200 hundred k to invest...

[fireitup123]

Hi,
I have a couple hundred k to invest. The money has been sitting in my checking account (and I'm not even getting interest on it right now).

This is money I don't need for my bankroll in poker. I have no debt. I want to put this money to work for me in a safe place. I also don't need this money in the near term (it can stay in for five or more years). I'm fairly young, and am maxing out my retirement savings from year to year (put away 40k in a SEP for 2004 and plan to do that again in 2005).

Questions:
1. Any general suggestions on how to invest this money?

2. My initial idea is to put most of it in mutal funds, possibly all with Vanguard. I'd want to pick four types: growth and income, international, aggresive growth, and one other but I can't remeber the type right now.

Is my money safe at Vanguard (200k plus)? Any security concerns? Or should I be investing in multiple company mutal fund accounts for better diversification?

3. There should be another 200k or so to invest in long-term investments (over 5 years) next year, and I may decide to diverify by getting 100k or so in real estate / bonds. Good / Bad?

4. I also would want a couple hundred k in liquid form that I could access if needed. Suggestions on where to put that money at and be getting a decent amount of interest (was thinking a money market account possibly)? This would be a large majority of my poker bankroll that I don't need immediate access to but want availab le just in case.

[Sniper]

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The money has been sitting in my checking account (and I'm not even getting interest on it right now).


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Your banker really likes you!

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I have a couple hundred k to invest....am maxing out my retirement savings from year to year (put away 40k in a SEP for 2004 and plan to do that again in 2005)... 1. Any general suggestions on how to invest this money?


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Well since you are already putting a chunk of money into your SEP, you presumably have some clue about investing.

Unless you want to invest some time into learning how to be a better investor, your planned allocation into mutual funds is fine. Since you are young, you might want to skip the growth & income fund, maybe pick a mid cap fund instead.

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Is my money safe at Vanguard (200k plus)? Any security concerns? Or should I be investing in multiple company mutal fund accounts for better diversification?


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Your money is safe at vanguard, along with the other mega billions they control [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

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3. There should be another 200k or so to invest in long-term investments (over 5 years) next year, and I may decide to diverify by getting 100k or so in real estate / bonds. Good / Bad?

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Its only good if you know what you are doing.

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4. I also would want a couple hundred k in liquid form that I could access if needed... This would be a large majority of my poker bankroll that I don't need immediate access to but want availab le just in case.

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You need ready access to a couple hundred K for your poker bankroll?... you must be playing in some nice high stakes games.

[fireitup123]

"You need ready access to a couple hundred K for your poker bankroll?... you must be playing in some nice high stakes games."

I'm just super conservative on bankroll. It's my operating capital and I don't want any fear when I play about short-term results.

I don't normally play higher than 10/20 no limit / pot limit, or 30/60 limit. If I'm running and playing well I might play 100/200 limit or 25/50 limit. Say if I win 20 days in a row I might feel unbeatable. I would probably move up temporarily until I have a losing day or losing week.