Young poker players and their winnings?

[Sniper]

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I don't have the same kind of poker success as the original poster, but I do have about $20,000 to invest. Because of the fee charged on accounts under $10,000, should I stay away from that allocation? Should I instead opt for all $20,000 in the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index fund? Thanks for the advice.

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Putting it all in the total stock market index is fine!

The diversified allocations that you see being presented here are, in general, a passive way to spread your bets. It should be your goal to move in the direction of these types of allocations, once your assets increase, if you intend to stay passive in your investments.

[rockrock]

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20% US Total Stock Market Index
20% US Large Cap Value Index*
10% US Small Cap Index*
10% US Small Cap Value Index*
10% REIT Index
10% European Index
10% Asia/Pacific Index
10% Emerging Markets Index*


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Doesn't Vanguard charge a $10 fee every year for a fund under $10,000? If he puts 10% of his $100,000 in each of these and they go down a little, would he be hit with $60 in charges?

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I don't have the same kind of poker success as the original poster, but I do have about $20,000 to invest. Because of the fee charged on accounts under $10,000, should I stay away from that allocation? Should I instead opt for all $20,000 in the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index fund? Thanks for the advice.

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I would look at t rowe price or vanguard target retirement funds. they are very diversified and cheap.

A balanced fund might work best for you also - there are some with amazing track records like OAKBX and PRWCX which I don't think has ever had a losing year.

Vanguard has a tax managed balanced fund that is basically total stock market and municpal bonds to reduce your tax liability.

Bridgeway has a balanced fund that is relatively new (BRBPX i think).

All of these are good ways to make sure your assets are rebalanced for you so your work is minimized. Some are more aggressive than others.

If you want a shot at skillfull, aggressive active management that can go long and short and buy any sector and asset size, i would look at Pimco all asset authority and CGMFX. Both make economic and macroeconomic asset allocation choices. CGMFX is volatile but has great record and would give you plenty to "sweat" on a daily basis.

Good luck.

[jively]

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I don't have the same kind of poker success as the original poster, but I do have about $20,000 to invest. Because of the fee charged on accounts under $10,000, should I stay away from that allocation? Should I instead opt for all $20,000 in the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index fund?

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For about 20K, if you want 100% stock at Vanguard, I'd probably suggest:

40% US Total Stock Market Index
30% US Small Cap Index
30% Total International Index

This is a bit more diversified than just to US Total index.

-Tom

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I don't have the same kind of poker success as the original poster, but I do have about $20,000 to invest. Because of the fee charged on accounts under $10,000, should I stay away from that allocation? Should I instead opt for all $20,000 in the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index fund?

[/ QUOTE ]
For about 20K, if you want 100% stock at Vanguard, I'd probably suggest:

40% US Total Stock Market Index
30% US Small Cap Index
30% Total International Index

This is a bit more diversified than just to US Total index.

-Tom

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Is there anything to consider about investing at Vanguard when you dont live in the US but in Germany? This may be a stupid question but I m just beginning to learn about stocks [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Misfire]

[Sniper]

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Don't put all your eggs in one basket

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The interesting thing about baskets, is that some of them while looking like one basket are actually many in disguise, and are quite diversified. A Total Stock Market index fund would be one example of a signle fund that falls into the well diversified category.

[jively]

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Is there anything to consider about investing at Vanguard when you dont live in the US but in Germany? This may be a stupid question but I m just beginning to learn about stocks [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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I can't really help you here. I would recommend a similar allocation, but probably less US stocks. Investors in a country usually overweight their own country. However, I don't know which mutual fund companies or brokerages handle investors in Germany or any other non-US country.

-Tom