TAX TIME! I know this is sick, but I love tax time. But I guess it’s because I usually get a sizable refund, thanks to years of infertility treatment.

In spite of our dear PayPerPost stumbling on their 1099 distributions once again, I pulled the trigger and submitted my taxes–and crossed my fingers. Shortly after hitting “submit,” PPP did email me my final income–and I overestimated by $8.50. Not bad, Quicken! I’d rather overestimate than under, just to be safe.

The other joy of this time of year is my annual SEP contribution money from my employer. This is the only time of year that I can research new funds, since most have an initial deposit of $3000, and I never have that amount lying around. In fact, for Shawna’s contribution last year, I started her up on the somewhat ghetto Vanguard STAR fund because it has an initial deposit amount of $1000. It hasn’t been doing too well, but not terribly in spite of the economy. At least it’s something–and then I was able to make subsequent deposits whenever we had a little extra. This year I can max out our 2007 contribution using my tax return, and look at some new funds. We have to get Shawna into something better–the STAR fund we’ll keep as a moderate, long term growth fund.

Here are some ones I’m looking at (more as a list for me to remember, since come April 14th when I get my check, I usually forget):

VEIEX - Emerging Markets, since our combined portfolio has very little international assets
VGENX - Energy Fund, duh
VIMSX - Mid-cap Index Fund
VMGIX - Mid-cap Growth Index Fund
VMVIX - Mid-cap Value Index Fund

Anyway, I’m trying to diversify our portfolios, partially to reduce the total percentage that I have in the REIT Index (VGSIX). I still can’t decide whether I should dump it or not. While I had been doing a lot better on it before the subprime mortgage fiasco, I’m still ahead because I bought in so low. And I’m still beating all the market indices (not that they’re great)… so I’m even wondering if I should buy more while it’s low.

Maybe we should start talking to a financial advisor–I feel like I need reasonable goals to work toward for college and retirement, so it’s less ambiguous than “You need a ton of money,” or “You’ll be working at WalMart when you’re 92.”

I know, this is all so dreadfully boring amidst posts of 3D/4D ultrasounds and belly photos–but if you look to the right, in just over a week we will have less than 100 days (give or take 2 weeks) before little Emmy gets here. And I want to make sure we’re all set up.