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Message
Buying mutual funds..need help
Posted on 3/7/13 at 1:58 pm
Posted on 3/7/13 at 1:58 pm
I want to begin purchasing mutual funds through my online brokerage account.
The problem is I have no idea where to start or what to buy.
This is going to be retirement money so I plan on keeping it in for over 10 yrs.
Anybody want to educate me?
The problem is I have no idea where to start or what to buy.
This is going to be retirement money so I plan on keeping it in for over 10 yrs.
Anybody want to educate me?
Posted on 3/7/13 at 2:02 pm to SDTiger15
I bought my first one in December. VDAIX. I'm not expert though.
Posted on 3/7/13 at 2:51 pm to SDTiger15
quote:
Anybody want to educate me?
I will, but you gotta pay me first
Kidding. If I'm gonna buy a Mutual Fund, I look for 4 things, specifically, before buying.
1.) Type of Fund. Because I'm relatively young, 29, and have a minimum of 30 years to stay invested, I only buy 5 types of funds. Growth, Growth and Income(or Blue Chip), Small Cap Growth (Or Aggressive), International Growth, and Index Funds (VFINX is probably the best you're gonna find).
2.) Age of Fund I don't buy any funds that haven't been around at least 10 years. Age and experience will overcome youth and vigor.
3.) Performance I look at the fund's performance over the last 5 years, 10 years, and lifetime. The best way to evaluate performance is to compare the returns to the S&P, and other funds in it's category.
4.) Fees and Expenses If you don't want to pay a "Load Fee", find a No Load Fund. I don't mind paying a Load in some cases because the performance more than compensates. You want low expense ratios if you can find them.
One other thing, I don't buy sector specific funds, because the market treats different sectors well/poorly at different times, I want a piece of the ENTIRE MARKET, not just certain parts.
Good luck
Posted on 3/7/13 at 4:19 pm to SDTiger15
(no message)
This post was edited on 3/13/13 at 4:45 pm
Posted on 3/7/13 at 6:09 pm to SDTiger15
safest thing in my opinion is to put it in a Vanguard Target retirement fund until you can educate yourself about retirement, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc. pick the one that matches year of your retirement and Vanguard does the allocation for you.
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