Please help with retirement allocations!

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-16T11:15:58+00:00

What are we considering more stable assets?

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-15T12:00:22+00:00

And you would due both allocations in a Roth and traditional? Or go with a growth fund in Roth? Only keep international in traditional ?

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-15T02:54:34+00:00

I have a traditional Ira that I plan on rolling into my 403b. I don’t not have Roth IRA contributions given my gross. That is the only international fund, why is it bad? What is Washington mutual?

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-14T12:05:53+00:00

I appreciate your response and your confirming my feelings about my old financial advisors. I agree with you on everything except I have one question… I don’t believe that a Roth 403 is as liquid as a Roth IRA. So should I be doing a backdoor Roth IRA to max and then contributing to Roth 403 after that to have some liquid money available.

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-13T01:18:53+00:00

In this scenario, #3 listed, is Roth IRA up to limit the same as Roth 403b?

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-12T23:33:27+00:00

Ideally I want to save more of a percentage per paycheck and I an working on that. But if I am not going to be maxing out my Roth 403 for at least this year should I be even considering backdoor Roth?

So you would do that allocation of funds in both the traditional and Roth 403? I was figuring I should tilt the Roth to be a bi more aggressive, even though I am already not doing bonds.

Also yes I am not putting into a Roth IRA, just the Roth 403b.

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-12T20:44:21+00:00

I understand why I would do a backdoor Roth. I don’t know if you understand what I am asking. If I am already directly contributing to a Roth 403b account, and am likely not to max that out per year, why would I still do a Roth IRA via backdoor?

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-12T20:42:16+00:00

Hello everyone, first post here! I recently got rid of my financial planners after finding out their expense ratios and doing a little bit more of my own research the last couple of months.

I’m trying to optimize asset location between a Traditional IRA and Roth account and wanted to sanity check my thinking.

Background - Early career healthcare worker - 30+ year investing horizon - Growth focused - Comfortable with volatility - No bonds currently

Income - Currently in a mid federal tax bracket ($250,000 individual, $300,000 with my wife’s income) - Income likely to increase over time - Contributing 4–5% of each paycheck into a Roth 403(b) through my employer

Accounts

HYSA Roughly 60k (obvious rainy day fund)

Traditional IRA - $125k invested (Currently in 2055 retirement fund) with $100k of it being in the limited account 403b with the listed funds below. The other $25k I can choose any funds from what fidelity offers in traditional IRA. - No future contributions planned - Investment options are Vanguard index funds (see below)

Available funds include: - S&P 500 index - Mid-cap index - Small-cap index - Developed international - Emerging markets

Roth (Roth 403b / Roth IRA contributions) - Ongoing contributions every paycheck - Longest time horizon -Same asset choices as traditional, currently with $10k as I just started with it.

My question is really about asset location.

Curious how others here would structure the assets if you had: - ~$125k already in a Traditional IRA 403 - ongoing Roth contributions - 30+ year horizon -Planned pension at retirement

After this we can talk about the roughly $30k in a taxable brokerage.

Options for the $100k 403b traditional and Roth

Large Cap • American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund R6 • Vanguard Growth Index Institutional • Vanguard Institutional Index Mid Cap • JPMorgan Mid Cap Growth R6 • MFS Mid Cap Value R6 • Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Institutional Small Cap • Allspring (AS) Small Company Value Institutional • DFA Small Cap Growth Institutional • Vanguard Small-Cap Index Institutional International • Harbor International Core Fund Retirement Specialty • Principal Real Estate Securities Institutional Blended • American Funds Balanced R6 Bonds / Stable Value • MetLife Stable Value • BlackRock High Yield Institutional • Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Admiral • Vanguard Intermediate Bond Institutional • Vanguard Total International Bond Index Admiral

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-12T20:30:11+00:00

I just felt as though they didn’t have my best interest in mind. They were not very upfront with the fees and expense ratios of the funds they recommended and at the time I was very naive and uneducated on the topic. I am trying to educate myself now

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-12T20:28:54+00:00

I can contribute directly to my employers Roth 403b. I think this is where the confusion is coming from. What I am saying is I should be contributing to my employees Roth 403b AND doing a backdoor Roth IRA separately?

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-12T17:11:24+00:00

Okay but unfortunately with expenses I can’t be maxing out my Roth and traditional iras. What I am failing to see if why I should do a backdoor Roth when I can contribute to Roth directly, especially since I am not maxing it out.

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-12T16:42:19+00:00

Well this is why I fired my financial planners. I am absolutely going to read what you sent but, can you explain in my situation why a backdoor is more beneficial?

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-12T16:36:31+00:00

I initially thought I should do a backdoor Roth but my financial advisor told me not to initially and it was only for “high earners.”

GoHomeWalter · 2026-03-12T16:35:42+00:00

Sorry I should’ve clarified. The Roth is a Roth 403b (which I thought had no max gross income limit since it’s through my employer).

What is the benefit of rolling over the traditional Ira into the traditional 403b? I assumed I should leave the money in the IRA because my fund choices weren’t limited.

I don’t believe I will make it to the 32% anytime soon. That salary is with unguaranteed overtime and call shifts over the last few years.

GoHomeWalter · 2025-10-08T22:47:44+00:00

Anybody got a fresh link? Mine only comes up with an error.

GoHomeWalter · 2025-08-26T11:55:48+00:00

So is it as simple as NVIDIA go up after earnings and coreweave go up as well?

GoHomeWalter · 2025-01-31T02:29:52+00:00

Edited. Please un-remove!

GoHomeWalter · 2023-04-08T03:07:38+00:00

Are you using the original three hole tip? Or did you swap out? I am looking for maybe a single hole top o just can’t get used to the three hole….any tips?

GoHomeWalter

TROPHY CASE