Plain-English guides to getting started with investing, index funds, brokerage accounts, risk, and building a portfolio you can stick with.
SCHD vs SCHY from the filings and the index rulebook: a volatility screen SCHD does not have, a 15% sector cap instead of 25%, and 9.95% of SCHY's dividends lost to foreign withholding tax.
AVUV vs VBR from the prospectuses: AVUV is actively managed and screens on profitability, VBR tracks an index and costs a fifth as much. What the short record proves, and what it does not.
SCHD vs VTI from the issuers' own filings: VTI is the whole US market at 3,507 stocks, SCHD is a 100-stock dividend screen. Sector gap, yield, tax drag.
VOOG vs VUG from Vanguard, SEC filings and both index rulebooks: different growth screens, 75% of the same stock, a 0.04% fee gap, and a ten-year gap of one basis point.
AGG and BND track different Bloomberg indexes, charge the same 0.03%, and hold almost the same bonds. What float adjustment actually changes, and which one to buy.
IVV vs SPY from the issuers' own filings: SPY is a unit investment trust, IVV is an open-end fund. What that costs, measured against the index, and when SPY still wins.
RSP and VOO hold the same 500 companies. VOO's top ten are 37.8% of the fund, RSP's are about 3%. Issuer data on fees, turnover, sector tilt and returns over identical periods.
DGRO vs VIG, primary-sourced: both own U.S. companies that grow their dividends. VIG costs 0.04% and follows an S&P index; DGRO costs 0.08% and follows Morningstar. How they differ and which fits.
FDVV vs SCHD, primary-sourced: SCHD screens for ten years of dividends and financial strength at 0.06%; FDVV follows Fidelity's own high-dividend index at 0.15%. How they differ and which fits.
FSKAX vs VTSAX, primary-sourced: both own the whole U.S. stock market. FSKAX costs 0.015% with no minimum and tracks a Dow Jones index; VTSAX costs 0.04%, needs $3,000 and tracks Morningstar.
FSPGX vs FXAIX, primary-sourced: FSPGX tracks the Russell 1000 Growth Index for 0.035%; FXAIX tracks the whole S&P 500 for 0.015%. Why they are not substitutes, and when each fits.
FXAIX vs VFIAX, primary-sourced: both are S&P 500 index mutual funds. FXAIX costs 0.015% with no minimum; VFIAX costs 0.04% with a $3,000 minimum. When the difference matters.
FXAIX vs VTI, primary-sourced: FXAIX is Fidelity's S&P 500 mutual fund at 0.015%; VTI is Vanguard's total-market ETF at 0.03%. Three real differences: coverage, wrapper and where you invest.
GLD vs GLDM, primary-sourced: both hold physical gold from the same sponsor family. GLDM charges 0.10%, GLD 0.40%. Why GLD still exists, when it fits, and how gold ETFs are taxed.
GLD vs IAU, primary-sourced: both hold physical gold. IAU's sponsor fee is 0.25%, GLD's expense ratio 0.40%. How they differ, who each suits, and how gold ETFs are taxed.
GLDM vs IAU, primary-sourced: both are physical gold trusts for long-term holders. GLDM charges 0.10%, IAU 0.25%. What else differs and how gold ETFs are taxed.
ITOT vs VTI, primary-sourced: both own the whole U.S. stock market for 0.03%. The real differences are the index (S&P vs Morningstar), the holdings count, and your broker.
JEPI vs SCHD, primary-sourced: JEPI is an actively managed fund that adds income from selling options (0.35%); SCHD is a quality-screened dividend index fund (0.06%). What the higher yield costs you.
SCHD vs SPYD, primary-sourced: SPYD buys the 80 highest yielders in the S&P 500; SCHD screens for ten years of dividends and financial strength. Near-identical fees, very different rules.
SCHG vs VUG, primary-sourced: both hold large U.S. growth stocks. VUG now costs 0.03% and SCHG 0.04%. How their indexes pick growth, why the holdings differ, and which to own.
SCHX vs VOO, primary-sourced: both charge 0.03% and hold large U.S. companies. SCHX takes about 750 by rule, VOO the S&P 500 picked by committee. What that changes and which to hold.
SIVR vs SLV, primary-sourced: both hold physical silver. SIVR charges 0.30% thanks to a voluntary fee waiver; SLV's sponsor fee is 0.50%. What that means, and how silver ETFs are taxed.
VEU vs VXUS, primary-sourced: VEU tracks large and mid caps outside the U.S. for 0.04%; VXUS adds international small caps for 0.05%. What that means and which to hold.
FSKAX vs FXAIX, primary-sourced: both cost 0.015%, so the fee is not the decision. Total U.S. market vs the S&P 500, what the extra 3,000 stocks do, and which to hold.
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