Subject: Re: OT: Diversification and portfolio size
For those who are passable typists but not skilled investment analysts, these days you can skip the management fees by doing this yourself.
Download the list of index constituents, upload it to the broker site and click "rebalance".
Other than the fees, this has the advantage that it lets you create a blacklist if you like. For example, if you want to skip firms based in certain jurisdictions or industries.

This method also allows you to manage tax considerations. For the S&P, purchase 500 stocks. If you are withdrawing 4% per year, each 3 months sell 5 stocks with the greatest loss, or smallest gain since purchase. Carry losses forward to balance gains when there are no longer any losing stocks. Will work for 25 years if you sell 20 stocks per year.

Craig