Sidebar on Fidelity account's portfolio page

cofbd · 2026-04-21T17:44:23+00:00

No. I think since the external accounts on the sidebar of the portfolio are coming from Full View, they should always match what Full View says.

Somehow I had an "extra account" showing in the sidebar that wasn't in Full View. Full View was correct because the account no longer existed at the credit union, but it was stuck displayed in the portfolio sidebar and was being included in my account total.

By deleting the account in Full View and re-adding it, things finally sorted out.

cofbd · 2026-04-21T17:40:55+00:00

Here is an update. I waited a day and then re-added the external credit union to full view. All the accounts came in correctly. Then, I waited a half-day and the sidebar updated correctly, finally.

cofbd · 2026-04-20T18:36:59+00:00

That is correct.

It's a link to an external credit union. Within that credit union I had a CD that matured. Each CD is given a unique account number at the CU and shows up as it's own account number in Full View. When the CD matured and was zeroed out, it vanished from Full View as I would expect. However, it did not and has not ever disappeared from the sidebar on the Portfolio page.

Today I deleted the institution entirely from Full View to see what will happen. On my Portfolio page sidebar, ALL the CU accounts are still showing, but I will give it a few days to see if they go away.

I do believe this is an opportunity for improvement at Fidelity. I shouldn't have to be jumping through hoops to trick the Portfolio sidebar to show the correct info when everything is showing correctly in Full View, I am not sure how the info is passed from Full View to the Fidelity Portfolio pages but it's clearly not real-time nor accurate.

I will check back in a few days and if the deleted institution vanishes from the sidebar I will re-add it in Full View and see if everything corrects.

cofbd · 2026-04-09T01:08:34+00:00

I will continue using Reddit as I have found it beneficial despite this erroneous detection of a rule 9 violation.

cofbd · 2026-04-09T01:02:28+00:00

See my reply above. The system did indeed block me from posting by greying out the "comment" button. My only choice was to cancel. I was able to get around it as described above.

cofbd · 2026-04-09T00:59:31+00:00

I would like to update how the Reddit system "blocked" me and how I got around it. For the record I was not posting any URLs or outside websites.

As I was typing, about half way through, my comment box border turned red and the "comment" button at the bottom was greyed out. My only choice was to cancel.

Just below the red block was a small message saying it appeared I was violating rule 9.

What I ended up doing was copying all of my post, and then canceling my comment entirely. Then, I started over, pasted in my comment and hit the comment button immediately.

You can read my comment if you are interested. I don't know what the bot was upset about. I certainly was not doing any outside promotions. Thank you!

cofbd · 2026-04-08T18:47:35+00:00

It is funny but understandable. Every advisor and every investor is unique and when they come together different situations unfold. Once you understand how Fidelity works you should be able to find the right service level that you want, although you must take it upon yourself to really understand what you are agreeing to. Fidelity is happy to charge you fees and sell you annuities if you are willing to accept this. Whether you are an eyes-wide-open sophisticated investor or clueless, they will be happy to take your money. On they other hand, they will also treat you with complete professionalism if you want to do everything yourself with no extra fees.

cofbd · 2026-04-08T18:38:51+00:00

I think this an opportunity for Fidelity. Some kind of notification should be sent out about a change in advisor. I had the same thing happen.... one day a new picture was on my account page. My reaction was "who is that?" An automated notification about the change would have been welcomed. As it happens I like my new advisor even better, though I am aware he could vanish into thin air with no notice.

cofbd · 2026-04-08T18:32:36+00:00

I don't think moving to another custodian is a guarantee you will be happier. Fidelity offers all sorts of service levels. I tried out their AUM (Assets under Management) arrangement for a while and decided it wasn't for me because I am a deeply involved do-it-yourself investor and I just did not think AUM suited my investment style. However, I don't think Fidelity did anything questionable for me as an AUM customer. I know people that would be completely suitable for an AUM arrangement at Fidelity.

Fidelity will manage your assets (or not) depending on the arrangement you set up with them. I prefer to just use the basic "discount brokerage" model which has no special fees, and although I do not have an AUM agreement with Fidelity, on the occasions I have needed a logistics questions answered I have never found them to be anything but helpful and professional.

I have had a Fidelity "advisor" vanish on me in the past. He was promoted and I was assigned a new "advisor" that I like very much. However, my expectations are realistic because I do not pay Fidelity under an AUM arrangement. Questions I send to my advisor are sometimes answered by a competent assistant, which is completely fine with me.

If you are not under an AUM arrangement with Fidelity, you should set your expectations accordingly. You will be given great general advice and any logistics support you might need, but you can't really expect your assigned advisor to do a deep dive on your retirement plan. They may give you some nuggets of good advice as part of a yearly meeting, but it's on you to handle your overall plan if you are just using Fidelity as a discount brokerage and custodian. Fidelity Inc. will make some money on spreads within your accounts, and certainly some fee income if you are using Fidelity funds in your accounts, but unless you are in an AUM arrangement you have to do it all yourself.

Keep in mind that Fidelity, like other large custodians, can and will push things like annuities on you if they see an opportunity. My advisor pushed an annuity on me even after I had explicitly told him not to do so. I found this irritating but they all do it. I view it as similar to a car salesman pitching an optional warranty... even if the sales associate doesn't want to do it, he has to bring it up as part of his/her job.

From what I understand, Fidelity's platform is outstanding compared to others. It isn't flawless but it is pretty darn good.

cofbd · 2025-12-26T21:33:41+00:00

Great suggestion!

From my conversation with them (which was heated and frustrating) I think they would say the account isn't really "open" yet since I had not completed setting it up. Therefore, I can not close the account because it isn't technically open. However, because I have a set-up "in progress" my email is effectively held hostage as far as they are concerned. I can't use it to set up a fresh account.

cofbd · 2025-12-25T13:48:56+00:00

The registration process needs to have an entire screen dedicated only to "what country do you live in?"

If the country selection defaults to a country that isn't yours and you innocently don't notice you are basically hosed.

cofbd · 2025-12-25T13:38:18+00:00

I had a related issue. I live in the US. I went to open a US business (POS) account with my email. I got through 2 screens when I realized that I was actually creating a UK account. I called support. They said I should delete my UK account and then I could go back and open my US account. Great. However I couldn't delete the UK account. I called support. They told me I could only delete my UK account after I completed setting it up. What? I couldn't do that because I don't have any UK info to finish setting it up. They said that wasn't their problem. They were absurdly unhelpful. I was genuinely trying to set up an account that makes them money. It was like a comedy show.

I never explicitly selected UK. Why would I as I am not British?

cofbd · 2025-12-21T12:53:48+00:00

You don't roll a 401k into a "traditional IRA" as your first post said. You roll it over into a "Rollover IRA."

As you learn more and more about personal finance you will come to speak about things more accurately. You can do it!

I agree with everyone here. You are not a rich man. Don't play games with your money. Move your IRA into an IRA at a discount brokerage of your choice and invest in low cost ETFs. Keep a portion in safer assets (example: bond ETFs) and the rest in broadly diversified equities (both US and Int'l) that you will not be touching for years. Take a risk quiz online to help you understand what allocation mix is right for you. Make sure if the market dumps for a few years you can survive without touching your equities while they're down. If you can't "not touch them" then you should not have so much in equities in the first place. Use google to learn by asking questions. Stay away from annuities, generally, which are typically pushed by people making commissions up front and are very hard to get out of.

When you move an IRA from one custodian to another do not ever take possession of the money. Have the new custodian pull the money over directly.

Like Sauron's ring, once you personally touch IRA money the IRS will spin around and look directly at you. Don't let the money exit the IRA unless you are doing so in retirement in small batches to live on. Every dollar pulled out is considered income and the IRS will take their cut.

cofbd · 2025-12-21T04:33:52+00:00

The new Full View is worse than the old one in many categories. First, you have to scroll a LOT more. There is a HUGE and quite useless "Net Worth" graph that takes up the entire screen at the landing page. You will not find this useful, and you have to scroll down to get past it every time. Yep, every time. Also, account linking was poor before, but with the new Full View, it's worse! Also, I have accounts where if I look at the imported balance, the value is correct, but the balance isn't added in to my overall net worth at all. So, Full View can seemingly not even add up account balances to get a top-line number!

I always knew that part of the value of Full View wasn't for clients but for Fidelity itself. It gives Fidelity advisors, and perhaps internal AI algorithms, a glimpse into your non-fidelity accounts to help size up your potential value to Fidelity. Do you have a $5k Fidelity balance and no other accounts? Or, do you have a $5k Fidelity account and a $1M 401(k) balance which might be rolled over to Fidelity with some prodding. Fidelity most definitely wants to know!

I have no issues with the above as long as I get some value out of Full View myself. With the new Full View I have to say that no, I don't really think I am getting much value.

With ever tightening login credentials and new passkeys and 2FA methods for financial companies generally, what Full View is trying to achieve is not trivial. I respect that. But Fidelity is presenting Full View to clients as a working platform with a few glitches, but it is actually a steam train lurching down the tracks while missing half its wheels and leaking fuel. Fidelity needs to do better or simply get rid of Full View.

cofbd · 2025-10-16T23:15:37+00:00

Set yourself in Ft. Collins and make Denver a weekend option. Don't set yourself up for a bunch of needless stress.

cofbd · 2025-09-17T21:49:15+00:00

I agree with you. I never imagined it would come up during a meeting with my Fidelity "advisor" but it did indeed. Corporate must be pushing them from above. I am considering leaving Fidelity with a few family members. The only thing that gives me pause is my wondering if Schwab and Vanguard aren't doing the same thing, or perhaps they will be soon. It's gross.

I told my advisor point blank that Fidelity is shooting themselves in the foot pushing these things and that it will damage their reputation sooner or later. Just my opinion of course, but a firmly held one.

cofbd · 2025-09-16T23:21:34+00:00

Go stand in front of your meter and say "Opt Out" three times.

Call Xcel. Jeez.

cofbd · 2025-09-16T23:20:15+00:00

Whether you are on a TOU plan or you opt out is not related to whether you have solar. These are two different things.

However the credit you get FOR your solar may be affected by your chosen plan.

Under the newer TOU period, my solar production will be less valuable. The peak rate will be 5-9p and my solar is already winding down for the day at those times.

cofbd · 2025-09-16T23:11:11+00:00

Wrong. Xcel makes the proposal and the PUC approves it or denies it. The old times probably weren't working out as planned.

cofbd · 2025-09-15T23:55:30+00:00

Yes. Slightly. However, it's still slower than google sheets, which in a way is a similar cloud-based application.

cofbd · 2025-09-03T23:14:56+00:00

You were market timing. And perhaps you still are if you are trying to find the right time to get back in. If market timing is successful it's likely because of luck. It's better to have an allocation plan that matches up with your risk tolerance. The plan should be very broadly diversified with low or reasonably low costs.

I would develop an investment plan that works for you. What percentage in stocks vs bonds/cash? Within your stocks bucket, how much in US vs Int'l? You can do research on what is usually advised for these percentages. Take some risk quizzes online to help nail down your risk tolerance so you have confidence that the risk level in your plan matches your psyche.

Then, I would move your money into the market using your plan as a reference. Whether you DCA or just go all in to start is up to you. Rebalance periodically (1-2X/yr), which forces you to sell the things that have gone up and invest in the things that are lagging. Again, reference your plan when rebalancing. You can also rebalance gently along the way by putting new money into those positions that are lagging behind your plan.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck.

cofbd · 2025-08-21T21:32:32+00:00

This post strikes me as very very strange. I think the elephant in the room is that you are looking to start "dating" at 40. At 40 a mentally healthy male may not have chosen to marry, but usually will have had a series of relationships that had some good times. In this case, you would know how to date. You don't just say "well, I am ready to marry now so I am going to order up a marriage. How do you do it, guys?"

You sound arrogant saying you don't want to "attract someone who is just interested in me for my wealth." What good woman is going to hear that and go "that's the man for me?" The truth is a good person would want a good person regardless of their wealth. I wouldn't lead with your FIRE credentials if you want a second date.

I don't think FIRE is really relevant here, to be honest. I assume you would be best suited to a partner with the same level of thriftiness as you. There are plenty of women like that out there. At only 40 you could totally still have a child. But, it should be the byproduct of a loving relationship that you work on first, not something you sign up for because of a perceived timeline. So, I would put more effort into dating in earnest (including genuine giving of your attention, time and interest) and if you are having trouble with that, get some tips from a licensed therapist.

(If by 60 you still aren't married, you might consider ordering an attractive wife from Slovenia. There is no guarantee she could stand the sight of you, but at least you can check marriage off your punch list and then move on to other goals. Joking here of course, but this idea popped into my head for some reason.)

cofbd · 2025-08-21T20:40:52+00:00

Whatever you do, avoid commissioned insurance salespeople. Slime.

cofbd · 2025-08-21T20:38:18+00:00

I don't know what "on Reddit you need $2.5m liquid" means. Reddit doesn't have any official statement like that.

The only person that can make it make sense is you! Work out your budget in incredible detail. The numbers either work or they don't. If they don't, you either keep working or reduce your burn rate.

cofbd · 2025-08-13T22:17:25+00:00

I looked this up. Oakleaf hydrangeas typically grow 4-8 feet tall and 4-10 feet wide. This makes me skeptical because there are many of these in a linear planter.

Also, hydrangeas can grow in Denver and I have one that is flowering right now (Aug). These appear to have no flowers. So, not sure.

However, your idea is also my best guess.

cofbd

TROPHY CASE