Cash Positions

[Packman]

Since we have seen improvment in the market recently, I'm curious as to the percentage of cash being held by our esteemed group (especially for those already retired). Do count - savings, checking, money market, brokerage cash and under the mattress. Do not count cash being held in inside stock and bond mutual funds.

Right now I'm close to 10% - which is much higher than I need for living exepenses for the next 3-4 years, but I'm just not into buying more bonds now. Others?

 

[mickeyd]

I have about a years worth of expenses in cash-equivalent stuff. I am also retired.

 

[Chuckanut]

I have no changes in mind. I am still working on getting my allocation to 60/40 stocks/bonds (maybe REITs also) via a dollar cost averaging appoach. But, since i will have about 4 years until SS kicks in I am keeping a stash of cash to cover that.

 

[FIREd]

I have about 9% in cash (checking/savings/money market), a few years worth of living expenses. I also have about 17% in CDs and iBonds.

 

[GregLee]

1.41% cash, counting checking/savings/money market. (I try to minimize cash.)

 

[foxfirev5]

13% cash. Several years expenses if I decide to retire.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Less than 1%.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

100% cash which includes IRA CD and bank CD's. Zero in equities or bonds.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Too much for many people's taste, but it lets us sleep at night knowing it's there.

 

[Alan]

10%, and that includes my I-Bonds which I treat like CD's

 

[Moemg]

Too much for many people's taste, but it lets us sleep at night knowing it's there.

+1

 

[Animorph]

Right at 10% since the market hasn't taken a giant dip yet. I did invest about 2.5% in the last dip. I'll invest more if we get a bigger dip, or spend it in a few years if we don't.

 

[DangerMouse]

+1

Add us to that camp. We are heavy in cash. It feels great each day not having to check the markets and knowing that no matter what you have what you started with the day before plus a bit more.

Of course it helps that we are able to get 5%+ on our cash in Australia.

 

[FUEGO]

0.5%. No wait, today was payday, so 0.6% in cash. In other words, enough for around 1-2 months expenses.

 

[W2R]

8.7%

 

[CyclingInvestor]

<1%

 

[kyounge1956]

Right now I have only whatever is included in Target Retirement Income or other funds I hold, which according to portfolio Xray has generally been around 5% of the total. My target date is only a little over 18 months from now and I am thinking about changing my tax deferred contributions from adding more VTINX to Stable Value fund or some other cash-like choice. I had originally expected to be able to fill a cash "bucket" with some of the money from selling my house, but since real-estate prices have dropped so much, I don't expect to have any money left over after paying for a new residence in my retirement locale. With next year's increase to $17K in maximum contributions I could have around $25K by the time I retire, to make up the small difference between pension and expenses from then until SS eligibility.

 

[justplainbll]

~ 40% cash, 40% equity, 20% fixed income

 

[Col. Klink]

At 8% cash now. In investment accounts only 3.9% in money markets. The return is so low there that I am keeping more in limited term munis that I might otherwise keep in the MMF.

 

[braumeister]

About 10%. Almost completely retired. This is about as high as my cash percentage ever gets.

I'm waiting for the next buying opportunity which will probably bring it down to around 7% again.

It bugs me to see money not working -- I'm the ER guy, not my cash!

 

[Sparkie67]

100% currently, earning > 6% fixed, government guaranteed (in Australia).

 

[donheff]

I only have about 1.5% in real cash (MMF). But I have about 14% more in the TSP G Fund which pays mid term treasury rates but is as safe as cash on the down side.

 

[justplainbll]

100% currently, earning > 6% fixed, government guaranteed (in Australia).

Sounds good. In the past 5 years the AUD has appreciated nearly 40% vs. the USD.
What's your inflation rate?

 

[rescueme]

Too much for many people's taste, but it lets us sleep at night knowing it's there.

I would agree, being more than a bit conserative.

As for me (retired for a few years)? I'm currently holding at the "minimum" at 3 years of income (includes taxes due). Of course, in a bit over two years I'll be able to claim against my DW's SS at 50%, which extends that spend rate.

As far as DW? We set her (gross) cash at 3-4 years of income (includes taxes). However, she changed her mind and still continues to be employed today, at just over two years till her FRA SS.

Assuming DW retires tomorrow, she's at more than 5 years in gross cash. If she decides to retire at FRA (which is possible), she will have (with two small pensions that will kick in in about 1.5 years) at close to 18 years of gross cash. And heck, that dosen't even consider her collecting my SS (which as a benefit, is much higher than her FRA SS)....

Since the OP asked....

 

[ikubak]

One two years of living expenses in cash or cash equivalents....still working