Good Index Funds

[Mike2]

I am setting up a Vanguard account and am wondering which funds people recommend and why?

[Louisville]

The first thing you need to do is create an asset allocation and an investment policy statement. Search those terms on this forum.

[SuperSecretName]

if taxable, the only 3 etfs you really need are the bond, total market, and total international

[MDM]

The first thing you need to do is create an asset allocation and an investment policy statement. Search those terms on this forum.

if taxable, the only 3 etfs you really need are the bond, total market, and total international

E.g., see http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6211 and http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=88005.

[Indexer]

if taxable, the only 3 etfs you really need are the bond, total market, and total international

But if it is taxable and tax deferred accounts you don't want the total bond sitting in a taxable account ;).  Why pay ordinary income taxes on those income payments when you could pay capital gains rates on the total international and then possibly get a tax credit for the foreign taxes paid to further lower the tax bill?

If you have taxable + tax deferred accounts it is normally more efficient to park the bonds in the tax deferred, and put your very tax efficient stock and international stock index funds in the taxable.