7 Simple Ways to Simplify Your Investments

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Managing your investments doesn't have to be complicated. Yet it can become overwhelming as we add more investments to our portfolio or as the number of accounts grow. In this video I walk through seven steps you can take to simplify your investment portfolio.

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ABOUT ME

While still working as a trial attorney in the securities field, I started writing about personal finance and investing In 2007. In 2013 I started the Doughroller Money Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. I'm also the Founding Editor of Forbes Advisor.

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DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. These videos are for educational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. Your investment and other financial decisions are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research and seek professional advice as necessary. I am merely sharing my opinions.

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe. However, I only recommend products or services that (1) I believe in and (2) would recommend to my own mom.

[rob_berger]

Happy to answer any questions, and please share any other tips or tools you have to help us simplify our investments.

[Jarocho]

Rob, I like the way you present information as if you're just talking to a friend. Thank you sir!

[johnjlong]

I wish I had seen this live. Youtube has cropped out parts. Example, timestamp 22:45 where you're talking about small cap funds in a taxable account, it just skips over whatever you said. It's great information though. I just recently found your channel and I love all the info. Thanks and keep up the great work!

[mikeabuckner]

We are at similar place in life. Always watch and enjoy every video...including this one. Thanks.

[justinjoseph]

Great advice and I’ve been learning a lot since finding your channel! The quality of this info will definitely lead to your channel blowing up!

[wemustdissent]

I fell into that trap. Had an old 401k in a good investment and my current employer 401k options were crap, high expense and not good funds. I decided I ddint want to have to keep track of this old account so I rolled it over into a rollover IRA in vanguard. $60k in pretax dollars with a lot of growth now in an IRA. Then I learned about backdoor Roth. My income had grown so I could contribute to Roth directly but then I realized due to the pro-rata rule if I tried to backdoor Roth $6k with that $60k pre-tax IRA I would just eat a big tax loss and it woujldnt benefit me.

So now I have to choose between letting it sit in that IRA and the problem just "growing". Or moving it to a crappy 401k fund with above 1% expense ratio. So far I've decided to just keep the IRA and skip the backdoor Roth contributions. I think its the right call but it doesn't feel very good.

[pnkrckmom]

Hi, Rob. Out of curiosity, if you are investing in VTIAX, why do you add a separate Emerging Markets fund if VTIAX has 25% in emerging markets? Are you wanting to tilt a bit more toward EM?

[lanmandragoran]

If your workplace HSA is poor, and like mine requires a minimum amount held uninvested along with some ugly fees, then I recommend talking to your HR about using an alternative HSA. I was able to get my employer to contribute to a Fidelity HSA. I had to create it myself, and I had to provide them with the account numbers, but now my HSA contributions go automatically pre-tax to the same broker where I have all of my non-work investments. I’ve also gotten my HR director to include some Vanguard funds, which dramatically dropped our average expense ratio. Talk to your HR!

[CalKidWilly]

Thanks, Rob I enjoyed this one. You have a great, straight-ahead. teaching style and demeanor. You're a natural teacher. Can you direct me to any reference source that addresses your reference to IRA rollovers having creditor protections? First I've heard that applies to rollovers and not just "qualified" accounts. My understanding is protections are largely state-dependent. I also have not rolled over as "stable value funds" are only allowed by regulation in 401ks, etc., as a bond fund alternative.

[iamkerenlouise]

M1 Finance is really innovatively cool. Love it! Thanks for discussing their automation feature.

[SirAnthony]

I didn’t know that there is a difference between rollover IRA and a IRA concerning eresa protection. It differs with each state as well ?

[matthewmatlock]

Does Rob mention which small cap value fund(s) he considers or has chosen?

[PJBHolden]

It looks like VTI is an all everything fund