[paperclip202]

I have always been a huge fan of Vanguard over Fidelity.

Vanguard has significantly lower fees. Fees matter!
They are structured as a mutual company and put their clients first.
They continue to innovate with new products.
They have some great LifeStrategy funds that give you great diversification in 1 fund. Simple!
60 stocks/40 bonds- Vanguard LifeStrategy Mod Gr. VSMGX - expense .14%
40 stocks/ 60 bonds - Vanguard LifeStrategy Conservative Gr. VSCGX - expense .13%

By contrast, Fidelity is very expensive and consistently puts the interest of the Family (the Johnson Family are billionaires!) before everyday investors. Some people even pay Fidelity 1% additional fee to manage their money!

Take your money someplace else. Hire someone who is fee only (not fee based) and a fiduciary for YOU!

Read this scathing article from Reuters!

How the owners of Fidelity get richer at everyday investors� expense - Reuters

Good luck!

[manaboutown]

I gave up on Fidelity back in the late 1960's. They were splitting my trades to double their commissions. When i called them on it they laughed. I never, ever use them!

[l2ridehd]

Good advice. I have used Vanguard for many years and they do an excellent job. The Wellington and Wellesley funds are two of the best in the industry and there index funds are some of the lowest expense ratios available. However I also use Fidelity and Schwab on a somewhat limited basis for speciality products. It's hard to beat the Schwab investor checking account with a debit card. No fees anywhere in the world and VERY competitive exchange rates for other currency. If you travel out of the US anywhere that one card is the least expensive way to handle foreign exchange and ATM's

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by l2ridehd

Good advice. I have used Vanguard for many years and they do an excellent job. The Wellington and Wellesley funds are two of the best in the industry and there index funds are some of the lowest expense ratios available. However I also use Fidelity and Schwab on a somewhat limited basis for speciality products. It's hard to beat the Schwab investor checking account with a debit card. No fees anywhere in the world and VERY competitive exchange rates for other currency. If you travel out of the US anywhere that one card is the least expensive way to handle foreign exchange and ATM's

I retain lesser accounts at brokerages other than Vanguard as well. The Schwab debit card is unbeatable to my knowledge, both in the USA and abroad. It even refunds me the $5.00 ATM fees that the developer's Citizen's First Bank charges for out of network cards in The Villages.

[Allegiance]

Time to get out of stocks and buy Villages real estate.

Mark my words.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by paperclip202

I have always been a huge fan of Vanguard over Fidelity.

Vanguard has significantly lower fees. Fees matter!
They are structured as a mutual company and put their clients first.
They continue to innovate with new products.
They have some great LifeStrategy funds that give you great diversification in 1 fund. Simple!
60 stocks/40 bonds- Vanguard LifeStrategy Mod Gr. VSMGX - expense .14%
40 stocks/ 60 bonds - Vanguard LifeStrategy Conservative Gr. VSCGX - expense .13%

By contrast, Fidelity is very expensive and consistently puts the interest of the Family (the Johnson Family are billionaires!) before everyday investors. Some people even pay Fidelity 1% additional fee to manage their money!

Take your money someplace else. Hire someone who is fee only (not fee based) and a fiduciary for YOU!

Read this scathing article from Reuters!

How the owners of Fidelity get richer at everyday investors� expense - Reuters

Good luck!

In the interest of full disclosure, what is your affiliation/relationship with Vanguard?

While I use Vanguard also, your posts seem to indicate you're more than just an interested investor.

[Stdole]

I do business with both Fidelity and Vanguard (and T.Rowe Price) for different types of Investments.
The Fidelity Office in The Villages is one of the best Brokerage Offices available any where and we are
so lucky to have them at Sumter Landing. Take for instance Estate Planning with Fidelity or Price
is not available on a one on one meeting.. You cannot meet with Vanguard on a moments notice in
person unlike Fidelity. Again different investments.. I am not aware of the office within
Florida for Vanguard.

[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by Allegiance

Time to get out of stocks and buy Villages real estate.

Mark my words.

You have inside info ? [emoji850]

[paperclip202]

No conflict of interest, just my thoughts from decades of using Vanguard. Way too many people in TV use funds that charge .8% to 1.2% and then they pay their Advisor 1% to 1.5%! So they are paying $18k to $20k+ in investing cost per $1 million. This is way too high! Times have changed and fees matter. In fact, if you just buy the funds that have the lowest 25% of fees (say .03% to .6%), you stand a pretty good chance of getting good long-term results.

Now that I think of it. If you own Vanguard funds or ETF's, we are all owners of Vanguard (congrats!). iShares and other low cost ETF's are also great.

Why ownership matters at Vanguard



Good luck!

[tcxr750]

After 15 years of paying advisors their one percent annual fee I've decided it's time to move my IRA to Vanguard. A year ago I created several model portfolios. One based on my current professionally managed IRA. This portfolio consists of 28 different funds and etfs.
Another based on a portfolio designed on the Vanguard website consisting of four funds. Plus two others. Bottom line the four fund Vanguard folio matches in performance the professionally managed fund , without the one percent fee.
That one percent fee is significant. If you take out four percent a year, the one percent fee equals 20% of the $$$ coming out of your account. Of course with Vanguard you don't get the free cup of coffee that is offered when you meet with your advisor.

[msfooter]

Originally Posted by tcxr750

After 15 years of paying advisors their one percent annual fee I've decided it's time to move my IRA to Vanguard. A year ago I created several model portfolios. One based on my current professionally managed IRA. This portfolio consists of 28 different funds and etfs.
Another based on a portfolio designed on the Vanguard website consisting of four funds. Plus two others. Bottom line the four fund Vanguard folio matches in performance the professionally managed fund , without the one percent fee.
That one percent fee is significant. If you take out four percent a year, the one percent fee equals 20% of the $$$ coming out of your account. Of course with Vanguard you don't get the free cup of coffee that is offered when you meet with your advisor.

I would be very interested in leaning more about the "Vanguard four" including percentages and the "two other" funds. Please share your success with us. Jimmie

[petsetc]

Also, please look at paulmerriman-dot-com who offers FREE info as well as a recommendation for model portfolios at Vanguard, T Rowe Price and Fidelity. Also, several free eBooks titled "Get Smart or Get Screwed", "First-Time Investor", and "101 Investment Decisions".

He is a retired investment advisor and now offers free help to others.

[retiredguy123]

Financial planning and investing are too important to trust to an "advisor". This is a do it yourself project. Advisors always have a conflict of interest. And, for the do it yourselfer, Vanguard is the best company to do your investing with because of their low costs.

[mark47]

I've been with Vanguard and Fidelity for many years. Last year about 47K was stolen from a IRA I had with Vanguard. Took many many months to get the money back. I also learned that Vanguard doesn't necessarily get your money back. Fidelity has a different policy regarding stolen money. Just saying.

[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by mark47

I've been with Vanguard and Fidelity for many years. Last year about 47K was stolen from a IRA I had with Vanguard. Took many many months to get the money back. I also learned that Vanguard doesn't necessarily get your money back. Fidelity has a different policy regarding stolen money. Just saying.

How does money get stolen from an IRA ???