Roth vs trad 403b and portfolio question

[thn711]

Hello, 1st time poster here and have wanted to get some advice before deciding. My hospital is offering Roth and traditional 403b with no match.

Question 1: Everywhere that I have read so far is suggesting roth as a resident. Is this what I should do?

Me (33y/o)
Current status: new PGY1 EM in 3yr program
Starting salary: 61k/yr
Filing status: single, no dependents, 2 fed and state allowance
Target allocation: 80% stock/20%bond
Target retirement: 65y/o

Assets:
2 saving accts: (3 months emergency saving so far)
1 Roth IRA: Vanguard Lifestrategy Growth - VASGX (already maxed 2017 contribution)

Question 2: From the listed investment, can I get some advise on which to pick, or should i stick with the JPmorgan smart retirement at this time?

Hospital plan (no match) through TIAA: traditional and ROTH
TIAA suggested allocation: 71% equities, 9% real  estates, 13% fixed, 7% guaranteed

Name	Ticker	Class	1yr	5yr	10yr	ER
CREF social choice	QCSCPX	multi	10.90%	8.50%	5.42%	0.38%
CREFstock acct	QCSTPX	equities	19.08%	12.12%	5.22%	0.43%
Jpmorgan smart retirement 2050	JTSSX	multi	13.69%	9.01%		0.80%
jpmorgan smart retirement income fund select class	JSRSX	multi	7.08%	4.74%	4.52%	0.62%
MFS value fund class	MEIAX	equities	16.70%	12.80%	6.88%	0.86%
oppenheimer developgin market fund	ODVYX	equities	15.46%	2.34%	5.39%	1.07%
pimco real return	PARRX	fixed	2.51%	0.77%	4.27%	0.70%
pimco total return	PTXRAX	fixed	2.18%	2.70%	5.35%	0.71%
prudential small company fund	PSCZX	equities	20.09%	11.63%	7.89%	0.84%
t rowe price growth	PRGFX	equities	19.10%	13.57%	8.98%	0.68%
templeton global bond	TGBAX	fixed	11.46%	388.00%	7.10%	0.68%
gabelli small cap	GACIX	equities	20.31%	12.55%	8.58%	1.14%
oakman int'l fund	OAKIX	equities	21.68%	8.98%	4.59%	1.00%
tiaa real estate	QREARX	real estate	3.93%	8.21%	2.84%	0.85%
tiaa traditional annuity	--	guaranteed	3.30%	3.31%	3.27%	--
tiaa-cref bond index	TBIPX	fixed	-0.76%	1.89%		0.27%
tiaa-cref int'l equity	TRIPX	equities	19.87%	8.66%	1.13%	0.21%
vanguard extended market index	VIEIX	equities	22.52%	12.62%	8.01%	0.06%
vanguard federal money market	VMFXX	money market	0.36%	0.10%	0.72%	0.11%
vanguard institutional	VINIX	equities	17.13%	13.27%	7.51%	0.04%
wells fargo special mid cap	WFMIX	equities	20.02%	15.22%	8.83%	0.87%

Thank you!

[DMFA]

Why do you want so much fixed/guaranteed?

How much student debt? Anything else your money is going to other than living and retirement savings?

Yes, most likely best off doing Roth IRA first and then Roth 403(b) for whatever else you can afford, although you have the two Vanguard in there that should be 0.05% expense ratio or lower. I'd be surprised if you could put in $23,500 of your post-tax income to retirement each year...that's probably almost half your post-tax income.

If you want to mirror total stock market index, so 4:1 ratio of Vanguard institutional (500) index and extended market index.

I'd say to quit the target date fund and just use its constituent funds to save on fees, but that's literally prob like only $10/yr or so. I wouldn't commit yourself to whatever allocation the TDF has, either...but that's just personal opinion.

[thn711]

DMFA wrote:

Why do you want so much fixed/guaranteed?

How much student debt? Anything else your money is going to other than living and retirement savings?

Yes, most likely best off doing Roth IRA first and then Roth 403(b) for whatever else you can afford, although you have the two Vanguard in there that should be 0.05% expense ratio or lower. I’d be surprised if you could put in $23,500 of your post-tax income to retirement each year…that’s probably almost half your post-tax income.

If you want to mirror total stock market index, so 4:1 ratio of Vanguard institutional (500) index and extended market index.

I’d say to quit the target date fund and just use its constituent funds to save on fees, but that’s literally prob like only $10/yr or so. I wouldn’t commit yourself to whatever allocation the TDF has, either…but that’s just personal opinion.

Click to expand...

-Fix/guaranteed: when i put in that i want moderate aggressive. that was the percentage that TIAA spit out.

-Student loan on REPAYE: ug+med school: ~417k

-no other expenses other than living (NY)

-since I maxed out my Roth IRA already for 2017. Most of the extra money will be going to the roth 403b retirement saving.

Q1) should I pay my extra money toward the student loan interest this during residency or wait till after? Is it more advantageous to put it toward retirement?

Q2) Just to make sure I understand correctly, with the 4:1 ratio I would allocation by fund to be 80% vanguard institutional and 20% vanguard extended market. Total ER: 0.1%

boglehead recommended:

Vanguard institutional (36%)
Vanguard extended market (12%)
TIAA-CREF bond index (20%)
TIAA-CREF international equities (32%)

Total ER: 0.58% (I think, I just added up all the ER for all 4)

Q3) Can someone comment on the pros and cons for either portfolio?

 

Thank you for all the advice!