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Retirement Discussions / FIRE Wannabees
URL: http://boards.fool.com/if-you-want-to-start-sooner-you-can-start-an-ira-19422649.aspx
Subject: Re: When did you realize and where are you now?	Date: 8/6/2003 4:07 PM
Author: SloanT	Number: 49 of 4981
If you want to start sooner, you can start an IRA with $500 at Scottrade (www.scottrade.com). My daugher has an account there and likes it. Trades are only $7, I think. And IRAs don't have a fee, ever. Here's how I see it: Pro's: More selection ETF's can have lower fees even than Vanguard (see recent Scott Burns couch potato articles...) Con's: Hard to invest small sums - a $7 commission is still a 1.4% sales charge on $500, that's pretty steep. Pretty much even as far as I can see. Is it better to wait 6 mo. to accumulate the necessary $ for Vanguard or invest now and pay 1.4% upfront to get in? Plus, if you are setting aside $ each month you have to wait for it to build to buy more shares, whereas with Vanguard they invest it immediately. It would be worthwhile to see if scottrade has preferred funds without commissions, otherwise Vanguard seems to be a better deal until you accumulate at least $1500 or so. st
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