency guidance has provoked contrasting responses on Capital [sic] Hill.

    On May 5, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. introduced legislation that would prohibit the DOL from limiting the kinds of products workplace retirement savers can invest in through self-directed brokerage accounts.
    A day earlier, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., criticized Fidelity Investments for its decision to launch a new 401(k) cryptocurrency product, in a May 4 letter to Fidelity CEO Abigail Johnson.
    https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/benefits/pages/dol-guidance-could-crimp-401k-brokerage-windows.aspx (Limit 3 free articles per month)
  • Buy Sell Why: ad infinitum.
    Over the last few weeks I added a sizable position of PKSAX in my retirement account. From my screens it is one of the few equity funds that held up very well in both bear markets of March 2020 and the current one. Long term performance is also quite good. It is only available in my retirement account….closed at Schwab and other fund supermarkets. I also added NXPI, TXN, and V over the last month.
  • Crypto investing coming to your 401(K) account
    Three US Senators have urged Fidelity to stop its 401(k) sponsor partners from offering bitcoin exposure — likening crypto investing to “catching lightning in a bottle.”
    In a Monday letter penned to Fidelity CEO Abigail Johnson, Democrat Senators Elizabeth Warren, Dick Durbin and Tina Smith argue that crypto markets have become riskier following FTX’s sudden collapse, making bitcoin unsuitable for retirement plans.
    Boston-based Fidelity began allowing employees to put as much as 20% of their retirement savings into bitcoin exposure this fall.
    The crypto industry considered the move a strong sign of shifting institutional sentiment toward the 12 year old asset class, although bitcoin has shed some 60% of its value since Fidelity flagged the 401(k) move in late April.
    Fidelity, which overall boasts some $9.6 trillion in assets under administration, is the largest individual retirement plan (IRA) provider in the US — supporting more than 35 million IRA, 401(k) and 403(b) retirement accounts. As of 2020, FIdelity controlled more than a third of the retirement fund market in the US, maintaining $2.4 trillion in 401(k) assets.
    https://blockworks.co/news/senators-fidelity-stop-offering-bitcoin-401ks
    For full disclosure, Fidelity was my past 401(k) plan administrator. The choices were solid and their service, phone or online, were second to none. Outside of that, they also have been our main brokerage for many years.