Retirement-Era |OT| How to Invest For Retirement

[Chaosblade]

Reading over the OP and I'm trying to fully grasp what I'm reading.

Right now I have a 401k with my employer and I'm contributing roughly 12% into it each paycheck (the company matches up to 6%). I'm trying to decide if it's wise to also open up a Roth IRA with Vanguard or is it better to buy a Vanguard Index Fund? I recently got a bonus from work for a couple grand that I wanted to just use towards one of those two. Just not sure what the better option would be.

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The Vanguard index fund would be in your Vanguard Roth/traditional IRA. The Roth would be the account, and the index fund is what would be in the account.

Check out your 401K and see what you're invested in and what's available. It's possible your company has some good, low cost options and keeping it simple with your paycheck contribution is a good option. It's also possible your company has poor options and you only want to invest for the match. You can post the the fund options and expense ratios here and folks here can help guide you.

I'll point out one interesting concern he wrote. There is a chance that indexing doesn't work any more if active traders push for regulation on mutual funds / ETFs for restricting index funds to only one company per industry. That would certainly destroy indexing.

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Out of curiousity, what's the benefit for active traders in this scenario?

 

[Keyboard]

Out of curiousity, what's the benefit for active traders in this scenario?

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Well, if you reduce a diversified index fund (let's say 500 companies) down to 11 companies (for 11 industries as morningstar has categorized), you then say what's the point of buying a mutual fund ?

You then create an environment to force investors to do stock picking and active trading industry becomes relevant again. Marketing would blast ads shouting which expensive fund makes the most money and who has the best "experts" at stock picking. TV / internet shows + stations would see an increase of viewership for people desperate for information.

Some forum posters here really think 10+ stocks is all you need for a portfolio.

Wall Street hates passive investors.

 

[hockeypuck]

I finished Bogle's last book "Stay the Course." It's a bit rambling, so I actually don't recommend it. Book's title is the take away message. It reads more like a memoir of stuff he did that you probably will not find in newsprint.

I'll point out one interesting concern he wrote. There is a chance that indexing doesn't work any more if active traders push for regulation on mutual funds / ETFs for restricting index funds to only one company per industry. That would certainly destroy indexing.

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On what (legal) ground do these active traders stand on to push for such regulation?

 

[Keyboard]

On what (legal) ground do these active traders stand on to push for such regulation?

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I really do not know as I'm not a law expert.

I will say the SEC doesn't do enough (judging from movies like Inside Job and The Big Short) and the fact that only one person from the 2007/2008 recession was thrown behind bars in America says a lot about current regulations.

Bogle knew more than any of us here, so I'll consider that something to remember considering it was his last book.

He kind of alluded to it from the interview I posted just a page back.

Well, it's not so much too much but maybe regulating the wrong thing too heavily and the right things not enough.

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[cosmickosm]

I finished Bogle's last book "Stay the Course." It's a bit rambling, so I actually don't recommend it. Book's title is the take away message. It reads more like a memoir of stuff he did that you probably will not find in newsprint.

I'll point out one interesting concern he wrote. There is a chance that indexing doesn't work any more if active traders push for regulation on mutual funds / ETFs for restricting index funds to only one company per industry. That would certainly destroy indexing.


You can open an IRA. Most people prefer Roth although some may not qualify if they make over a certain amount of money.

Review your 401K. If you need help, you can post your available funds.

If you need a video, I like this (free) documentary by Frontline: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/retirement-gamble/

Bogle's full interview from the documentary is worth reading, too: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/john-bogle-the-train-wreck-awaiting-american-retirement/

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Thanks for the input! Going to look more into my 401k options and a Roth. And I'll check out those docs too!

 

[Mr.Mike]

I made a waterfall chart for my TFSA and I thought it was pretty cool.

For Gains/Losses I simply used the year to date "Change in balance" figure from the 3rd page of all my December Questrade statements. This would include both capital gains and losses (realized vs unrealized doesn't really matter in a TFSA), dividends and any commissions. For 2019 Gains/Losses is calculated as the accounts current market value minus the market value at end of 2018 and minus contributions in 2019.

2018 doesn't seem that bad once you factor in dividends and present it this way. 2019 has been great.

 

[Walter White Walker]

edit: already answered just didn't see that

 

[Ashhong]

The three Vangaurd Index Funds in the 2nd post are closed to new investors. I've always kept an eye on them but just now noticed that it's closed. What are some other recommended mutual funds? I have 3,000 I want to put into my 2018 IRA. I do see something on the Vanguard page about "Admiral Shares", is that the same thing?

 

[FliX]

The three Vangaurd Index Funds in the 2nd post are closed to new investors. I've always kept an eye on them but just now noticed that it's closed. What are some other recommended mutual funds? I have 3,000 I want to put into my 2018 IRA. I do see something on the Vanguard page about "Admiral Shares", is that the same thing?

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Depending on your bank/broker you might have access to different ones.
This gives a nice comparison of equivalent funds.
https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Three-fund_portfolio#Choosing_three_funds

 

[Chaosblade]

The three Vangaurd Index Funds in the 2nd post are closed to new investors. I've always kept an eye on them but just now noticed that it's closed. What are some other recommended mutual funds? I have 3,000 I want to put into my 2018 IRA. I do see something on the Vanguard page about "Admiral Shares", is that the same thing?

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Yeah. It looks like they eliminated the lower tier investor class shares and lowered the minimum investment for the higher admiral class shares. This is a good thing, admiral shares had lower fees but a 10k minimum balance, investor shares had higher (but still low) fees and a 3k minimum investment. Now we get the best of both.

OP needs to be updated to reflect that and link to the correct funds.


Also doesn't look like existing investors benefit, my international shares haven't changed over.

 

[Ashhong]

Depending on your bank/broker you might have access to different ones.
This gives a nice comparison of equivalent funds.
https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Three-fund_portfolio#Choosing_three_funds

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Yeah. It looks like they eliminated the lower tier investor class shares and lowered the minimum investment for the higher admiral class shares. This is a good thing, admiral shares had lower fees but a 10k minimum balance, investor shares had higher (but still low) fees and a 3k minimum investment. Now we get the best of both.

OP needs to be updated to reflect that and link to the correct funds.

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I use Fidelity and it looks like I can buy into the admiral share version of the Vanguard VTSMX, the VTSAX. For my investment purposes, is it pretty much the same thing if I buy into that?

edit: I see the link from Flix shows VTSAX. I'll probably try that

 

[Chaosblade]

I use Fidelity and it looks like I can buy into the admiral share version of the Vanguard VTSMX, the VTSAX. For my investment purposes, is it pretty much the same thing if I buy into that?

edit: I see the link from Flix shows VTSAX. I'll probably try that

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If you are already with Fidelity there's no reason not to use their funds. Vanguard funds will have extra fees there, and have slightly higher expense ratios in general. Fidelity even offers 0% expense ratio funds, but I'm not sure what the verdict was on them. I assume they are good.

 

[Ashhong]

If you are already with Fidelity there's no reason not to use their funds. Vanguard funds will have extra fees there, and have slightly higher expense ratios in general. Fidelity even offers 0% expense ratio funds, but I'm not sure what the verdict was on them. I assume they are good.

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I was going to ask, why do I see a 75$ fee when trying to buy this Vanguard fund. I bought into ONGAX last year and don't think I got hit with any fees..

Any recommendations on Fidelity funds?

 

[Darkatomz]

I was going to ask, why do I see a 75$ fee when trying to buy this Vanguard fund. I bought into ONGAX last year and don't think I got hit with any fees..

Any recommendations on Fidelity funds?

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I have been using FXAIX for some time (I think it changed from something else a year or so ago, before the fees would lower after you crossed $10k investment, but now there is just one unified lower cost fund).

 

[Chaosblade]

I was going to ask, why do I see a 75$ fee when trying to buy this Vanguard fund. I bought into ONGAX last year and don't think I got hit with any fees..

Any recommendations on Fidelity funds?

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I'd suggest considering the Zero funds with no expense ratios. Cost is the single biggest thing you can control for your investments.

FZROX is total US market.
FZILX is total international (heavier lean to international large caps than usual)

These are the main ones.

FNILX and FZIPX are large cap and extended market respectively, if you wanted to break up the total US market and tilt in one direction or the other.

Alternatively, FSKAX is the classic total market fund with 0.015% fees. Realistically that's within the variation the fund will see versus the tracked index or the free fund, either are valid. FXAIX is large cap, FSMAX is extended market.

FSPSX is the international alternative, 0.045% fees.

The comparable basic bond fund to the one in the OP is FXNAX.

 

[Keyboard]

I was going to ask, why do I see a 75$ fee when trying to buy this Vanguard fund. I bought into ONGAX last year and don't think I got hit with any fees..

Any recommendations on Fidelity funds?

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Two problems

1. Why did you purchase ONGAX? It has a load fee of 4.50% + an expense ratio of 0.97% = 5.47% of fees. (edited for incorrect load fee, 4.75%)

https://www.morningstar.com/funds/XNAS/ONGAX/quote.html

Exchange ONGAX to FSKAX.

2. If you're at Fidelity, use Fidelity funds or BlackRock iShare ETFs (for taxable).

Here is the Boglehead wiki on Fidelity: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Fidelity

I recommend FSKAX for US and FTIHX for ex-US.

Fidelity's Zero funds don't follow a rated index, and I'm a bit wary of the marketing behind it. If you decide to use them, make sure you're using them in a retirement account.

 

[Linkura]

Why did you purchase ONGAX? It has a load fee of 4.75% + an expense ratio of 0.97% = 5.72% of fees.

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[Dokkaebi G0SU]

Would this be okay to ask here? More so I'm starting to use the app Stash to invest into stocks.. I really don't know what I'm doing and what to really invest in.. any tips for a first timer?

 

[Ashhong]

Two problems

1. Why did you purchase ONGAX? It has a load fee of 4.50% + an expense ratio of 0.97% = 5.47% of fees. (edited for incorrect load fee, 4.75%)

https://www.morningstar.com/funds/XNAS/ONGAX/quote.html

Exchange ONGAX to FSKAX.

2. If you're at Fidelity, use Fidelity funds or BlackRock iShare ETFs (for taxable).

Here is the Boglehead wiki on Fidelity: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Fidelity

I recommend FSKAX for US and FTIHX for ex-US.

Fidelity's Zero funds don't follow a rated index, and I'm a bit wary of the marketing behind it. If you decide to use them, make sure you're using them in a retirement account.

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I'm not too well educated with all this. I think someone told me to get ONGAX, but I can't remember since it was last year. I don't remember paying any fees though, is that incorporated into my investment? I put in 5500 and it shows as such. Unless the fee is paid out when I sell? That sucks, would it be 4.5% of the entire holding or just the profit? I've literally only made 5$ in the last year on it and need to sell it to exchange it to FSKAX

Could you explain 2 a bit more?

And yea, all of the investment I'm doing right now on Fidelity is in a retirement account. My Roth 401k and traditional IRA

 

[Blergmeister]

Hello. I posted in here before maybe a month or two ago regarding inheriting various funds from ny parents. At the time I was asking around for thoughts on what to look for in a financial planner. I did have a introductory meeting with one I liked and I still like her. What her group offers is a one time fee of around $2k to create a financial plan for me. This will include things like how to structure my finances, what and where to have accounts, and what investments to make within them. This includes meetings to go over the whys and hows and she will give me a binder that is basically a bullet point list of how to go enact this. She never touches my money. After getting all this settled I can pay her to have one time follow up meetings (she said maybe once every year or two) to touch things up and make any changes. This so far checks out with me since I'm new to a lot of this and dont want to mess up handling multiple "inherited" type accounts in terms of drawing too much stupidly. Anyways, that's where I was and that's had to sit for more than a month now while I helped take care of other family, work, and estate obligations.

I do have all the inherited accounts split out and in my name now so I'm technically now in control of everything. I plan to move it all over to Vanguard for the short term to avoid the fees that will start to accrue for keeping the accounts where they are. Why Vanguard specifically is because that's where my financial planner stated is where she tends to recomend most of the funds to be kept in her financial plans.

All this is to say that I plan to call Vanguard tonight to initiate the transfers. They have a number you can call when inheriting accounts. I think I'm past the point of the number since I already setup and own the accounts today and it will just be rolling them over to Vanguard, but I'll abuse this to get somebody on the phone and to walk through things nice and slow to give me time to ask questions.

I guess I'm not posting with any real questions, more of a talking through things to myself kind of thing. Any advice or things to consider for people in my situation or when transferring funds to Vanguard would be appreciated.

 

[Ashhong]

Two problems

1. Why did you purchase ONGAX? It has a load fee of 4.50% + an expense ratio of 0.97% = 5.47% of fees. (edited for incorrect load fee, 4.75%)

https://www.morningstar.com/funds/XNAS/ONGAX/quote.html

Exchange ONGAX to FSKAX.

2. If you're at Fidelity, use Fidelity funds or BlackRock iShare ETFs (for taxable).

Here is the Boglehead wiki on Fidelity: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Fidelity

I recommend FSKAX for US and FTIHX for ex-US.

Fidelity's Zero funds don't follow a rated index, and I'm a bit wary of the marketing behind it. If you decide to use them, make sure you're using them in a retirement account.

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So I double checked my ONGAX holding, and I think I had the front load fee waived at the time, maybe because it was my first purchase. I contacted Fidelity and turns out I won't be charged any fee when selling because I've held it for over 6 months. Should I still sell it off and buy FSKAX?

 

[Chaosblade]

So I double checked my ONGAX holding, and I think I had the front load fee waived at the time, maybe because it was my first purchase. I contacted Fidelity and turns out I won't be charged any fee when selling because I've held it for over 6 months. Should I still sell it off and buy FSKAX?

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Yeah. You definitely don't want to buy more with that load fee, and at .97 it's expensive to hold. No reason to stick with it.

 

[Ashhong]

Yeah. You definitely don't want to buy more with that load fee, and at .97 it's expensive to hold. No reason to stick with it.

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Thanks! I made a whole 5$ over a year on that one. Nice

 

[reKon]

eh, so I haven't been sticking to my allocation of 80% stock / 20 % bonds (I might change it to 15%). I've been more 100% stock, which I'm fine with (I'm not touching this for for 35+ years). Should I just be proceeding with accumulating bonds and dollar cost average buying $500 worth every couple of weeks to get more portfolio to get it to balance?

I would be buying FXNAX.

Just trying to max out my ROTH IRA contributions for 2018 and it looks like I'll be able to hit that max limit (I just started doing this a couple of months ago and have lowered contributions to my ROTH 401K to focus more on this retirement account).

 

[SolmisateSol]

Hi All,

I'm looking for some quick advice about Roth IRAs.

I'm going to start a Roth IRA and put in the 5500 investment for the 2018 tax bracket. Any advice as to where I should open up an account if I want to avoid silly fees?

I know this is a basic ass thing but I'm basic af when it comes to finance so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[reKon]

Hi All,

I'm looking for some quick advice about Roth IRAs.

I'm going to start a Roth IRA and put in the 5500 investment for the 2018 tax bracket. Any advice as to where I should open up an account if I want to avoid silly fees?

I know this is a basic ass thing but I'm basic af when it comes to finance so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

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Vanguard or Fidelity I believe.

Fidelity actually has slightly lower fees I believe on their "total" index funds (US Stock, Int'l Stock, and Bond)

EDIT: see https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Fidelity and scroll down for comparison on fees

 

[reKon]

I came across this insightful article while looking looking up Fidelity vs Vanguard differences and why expense ratio doesn't really matter too much between these low cost indexes:

https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/expense-ratios/

My intention was just to max out my ROTH IRA with fidelity funds for 2018 and then continue contribution for 2019 by purchasing vanguard ETFS using M1 Finance (no fees) for easy automatic investing.

 

[SolmisateSol]

I came across this insightful article while looking looking up Fidelity vs Vanguard differences and why expense ratio doesn't really matter too much between these low cost indexes:

https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/expense-ratios/

My intention was just to max out my ROTH IRA with fidelity funds for 2018 and then continue contribution for 2019 by purchasing vanguard ETFS using M1 Finance (no fees) for easy automatic investing.

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EYYYYYY THANKYOU! I'm going to look through this right now...

 

[Chaosblade]

Vanguard and Fidelity, if used correctly, are both sufficiently low cost that it doesn't matter which you pick. I am with Vanguard and if I was picking again I'd still go with Vanguard since I like how their ownership is setup through their funds. And Fidelity's loss leading expense ratios could change at any time, so the negligibly lower costs aren't something reliable in the long term.

One thing I do like about Fidelity is that they have a universal 2% cash back credit card. If I was already using their services I'd absolutely use that and invest the cash back.

 

[facepalm007]

Maxed out my Roth IRA contribution for 2019!! Feels nice to get it out of the way.

Didn't notice the Vanguard "Admiral Shares" program changes until now. Time to convert!!

 

[demosthenes]

Maxed out my Roth IRA contribution for 2019!! Feels nice to get it out of the way.

Didn't notice the Vanguard "Admiral Shares" program changes until now. Time to convert!!

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If you're on vanguard, once your cost basis crosses over it should change on its own.

 

[facepalm007]

If you're on vanguard, once your cost basis crosses over it should change on its own.

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Yeah, that's strange, my Total Bond Market Fund didn't convert over to the Admiral despite being way over the $3000 threshold. :: shrugs :: At least it's easy to convert it over at least.

 

[Chaosblade]

It doesn't look like they are auto-converting for the new threshold, you either have to do it manually or, presumably, get over 10k like you would before.

But everyone should qualify because $3000 was the investor class minimum.

 

[reKon]

Maxed out my Roth IRA contribution for 2019!! Feels nice to get it out of the way.

Didn't notice the Vanguard "Admiral Shares" program changes until now. Time to convert!!

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Just maxed mine for the 2018 tax year with fidelity. Now I can focus on automating all of 2019 IRA and dollar cost average this through M1 Finance, staying hands off and letting it run through the end of the year.

For me it will be about finishing off remaining student loans and finally being able to max out these accounts in the future.

 

[Lost Soul]

Hey everyone. I just turned 24 and have quite a bit of income I've saved that's doing nothing in my bank's savings account. I have no debts and am already maxing out my TSP (the US federal government's TSP equivalent). After doing a good amount of research and talking to friends and family, I want to open a Vanguard Roth IRA and max out the contributions for 2018 and 2019. I like what I see on Bogleheads about the three-fund portfolio strategy, but could someone explain to me tax-efficient fund placement? Do I need to open up a taxable account, or can all my investments just go in my Roth IRA? Thanks!

 

[facepalm007]

Hey everyone. I just turned 24 and have quite a bit of income I've saved that's doing nothing in my bank's savings account. I have no debts and am already maxing out my TSP (the US federal government's TSP equivalent). After doing a good amount of research and talking to friends and family, I want to open a Vanguard Roth IRA and max out the contributions for 2018 and 2019. I like what I see on Bogleheads about the three-fund portfolio strategy, but could someone explain to me tax-efficient fund placement? Do I need to open up a taxable account, or can all my investments just go in my Roth IRA? Thanks!

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You can just open a Vanguard Roth IRA on it's own it you like (that is what I did).

EDIT ADDED: Oops I misread the question. I dont know enough about the tax efficient fund strategy to give a take on it unfortunately.

 

[reKon]

Can we discuss the strategy of dollar cost averaging vs lump sum investments when it comes to contributions in tax advantaged accounts? Thoughts on making consistent smaller contributions over the year and then making larger contributions when the market experiences a relatively large drop?

 

[Chaosblade]

IIRC someone back on GAF several years ago posted some numbers going back multiple decades that showed it was better to max out your contribution at the beginning of the year than contribute over the course of the year, on average. But both options had years where they came out ahead.

 

[FliX]

Can we discuss the strategy of dollar cost averaging vs lump sum investments when it comes to contributions in tax advantaged accounts? Thoughts on making consistent smaller contributions over the year and then making larger contributions when the market experiences a relatively large drop?

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The effect is probably marginal.
That said if you have the money now, definitely invest now.
I front load all my tax advantaged accounts.
Basically our two IRA's and my 401k are done for the year. 😁

 

[hockeypuck]

Can we discuss the strategy of dollar cost averaging vs lump sum investments when it comes to contributions in tax advantaged accounts? Thoughts on making consistent smaller contributions over the year and then making larger contributions when the market experiences a relatively large drop?

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Just as in buying a Total Market fund, I hedge dollar cost averaging versus lump sum.

I contribute roughly equal amounts to my 401k every pay period for the year. I don't have to worry about my payroll department screwing up the bonus employer contribution, just in case they forget at the end of the fiscal year. Also, I'd imagine that for the vast majority of Americans, front-loading the 401k within the first few months of the year is going to be extremely difficult.
I lump sum the IRA in January.
Easy peasy, little pressure.

 

[reKon]

Thanks for the replies. I should have also clarified that I mean contributing and then actually going through and making separate trades over a period of time vs spending the cash on allocation of stock/bonds within a single trading day.

I'm assuming the thought here is that time value of money (even if only a year) > equal distributions over a one year period?

 

[Cyborg009]

So my job offers 401k that matches 50% of the 3% I put in. (So if I put $10 it becomes 11.5) The issue here is that I don't know if I'm going to continue working there after 2-3 years. And when I do leave I don't get that 50%. I wanted to know if I can maybe do something with Merrill Edge since I'm 25 and I want to start investing now for retirement.

I know people have IRA's or 401k's but I more people lean towards IRA.

 

[Chaosblade]

So my job offers 401k that matches 50% of the 3% I put in. (So if I put $10 it becomes 11.5) The issue here is that I don't know if I'm going to continue working there after 2-3 years. And when I do leave I don't get that 50%. I wanted to know if I can maybe do something with Merrill Edge since I'm 25 and I want to start investing now for retirement.

I know people have IRA's or 401k's but I more people lean towards IRA.

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That's a pretty crummy match. How long do you have to be there before the match vests? Surely you don't have to be with the company until retirement.

I wouldn't bother with Merrill over Vanguard or Fidelity for an IRA.

Chances are, the advice will be to still follow the typical investment path. Contribute to your 401K to get the maximum company match, then put further investments in a personal IRA up to the maximum. You can (and generally should) have both. Even if the match isn't good it should still be free money, and if you do end up with the company long enough for it to vest you'll be glad to have it. Unless your 401K fund options are just really bad, you shouldn't lose out on much if you don't get the match and roll it over.

If you're very confident you won't get the match, and/or your fund options are just abysmal, you may want to forgo the 401K, but it's not often that someone would want to do that.

 

[NetMapel]

I know this thread is mostly American but I think that video is quite a good watch for everybody here. The discussions on the possible explanations on the various contradictory economic flags are fascinating.

• Inverse yield curve for bond rate
• Unemployment rate is very low
• Wages are stagnate

In particular, stagnate wages is most curious given the low unemployment rate and an economy that's supposedly doing well right now. The CIBC person said that could be due to a mismatch in labour skills in demand and job locations. This really reminded me about the realization of people completely being left behind as technology advances. Older people are also less likely to retire and continue to stay at their posts. I feel like there is a perfect storm that's brewing here with all these factors and I hope we are all saving and preparing for it...

 

[FliX]

I know this thread is mostly American but I think that video is quite a good watch for everybody here. The discussions on the possible explanations on the various contradictory economic flags are fascinating.

• Inverse yield curve for bond rate
• Unemployment rate is very low
• Wages are stagnate

In particular, stagnate wages is most curious given the low unemployment rate and an economy that's supposedly doing well right now. The CIBC person said that could be due to a mismatch in labour skills in demand and job locations. This really reminded me about the realization of people completely being left behind as technology advances. Older people are also less likely to retire and continue to stay at their posts. I feel like there is a perfect storm that's brewing here with all these factors and I hope we are all saving and preparing for it...

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We are never going to see significant wage increases again.

 

[Phonzo]

Very quick question. Are 401K fees calculated by how much you have in there or how many Mutual funds you have invested in?

In other words, does it cost me more to invest in 2 mutual funds than just sticking to 1?

 

[FliX]

Very quick question. Are 401K fees calculated by how much you have in there or how many Mutual funds you have invested in?

In other words, does it cost me more to invest in 2 mutual funds than just sticking to 1?

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The number doesn't figure in (at least I have never heard of that).
Individual funds will have their own total expense ration (TER) which is the primary number you should be looking at in terms of cost.

 

[Blergmeister]

I understand I can setup and pay into an IRA for the year 2018 until April 15th. I have also filed my taxes (and received my refund) for 2018. Is there any 2018 tax consequences for opening up and maxing out a 2018 IRA right now?

 

[Chaosblade]

I understand I can setup and pay into an IRA for the year 2018 until April 15th. I have also filed my taxes (and received my refund) for 2018. Is there any 2018 tax consequences for opening up and maxing out a 2018 IRA right now?

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The contribution has to be reported. Afaik once you do your taxes you can't contribute for that year. So you need to do 2019.

If anything you would be losing out. A traditional IRA contribution would reduce your taxable income.

 

[Linkura]

Afaik once you do your taxes you can't contribute for that year. So you need to do 2019.
.

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Wrong. He can file an amended return.