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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.
  • Delaying SS Benefits Isn’t Always The Best Decision
    Ya, it occurs to me that if you're a household of one, and you are a saver rather than a spender by nature, you might claim earlier than Full Retirement Age; take the amount you do NOT spend, and put it back to work by investing, or buy a bond fund or create a CD-ladder, depending upon prevailing rates.
  • Delaying SS Benefits Isn’t Always The Best Decision
    With SS benefits to be cut in 2033, unless more money is found to finance it, may also play into your plans for when to take SS
    This is discussed in the piece as one of several risks in deferring:
    https://www.kitces.com/blog/discount-rate-delaying-social-security-benefits-retirement-planning/#policy-risk
    And here:
    The possibility that policymakers could reduce benefits after someone has already forgone years of payments to maximize their age-70 benefit triggers what Sandman might call extreme outrage: the outcome is controlled by others (politicians), morally relevant (breaking societal promises), and unfair (changing rules mid-game).
    https://www.kitces.com/blog/discount-rate-delaying-social-security-benefits-retirement-planning/#regret-risk
    One way to read this piece is to skip to the bottom where two case studies are presented.
    One is a case study of a couple with limited resources. They might take SS earlier and make better use of their smaller nest egg in their 60s while they can enjoy it.
    They are also somewhat irrational (i.e. human). They would more regret the loss of SS income from dying early than they would enjoy getting extra from SS should they live long and prosper (more on that in Case 2). Especially since they don't anticipate a long life span (based on heredity).
    https://www.kitces.com/blog/discount-rate-delaying-social-security-benefits-retirement-planning/#case-study-claiming-early-with-limited-assets
    Case 2 is Mr. Spock and spouse. Larger nest egg easier so easier to fund expenses until drawing deferred SS. Long life expectancy, entirely rational. No regrets on what might have been - probabilities are just that.
    https://www.kitces.com/blog/discount-rate-delaying-social-security-benefits-retirement-planning/#case-study-claiming-later-with-a-tips-strategy
    Some people need to draw SS as soon as it's available because they need the cash flow. Others, like Spock, can make entirely cold, calculated decisions. Many people fall somewhere between the two (closer to case 1).
  • Delaying SS Benefits Isn’t Always The Best Decision
    A Siting from a 2024 Journal of Financial Planning article, Smith and Smith conclude: Our calculations do not support the presumption that the vast majority of people who choose to start their Social Security retirement benefits before age 70 are making a mistake. For example, … with a 4 percent real return, a person has to live to 89 for it to be beneficial to delay the start of benefits from age 67 to 70. However, 77 percent of 67-year-old males die before 89 as do 65 percent of 67-year-old females. Age 70 is not the most financially rewarding age to initiate benefits unless an individual has a low discount rate and/or is confident they will live several years past their life expectancy.
    From the Author of the linked article at Kitces' website: Ultimately, the key point is that we need to move beyond simply thinking in terms of portfolio risk when assessing Social Security claiming analysis discount rates. Ideally, we should be thinking more in terms of utility and factoring in all risks, which changes the calculus significantly.
    delaying-social-security-benefits-retirement-planning/?
  • Barron's on Funds & Retirement, 9/20/25
    MFO truncated the long post, so the length limit may have been reached. Here is the rest.
    INCOME INVESTING/FUNDS. MULTISECTOR BOND funds are riskier but allow exposure to several types of bonds – sovereign, corporates, HYs, EMs. A mix of core and multisector bond funds should be fine for most retail investors. Mentioned are JGIAX, LSBRX, MIAQX, PONAX, TQPAX. (After 12/31/25, LSBRX may have up to 35% in HY and 20% in equity. Hopefully, it will be reclassified as conservative-allocation fund, not as multisector bond fund)
    FUNDS. With HY spreads tight (280 bps only), it wasn’t a good time for Vanguard to launch a self-standing active HY ETF VGHY (ER 0.22%, the same as investor VWEHX, not Admiral VWEAX). Vanguard sees it as just filling its ETF line up.
    FUNDS. Foreign stocks are outperforming US stocks. Global equity funds as well as several allocation/hybrid funds and TDFs that have foreign stocks are doing well. Death of the old 60-40 turned out to be premature and it’s doing fine now. Mentioned are ETF TGLB; OEFs ABALX, MDLOX, VSMGX.
    FUNDS. With lower rates, consider a mix of cyclical stocks (IJR, JRE, XLF; C, CEG, FITB, PNC, VST), defensive stocks (AMLP, XLU, XLV; CPM, CVX, IDA, KO, LLY, PG, PM, UNH, WEC, WELL), US and foreign bonds (HSNIX, PGNPX, VMBS), or allocation/hybrids (none mentioned, but see above). Economic outlook is muddy. Atlanta GDPNow has Q3 at +3.4%, Conference Board at +1-2% (real) is similar.
    FUNDS. Where to put CASH? Suggested are T-Bills, money-market funds, ultra-ST bond funds (MINT), ST bind funds (IGSB), ST CDs (Marcus 7-mo 4.15%), online savings account (Barclays 3.9%). (Examples should be takes as “for instance” as there are many other competing choices.)
    FUNDS There are lot of mutual-fund-to-ETF conversions. A new crop of ETF classes of funds is also coming (after Vanguard’s patent expired). Reasons are tax-efficiency and lower ERs of ETFs, and much feared frontrunning of active portfolios hasn’t materialized. ETFs also have transparent, semitransparent and nontransparent (almost dead now) structures to suit the needs of sponsors. These conversions may not be good for funds in small and illiquid markets (AFSC is cited as a bad conversion). Several large conversions include DFAC, DFAT, DFAS, DFAX, DFIV, DFUS, DFUV, FELC, JIRE, JMTG. (In related news, SEC will do quick approvals for ETPs based on established commodity futures and that may lead to a surge in new crypto ETPs) (By @lewisbraham at MFO)
    (There is also a new SCOREBOARD for funds with weekly and YTD performance data through Thursday from Lipper – Top 25, Bottom 10, Largest 25. Unclear whether this is one-time or a new regular feature.)
    RETIREMENT & WELL BEING. If your employer cooperates, try partial retirement first by temporarily reducing the workload or taking a short break (staycation vs vacation). (Unfortunately, some are forced into retirement involuntarily.)
  • Barron's on Funds & Retirement, 9/20/25
    Several related articles prompted a return of this ad-hoc series only after a week.
    LINK1 LINK2
    UP & DOWN WALL STREET. Investment-grade CORPORATES (US & foreign) are now seen safer than respective sovereign debts. Global deficits, spending and debt servicing are rising. The assumption of risk-free Treasuries when US continues to print money is becoming shaky. Corporate spreads are tight because the baseline Treasury yields are rising, and corporate yields are lower due to high demand. MSFT AAA 10-yr yield (the only other genuine AAA is JNJ; ignoring tons of artificial AAA securitized credits) is now below 10-yr Treasuries. Some French corporates also have yields below French sovereigns. This phenomenon of negative spreads will become more commonplace. Many corporations are taking advantage of low spreads to issue new debt. US Aggregate Bond Index (AGG, BND; the so-called US total bond market although it’s only investment-grade) has 50%+ Treasuries (vs 21% in 2007). Just as SP500 has become concentrated in Magnificent 7, the (so-called) US total bond market has become concentrated in Treasuries. Options for low/no Treasuries include (true) total bond market (IUSB), corporates (LQD), etc. Central banks have also diversified and now hold more gold than Treasuries.
    STREETWISE. QUARTERLY or SEMIANNUAL reporting? It won’t matter if that’s made optional and then the market decides. Formal reporting requirement goes back to 1934 (regulators want to do something after a major crash) and quarterly reporting has been required since 1970 (there was a minor market hiccup then, but did that stop the big dot. com bubble and crash?). So, now there are 3 unaudited 10-Qs and 1 audited 10-K; companies can delay them with permission. President TRUMP made a similar proposal in 2018, but SEC then did nothing beyond holding public hearings – this time may be different (agency heads have rolled for lesser offenses).
    Nasdaq is favoring semiannual reporting citing savings. Of course, private-equity/credit saves LOT of money by infrequent or no reporting, and did you hear that it may be going into your 401k? US companies spend 37% on R&D vs only 17% for European companies – will that change by reporting frequency? In Europe, 50% of companies report quarterly, 50% semiannually, so what? Most people may instinctively react negatively to reduced investor information, but how many really dig through 10-Qs and 10-Ks? Reg FD forbids sharing of nonpublic information with selected groups, but some of that goes on and more of that may happen with infrequent reporting. Analysts would still be far off the marks as they are in their annual estimates, sometimes revised several times during the year. A study by Brown U suggested a split system – large companies reporting quarterly, small companies reporting semiannually. Journalist/humorist HOUGH recommends that the best would be no reporting at all, let companies save lot of money and let FOMO and mojo rule (-:)
  • OEF To ETF Conversions
    "Since 2021, 145 mutual funds have converted to ETFs, yet there are trade-offs.
    Most institutional retirement plans aren’t set up to allow ETF trading,
    so mutual funds that are offered in 401(k) plans can’t easily convert.
    Moreover, although there are certain 'semitransparent' ETF structures that allow active managers
    to conceal their portfolios, investors prefer full transparency.
    That means showing one’s investment cards every day."

    "Unlike mutual funds, ETFs can’t close to new investors—even if managers invest
    in illiquid securities and have limited capacity.
    For this reason, some ETF conversions appear problematic."

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/your-mutual-fund-is-becoming-an-etf-what-to-expect/ar-AA1MN4Yc
  • Barron's on Funds & Retirement, 9/13/25
    This ad-hoc feature returns after a while.
    Link1 Link2
    TRADER. Small-caps (SCs) have been strong since early-August. Lower rates and higher earnings may make this rally sustainable.
    INTERNATIONAL TRADER. EM DEBT is attractive – EMB ($ denominated), LEMB (local currency), etc. US tariffs haven’t impacted the EM bonds much because (i) several countries with high US tariffs (China, Brazil, India, South Africa) export less than 3% of their GDP to US, (ii) countries with higher exports to US (Mexico, S Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia) may be able to lower their rates as the Fed lowers rates, (iii) uncertainties in the developed world have benefited the EMs. Tariffs would cause a global economic slowdown that would be bearish for stocks, but bullish for bonds. BB-rated EM sovereigns (Turkey, Guatemala, Paraguay, Serbia, Albania) are attractive. Risk is that credit spreads are also tight.
    OPTIONS. If you want to chase a rallying stock that got away, use options – combine call-spreads with selling puts. WMT is used as an example, but it can be used for AI highflyers, GDX, etc.
    There is more on GOLD in STREETWISE, Link1.
    BEARISH. Small-caps (R2000 may finally make a new high since 11/2021; fwd P/E 16.1 (low), but 33 (high) if only profitable companies are considered; this may just be a short covering rally; notwithstanding positives stated elsewhere – lower rates, higher earnings, lower taxes; balances bullish SC stories elsewhere in this issue).
    FUNDS. Brandon NELSON, manager of small-cap (SC) growth CTASX / CTSIX (ER 1.30% / 1.05%; no-load NTF at Fidelity and Schwab) says that SCs will benefit from lower rates and improving earnings. He keeps winners but prunes laggards quickly. He watches credit spreads for indications of slowing economy.
    RETIREMENT & WELL BEING. Retirees can still find decent income from corporates (IGSB, VCIT), core-plus bond funds (OAKCX / OANCX) and foreign bond funds (GOBAX / GOBIX, IBND).
  • Maxing out 401K contributions the (mid-)year I retire in 2026
    Great. Thanks. No employer match to 401K. It all goes into a cash account plan. Same effect though, I will not get the full years contribution from them. My main impetus for the Roth build/conversion is to reduce RMDs, as you mentioned. I may also start them before age 73, as they could get out of hand quickly, especially when one of us passes and we have to file as "single".
    Related, my circumstances with retirement are very unique. I am the only SME left in my company for this product line, and a very large customer is involved. They have asked me to stay until the last piece of equipment is retired from the customer's network, and until we shut down our lab dedicated to this product. Essentially, they know that I have very little to do and do not care. We have a signed support contract worth millions.
    How they handle my leaving will be interesting. If they were to send me packing once the equipment is all gone, they would be on the hook for severance, and I would be entitled to unemployment pay. My guess is that they offer me a position on an associated product line, which I have no interest in pursuing. Thus, causing me to voluntarily retire. Which is fine, this whole situation has been extremely lucrative for myself and my wife.
  • Maxing out 401K contributions the (mid-)year I retire in 2026
    A lot would depend on your tax bracket, age & estimated income in retirement.
    If you go for maxing regular 401k, you may gradually convert to Roth IRA in lower income years.
    Mixing up may be a good compromise.
    And why not start in 2025 - there are few months still to boost 401k contributions.
  • Maxing out 401K contributions the (mid-)year I retire in 2026
    If Roth 401(k) is available in your company, it would be to your advantage to do so. Pay with after tax dollars now and future appreciation on the Roth account will be tax-free. The company matching $, however, still go your traditional 401(k). Maxing out would work before retirement.
    You may also add to your personal Roth IRA if your income is not one that is above 36%+ bracket. 2025 limit is $7,000 plus $1,000 catch-up. You have until April 15th for 2025 contribution. You can do that again next year before retirement.
  • Portfolio Allocation Ideas & Strategies
    I own TRAIX in one of my retirement accounts along with APDKX. While I have not purchased additional shares since conversion (only dividend reinvestment), I just called Vanguard and they said that I could sell APDKX and purchase TRAIX if I wanted since I am an existing shareholder of TRAIX.
  • Low Risk Bond OEFs for Maturing CDs
    "retirement investing objectives is to achieve a total return of 4 to 6%, with the least amount of risk"
    The higher end of that range will be difficult with a change of rates upcoming without taking on a bit of risk.
    I look for the same distribution range, but also include some risk via well considered multi-strategy bond funds and international....most via ETFs.
    Such as...JPST, JPIE, ICSH, NEAR, HFSI and JPIB. Also EADOX, AWF and JAAA if you're feeling frisky.
  • Low Risk Bond OEFs for Maturing CDs
    junkster: "Weren’t you a victim of the SEMMX scam that it was a cash substitute in 2020? I wouldn’t touch any fund associated with the fellow that has run LCTRX since 1997. Investigate its punk performance in 2015 and why. I would stick with the guy that runs HOSIX who at one time worked at Leader. He has done an admirable job at the helm of Holbrook."
    No I was not a "victim" of the SEMMX scam. I did own SEMMX for several years, but fortunately I was successful of trading out of SEMMX at the very early stages of its decline in 2020, and did not experience any significant losses from SEMMX or any of the other bond oefs I owned at that period. I have not been back into bond oefs since that period. As I have stated several times over the years, retirement investing objectives is to achieve a total return of 4 to 6%, with the least amount of risk. Since I was able to do that with CDs and MMs for several years after 2020, I found no need to invest bond oefs. Now it is becoming very difficult to buy a CD that makes 4%, so I am looking at the least risky way of making at least 4%
  • 2025 Tax Changes to Prepare For
    @larryB Just curious,,, what is “ working class retirement income?”
    That's a great question! Just reread comments & now more looking to do.
    Thanks larryB, Derf
  • 2025 Tax Changes to Prepare For
    @msf. Just curious,,, what is “ working class retirement income?”
  • Low Risk Bond OEFs for Maturing CDs
    I have been using CDs and MMs for the past several years in my retirement IRA portfolio. As those CDs mature, I am now considering adding some very low risk bond oefs, which can produce at least 4% total return. I am interested in low volatility funds, which have done well in down markets, and would be interested if other investors have some favorites they would recommend. Thanks in advance for your bond oef ideas.
  • 2025 Tax Changes to Prepare For
    People with working class retirement income get the ability to deduct $1K worth of charitable deductions without itemizing (starting in 2026). Only matters if their income is greater than the standard deduction.
    Since their tax brackets are lower than the those of the wealthy, this deduction is of less value to them than to high earners. IMHO a fairer break would have been to give a tax credit of, say, 50% of the amount contributed, up to a $500 credit (50% of $1K).
    With an increased standard deduction and an extra $6K "senior deduction", people with working class retirement income get the ability to convert more of their IRA tax free. That is, they can generate more income from conversions while still staying under the (now increased) standard deduction amount. This in turn gives them more flexibility in future years as the amount they must take from their T-IRA (RMD) is reduced.
    Their tax bracket (assuming they are subject to taxes) is locked in at 10% or 12%. Without this legislation, roughly speaking the 12% bracket would have reverted to 15%.
    https://smartasset.com/taxes/trump-tax-brackets
    Chickenfeed. But slightly above zero. Perhaps.
  • 2025 Tax Changes to Prepare For
    Is it just me or do all things working class have far lower cutoffs than all things investment class? People with working class retirement income and a little deferred savings in RMD get little from the BBB. I, for one, got nothing.
  • Hrmm. Goldman takes small stake in T.Rowe in exchange for customer access
    Per CNBC:
    T. Rowe Price shares rallied Thursday after the asset manager struck a $1 billion deal with Goldman Sachs to sell private-market products to retail investors.
    Goldman will buy up to $1 billion in T. Rowe Price common stock through open-market purchases with the intention to own up to 3.5%, according to the announcement. The two financial firms will team up to offer wealth and retirement funds that give access to private markets for individuals, financial advisors, plan sponsors and plan participants.

    https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/04/t-rowe-price-shares-rocket-higher-after-deal-where-goldman-will-invest-1-billion-in-asset-manager.html
    ... the speed that Wall Street is inserting private-market products into retail products is certainly worth watching. Frankly, it makes me uncomfortable since most retail investors have no idea how to do any DD into their funds and see what kind of stuff (er junk?) their portfolios are being stuffed with. IMO Wall Street is again trying to offload its riskier assets onto the rubes who will suffer WHEN (not 'if') things go south in this space.
  • Kempner Multi-Cap Deep Value Fund will be liquidated
    https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1545440/000158064225005663/kempner497.htm
    97 1 kempner497.htm 497
    September 2, 2025
    ULTIMUS MANAGERS TRUST
    Kempner Multi-Cap Deep Value Fund
    Institutional Class (FIKDX)
    Investor Class (FAKDX)
    Supplement to the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”),
    each dated September 28, 2024
    Assignment of Investment Advisory Agreement and Expense Limitation Agreement
    Effective August 9, 2025, upon the passing of Harris L. (“Shrub”) Kempner, Jr., President and owner of Kempner Capital Management, Inc. (the “Adviser”), the investment adviser to the Kempner Multi-Cap Deep Value Fund (the “Fund”), an assignment of the Investment Advisory Agreement between Ultimus Managers Trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of the Fund, and the Adviser occurred, resulting in the automatic termination of both the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Expense Limitation Agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and the Adviser.
    All references to Mr. Kempner with respect to the Fund are hereby removed from the Fund’s Prospectus and SAI. M. Shawn Gault remains as portfolio manager of the Fund.
    Interim Investment Advisory Agreement and Interim Expense Limitation Agreement
    An interim investment advisory agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and the Adviser (the “Interim Advisory Agreement”), with substantially the same terms as the existing investment advisory agreement with the Adviser (the “Prior Advisory Agreement”), except for the start and end date of the agreement as required under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and rules thereunder, has been approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) at a meeting held on August 21, 2025 (the “Meeting”) and became effective as of August 10, 2025.
    Under the Interim Advisory Agreement, the Adviser provides the same advisory services to the Fund on the same terms provided under the Prior Advisory Agreement. There are no changes to the advisory fees payable by the Fund to the Adviser under the Interim Advisory Agreement.
    In addition, at the Meeting, the Board approved an interim expense limitation agreement (the “Interim Expense Limitation Agreement”), between the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and the Adviser because the prior expense limitation agreement for the Fund (the “Prior Expense Limitation Agreement”) terminated upon the termination of the Prior Advisory Agreement. The terms of the Interim Expense Limitation Agreement are substantially similar to those of the Prior Expense Limitation Agreement except for the start and end date of the agreement. The expense limitation for each share class of the Fund is identical to the respective expense limitation under the Prior Expense Limitation Agreement. The Interim Expense Limitation Agreement became effective as of August 10, 2025.
    Liquidation of the Fund
    Effective immediately, the Fund has terminated the public offering of its shares and will discontinue its operations effective October 15, 2025. Shares of the Fund are no longer available for purchase and, at the close of business on October 15, 2025, all outstanding shares of the Fund will be redeemed at net asset value (the “Liquidation”).
    1
    At the meeting, the Board, in consultation with the Adviser, approved the discontinuation of the Fund’s operations based on, among other factors, the Adviser’s belief that it would be in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders to discontinue the Fund’s operations. Through the date of the Liquidation, the Adviser will continue to waive investment advisory fees and reimburse expenses of the Fund, if necessary, in order to maintain the Fund at its current expense limits, as specified in the Fund’s current Prospectus.
    In connection with the Liquidation, the Board directed that: (i) all of the Fund’s portfolio securities be liquidated in an orderly manner not later than October 15, 2025; and (ii) all outstanding shareholder accounts on October 15, 2025 be closed and the proceeds of each account, less any required withholding, be sent to the shareholder’s address of record or to such other address as directed by the shareholder, including special instructions that may be needed for Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRAs”) and qualified pension and profit sharing accounts. As a result of the Liquidation, the Fund’s portfolio holdings will be reduced to cash or cash equivalents. Accordingly, going forward, shareholders should not expect the Fund to achieve its stated investment objective. The Adviser will bear all of the expenses of the liquidation with the exception of brokerage costs associated with the orderly transition of the Fund’s portfolio holdings to cash and cash equivalents.
    Shareholders may redeem all or a portion of their shares of the Fund on any business day prior to the Liquidation as specified in the Fund’s Prospectus.
    The Liquidation will be considered for tax purposes a sale of Fund shares by shareholders, and shareholders should consult with their own tax advisors to ensure its proper treatment on their income tax returns. In addition, shareholders invested through an IRA or other tax-deferred account should consult the rules regarding the reinvestment of these assets. In order to avoid a potential tax issue, shareholders generally have 60 days from the date that proceeds are received to re-invest or “rollover” the proceeds into another IRA or qualified retirement account; otherwise, the proceeds may be required to be included in the shareholder’s taxable income for the current tax year.
    For more information, or to obtain a copy of the Fund’s Prospectus or SAI free of charge, please contact the Fund at 1-800-665-9778.
    Investors should retain this supplement for future reference.