b1-66er: {Dateline 6/24}
I changed my biggest Intelligent Portfolio ($500K) settings today.
That account has done extremely well up to now...made something like $100K in 4 years under a
World Moderate Growth (their words)
framework...
... I've changed it over to an Income Focused Moderate Portfolio.
(Meaning, slightly more conservative with more interest and dividends).
My reasoning is all markets are near, or on, their all-time highs... (And we all know that capitalistic markets waggle.)
For various reasons (war, population decline, American belligerence, AI uncertainties, etc), I'm wary of a major correction and certainly don't want to blindly endure a $¼M correction...
...Add to this that I was thinking for years that I'd be taking my first social security payment at 70 (that happens in 2030 -- $3300), but it's becoming ever more clear to me that Congress will reduce that benefit when the day of reckoning comes in 2032...
My guess is they'll aim the pruning shears at the 70 year olds first (if they waited until 70, they must not NEED the money, right? RIGHT!?).
So if I take $2600 next year at 67 (the "full retirement" age for the year I was born), I'll get three extra years of soiree.
{Aside: Schwab predicts I'll get $820K out of the account in an "average" market over those four years.
(All tax deferred Roth.)
This would be be the last of my financial onion to get unpeeled and spent.}
[The old profile was
60% stocks
30% fixed income
10% cash
•••
The new one is
40% stocks
45% fixed income
15% cash
]
•••
I'm very satisfied with this decision.
(The worst thing about it is I get to express extra glee if the market turns... Which is not very sporting of me.)
[Weirdly, that makes me the most conservative investor at Scorpion Manor.]
b1-67er: Yeah I think you are right. When to take SS is harder to figure when the minimum age may get bumped up at any time. I may be the perfect age [ed: born 1963] for them to keep bumping it out of reach.
I also agree that the markets are high risk for correction (or are already correcting).
For my part, all new investments are taking place with mutual funds outside the U.S. It's the way I'm voting no to the clown show that is the Trump administration. All they care about is money.... Therefore the economy doesn't get mine. It will almost certainly cost me money. But at least it's a lever I can push.
[6/26 Addendum: Markets universally down today.
66's IPs were + $1300.
]
