CargoCan

Like most pilots I could easily make a million dollars in the market... if I started with two million.

What does everyone think about this service? I received an ad today and I am thinking about signing up.

Suggestions??

JetPiedmont

What does USPFA stand for (acronym wise, not philosophically)?

KnightFlyer

I've been a subscriber for 5+ years and have been happy with it. Tailored to the funds in our 401k and B plans.

https://www.uspfa.org/

MD11Fr8Dog

Same here! Protected me from riding the market to the bottom last year!!

JetPiedmont

Did they get you back in for the big rally this year?

MD11Fr8Dog

No, but its not a market timing type of program. Its a bull vs bear market type of program that has been changed a little.

The way the program used to be set up, was 3 models were suggested, based on my company's 401k options (we're Vanguard), conservative, moderate, aggressive. A stop loss number was determined (usually about 5% below purchase price)for each fund invested in, if the fund ever closed below that number, the advice was to sell, dump it in the money market and wait for advice (when and what to get back in).

So, back up to Oct '07, the market was 14K+. By Thanksgiving I was getting close to stop loss numbers, between Thanksgiving and Christmas '07, I started getting of funds into the money market. I was completely in the money market by Jan '08. In the spring of '08 the models had me getting back some, I was about 75% in during the summer of '08. When the Sept 15th newletter was published, the model I was using (aggressive) had me in one fund at 25%, I hit a stop loss on that fund on the 16th - the first day of that huge decline last fall.

The models had me 100% in the money market, then later the bond fund (I think) until Sept of this year. During the spring USPFA change the program a little and moved away from stop losses, and uses a bear vs bull type of evaluation (I'm not a finance guy, but I believe the website explains it). My sister in law was an extremely successful asset manager at Bank of NY for 30+ yrs and she looked at how I've done with my 401k the past 5-6 yrs says I have done alright.

Right now the aggressive model has me in 3 funds at 27% each and 19% in the money market.

Only you can decide if its right for you, but the service has easily paid for itself to the day I retire and beyond!

Here's my chart, hiding numbers, of course, for the past 5 yrs (of 15 yrs). I'm almost back to the line I was tracking prior to Oct '07.

Of course, YMMV!


(for ref, line spacing is about $60K.)

CargoCan

Thanks Fr8dog. We've flown together (not for about a year though) and I remember your recommendation and analysis. Seems like a pretty good product.

MD11Fr8Dog

I'm not the smartest guy, when comes to money, but I am smart enough to know to find someone smarter than me to help me out! I find that Dave, and the other folks at USPFA to be very helpful and responsive to questions! Did I give you some copies of the newsletter? More importantly, did I buy you beers?

CargoCan

You didn't give me a copy of the newsletter, but you definitely bought many beers!

MD11Fr8Dog

Priorities!

Merry Christmas!