Hello from a newbie in Virginia!
I have been reading from the sidelines for a few weeks now....enjoying....all of
the information about early retirement....the movie reviews.....the variety of
particpants and their extensive knowledge base.....the jokes....the importance
of dryer sheets
....all good except for something about a "Piglet Sodomizer"
....not sure I even WANT to know about that one....
...and now thru the miracle of something you guys call "FireCalc" I have
discovered (REALLY!) that I am FI too! ....now on to RE.....
About me.....52 years young; MWC (married with child), my SI (significant other)
is 16 years my junior and my "baby" (14 y/o) still has 3 more years of high school.
I am a SE accountant who no longer enjoys the rigors of the job and the 100 hour work
weeks at "tax time"...although the $$$'s are good!....
I have notified my staff that I am retiring (effective June 30) and (rather than sell the
business) have presented an attractive opportunity for one of them to "transition" into
ownership with very little risk on their part....allowing for diminishing part time work
for myself over (no more than) the next three tax seasons.....so I am ALMOST RE'd
Enough about me.....I ain't all that special.
Question time!
#1 - I have noticed a board bias towards investing with Vanguard that seems to stem from
minimized investment fees.....are there any other reasons? I am currently with Wachovia
Securities and Ameriprise....comments please!?
#2 - I am a true novice at investing and do not understand the more complicated
aspects and/or terminology (although I am learning here).....My hands off investment policy
has been to stash it and leave it alone and let it grow!
A large portion of my nest egg is in "one basket" with a dividend producing bank stock
(Bank of America - currently 4+% div'ds) that has grown nicely over the last several years....
but I have garnered from reading here that I should diversify, right?....OK....I tend to
agree....but it's hard to look success in the face and send it down the road! Advice please....
maybe an educational book or two?
OK.....that's enough rambling for now.....thank in advance for any and all commentary!
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