Compare

QQQ vs QQQM

Same index, same holdings. QQQM charges 0.15% to QQQ's 0.18%; QQQ has 12x the volume. Why you should not switch an appreciated taxable position for 3bp.

SGOV vs BIL vs VBIL

VBIL 0.06%, SGOV 0.09%, BIL 0.1353%; only VBIL was 100% Treasury income for 2025. For a modeled California holder, BIL trailed VBIL by about $25 a year on $50k.

VOO vs IVV vs SPY

Same index. VOO and IVV charge 0.03%; SPY charges 0.0945% and is a unit investment trust that cannot reinvest dividends or lend securities. Which fits you.

VTI vs ITOT

Both charge 0.03%. VTI now tracks Morningstar's US Total Market index with 3,515 stocks; ITOT tracks the S&P Total Market Index with 2,437. Why both are fine.

VXUS vs IXUS

VXUS charges 0.05% and tracks FTSE Global All Cap ex US with 8,772 stocks; IXUS charges 0.07% on MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI with 4,590. What index families change.

VUSXX vs VMFXX

Vanguard's Treasury-only fund against its settlement fund. Both keep their CA/CT/NY exemption; VUSXX's covers all its income, VMFXX's two-thirds. $3,000 minimum. With a calculator.

FDLXX vs SPAXX

Fidelity's Treasury-only fund against its default core. FDLXX keeps its state-tax exemption in CA, CT and NY; SPAXX loses it. Switching is free at a $1 NAV. With a calculator.

SPAXX vs HYSA

Should cash leave Fidelity's core for a bank? SPAXX gets no state-tax break in CA, CT or NY, so the yield is close to a wash; access and FDIC decide it. With a calculator.

SGOV vs VBIL

Two 0-3 month Treasury bill ETFs. VBIL is cheaper and was fully state-tax exempt in 2025; SGOV is ten times larger. What the gap is worth, and whether to switch.

Roth vs Traditional

Roth or traditional? Pay tax now or later. The break-even on your current vs retirement tax rate, RMDs, 2026 limits, and who should pick which, with a calculator.

Lump Sum vs DCA

Invest it all at once or spread it out? 98 years of S&P 500 data say lump sum wins 67% of the time; DCA is behavioral insurance. The math and the calculator.

AVUV vs AVDV

AVUV or AVDV? U.S. vs international small-cap value from Avantis. Same method, different geography. Why they complement rather than compete, with an overlap tool.

SGOV vs T-Bills vs HYSA

Where to park cash? SGOV, direct T-bills, and a high-yield savings account compared on after-tax yield, liquidity, and state-tax treatment, with a cash optimizer.

529 vs Taxable Brokerage

529 or a taxable brokerage for college? Tax-free growth and a state deduction vs full flexibility. When the 529 wins decisively and when flexibility is worth more.

AVGV vs VT

AVGV or VT? A built-in global value tilt vs the total world market in one ticker. Same global reach, different bet, and a 0.20% fee gap. Who should pick which.

VT vs VTI + VXUS

One-fund VT or the two-fund VTI + VXUS combo? Same global exposure. When the two-fund split is worth it for cost, control, and the foreign tax credit in taxable.

AVUV vs VBR

AVUV or VBR for small-cap value? A refined active value + profitability screen vs cheap index beta. Whether the extra ~20 basis points buys you anything.

FZROX vs VTI

FZROX or VTI? A 0.00% Fidelity fund vs the 0.03% Vanguard ETF. Why account type, index breadth, and portability matter more than three basis points, with a calculator.

FZROX vs VTSAX

FZROX or VTSAX for the total U.S. market? A free Fidelity-only fund vs Vanguard's total-market fund that converts to a portable ETF. When each one wins, and why.

VTI vs VTSAX

VTI or VTSAX? They are share classes of the same Vanguard fund and same Morningstar index. ETF vs Admiral mutual fund on cost, portability, and how you invest.

BND vs TIPS

BND or TIPS? Nominal total bonds hedge growth scares; TIPS hedge inflation surprises. They solve different problems, and TIPS belong in tax-advantaged accounts.