[LVguy]

Originally Posted by winter-rabbit

You don't need a financial advisor. Throw everything into the S&P 500 Index (if you are younger) or the S&P 500 bond Index (if you are retired). VERY FEW actively managed funds ever beat the S&P 500.

Stick with Vanguard. Vanguard is client-owned. As a client owner, you own the funds that own Vanguard. LOWEST expense ratios in the financial world.

Which funds do you recommend/have for those 2 (bond and 500)


I got total stock and total international, had those about 12 years ago, might invest more in them.

Originally Posted by star644

Before you hire anybody, check them out at FINRA.org

That was helpful, went there and you can see how long they have been working, when were they in school. What qualification they have. Taken Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam etc

[RationalExpectations]

Originally Posted by star644

Before you hire anybody, check them out at FINRA.org

You beat me to it. Great advice.

[RationalExpectations]

Originally Posted by usnftcret

This. You don't need a financial advisor. Dollar cost average into a total stock market etf and you will outperform most of the managed accounts. I personally recommend Charles Schwab.

One caveat. Dollar cost averaging into funds by taking earnings from current paychecks is a good strategy. Dollar cost averaging into funds by taking a larger chunk of cash & spreading the purchase out over a longer period of time (rather than just jumping in) is a bad strategy. Why? You spend more calendar time with a sub-optimal asset allocation (too much in cash compared to optimal). Since no one can forecast the future of total stock market ETFs, it is best to get to the optimal asset allocation as fast as possible.

I like Charles Schwab's SCHB is a very good choice.

[RationalExpectations]

Originally Posted by LVguy

Which funds do you recommend/have for those 2 (bond and 500)

Vanguard's S&P 500 ETF is ticker symbol VOO. It is a very good fund. Personally, I prefer Vanguard's total market ETF ticker symbol VTI. The difference? VTI contains all the small corporations and is a bit more diversified than VOO, although VOO is fine for most people.

Vanguard's total bond fund is BND. It is a fine fund. Personally, I prefer shorter duration bond funds such as Vanguard's BSV. There are many credible alternatives - for example, if you are (or might be) subject to AMT, there are some AMT-free tax exempt bond funds such as Vanguard's VTEB.

[RationalExpectations]

Originally Posted by LVguy

That was helpful, went there and you can see how long they have been working, when were they in school. What qualification they have. Taken Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam etc

LVguy, Different individual advisors might be better for different objectives. Just make sure you know what you're looking for. For example,

(a) Do you have a lot of debt you're trying to reduce and you're looking for someone to help you build a plan to do so?
(b) Do you want someone to help you figure out how much money you will need when you retire? And how much you are likely to have when you retire?
(c) Do you want someone just to invest for you for the long term, and don't care about the rest of it?

It is possible one person can do all the above - but it is more likely that if you need (a) you should find someone really good at just that. If you need (b) you should find someone really good at that, and then be done with him. If you want (c) get someone good at that.