401k - Allocation Balance???

I strongly suggest reading something like this,
All About Asset Allocation

which would help you construct a meaningful plan for your long term investments as I am just a voice on message board, but I have done very well investing over the past 20-years.

I would ask why you have chosen two large cap growth funds, Alger and MFS, one large cap blend in MASRX, and MDLOX. The Alger fund has almost 300% annual turnover of its holdings. I like the MDLOX fund by far over the other 3 as it includes international holdings offering diversification outside the US and it includes ~ 40% in fixed income securities. A list of available investment choices would help with suggestions and I am not a proponent of holding more than 75% equity no matter what one's age, at least it gives one an opportunity to rebalance from fixed income to equity after the equity markets have imploded again.

Small cap stocks, especially small value, and large value stocks have historically outperformed growth stocks, your current portfolio is heavily weighted to large growth stocks which would put you at a disadvantage if small and mid cap stocks outperform for an extended period of time. History may or may not repeat itself and growth could outperform in the future. I strongly believe passive investors should own the entire market, (large/mid/small and representative holdings in value/growth) then can take additional positions in higher risk/expected return classes of equities if desired.

In the past I have tried to maintain a portfolio that was roughly half the market cap of the S&P index, which required significant positions in mid and small cap equity. Of my total equity holdings roughly ~ 40% are international with a tilt to international large value and international small cap via VSS which includes emerging markets, and my domestic holdings are tilted to both large and small value. Part of the reason is due to the world market capitalization and part is for currency diversification away from the US $. Then again, I bought 600 shares of IOO back in March when it had been hammered, primarily for the 4.5%+ dividend yield.

If you don't have great choices in your 401k you might be better served setting up a Roth IRA brokerage account which would allow you buy lower cost indexed equity funds or ETF's with much better choices for fixed income or other investments.

I understand. Strongly recommend that book or similar, it is written for a targeted newb audience. For a very small purchase price and a little time it could really help you avoid some very costly mistakes. For example, I was helping a buddy this March who had a 401k that was worth $300k+ that shrunk to ~ $100k, and it soon became apparent that he was clueless as to what he owned and the cost of holdings. This seems to happen needlessly to many people every year, they lose large portions of their life savings, learn while you are young and have less at risk to better protect your accumulated assets in the future.

If your 401k doesn't offer good descriptions of what the investments represent go to morningstar.com and put the tickers into the quote box to obtain better information and the Instant X-Ray tool can help you better understand what your portfolio is comprised of and help you make better decisions.

Good luck and I hope you have success.

I have a term life policy through my job as well and about 40k in savings (high yield MMA)

I'm really waiting till next May when my wife graduates and gets a job to really do any investing. I was thinking of just going to a Edward Jones store.

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many posters would probably ask more questions or desire more detailed responses but don't wish to do so publicly

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In the infamous words of a man from Mobile, "Don't be scared, man."

Can you post the ticker symbols for each fund, is that info available to you? Does your plan offer any equity and fixed income index funds to lower your investment costs?

Re the Moderate Portfolio,
The BR total return fund looks like a leveraged fixed income fund which could carry risk of underperforming its benchmark if it bets wrong. It would depend on what percentage of fixed income and credit quality you desire with bonds, as you would have the total return fund, govt bond fund, and supposed stable value/GIC type money fund as fixed income. The specific tickers would help, that portfolio would put you at a guestimated 45% fixed income and provide more diversified equity exposure to multiple market segments by market capitalization (large/mid/small), with some value exposure and international equity exposure. It would be much more diversified than what you currently are invested in, both from diversifying equity and adding fixed income. If you have index fund options you could easily build a lower cost version to capture most of the public market returns.

I am not an investment advisor, your mileage may vary, but I would suggest to a family member to consider the moderate portfolio compared to 90-100% equity dependent on their personal situation.

Thanks, I will get those asap. Sorry bout the formatting.

Investment Fund-Investment Class-Ticker

Retirement Reserves(7dayYield:0.04%) Capital Preservation MLIKX
* Alger Capital Appreciation Fund Class A Growth ACAAX
AIM International Growth A International AIIEX
Evergreen Asset Allocation Fund A Asset Allocation EAAFX
BlackRock Basic Value Fund Inc. Value MDBAX
BlackRock Balanced Capital Fund Inc. Growth & Income MDCPX
BlackRock Total Return Fund Bond Fund MDHQX
* BlackRock Global Allocation Fund Inc. Asset Allocation MDLOX
BlackRock Large Cap Core Fund Large Cap Equity MDLRX
BlackRock Value Opportunities Fund Inc. Mid Cap Equity MDSPX
* BlackRock S & P 500 Index Fund Index MASRX
* MFS Growth A Growth MFEGX
Davis NY Venture Fund A Large Cap Equity NYVTX
BlackRock Government Income Portfolio Income CCGAX
Oppenheimer Sm- & Mid- Cap Val Fd A Small Cap Equity QVSCX
(CL)Goldman Sachs Mid Cap Value Fund A Growth GCMAX
AllianceBernstein Global Thematic Grth A Growth ALTFX

I appreciate that help. Although I must say it's way over my head. Tomorrow, I will certainly look at the link and see what shows up. I also ordered that book you linked.

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many posters would probably ask more questions or desire more detailed responses but don't wish to do so publicly.

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However else can us novices ever hope to learn?

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How is that vacation working for ya, having some fun

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Having a great time. We drove from Whistler, BC, Canada today down to Vancouver. Stopped at the Capilano Bridge, a walking suspension bridge over a river. Saw it on a TV show a few weeks ago and wanted to check it out.
Just checked into the Hyatt Regency facing the water.

Going orca viewing tomorrow. The weather is terrific today. Highs in the upper 70's.