Bogleheads.org

If she can sell it dirt cheap at the piano store, that may be the best solution, rather than dealing with strangers coming in her home as well as inexperienced movers sliding things across her floors and through her doors. She will probably need to move it out quickly, as well. Contacting churches, ...

Unless you have a complex situation and/or MILLIONS to deal with, the best answer could easily be to stay on this forum and learn what you need to know to do it yourself... +1 You have possibly stumbled accidentally on a site which is loaded with good, unbiased, practical information in the Wiki, i...

Here is a "what if":

You hope to earn 4% return on this investment. Adviser gets 1% guaranteed. What % of your return is he/she getting?

I understand that you have expenses covered, at least for the near future, by your SS and pensions, & annuity. Are the pension and annuity COLAd like the SS is? This would help determine whether you will need to withdraw extra funds to cover inflation in future. Will the surviving spouse need ad...

Get investing advice here to help minimize tax consequences of taxable investment. Coordinate with your larger inherited IRA. You may owe 15% Norwegian inheritance tax (10% if child or parent) so you may be talking about something less than $400k. Be sure to get good tax reporting advice on both sid...

Will definitely check that book out. Is the expense ratio the same thing as "total annual operating expenses?" For example, SPTN US BOND IDX IS 0.07% I would think so. That is a great rate! Not sure what additional fees your provider may also have, but that would probably be the same for ...

TIER 2: CORE INVESTMENT OPTIONS VANGUARD INST INDEX (VINIX) 07/31/1990 Stock Investments Large Cap 16.87% 12.78% 5.24% 7.89% 04/30/2013 Show SPTN EXT MKT IDX INV (FSEMX) 11/05/1997 Stock Investments Mid-Cap 18.30% 13.04% 7.96% 11.64% 04/30/2013 Show VANG TOT INTL STK IS (VTSNX) 11/29/2010 Stock Inv...

There is no 9% federal tax rate. If you tell us your income and marital status, we can figure it out. My guess is 15%. Keep reading here and on Vanguard site. When ready, let them know and they will pull funds/cash from EJ. Read book: The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing. Decide on AA. A change in thi...

Finally, to throw in a third parameter for consideration, I examined how survivor benefits for my wife would be affected by claiming early vs age 70 when compared to the above findings. She will have her own SS but even though I am the higher earner, her break even age would be 85 (more SS vs gap i...

I would check into the difference in rates for refinancing as is or without PMI and do what makes the most sense. Get rid of the high-interest student loan. Perhaps reduce 401k temporarily to redirect to above. Put yourselves on a temporary money diet and direct everything toward debt reduction. I e...

I would put paying off debts on highest priority. However, I would also put part of my emergency fund, at least anything past 2 month's worth, into my Roth IRA and probably use Target Retirement Income for that so that in a real emergency most of it would still be there. This would hold a place for ...

There is a link to setting up a Roth here: https://investor.vanguard.com/what-we-offer/iras/traditional-iras-and-roth-iras Fidelity or T Rowe Price would have something similar and would be suitable for a Roth IRA with no loads or extra layers of management costs and reasonable expense ratios (ER). ...

Back from work now. Another busy day! Thanks everyone for the new round of advices! - Watty, your advices sound great! One question about the 2050, as you can see the 2050 I am offered has only 2.16% for 10 years, which is a lot lower than the others. I don't know how much does this matter though. ...

Find a Taxcaster program online or 2012 TurboTax or similar free or cheap program online and put in the numbers. Your rate starts at your highest rate and then it depends on whether you get into the next bracket. Unless you are in a low bracket now, you may not want to do it while you are working. H...

I would just choose one of the target funds or else the VIIIX (probably the S&P 500 index) and add some kind of bond soon such as Pimco Total Return if ER isn't too bad. It looks like you have good choices and hopefully have low cost (ER) funds. You can adjust when you get your AA figured out la...

It looks like your immediate decisions are about what to choose for 401k from your pay. We need to see what is available before being able to give advice on it. Generally look for lowest ERs (expense ratio) which more likely are index funds. Target funds are some combination of US stocks, internatio...

Your uncle is doing you a great service by encouraging you to start saving now with index funds. I agree that saving up until you can put $1000 into a Target Retirement fund in a Roth you can set up at Vanguard. I believe you can add to it in $100 increments, either automatically or going into their...

Wondering about your 25% tax bracket: that would be a minimum of $72,500 taxable income plus about 20,000 (standard deduction and 2 exemptions).
5% of that is about $4600.

I am looking at a whole year's income and contributions.

I would seriously consider waiting until age 70 for SS as it is the best deal around for a guaranteed COLAd annuity. No one can take it away from you. For the same reason, you might want to consider a SPIA annuity in a few years to guarantee income to you from some of your savings. Sorry, don't know...

Being a young gun I feel that the tax benefits I would get right now from a Roth IRA make it worth it. Unless you are very low income and would qualify for Saver's Credit, I can't think of any immediate tax benefits, but the long-term benefits of no tax when you are of retirement age are potentiall...

Medicare supplement type insurance is needed. Not sure if your state offers something or whether he is covered through your work. Federal law goes into effect next year. Car liability and umbrella insurance for extra liability in case of alcohol-related auto accidents. Does he have access to all of ...

I don't know that anyone has mentioned it yet, but the CONTRIBUTIONS, not gain, to Roth IRA can be withdrawn at any time without cost. That could make it a backup in case of serious emergency, such as longer-term loss of job, but I would strongly discourage withdrawing it without a serious reason as...

What is your tax rate (Federal and State)? Assume you make a $1,000 monthly pre-tax contribution to your 401k, your Federal tax rate is 28% and your state does not have an income tax. You will save $280 on Federal taxes by putting $1,000 in the 401k. Your primary motivator should not be "I'm s...

The Vanguard TR 2020 and Star both have somewhere around 60 % stocks/ 40% fixed and each would be suitable. The TR funds are made up of 3 (maybe 4 now) index funds and Star about 11 Vanguard active funds. It is reasonably priced, but not quite dirt-cheap like some index funds. Any would be suitable ...

Hello all I’ve just joined and have been doing a lot of reading. I think I’m starting to get a handle on this. I think. :confused I need some help with an annuity. I have a financial planner wanting me to invest in one. He says it will pay 6% guaranteed. But how can these companies payout so much? ...

No, I can't think of any possible reason why you would want an annuity inside of an IRA. They are a complicated and expensive vehicle and good profit for the salesman. You will have to pay tax on all the money you take out of an IRA, anyway. Perhaps he is a little bit embarrassed to be earning just ...

It sounds like you need to track your expenses to see where your money is going. Figure out what you can give up temporarily until it really hurts and apply everything possible to paying off all of those high-interest loans as investing cannot be counted on to make more than those. Save in 401k up t...

Way back in the distant past, I recall taking a Math of Finance college course which did give some basic information of compounding. I don't recall the teacher or book trying to tie it directly to personal finance. That avoided dealing with instructors who either have an agenda or don't know much th...

I bought the books: Bogleheads' Guide to Investing and also Bogleheads' Guide to Retirement Planning (You could get from library or just click on Amazon link here). In fact I am looking at them right now! They are very reasonable and well worth the price. Also the Wiki here, and also the various top...

I think the lowest choice is subsidized to some extent, or at least it used to be, so that might just be a no-brainer. The 30-year payment cost for SBP of 55% of retired pay and COLAd forever or as long as the government agrees, buys a lot of piece of mind to a spouse without substantial pension or ...

I believe at PIA she could file for spousal benefits and change to her benefits at age 70.

1. no

Thanks for the quick response and the advice. DCA is exactly how the money got invested in the 1st place! I forgot about that. I like to use the following funds in my IRA: VOO (sp500 index etf) VO. (mid cap index) VB. (small cap index) VEU (large cap international) VSS. (small cap international) VN...

You need to put the money where you are comfortable with it and won't do anything rash if stocks go down, etc. Perhaps put some of your short-term cash into short-term CDs that would be harder (but not too hard) to cash out unless you really needed it. I-Bonds would work if you are comfortable with ...

There are people here that are willing to give you great, unbiased advice if you present your situation in the requested format. Vanguard also can give you advice. The Bogleheads Guide to Investing (and to Retirement) are good resources as are other recommended books. Unless you are eager to fund yo...

Thank you for letting us know what you decided and I wish you well. This fund is one leg of the 3-fund portfolio that many of us on this site have in various proportions (Total Stock, Total International, and bonds or other fixed income). Something you might also want to learn about is I-Bonds at Tr...

It looks like you are in a very good position and will probably be fine no matter what comes along. Congratulations for taking control of your life so you can be in this position now. It sounds like your income can cover replacements and repairs as needed. You mention Assisted Living, but nursing ho...

The only problem I have is that I will not be able to contribute to the Roth IRA anymore this year. Why? Finally, what's the best way to move everything from my current mutual funds to the ones at Vanguard? Most of them I've only had 1-2 months. A couple I've had for 5 yrs. (I put in a lot in 2008 ...

Thanks, I've gone back and updated my original post a bit. The taxable account was started for my wife when she was young and has sat and gathered interest for several years now, if it were sold it would be taxed at the long term capital gains rate. The capital gains rate is zero while you are belo...

What a great life you and your soon to be can have! Your dad knows how hard it was to accumalate this wealth for you. Proof to him you are ready 1. Get a job. 2. Get to be self supporting 3. Establish your marriage. 4, Come back in a year with a detailed plan. Dad wants the best for you. Just doesn...

My goal is to get into multiple investments that are relatively "safe" that mature at different stages of my life in case the money stops coming in which is very possible. None of the mutual funds "mature" at any particular time. Now CDs "mature" at a specific date and...

Since it is in a Roth, I think you could change to only Vanguard mutual funds now so you are not bugged by the left-overs. If you are not at V Brokerage, there could be some costs in moving to Vanguard. If you decide it isn't worth the trouble, then accept it.

Is it too late to hit the April 30 deadline? What I mean is that does TreasuryDirect count your purchase at time of purchase, or when the funds are withdrawn from your bank? It will probably work if you do it today. It might even work tomorrow, but today would be safer. Today or tonight before 12AM...

Over the years I have accumulated a few investments with different financial institutions. About 20 months ago I finally opened two Vanguard accounts - an individual fund account and an IRA account (rolled over). Now I am thinking of consolidating all my investments into Vanguard and I wanted some ...

401k’s: Each have a current 401k, plus two rollover IRA’s Retirement: 164.8k Does not include PBGC/defined benefit funds) Do you each have a pension? Active #1 - 45k Fidelity (no current contributions/no match) 70% stocks / 30% bonds Active #2 – 20.8k Fidelity Roth (annual tax deferred contribution...

Additional Comments: 1. Current snowball pays additional $1000/month toward debt Great! 2. Paid down 17k on debt during 2011 (credit cards) Good for you! 3. Credit rating is between 790-800 for each 4. We bought the land to diversify our retirement dollars (2006), needless to say it’s lost half its...

Thanks, nisiprius, you said that very well.

You should list your income tax bracket. Child tax credit might wipe out up to $3000 tax. Wife can do spousal IRA without income. Your 3 selected choices seem like the lowest cost in a 3-fund portfolio. Are some of them Vanguard? Also look into Flex accounts for expected medical expenses. Suggest yo...

I think you should let this go for now, and prove that you can not only manage your current portfolio very well, but also manage your life as well. You need to find an occupation that suits you, and get the education or training it takes to succeed, and really make an effort in this part of your lif...

I have listed other funds, CDs, and I-bonds in Vanguard account page, and print it out periodically after updating so I can leave a copy to help heirs or POA person know where to look. My spouse, who is a math whiz, does not expect to be able to access TD.com so paper bonds will not be converted as ...