3 Investment Order Questions after a year of getting stable...

[bluetick]

Got a new job a year ago that allowed me to get stable after years of living on less that $25 in the Bay Area.  Now I'm wondering what to do next.   A few things that are on my mind:

1. A few months back after paying off my old credit cards and building a 6 month emergency fund,  I opened a Vanguard brokerage account and bought $1000 of VTI. Now I'm wondering if I should have opened an IRA instead. I have a 457b at work that I funded to the match of $1000 and then stuck all my extra funds into the emergency fund. This year I'm hoping to fully fund the 457b or find a real estate investment. Since the market dumped yesterday I'm thinking of adding $500-1000 to my vanguard account.  Should I sell the $1000 in VTI and use it to fund an IRA? Or just leave it and fund a new IRA or skip the IRA and just add to the brokerage account?   I'm looking for ways to lower my AGI in order to keep my student loan income based repayments low, but still want to to keep funds liquid while I figure out my next steps.


2.  In the "Investment Order Post" arebelspy suggests an HSA before an IRA. I have a crummy FSA at work, can I open a solo HSA? 

3.  For 2018, should I focus on my 457b or IRA first? In the Investment Order post seems to favor IRA before the 401k, is there a different consideration for 457b?

[MDM]

Should I sell the $1000 in VTI and use it to fund an IRA? Or just leave it and fund a new IRA or skip the IRA and just add to the brokerage account?   

I'm looking for ways to lower my AGI in order to keep my student loan income based repayments low, but still want to to keep funds liquid while I figure out my next steps.

If you want lower AGI, put it in a tax-deferred account.  If you want immediate liquidity with no tax penalty (and you wouldn't expect to qualify for a withdrawal penalty exemption), put it in taxable.

2.  In the "Investment Order Post" arebelspy suggests an HSA before an IRA. I have a crummy FSA at work, can I open a solo HSA?

Using a general purpose FSA disqualifies one from funding an HSA.  See IRS publication 969.

3.  For 2018, should I focus on my 457b or IRA first? In the Investment Order post seems to favor IRA before the 401k, is there a different consideration for 457b?

Beyond the employer match, which to favor depends on which offers the lower cost funds that fit your desired asset allocation.