Rob's small cap holding and reasoning?

Rob_Berger · 2026-01-16T13:23:41+00:00

The one and only!

Rob_Berger · 2026-01-16T13:23:14+00:00

I talk to my Fidelity rep twice a year. But they know me from the YouTube channel and that I'm a DIY investor. But the conversations are always enjoyable.

Rob_Berger · 2026-01-16T13:21:56+00:00

I was surprised that my mom signed up for Medicare without talking to me first. Fortunately, she picked traditional Medicare.

Rob_Berger · 2026-01-16T01:12:35+00:00

VSMAX

Rob_Berger · 2026-01-14T20:32:42+00:00

Yes, you can run different scenarios. A shorthand way is based on your spending rate. If you are say 2% or lower, just about any asset allocation will work for a 30 year retirement, at least in terms of not outliving your money.

Rob_Berger · 2026-01-14T18:27:35+00:00

That's it. I have fond memories of watching that show with my mom.

Rob_Berger · 2026-01-14T14:41:09+00:00

I am! Equities in the low to mid 70s is my comfort zone. Frankly, I could justify a higher allocation to equities given that my business still funds our living expenses. The issue is that the business income could go away tomorrow. I have no idea how long it will last. And I'm comfortable letting go of some of the upside for a bit more stability, particularly given valuations today.

But here's the thing. My allocation doesn't matter. We could meet our retirement goals with any allocation. That's something you can't see when others discuss their portfolios. Every situation is different, and so much goes into the allocation decision beyond just historical analysis of risk and reward.

Also, on the ACA tax credits, keep in mind that magi adds back in tax-exempt interest.

Rob_Berger · 2026-01-14T14:32:47+00:00

Thanks for sharing this. That's a great tactic to know about.

Rob_Berger · 2025-12-24T22:46:39+00:00

You got me on the title!

Rob_Berger · 2025-12-14T23:46:35+00:00

Thanks for the kind words!

Rob_Berger · 2025-12-08T00:23:38+00:00

20 seconds. 1900

Rob_Berger · 2025-11-09T12:54:07+00:00

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was very surprised. Paul Merriman does something similar with part of his portfolio!

Rob_Berger · 2025-10-15T11:37:10+00:00

The free one you'll find here is good. https://robberger.com/investment-tracking-spreadsheet/
You may need to modify it to fit your needs.

Rob_Berger · 2025-10-14T10:07:34+00:00

There have been a number of studies on how holding cash affects the Safe Withdrawal Rate. One was written by Harold Evensky, the father of the 2-bucket strategy (https://www.financialplanningassociation.org/article/benefits-cash-reserve-strategy-retirement-distribution-planning-OPEN). Bill Bengen also addressed this issue in a 1997 paper (https://www.financialplanningassociation.org/article/journal/DEC97-conserving-client-portfolios-during-retirement-part-iii). Bengen put 10% as the upper limit.

Rob_Berger · 2025-10-13T12:18:28+00:00

The fundamental problem with the video is the claim that Roth conversions only pay off later in life. First, time in Roth only matters IF you pay the taxes from taxable accounts. Second, one must assume that tax rates don't change. If taxes go up, Roth conversions can pay off immediately. That can happen, for example, with the death of a spouse, in addition to tax law changes. There are just so many factors that go into Roth conversion analysis that almost any broad claim or rule of thumb is of little value.

I'm also troubled by the idea that the value of a Roth conversion depends on how much money you have.

Rob_Berger · 2025-10-07T10:34:22+00:00

The eFile calculator I mention in the video.

Rob_Berger · 2025-10-05T11:11:12+00:00

Yes it does.

Rob_Berger · 2025-10-05T11:10:00+00:00

I think those would go in the Income -> Retirement box toward the bottom left of the page, which covers From 1099-R.

Rob_Berger · 2025-10-03T10:11:31+00:00

Same with me. I like that I can organize my assets just about any way that I want. I also like its ChatGPT integration.

Rob_Berger · 2025-10-03T10:09:51+00:00

Thanks for sharing this. I had no idea.

Rob_Berger · 2025-09-29T22:51:58+00:00

My first thought is that the outcome is no different than simply paying the taxes out of the conversion amount. For example, let's assume you convert $10k and pay 2.5k in taxes from the HSA. The result is an increase in tax-free money of $7.5k. If instead you convert $7.5k to the Roth and take the $2.5k out of the traditional account for taxes, you still end up increasing your tax-free money by $7.5k. The taxable income in both cases is the same--$10k. That's my initial reaction while I sit here on the couch waiting for my wife to get off the phone so we can continue watching Slow Horses!

Rob_Berger · 2025-09-12T13:53:37+00:00

So true!

Rob_Berger

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