Vanguard Portfolio online checkup

[tmm99]

Has anybody used this complimentary service? (If you have more than 100K with Vanguard in assets can use this. It is under Insights Tab on top now - and then click on Retirement - The last choice is the one I am talking about.) If you specify Vanguard funds, their prices will adjust automatically next time you go back in (You will still have to add if you buy more.)

How do you feel this compares to FireCalc in their prediction?

 

[LOL!]

From your description, you get to the Financial Engines (FE) link provided by Vanguard, right?

Short answer: I have found the FE stuff to be worse than useless.

Part of the problem is that FE is for folks far away from retirement. It also assumes that you use all your assets at retirement age to buy an annuity to give you steady income. I just re-ran it and it said I should take all my portfolio and put it into Vanguard Prime Money Market. I guess that is a prelude to buying that annuity.

 

[freebird5825]

I followed the menu choices at the VG site...Insights, Retirement, and saw 3 tabs labelled as:
Saving for Retirement
Nearing Retirement
Living in Retirement

Which tab are you referring to as "the last choice"?

 

[chrisjul]

I've used it....found it to be mainly for those lacking in financial skills. They basically use 60/40 type formulas and plug in their funds.

Good luck,
Chris

 

[tmm99]

LOL,

You must be correct; I just plugged in all the numbers last night to take a look but it must be more for people who are in the accumulation phase. It gives me things to tweek (as far as fund allocations and how much to save each year) etc, but it sounds like for someone who is already retired, it may not give you anything useful.

chris,

You said you found this tool to be for people lacking in financial skills. Would you consider Firecalc to be for people lacking in financial skills? I know I definitely lack investing skills, so this is kind of interesting because the tool is more detailed and comprehensive for any free tool (with 100K invested) I've seen (and certainly entertaining to me.) I have to look at the "investigate" part of the Firecalc. I don't think this vanguard tool gives you some of the stuff Firecalc gives, but I haven't looked through it much yet, so I don't know.

Freebird,

I swear I saw the choice under just Retirement, but I don't see it now.

Go to "Insight", then go to "Saving for Retirement". Then on the same page on the right side under "Also of Interest" - Click on "Retirement Planning Tools". The last choice on the Retirement Planning Tools screen is the one, "Give your portfolio an online checkup."

Or just go to
https://personal.vanguard.com/us/insights/retirement/saving/retirement-tools
and pick the last choice, which is "Give your portfolion an online checkup."

 

[tmm99]

In the similar note, it looks like Vanguard offers free financial planner services (with some money invested at Vanguard.) People here seem quite investment savvy, but maybe some others are not so much (like me) and they may be able to take advantage of some of their services. (I don't work for Vanguard. I just have some money there and I am just finding out some of their free services.)

https://personal.vanguard.com/us/whatweoffer/personalservices/flagshipandvoyager

 

[freebird5825]

Freebird,

I swear I saw the choice under just Retirement, but I don't see it now.

Go to "Insight", then go to "Saving for Retirement". Then on the same page on the right side under "Also of Interest" - Click on "Retirement Planning Tools". The last choice on the Retirement Planning Tools screen is the one, "Give your portfolio an online checkup."

Or just go to
https://personal.vanguard.com/us/insights/retirement/saving/retirement-tools
and pick the last choice, which is "Give your portfolion an online checkup."

I found it. TY