Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Just retired - decision time
Old 09-25-2012, 01:14 PM   #1
Dryer sheet wannabe
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Monroe
Posts: 17
Just retired - decision time

I just retired and my income stream will stop shortly. I have some decisions to make. Currently 90% of my money is in (5) Fidelity accounts (money market, rollover IRA, managed account and personal investment account, MetLife Annuity). Also, I have an IRA with Prudential that I have to roll over.
Questions:
  • Any concerns having all my holdings with one company?
  • Stay with Prudential and do a IRA rollover or move it to Vanguard?
  • Thinking of moving the Pru-IRA to an annuity. Being I would start drawing around March, would fixed be better that a variable. I assume fixed yields a higher rate. The Pru variable annuity pays .5% less then Met for a joint account.
Thanks,
GaryK is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 09-25-2012, 01:33 PM   #2
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Finance Dave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,854
IMO variable annuities are a scam...the fees are horrible, and the details are longer than Don McClean's American Pie.

IMO no issues having all funds with one company.

IMO Vanguard is fine, there are other threads where this has been discussed...and IIRC about 60-70% of people on this board preferred Fido, but mainly I think because their website and tools were better.

IMO simplifying has it's benefits...get rid of tiny accounts, and put things under one umbrella.

Good luck and congrats.
__________________
"Live every day as if it were your last, and one day you'll be right" - unknown
Finance Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2012, 01:50 PM   #3
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
travelover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
I'd compare expenses between Prudential and Vanguard. No on annuity.
travelover is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2012, 04:17 PM   #4
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 106
IMO no serious issue having all your holdings with one company... that company is merely the custodian of the holdings, you really owns the shares or bonds that are in your portfolio... UNLESS you are investing wholy in a security issued by that company (like an annuity). In that case you may want to split, for additional peace of mind.
If a company that is custodian of your funds goes bely up, you could temporarily lose access to your funds until things get sorted out, so it is smart to have enough cash/near cash at your bank to tide you over for a couple of months at least...
boatfishandnature is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2012, 04:42 PM   #5
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
frayne's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Chattanooga
Posts: 3,877
FWIW, I use Fidelity and Vanguard, FIDO for IRA and VG for after tax accounts. Probably not necessary but something I am comfortable with.

Not a believer in annuities either, do it yourself and save yourself some money and headaches.
__________________
Earning money is an action, saving money is a behavior, growing money takes a well diversified portfolio and the discipline to ignore market swings.
frayne is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2012, 05:44 PM   #6
Dryer sheet wannabe
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Monroe
Posts: 17
Thanks,
The only reason that I have any annuities is for sleep. I have enough with SS to cover the bare minumum w/o inflation. The rest is in various funds to cover inflation and life style.
GaryK is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:25 PM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.