All in expense ratio

[audreyh1]

I just saw in my inbox an email from Schwab announcing three index funds with expense ratio of 0.04%, compared to Vanguard's similar funds with 0.18%.

Probably to match the Fidelity offerings. But make sure you are comparing to Vanguard Admiral Funds.

VIMAX, for example, instead of VIMSX, and you are loooking at a 0.06% ER, and the $10,000 min investment is not that onerous for folks here.

 

[REWahoo]

But make sure you are comparing to Vanguard Admiral Funds.

+1

All three Vanguard funds have Admiral Shares ($10K minimum investment) with ERs of 0.06%.

 

[NW-Bound]

I don't own any of these funds now at either brokers.

I like Schwab's service better. The 0.02% difference is really insignificant.

 

[Bikechuck]

My weighted average is 0.02%. But that is because I include in my weighted average a negative expense ratio on my cash, because it's earning 1.45%. That may not be a fair way to look at it.

My money is all in VTSAX and VBTLX, which I are 4 and 5 basis points, respectively. I don't trade in general, but when I do, it's free, so I have zero trading fees. I use no outside investment help other than the free consultation at Vanguard.

What in Heavens name do VTSAX and VBTLX stand for?

 

[SecondCor521]

What in Heavens name do VTSAX and VBTLX stand for?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=What+in+Heavens+name+do+VTSAX+and+VBTLX+stand+for%3F

 

[MRG]

What in Heavens name do VTSAX and VBTLX stand for?

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTSAX) or cusip # 922908728


Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares*(VBTLX) or cusip # 921937603.


You want people to post #921937603 or VBTLX?

There's a reason why funds are generally referred to by the 5 character name. Set your calendar back to 1968 and it will make sense.

It's related to 1960s computer technology.

 

[Dtail]

+1

All three Vanguard funds have Admiral Shares ($10K minimum investment) with ERs of 0.06%.

Fidelity's version of Admiral shares have a range of 0.035 - 0.06% for S&P 500, Medium, Small, Int'l stock indexes.

 

[NW-Bound]

You want people to post #921937603 or VBTLX?

Some people want it spelled out: "Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares".

Now, say it 3 times fast.

 

[SecondCor521]

Some people want it spelled out: "Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares".

Now, say it 3 times fast.

I just say Vee Battle Ax.

Don't ask what I call FUSEX!

 

[MRG]

Some people want it spelled out: "Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares".

Now, say it 3 times fast.

Those folks should learn about third normal form.[emoji111]

 

[KCGeezer]

Thanks all. Something told me there would be a lively discussion.

 

[Bikechuck]

LMGTFY

Yes, by all means GOOGLE is your friend. However many people, especially new users, do not memorize fund names. It takes one person a few extra seconds to post fund names along with the symbols and that saves a ton of time cumulatively when many readers do not need to look them up.

Also, I often just skip posts with symbols that I don't know rather than looking them up. I know that I am not alone in this. So many people have so many good things to share and it adds value when fund names are used in addition to symbols.

Now I will step down from my soap box!

 

[NW-Bound]

I do not remember fund symbols, nor fund names. Stock symbols are shorter, and usually an acronym of the corporation name.

For example, C is Citigroup, AA is Alcoa, TXN is Texas Instruments, GOOG for Google (duh!), GE for General Electric (another duh), AAPL for Apple, MCHP for Microchip, AMAT for Applied Material, etc... Compared to the above, MF symbols most often make no sense.

That, plus the fact that during the heyday of 2000, there were more MFs than companies. Could you believe that? Any Joe Blow could buy a hodgepodge of stocks, and have an MF.

That was when I decided I could practically have my own personal MF, and bought stocks myself.


PS. From the Web:

In the United States, there were 9,511 mutual funds in 2016...

In the US, less than 4000 companies are actively traded in NYSE or Nasdaq. There are another 15000 stocks that are traded over the counter...

 

[audreyh1]

"Old age is the most unexpected of all things that can happen to a man" -- Leon Trotsky

NW-Bound - your sig line has been bugging me because I know that Trotsky was assassinated at age 60. I guess he wasn't expecting to live long.....

 

[Rickt]

our ER is 0.12%.

 

[NW-Bound]

NW-Bound - your sig line has been bugging me because I know that Trotsky was assassinated at age 60. I guess he wasn't expecting to live long.....

One of these days, when I run across Trotsky's above line in his writings and know its context, I will let you know.

 

[sengsational]

Mine is kind of high (0.44%) because I have a pretty high percent international and a high percent of funds that are wrapped by an insurance company (adds 0.29%). The guaranteed income fund in my 401k which has my entire bond allocation right now is 0.37% (that includes explicit annual 401k fees too). Several of my international iShares ETF's are in the 0.48% range. I know I could shop around and get out of the iShares, but haven't done it due to the pain associated with getting my rather annoyingly complex asset allocation back in line and making all of that work across his and hers tIRA, Roth IRA, HSA, 401K (lots of non-minglables).

 

[PatrickA5]

My overall is .14%. The vast majority are in Vanguard Lifestyle Moderate. I could manually split out those 4 funds in each of our retirement accounts and get it down to .06%, but have decided it's not really worth it.

 

[KCGeezer]

I made a couple of changes and have dropped my ER from the original .28 to .19. Swapped Fidelity Balanced for a Vanguard target date fund that meets my AA requirements. Also moved small cap funds.

It occurred to me that although I could probably save another few basis points I’ll hold that for the next time I get nervous about the market. Gives me something to satisfy that “I have to do something” itch.

 

[flintnational]

Per Vanguard Portfolio Watch, we are at .08%. This is for mutual funds which are 78% of our investments. The rest is individual stocks and rental property.