The Rob Berger Show

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RBS 041: International Stocks -- The Pros and Cons of Investing in Foreign Companies May 16, 2022

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Should a well diversified portfolio include international stock funds? That's the question I'm covering in this video. I'll first walk through several reasons an international stock fund is NOT necessary. Then I'll explain why I nevertheless invest in international stocks. Finally, I'll cover what I think is the most important factor as you decide what is best for your investment portfolio.
Video Outline
- U.S. vs. International
- Performance (Portfolio Visualizer)
- Current Valuations (VTI vs VXUS--Morningstar)
- Reasons NOT to own international stocks
1. Warren Buffett & Jack Bogle
- Warren Buffett Portfolio--https://robberger.com/warren-buffett-...
- Bogle on Investing
- https://www.morningstar.com/articles/...
- https://jasonzweig.com/invest-globall...
2. International stocks may have lower valuations for a reason
3. The U.S. is the best place to invest
- entrepreneurial
- Soundest institutions
- Excellent governance
- Well diversified economy
4. U.S. companies do business around the world (so we already have int'l exposure)
- About 50% of revenue and earnings come from abroad
5. Diversification may not be that great
- U.S. Small Cap Value may provide more diversification
- https://www.morningstar.com/articles/...
6. Many countries are unstable politically, economically or both
- Why I own international stocks

RBS 040: Jack Bogle _ _ Never _ Rebalance Your Investment Portfolio (and how to do it if you must) May 13, 2022

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Jack Bogle: "Never" Rebalance Your Investment Portfolio (and how to do it if you must) Join the newsletter: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...
Resources Mentioned in the Video:
Investment Tracking Spreadsheet: https://robberger.com/investment-trac...
Opportunistic Rebalancing paper: http://resource.fpanet.org/resource/0...
Jack Bogle interview: https://www.morningstar.com/articles/...
Jack Bogle, the founder of Vanguard, argued that one should not rebalance their investment portfolio. He believed that doing so lowered long-term results. In this video we'll understand why he believed rebalancing was unnecessary, along with good reasons to rebalance a portfolio. I'll also cover how I use what's called Opportunistic Rebalancing in my investment portfolio.
#rebalancing #investing #RobBerger

RBS 039: Should the Amount We Invest Change How Invest_Live Q&A May 11, 2022

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RBS 038: Living Off Dividends in Retirement -- Not so Fast May 09, 2022

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Living off dividends in retirement seems safe. Because you never have to sell shares of stocks, ETFs or mutual funds, you can never run out of money. Yet it's not quite that simple.
In this video we'll look at four major problems with living off dividends. Then will discuss why focusing on Total Return is a much sounder approach to investing in retirement.
Finally, we will look at some reasonably safe ways to increase your dividend yield if you must.

RBS 037: Managing Withdrawals in Early Retirement Apr 29, 2022

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A viewer emailed me the following question:
"Rob - I hope this finds you well. I'm a fellow large law firm attorney, and I find your approach relatable and sound. I have a question regarding early retirement. I'm contemplating retiring in my early 50s. Currently all my bonds are held in 401K/traditional IRA vehicles, which ideally I would like to not touch until much later in retirement (i.e., when RMDs kick in) to take advantage of the tax deferral benefits. Since my brokerage account is 100% in equities, this could leave me exposed in early retirement if the market tanks and I don't want to have to sell equities at a low price. Is the answer just to build up 5 to 7 years worth of expenses in cash and municipal bonds in my brokerage account or am I missing something obvious? Thank you!"
It's a great question. And I do think there is an easier approach. Simply sell the stock funds in the brokerage account each year as necessary for distributions. And then rebalance. If stocks are down, this will involve selling bond funds in retirement accounts and using the proceeds to invest in stock funds.
Rebalancing after taking annual distributions avoids the problem of selling stocks in a down market. And this is true even if the distributions are taken from stock funds.
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RBS 036: Should U.S. Investors Avoid International Funds -- Live Q&A Apr 27, 2022

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RBS 035: Opportunistic Rebalancing -- How to Rebalance Your Investments Like the Pros Apr 25, 2022

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Rebalancing an investment portfolio doesn't need to be difficult, and it can actually increase your returns over time. Specifically, one study shows that Opportunistic Rebalancing can improve your returns by as much as 0.50%.
In this video, we look at that study and walk through how Opportunistic Rebalancing works. I'll cover some things to consider as you construct your investment portfolio, and give you a free tool that makes rebalancing easier.
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RBS 035: Retirement Annuities -- Should You Buy an Income Annuity (SPIA) in Retirement Apr 22, 2022

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Should you use some or all of your retirement savings to buy an income annuity? That's the question we look at in this video. Called a Single Premium Immediate Annuity, these annuities don't come with all of the fees and complexities of other annuity products. Yet it can still be difficult to decide if you need one, when you should buy it, and how much you should invest.
In this video I'll share annuity calculators, an annuity formula and a number of resources that can help you decide whether an income annuity is right for you in retirement.
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RBS 034: Rick Ferri Core-4 Lazy Portfolio Review Apr 20, 2022

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Rick Ferri's Core-4 portfolios are built using low cost index ETFs and mutual funds. With just four funds in each portfolio, Rick has created 6 portfolios for just about any investor. One Core-4 portfolio is designed for those worried about inflation, while another for those seeking income. He also has his Classic Core-4, ideal for long-term retirement funds.
In this video we explore all 6 of Rick's Core-4 lineup, along with specific funds you can use to implement any one of them. They are ideal for those wanting a Lazy Portfolio.
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RBS 033: Tax Efficient Investing Across All Account Types -- Live Q&A Apr 18, 2022

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