jpcavin's Account Talk

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Just a note to myself. Don't know any other way to remember old posts that peak my interest other than by saving them on my account talk.:embarrest:

tsptalk said:
FYI...

$0 Commission ETFs

Scottrade recently introduced a new way for customers to trade online for free: $0 commission exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Now, you can trade 15 ETFs online as often as you'd like without paying our low $7 commission. Scottrade's commission-free ETFs include four broad-market funds and 11 sector funds:

FocusTM Morningstar US Market Index ETF (FMU)
FocusTM Morningstar Large Cap Index ETF (FLG)
FocusTM Morningstar Mid Cap Index ETF (FMM)
FocusTM Morningstar Small Cap Index ETF (FOS)
FocusTM Morningstar Basic Materials Index ETF (FBM)
FocusTM Morningstar Communication Services Index ETF (FCQ)
FocusTM Morningstar Consumer Cyclical Index ETF (FCL)
FocusTM Morningstar Consumer Defensive Index ETF (FCD)
FocusTM Morningstar Energy Index ETF (FEG)
FocusTM Morningstar Financial Services Index ETF (FFL)
FocusTM Morningstar Health Care Index ETF (FHC)
FocusTM Morningstar Industrials Index ETF (FIL)
FocusTM Morningstar Real Estate Index ETF (FRL)
FocusTM Morningstar Technology Index ETF (FTQ)
FocusTM Morningstar Utilities Index ETF (FUI)

The Value of $0 Commissions
Commission-free investing helps you maximize your investment, now and in the future. For example, if you have $100 to invest, you could put the full $100 into a commission-free investment, while you could only invest $93 in a similar, commissioned investment (assuming an online purchase valued at $1 or more per share, which would cost $7 at Scottrade). If both investments produced a return of 3% after the first year, your commission-free investment would have increased by $3, while your $7 commission investment would have increased only $2.79.

No Holding Requirements
There are no trading restrictions on commission-free ETFs at Scottrade. FocusTM Morningstar ETFs can be bought and held or actively traded, and commissions still will not apply.

Learn More About Focus Morningstar ETFs
As with any investment, it's important to research your choices before deciding what is right for you. Using the symbols above, you can get detailed research and performance data for each of the funds in the Quotes & Research section of your account. Or, go straight to the source. Learn more about FocusTM Morningstar ETFs from the fund company, FocusShares.

Commission-Free Mutual Funds
If you're looking for other commission-free choices, don't forget about our extensive offering of no-load, no-transaction-fee mutual funds. Scottrade offers more than 2,800 of these funds, which you can find using the Mutual Fund Screener tool in your account. For more information about mutual fund commissions and fees, visit the Knowledge Center.

Making the Commission-Free Trade
To buy or sell a commission-free ETF or a NL/NTF mutual fund, you can place your order the exact same way you would place a regular ETF or mutual fund order - the difference is that no commission will be charged for the transaction. See Placing Mutual Fund Orders or Placing Stock and ETF Orders in the Knowledge Center.

If you have questions about commission-free trading at Scottrade, contact your local branch office.

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of an Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) carefully before investing. A prospectus contains this and other information about the ETF and can be obtained from the issuer. The prospectus should be read carefully before investing.

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of mutual fund carefully before investing. A prospectus contains this and other information about the fund and is available through www.scottrade.com or through a Scottrade branch office. The prospectus should be read carefully before investing. No transaction fee (NTF) funds are subject to the terms and conditions of the NTF funds program. Scottrade is compensated by the funds participating in the NTF program through recordkeeping, shareholder, or SEC 12b-1 fees.
Click to expand...
 
Just another note to myself.:o

charley said:
Hi everyone. I'm starting what I hope will become a compendium of best known methods in Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) -- it's a topic I'm currently learning about. I'm relatively new to this, so I hope more experienced members will contribute!

When I first started to invest my TSP, I learned about asset allocation and index funds, and settled on a fixed allocation (40% C, 15% S, 15% I, 10% G, and 20% F Fund). Then the market tanked in 2008, and I learned the hard way what my true risk tolerance is :( I rode it out, but it's not an experience I care to repeat, especially as I get older and near retirement.

So now that my TSP account has recovered, I'm trying to learn all I can about tactical asset allocation, and active risk management, and decide how to best invest going forward.

Here are a few resources I've found useful so far. I'll share more as I learn more:

  • I recently read Mebane Faber's The Ivy Portfolio, which I highly recommend to anyone who's decided that "buy and hold" is not the best way to go. In chapter 7 of this book, Mebane describes a simple but very effective TAA strategy that uses a 10-month Simple Moving Average (SMA). This strategy performed very well during the 2008-2009 crash, even though Mebane published it before then (in 2006 or 2007 I think).

  • I'm also trying out TSP Folio, which uses a combination of TAA and Relative Strength. One of the things I like so far about TSP Folio is that they have a conservative/diversified approach, which suits my risk tolerance and time to retirement well. Mebane Faber also highly recommends this type of balanced approach (i.e., don't ever plow your entire TSP account into a single risky fund like the S, C, or I fund).

  • Here on TSPTalk, I've found the 10 Month Modified SMA Method (M-SMA). This method sounds very promising. I tried to replicate their results, but was not able to. If anyone else here has independently verified it, please share! My other concern is that this is an "all-in" strategy that invests 100% into a single TSP fund, often the S Fund, which can be very volatile. From what I learned this can expose your TSP to market shocks (like a 1930s, 1987 crash, or Flash Crash type of event), where you may lose 27% of your savings in a few days (or worse, who knows what the future holds?)

If anyone has found other worthwhile tactical asset allocation strategies or information, I'd love to hear about it! Thanks for sharing!
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This may be a good day to sell some of my "S" shares (28%) to buy some "C" shares. Got an hour to decide...:suspicious::notrust::confused:
 
I think I missed my IFT noon deadline by a few seconds. Confirmation says COB 21APR. Hope tomorrow is not a down day. :sick::sick:
 
You realize that by selling the S fund you are going against the primary grain of this MB - I say good for you.
 
I was enjoying my position in the I and C funds this morning. Not so happy right now.:mad: Hope this market turns around by closing!:worried:
 
If you are right on the Dow +110 - better stand back away from the entry door. You're going to see a mad rush of money folks trying to get positioned. Getting rich investing....no special skills required.
 
Birchtree said:
If you are right on the Dow +110 - better stand back away from the entry door. You're going to see a mad rush of money folks trying to get positioned. Getting rich investing....no special skills required.
Click to expand...

Just trying to impose my will on the DOW. Maybe it's working. +45 and counting. :D
 
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