[meridian5850]

Originally Posted by Becca9800

Can you recommend a book, please?

This book will help.

Amazon.com

FYI, my 85 y.o. mother has an advisor she's used for years and he's done right by her. After she sold her home in OH and moved down here in Feb. she had me invest the proceeds from her home sale. I put her in Vanguard's Wellesley Income Fund, which has a good mix of stocks and bonds. Stocks make up almost 40% of it and the rest is bonds/cash. It's a fund with a good performance history, well managed and lets me sleep at night. My wife and I also have a position in it.

[Old Bob]

Originally Posted by Becca9800

I'm absolutely ignorant when it comes to the stock market yet that's where all the money I have is nesting. It's in a 403b, encouraged and supported by my former employer. I'm w Lincoln Financial, with an Aggressive Retirement portfolio. I've not a clue. Please be kind now, I know I've been not too bright but I'm here now asking for your advice. So please be nice. I watch my value go up, and go down, YTD I'm up. It's all I have and it ain't much, I cannot afford to lose it in a crash. But I don't want to miss any gains either (greed, I know. It's a matter of knowing I'll need gain to be comfortable 10 years from now). I keep reading the market will crash soon and it frightens me. I need a financial guru to guide me. I've been to two advisors and received conflicting advice. Do I pull out or do I stay and run the gambit? What's an 'ol girl to do? Thanks so much in advance.

I agree with Tom. Your portfolio is in good shape. Relax, and don't listen to all of the experts.

[rlcooper70]

Realize that you don't have to be a genius to succeed in the markets. Fidelity did an internal study a few years ago and found that the accounts that did best over time were those that were in "contested estates" ... meaning that no trades were allowed during contestation. In other words ... your plan should be to decide on a percentage of your assets to put in equity markets (mutual funds) and then do it. Forget timing the market (too complicated). And realize that paying someone to tell you which mutual funds to use is a waste of money. Go to the Fidelity office and get free advice.

[kendi]

You will always get conflicting opinions for most anything. Best course is to educate yourself at least to the point of being able to choose how much of your investments should be aggressive vs conservative. Then find an adviser who aligns with your thinking

[Dilligas]

You are asking financial advice from people who do not know you, your needs, your portfolio, your desires. Please. If you don’t trust your current financial advisor, get another one you trust. Then give the CFA your desires and your fears. The market and your portfolio will go up and down but over the long run should go up. Take financial news as information, not advice. Remember, media (print, digital, and TV) have the primary goal of selling advertising or subscriptions. Read on how markets work (not how to get rich) and why, by economics, supply & demand, political policies, and global news. That will help you better understand your CFA.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Becca9800

I'm absolutely ignorant when it comes to the stock market yet that's where all the money I have is nesting. It's in a 403b, encouraged and supported by my former employer. I'm w Lincoln Financial, with an Aggressive Retirement portfolio. I've not a clue. Please be kind now, I know I've been not too bright but I'm here now asking for your advice. So please be nice. I watch my value go up, and go down, YTD I'm up. It's all I have and it ain't much, I cannot afford to lose it in a crash. But I don't want to miss any gains either (greed, I know. It's a matter of knowing I'll need gain to be comfortable 10 years from now). I keep reading the market will crash soon and it frightens me. I need a financial guru to guide me. I've been to two advisors and received conflicting advice. Do I pull out or do I stay and run the gambit? What's an 'ol girl to do? Thanks so much in advance.

There will be all kinds of conflicting advice. Gone are the days where you could build a portfolio of treasury bonds and they would pay the rate of inflation plus 2%. Last time I looked a 10 year treasury was paying 1.4% and the CPI (consumer price index) was 5%.
You pay your bills AFTER TAXES are TAKEN. Depending on your TOP TAX bracket you need to make 5% plus your top tax bracket TO BE EVEN.

Advisors? The first question to ask is how are they paid. As much as they seem to like you, they too need to earn money. Some, too many, are commission salesmen claiming to be financial advisors. Those pushing annuities. The reason is very simple, the commissions are put of sight. Twenty percent is normal. Realize what that means you give them say 10,000 and they promise you say 7%. REALITY they have 10,000 less 20%
commission so 8,000 need to earn $700.

I do not know you. I do not know what you have or what you need. I do not know what is in what they call an aggressive retirement portfolio. You can easily get reviews of that fund on places like Morningstar and or Seeking Alpha. In a 403B there are probably several options. You do not need to have all you have in one option.

Fortunately. Today we have easy access to far more information than in the past, just using your computer.

Anyone giving you information on this site. Ask their motive. You should not provide
sufficient information on a public site for anyone to give you proper guidance. The point of my post.

[sjstorey76]

Originally Posted by Becca9800

I'm absolutely ignorant when it comes to the stock market yet that's where all the money I have is nesting. It's in a 403b, encouraged and supported by my former employer. I'm w Lincoln Financial, with an Aggressive Retirement portfolio. I've not a clue. Please be kind now, I know I've been not too bright but I'm here now asking for your advice. So please be nice. I watch my value go up, and go down, YTD I'm up. It's all I have and it ain't much, I cannot afford to lose it in a crash. But I don't want to miss any gains either (greed, I know. It's a matter of knowing I'll need gain to be comfortable 10 years from now). I keep reading the market will crash soon and it frightens me. I need a financial guru to guide me. I've been to two advisors and received conflicting advice. Do I pull out or do I stay and run the gambit? What's an 'ol girl to do? Thanks so much in advance.

The first thing you MUST realize is your 403 B is subject to a25% tax anytime to take money out! 403B is one of the worst being taxed….you may need to discuss options on it, because 25%. Is a huge number to pay tax to the government!

[Joe C.]

Why not get a fiduciary (don't go with a financial advisor)....there's a BIG difference.
And get the advice BEFORE reading the books. In other words, don't put the cart in front of the horse.

A financial advisor (certainly not all of them) may charge a commission up front, and take his money and leave your investment up to luck. Many advisors do "front end loading", and/or advise you to invest with their prime concern being them making money off of your investment.
A fiduciary doesn't do that, and by law, must answer to the state for any "screw ups" and possibly loose their license.

Just my 2 cents...(but with inflation, worth 25 cents).

[llamanca]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

It sounds like you already have a good balance to your portfolio. I would check to see the average duration of the bonds. They should be short term or intermediate term bonds, NOT long term. Long term bonds are too risky. The average maturity of the bonds should be less than 10 years. And, if you discuss your investments with an advisor, DO NOT let them sell you an annuity. Again, DO NOT transfer your investments into an annuity.

Just curious as to your thoughts on not transferring to an annuity. I have considered doing so. Don't want to make a mistake. Please expand. Thank you.

[dshoberg]

Originally Posted by Becca9800

Can you recommend a book, please?

The Truth About Money by Ric Edelman is a very good educational reference to understanding money....

[juddfl]

Are you in high risk? Invest in a low to medium risk. Especially if you are an older senior citizen. Make sure you diversify. In other words invest your money in multiple stocks. If one goes down, another might go up. Also have bonds and cash. The most important thing for me is to have is, "Stops", put in. This way if one of your accounts starts to lose too much money, it will kick in and be sold and put into cash before you lose it all. It stops by what percentage you have set up. I use Gary Edwards at Wells Fargo. His number is 352-259-3000. He made it very easy for me to understand how my money was invested. Make an appointment to just talk to him. You don't have to invest with them.

[MidWestIA]

With your experience do the minimum decide % for stocks for example 30% then 70% bonds. Put the stocks in a total stock index like VTI then the the rest in total bond index like DODIX or BND and leave it. When stocks crash and VTI is just 25% move 5% of the bond into it or vice versa maybe every 6 months or after alot noise about the market. NEVER sell otherwise if you stay in with bad times you'll do fine.

BUT if you live on the 403b keep 2 years worth in a money market or high yield online savings like ally so you don't take out in bad times

I make the most money reallocating from bonds to stocks in like 2008 or 2020

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Becca9800

I'm absolutely ignorant when it comes to the stock market yet that's where all the money I have is nesting. It's in a 403b, encouraged and supported by my former employer. I'm w Lincoln Financial, with an Aggressive Retirement portfolio. I've not a clue. Please be kind now, I know I've been not too bright but I'm here now asking for your advice. So please be nice. I watch my value go up, and go down, YTD I'm up. It's all I have and it ain't much, I cannot afford to lose it in a crash. But I don't want to miss any gains either (greed, I know. It's a matter of knowing I'll need gain to be comfortable 10 years from now). I keep reading the market will crash soon and it frightens me. I need a financial guru to guide me. I've been to two advisors and received conflicting advice. Do I pull out or do I stay and run the gambit? What's an 'ol girl to do? Thanks so much in advance.

Further OPINION from me.
Terms like I'm ignorant frankly is not so. Too many people THINK they know but in reality they do not know that they do not know.
I need a financial guru. No you need to learn to prevent advisors from taking advantage of you. There is no shortage of tricks to line their pockets.
A 403B, you need to review what is available and FEES you are paying.
Others mentioned Fidelity. The three biggest brokerages are Fidelity,T. Rowe Price, and Vanguard. If, I am right, it does not matter, Vanguard is the biggest of the three, Fidelity is second and T.Rowe is third. It does not matter because all three of them are huge.
A big plus for Fidelity is that they have an office in Lake Sumter Landing. Far as I know T. Rowe has closed all their offices and Vanguard never had any.
I think it is a big plus to be able to set up an appointment and speak to a HUMAN face to face. Government forms as in a 403B a mistake is well a pain to correct. I have Fidelity guide me filling them out.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Joe C.

Why not get a fiduciary (don't go with a financial advisor)....there's a BIG difference.
And get the advice BEFORE reading the books. In other words, don't put the cart in front of the horse.

How does she understand the advise from an advisor if she does not understand investing at all?

[rustyp]

Originally Posted by Joe C.

Why not get a fiduciary (don't go with a financial advisor)....there's a BIG difference.
And get the advice BEFORE reading the books. In other words, don't put the cart in front of the horse.

A financial advisor (certainly not all of them) may charge a commission up front, and take his money and leave your investment up to luck. Many advisors do "front end loading", and/or advise you to invest with their prime concern being them making money off of your investment.
A fiduciary doesn't do that, and by law, must answer to the state for any "screw ups" and possibly loose their license.

Just my 2 cents...(but with inflation, worth 25 cents).

Is there such a thing as "an official fiduciary license" ? If so what are the requirements and who issues the license ? I have asked many advisors are you a fiduciary. No one has ever said no back. What I do get is a list of this organization and that training etc. However what I don't see is a common piece of paper like in the Doctor's office on the wall that clearly says Doctor Degree of Medicine.