guestdsfds wrote:
Flagpole:
What vanguard and fidelity funds have you held and for what periods.
Your stated rates of return, with a few exceptions, are above the rates of return for just about all of their offerings over the past 20 years (or since inception of the funds).
Not if you stop at Jan. 1 2008 they aren't -- as I said. 2008 was a bad year. I lost (on paper in 2008) 39%, and considering what I started 2008 with, that is a lot. BUT, the only reason I had so much (other than investing a lot) was the great performance of the market since I had been in beginning in 1989.
Doesn't matter much to me. If I had to work until 62 and live on what I have now plus Social Security, I could do it. Fact is that I'll be able to invest a lot still between now and age 59 1/2 (which is 17 more years for me) and there's a GREAT likelihood that the market will have gone up by then, but even if it doesn't, I'll be fine. People keep bringing up Japan...well 1) the US isn't Japan; 2) I don't NEED the market to get back to 14,100 anyway in order to ensure a decent retirement -- I think it will get there and then north of there even eventually before I retire, but I don't require it.