Search found 53 matches

by JamesSF
Wed Feb 28, 2024 4:26 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: AMT credit confusion
Replies: 2
Views: 413

Re: AMT credit confusion

I've been going through some of this complexity myself. I have an AMT credit carryover related to AMT taxes assessed for past ISO exercises. AMT tax assessed for exercising ISOs can be refunded later when you sell those shares. https://www.hrblock.com/tax-center/filing/credits/credit-for-prior-year-minimum-tax/ What helped me was creating a spreadsheet with these columns, and one row for each ISO exercise. This is because you need to track two different bases for these gains - regular and AMT: Lot Exercise Date # Shares Basis Price (strike price) Basis (basis price x shares) AMT Price (price as of exercise date for this lot) AMT Basis (AMT Price x # shares) Current Value (current price x # shares) Current AMT Gain (current value minus AMT b...
by JamesSF
Sat Feb 24, 2024 1:58 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Self directed ira - disqualified person?
Replies: 13
Views: 1079

Re: Self directed ira - disqualified person?

Many self-directed IRA custodians allow your IRA to hold secured or unsecured promissory notes. Some examples include Forge Trust, Pacific Premier, Millennium Trust, Equity Trust, etc. Your IRA will earn the interest on the promissory note and that interest will be tax deferred (traditional) or tax free (roth), but you will have to pay account fees to the custodian to maintain this arrangement.

The custodian you choose will be able to tell you if the borrower is allowed, per IRS regulations.
by JamesSF
Wed Nov 08, 2023 12:03 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Self-Directed IRA : Avoid UDirect Like The Plague
Replies: 2
Views: 850

Re: Self-Directed IRA : Avoid UDirect Like The Plague

Direct-held real estate inside an IRA is a pretty difficult job for a custodian - they have to pass all the income and expenses for the property through the IRA, which technically owns it, and deal with the counties for tax payments etc. But for investors who know real estate well, it's a great way to invest in residential or commercial property with IRA tax advantage for the income. Some custodians aren't able to do this properly (or may be prevented from doing so via their regulators if they haven't done a great job of it.)

Thank you for the warning.
by JamesSF
Fri Nov 03, 2023 11:59 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Recommendations for a Saturday afternoon in Providence, Rhode Island?
Replies: 17
Views: 2152

Re: Recommendations for a Saturday afternoon in Providence, Rhode Island?

Al Forno restaurant is on the river and if you like homemade high end pasta and pizza, it's worth a stop.

The RISD museum has a student art floor below it that can have some interesting exhibits of art made by current students. I think it's separate from the museum and doesn't require the same admission fee.

Walking up the hill and through the Brown University campus is a nice stroll, as is the one along the river to the new pedestrian bridge that has some fun food trucks around it.
by JamesSF
Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:31 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 2023 San Francisco, 1 day stay
Replies: 78
Views: 8202

Re: 2023 San Francisco, 1 day stay

I currently live in San Francisco (and have lived here for 27 years) - don't be dissuaded by people telling you how bad it is. It's not, and it's a great place to spend a day before seeing Yosemite (which never gets old, is absolutely mind blowing and is worth a trip once in everyone's lifetime - it's nature's grand cathedral). I agree with the above posts recommending that you proceed along the Embarcadero, where you will see amazing views and find fun places to stop all the way from the Bay Bridge to the Golden Gate Bridge. You can walk (it's far), rent electric or regular bikes at the Lyft bike stations along the route or take the cute "F market" PCC car trains that are painted to match the livery of other cities and which run ...
by JamesSF
Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Santoku knife?
Replies: 42
Views: 3723

Re: Santoku knife?

I have the Wusthof classic referenced multiple times above, and have used it for years. It's fantastic.
by JamesSF
Fri Jun 23, 2023 2:52 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Plug in hybrid - your experience?
Replies: 81
Views: 8316

Re: Plug in hybrid - your experience?

I just got a Volvo V60 Recharge (PHEV) in March. Absolutely love it. I do have a garage spot where I can plug it in to recharge, it which is important if you're getting a plug in hybrid. All my local trips are all electric, it's zippy with lots of low-end torque, and fun to drive. I got a plug-in hybrid because I go on longer trips in California a lot and don't want range anxiety, but want it to be all electric for most of my in-town driving. So it was worth the additional complexity / maintenance. I did get the highest-level 10 year warranty given the complexity of the drivetrain. Hoping to have this car for a long time, and get a full EV after that. Just note that as of August 2022, many Volvos no longer qualify for the electric vehicle c...
by JamesSF
Sun Dec 11, 2022 9:48 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Move $$ in ShortTerm TIPS fund to IntermedTermTIPs fund now?
Replies: 5
Views: 1103

Re: Move $$ in ShortTerm TIPS fund to IntermedTermTIPs fund now?

I moved my bond holdings from short term (VTIP) to intermediate and long term recently (I'm 50, and intermediate and long is the duration I want for my bonds given my circumstances. My bonds are all inflation protected - TIPS or Series I Savings Bonds.) I chose to go with individual TIPS, 5 and 10 years (the bulk of them) and some LTPZ for long term. If you happen to be, like me, in short duration bonds when your time horizon is really intermediate, I think it's a good time to make the change. Are you individual TIPS in an IRA? If not, how do you handled the taxes? I have I Bonds so I don't have the issue of annual taxes and am curious how TIPS taxes are handled if one is not retired yet. Only the 5 year TIPS are in taxable, the others are...
by JamesSF
Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:58 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Move $$ in ShortTerm TIPS fund to IntermedTermTIPs fund now?
Replies: 5
Views: 1103

Re: Move $$ in ShortTerm TIPS fund to IntermedTermTIPs fund now?

I moved my bond holdings from short term (VTIP) to intermediate and long term recently (I'm 50, and intermediate and long is the duration I want for my bonds given my circumstances. My bonds are all inflation protected - TIPS or Series I Savings Bonds.)

I chose to go with individual TIPS, 5 and 10 years (the bulk of them) and some LTPZ for long term.

If you happen to be, like me, in short duration bonds when your time horizon is really intermediate, I think it's a good time to make the change.
by JamesSF
Tue Nov 22, 2022 4:47 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: BoA recommends buying 30y TIPS
Replies: 42
Views: 4877

Re: BoA recommends buying 30y TIPS

can someone translate this jargon, please? They are saying that one wins if inflation is high, or if real yields on TIPS fall, or if both happen if one buys 30-year TIPS now. So if you accept their thesis, how could this trade go horribly wrong? - Significant and prolonged deflation. - Continued rapid increases in real yields in long-term TIPS would lead to massive losses if you sell. - Liquidity risk. The TIPS market has been known to freeze up in a crisis. This means that maybe you want to sell, but the available bids are either predatory or non-existent. Deflation is a very serious and real risk. Wouldn't you get par value back in the case of a serious and prolonged deflation, which would actually translate to a positive real yield? I t...
by JamesSF
Tue May 26, 2020 9:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: If Jeep has such poor reliability, how come they are everywhere?
Replies: 174
Views: 18198

Re: If Jeep has such poor reliability, how come they are everywhere?

I still have my 1996 Jeep Cherokee XJ (the original boxy Cherokee), and it has the straight 6 4.0L engine that many Jeeps of that era had and that's actually super reliable. It's great for city trips, camping trips, road trips in California, off-roading in Death Valley etc. even though it's not a 4x4. There's regular maintenance like any heritage vehicle but mine's been reliable. It currently has 224,000 miles on it and still going strong.
by JamesSF
Wed Apr 01, 2020 6:08 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The Bottoming Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
Replies: 9
Views: 1802

The Bottoming Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

I have my retirement accounts at Wells Fargo, and they just published this piece to help us decide what to do right now. I'm trying to understand if this is all just nonsense. As a member of this forum for a number of years, I'm not convinced that any of this is sound advice.

They do make one very Bogleheads point: "We believe investors would be well-advised to maintain recommended equity allocations within portfolios, rather than leaning too heavily into stocks." Perhaps an argument against attempting market timing.

Here's the article:

https://www.wellsfargo.com/investment-i ... g-process/
by JamesSF
Wed Mar 18, 2020 6:53 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Any audiophiles on this forum?
Replies: 321
Views: 40875

Re: Any audiophiles on this forum?

Source: Apple Digital Masters (some of Apple Music)
Amp & Preamp: Quad 33 / 303
Speakers: original Quads (electrostatic speakers), designed in 1957 but they work well today
by JamesSF
Thu Mar 12, 2020 1:58 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Parent has ALS; Need Financial & General Advice
Replies: 68
Views: 3685

Re: Parent has ALS; Need Financial & General Advice

I'm so very sorry to hear this. ALS is terrible, and nobody should have to suffer its effects. It's also very hard on the family and caregivers. My uncle died of ALS recently. A lot of us chipped in to get him a van with hand controls so he could drive, but he was only able to use it for a few months before he got worse. He and my aunt moved into a single-floor house with a larger bathroom where she could help him use a lift in the shower etc., but again, they didn't use the house for long. This disease moves quickly. One big decision involves whether she wants artificial ventilation or not. Many don't, as it prolongs the suffering. I wish you the best in navigating this, it's got to be absolutely awful, in whatever capacity you're acting.
by JamesSF
Wed Mar 11, 2020 5:07 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Who here is buying stocks today and how much?
Replies: 315
Views: 34161

Re: Who here is buying stocks today and how much?

I sold out of the market entirely in Dec and Jan and paid big capital gains taxes. And then bought partially back in way too early, and bought more back in on the way down. I've learned my lesson here - I'm never market timing again, it's stressful and impossible to make the second correct move, even if you made the first one. I have another $100k sitting in short term treasuries that needs to get back into the market. But when?

From now on, it's 60/40.

Reading the current market timing thread really hit home. It just doesn't work. You need two perfect coincidences to happen.
by JamesSF
Sat Nov 02, 2019 7:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flaunt Your High-Mileage Car
Replies: 945
Views: 150297

Re: Flaunt Your High-Mileage Car

1996 Jeep XJ Cherokee, 213k
by JamesSF
Wed Oct 02, 2019 7:29 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Classic car (~70s convertible)
Replies: 19
Views: 2450

Re: Classic car (~70s convertible)

Funny that I just read this post, I'm back from a week-long New England road trip in my 1961 Cadillac convertible. The enjoyment continues to last for me, though I drive it shorter distances now, about the yearly amount you specify. Once the big mechanical stuff is fixed those old big block V8s can run forever. Had to make various fixes for brakes, leaks, etc. but not a lot after the initial repairs. Biggest issue: stuck in Yellowstone Park for a week because I plugged an inverter into the cigarette lighter, which blew out the generator. Took them a week to rebuild it, during which time I invoked my AAA+ membership and got paid to stay at the Yellowstone Lodge with a rental car. Lesson: it's sometimes hard to get parts for these old cars, i...
by JamesSF
Sun Sep 22, 2019 5:31 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Should I buy I-bonds when I'm >30 years from retirement?
Replies: 50
Views: 5632

Re: Should I buy I-bonds when I'm >30 years from retirement?

Similar to another member posting above, I use my I-bonds as a superior form of cash that is guaranteed a positive real return as it sits there, no matter what interest rates do or inflation does. The interest is also tax-deferred federally and state tax free, which is not true for cash in CDs and bank accounts.

If you have the patience to chase CD deals you may get a better return for a similar risk profile, but at the expense of a lot of time / complexity / account openings. I-Bonds are easy once you have your TreasuryDirect account set up.
by JamesSF
Tue Apr 23, 2019 9:22 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Which WAP to replace Airport Extreme - please no mesh recommendations
Replies: 116
Views: 8253

Re: Which WAP to replace Airport Extreme - please no mesh recommendations

I have a similar setup you have (Airport Extreme as base router connected to internet, two Airport Expresses ethernet-connected to it, all on the same SSID). No problems with seamless switching to the strongest signal on the same SSID as I move around my 1929 wifi-phobic house. The base Extreme is configured normally to do NAT, and the satellite devices are in bridge mode, no NAT. I do use the guest network feature and it does connect to the internet - maybe its your configuration?
by JamesSF
Thu Sep 13, 2018 1:35 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Northwest FCU 3-year 3.04% Add-On CD
Replies: 371
Views: 46694

Re: Northwest FCU 3-year 3.04% Add-On CD

Using the NW FCU secure message method was easy, and I've set mine to move from the 3-Yr CD to the savings account per the message below. I plan on pulling it all out into Ally with an ACH pull when that is completed. Thank you for contacting Northwest Federal Credit Union. I have set it so the certificate will deposit into your savings upon maturity as requested. If you have any questions please contact our Member Service Center at 703-709-8901. Thank you for making Northwest Federal Credit Union your lifetime financial partner. Looking at the $7000+ interest I made in three years in a period of ultra-low interest rates, I have to thank Kevin M and the others on this thread for alerting us to this deal and offering pointers for getting it ...
by JamesSF
Sat Apr 15, 2017 5:38 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Question on managing own 403b
Replies: 26
Views: 3099

Re: Should I take a big hit to get out of Ameriprise?

Surrender it.

I was in your position and I surrendered mine, and it's the best feeling in the world to be free from that beast.

You'll pay far more in future fees if you don't. The fine print on the Ameriprise VUL is not pretty.
by JamesSF
Sat Mar 18, 2017 9:58 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Citi card Nightmare
Replies: 74
Views: 12820

Re: Citi card Nightmare

Use the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the Elizabeth Warren brainchild). They have a website for submitting complaints if the bank did not address your concern. And banks take complaints from this mechanism quite seriously. I submitted one myself when having major problems while applying for a credit card (Bank was not responsive, did not process my application after doing a credit pull). After I submitted the complaint, they had one of their reps from the "office of the president" call me directly and work things out, including a reimbursement for my trouble.

Glad to see the CFPB is doing what it's supposed to do. Use it before it gets abolished.
by JamesSF
Fri Mar 03, 2017 10:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Heading to Spain and I don't have a PIN for my Credit Card
Replies: 20
Views: 3764

Re: Heading to Spain and I don't have a PIN for my Credit Card

You need a true chip-and-pin card if you want to use a PIN in Europe at an unattended terminal (gas station, train station, etc.). Barclays offers them, and a few other US credit unions like the United Nations Federal Credit Union. If you don't have one, you just use your signature and they won't necessarily work at unattended stations.
by JamesSF
Thu Sep 01, 2016 10:33 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: treasurydirect conversion account transfer question
Replies: 54
Views: 9300

Re: treasurydirect conversion account transfer question

I did this recently, and what you described worked. The savings bonds moved from the TD conversion account into my TD main account, and it was immediate.
by JamesSF
Wed May 25, 2016 12:50 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Expected Social Security Benefit if I Have No Income for Five Years Before Claiming at 70
Replies: 96
Views: 8662

Re: Expected Social Security Benefit if I Have No Income for Five Years Before Claiming at 70

I've found it interesting that the future value of the social security annuity seems to be basically the same no matter when you start collecting. I got the monthly numbers from the government retirement estimator, assuming I would stop work today at age 43 and earned minimal income between now and retirement. I listed the calculated future value of the social security annuity to the right, assuming I live until 92 years old. I used an online present value of an annuity calculator, and assumed a discount rate and future inflation rate of 3%. Current age: 43 Collect benefits until: 92 $1,501/month starting at age 62 if stop working in 2016 ($539k future value @ age 62) $2,132/month starting at age 67 if stop working in 2016 ($638k FV @ age 6...
by JamesSF
Wed Dec 02, 2015 7:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Rental Car Insurance Without Car Insurance - Need Liability Insurance
Replies: 17
Views: 1743

Re: Rental Car Insurance Without Car Insurance - Need Liability Insurance

I got non-owner coverage through State Farm since I'm not a car owner, which allows me to have high liability limits and also to get umbrella liability coverage.
by JamesSF
Thu Oct 15, 2015 11:11 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Millennium Trust Company -- difficult?
Replies: 5
Views: 2309

Re: Millennium Trust Company -- difficult?

This isn't really a "self-directed IRA". Millennium Trust Company has a separate line of business that accepts small leftover 401(k)s from employers that don't want to keep them on their books (the employee has left, this size of the account is small), and then holds them as a cash-only IRA, not invested in anything. They charge fees on this IRA from the cash balance until the account owner remembers to come get the rollover money, or they don't and they just run it down over time. You should "transfer out" this IRA to Vanguard as soon as possible (contact Vanguard and they will do it for you), and stop paying the fees that Millennium is charging for doing nothing with your cash.
by JamesSF
Thu Oct 08, 2015 9:11 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Northwest FCU 3-year 3.04% Add-On CD
Replies: 371
Views: 46694

Re: Northwest FCU 3-year 3.04% Add-On CD

Thank you, Kevin M and the others, I just got approved for an account and 40k CD using the instructions on this board. A few gotchas: 1) The online application is multi-page. Don't stop after the first page or your application will be stuck in "PENDING". I missed this. 2) My credit bureaus are all frozen, so my application went into the "REFERRED" state, and stayed there for two days. 3) When I finally called in, they asked me to send in a pic of my ID, which I had already uploaded, and I pointed this out to them and they used it. 4) While on the phone with the rep, I asked her to increase the CD to $40k. She told the processor to do this, and my app moved from "REFERRED" to "APPROVED". 5) Take the re...
by JamesSF
Mon Oct 05, 2015 10:20 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Ameriprise ???
Replies: 10
Views: 1651

Re: Ameriprise ???

I'm a former Ameriprise client who has been a participant on this board since exiting Ameriprise in 2008. Beware - they are set up to make a lot of commission / money off of you, especially if you buy their VUL life insurance product or their funds. Their advisors are basically salespeople who start with initial "reasonable" recommendations, then push you into product with high fees. That being said, these are not unreasonable recommendations - just look somewhere else besides Ameriprise. Disability insurance is a good idea. My IDS disability policy with a future option rider is the only thing I kept from my Ameriprise days. You can get it elsewhere. Becoming unable to work is one of the biggest risks to one's financial future, es...
by JamesSF
Sun Jun 07, 2015 10:57 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Non-Emergency liquid funds -- where to keep for the medium term?
Replies: 15
Views: 2906

Re: Non-Emergency liquid funds -- where to keep for the medium term?

9 months in a Wells Fargo savings account
3 months in I Bonds (growing this each year while reducing Wells Fargo)
Medium-term (taxable) savings in Vanguard Limited Term Tax Exempt bond fund
Long-term (taxable) savings as part of my asset allocation (Vanguard Total Market)
by JamesSF
Sun Apr 12, 2015 4:12 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: I-Bonds vs EE Bonds vs TIPS vs Treasuries - 20 years
Replies: 22
Views: 5955

Re: I-Bonds vs EE Bonds vs TIPS vs Treasuries - 20 years

Yes, agreed about the phantom income in taxable - that doesn't sound fun, nor necessary, if tax-deferred space is available.

I actually purchased $15k of iBonds already (10k via Treasury Direct and 5k in paper bonds via tax refund, which are quite fun to handle - I now know the story of Chief Joseph, who's face appears on the $200 bond.) These will either be the start of a ladder as I'm describing, or will be part of my emergency fund if I select a different instrument for the ladder.
by JamesSF
Sun Apr 12, 2015 3:57 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: I-Bonds vs EE Bonds vs TIPS vs Treasuries - 20 years
Replies: 22
Views: 5955

Re: I-Bonds vs EE Bonds vs TIPS vs Treasuries - 20 years

Very much appreciate all of your replies. Good to know about the yearly taxes for zero-coupon bonds, I did not realize that. Yes, I was also considering using 10-year instruments in the ladder and rolling them over at year 10, which may be easier because of availability of the instruments at auction. I could do this buy purchasing 10 year TIPS or treasuries at auction each year and then rolling them over at years 11-20 while continuing to buy new ones. It just seems like the yield difference between 10 years and 20/30 years is pretty substantial at present, so this might be giving up yield for the first 10 years of the ladder, but potentially gaining it in the latter 10 years if interest rates go up. Part of me wonders if buying 30 year TIP...
by JamesSF
Sat Apr 11, 2015 8:09 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: I-Bonds vs EE Bonds vs TIPS vs Treasuries - 20 years
Replies: 22
Views: 5955

Re: I-Bonds vs EE Bonds vs TIPS vs Treasuries - 20 years

Thank you Mel. Your Forbes article "A Simple Way To Build Your Own Annuity" provided me the impetus to pursue this strategy to guarantee coverage of my basic retirement needs, so it's great to hear your input. It seems like I Bonds would indeed be good in deflation (you'd basically earn the rate of deflation), but EE bonds would be better (you'd earn the rate of deflation + 3.5%). Nominal treasuries, at least at today's rates, would be somewhere in between. My main objection with the EE bonds is that if US interest rates do go up substantially over then next, say, 10 years, then it may be better to switch the early rungs of the latter at that time to other 10-year instruments that may pay far higher than 3.5%. But that won't be po...
by JamesSF
Sat Apr 11, 2015 7:35 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: I-Bonds vs EE Bonds vs TIPS vs Treasuries - 20 years
Replies: 22
Views: 5955

Re: I-Bonds vs EE Bonds vs TIPS vs Treasuries - 20 years

Thanks for your replies. Per your questions, I'm hoping to build this ladder in taxable to expand my tax-deferred space, and many of these options are tax-deferred. But I do have space in my qualified accounts to buy treasuries or TIPS if those turn out to be better to hold than savings bonds or treasury STRIPS.

Also, I'm looking for this ladder more for safety than return. (I take my risk in the 75% of my portfolio that is equities, this would be part of my 25% bond allocation).

I'm 42 years old, if that matters. I anticipate being in a lower tax bracket in 20 years.
by JamesSF
Sat Apr 11, 2015 4:13 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: I-Bonds vs EE Bonds vs TIPS vs Treasuries - 20 years
Replies: 22
Views: 5955

I-Bonds vs EE Bonds vs TIPS vs Treasuries - 20 years

I'm looking to create a 20-year ladder of US Government Bonds, and trying to understand which instruments to use given potential inflation and deflation concerns. From my research on this forum and elsewhere, it seems like these are the main options, and they all have pros and cons: 1) US Series I Savings Bonds (IBonds) - 0% fixed rate, approx 1.4% inflation rate currently, which changes every 6 months Pros: Keeps up with inflation, real value never goes down. Unaffected by US interest rate fluctuations after purchase. Cons: 1-year lockup, sacrifice of 3 months interest if redeemed before 5 years, low current fixed rate means no potential to beat inflation. 2) US Series EE Savings Bonds - 0.1% fixed if held less than 20 years, 3.5% fixed if...
by JamesSF
Fri Feb 13, 2015 1:21 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Wells Fargo Brokerage
Replies: 28
Views: 6921

Re: Wells Fargo Brokerage

I've been a Wells Fargo Brokerage and PMA customer for a number of years now. I have the grandfathered 100-free-trades deal for stocks / ETFs that is great, but doesn't matter all that much given how infrequently I trade. I've had no problems at all with them. I use them for my checking, savings, taxable brokerage and IRAs, holding Vanguard ETFs (BND, VXUS, VTI) only, which trade for free. It's also nice to have everything in one place, especially statement and tax forms. Doing this also makes my PMA balance high enough that they refund fees for out-of-network ATM transactions (both sides) and I don't pay any monthly fees for anything besides Quicken direct access ($3/month). If I wanted to buy mutual funds or TIPS at auction, etc., they ar...
by JamesSF
Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:55 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Help with HSA in CA. Am I ready? How-to?
Replies: 22
Views: 4834

Re: Help with HSA in CA. Am I ready? How-to?

kaneohe wrote:
JamesSF wrote: JamesSF...........this seems to indicate that there is no state taxation of TIPS http://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/pro ... glance.htm

Tax Considerations

Interest income and growth in principal are exempt from state and local income taxes.
Interest income and growth in principal are subject to federal income tax.
Thanks Kaneohe. I stand corrected. I always thought the principle adjustment of TIPS was taxable in CA, but I guess it's only the capital gains if you sell them (in taxable or an HSA).

This makes buying and holding TIPS in a CA HSA make more sense. I'll edit my posting to correct.
by JamesSF
Tue Oct 21, 2014 11:19 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Help with HSA in CA. Am I ready? How-to?
Replies: 22
Views: 4834

Re: Help with HSA in CA. Am I ready? How-to?

The best investments for California HSAs if you want to minimize state taxes are US Treasuries and CA Munis. (And even those aren't fully immune if you hold them in a fund that has short- or long-term capital gains distributions.)

California taxes pretty much all other investment types in an HSA.

Hopefully California will treat HSAs the same as the rest of the country sometime soon.

(Edited to remove reference to TIPS principle adjustment being taxable in a CA HSA, which is not true.)
by JamesSF
Mon Oct 13, 2014 6:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Graphic: Income -> Accounts -> Retirement
Replies: 11
Views: 3436

Re: Graphic: Income -> Accounts -> Retirement

Edited to include more detail about spending.
by JamesSF
Sat Oct 11, 2014 9:30 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Graphic: Income -> Accounts -> Retirement
Replies: 11
Views: 3436

Re: Graphic: Income -> Accounts -> Retirement

Happy to share - I sent you a private message with my email address so I can send it to you, if you let me know yours.

It was built in the OmniGraffle format, which is a Mac program that you may not have. I think it can export to Visio format. If those don't work, and you let me know the changes to make, I can create a version for you in a non-editable PDF or JPEG / PNG image format.

-Jim
by JamesSF
Sat Oct 11, 2014 8:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Graphic: Income -> Accounts -> Retirement
Replies: 11
Views: 3436

Re: Graphic: Income -> Accounts -> Retirement

Thanks for the correction. It could probably be simplified by removing the I-Bonds, Self-Employement and HSA, but these are all accounts that I do have. And the TIPS rolling ladder could be removed in favor of a short term bond fund that accomplishes the same purpose.
by JamesSF
Sat Oct 11, 2014 7:22 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Regular Transfering to own IRA
Replies: 10
Views: 1290

Re: Regular Transfering to own IRA

Sounds like you're out of luck unless you're older than 59 and 1/2 or you leave your job. From The Motley Fool wiki: Qualified Distributions The IRS stringently limits when you can take money out of your 401k plan, even if it is to roll over into an IRA. The IRS further restricts which of these distributions can be rolled into an IRA, limiting it to only distributions taken after age 59 1/2 or after you leave your job. You can take hardship distributions from your 401k plan before 59 1/2 without leaving your job, but the IRS prohibits you from rolling a hardship distribution into another retirement account such as an IRA. Tax Consequences If you take a distribution from your 401k plan before you turn 59 1/2 and roll it into your IRA, you fa...
by JamesSF
Sat Oct 11, 2014 6:55 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Graphic: Income -> Accounts -> Retirement
Replies: 11
Views: 3436

Graphic: Income -> Accounts -> Retirement

http://i59.tinypic.com/5a3nsi.jpg I'm 42 years old. I spent some time putting together this graphic to help understand how to save for retirement, and how to spend once I'm there. The top row depicts various types of income. The middle row represents the different tax-advantaged or taxable vehicles the money flows into. And the bottom represents how the money is consumed. My savings plan is to max out tax-advantaged space (Traditional / 401(k) when I'm in a mid-to-high tax bracket, and favoring Roth contributions in years when I'm in a low one and eligible). I'll also purchase I Bonds, max out an HSA and invest the rest in taxable investments or savings. I also plan to build up a 10 year rolling TIPS ladder in my tax deferred accounts by t...
by JamesSF
Tue Sep 23, 2014 1:49 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do I need umbrella insurance?
Replies: 35
Views: 7358

Re: Do I need umbrella insurance?

I do not have auto insurance since I don't own a car. I went to State Farm to try to get umbrella insurance, but they wouldn't sell it to me unless I had auto insurance.

I was able to get $1m umbrella coverage only after purchasing max-limit non-owner auto insurance, which was more expensive than the umbrella policy. But my assets are now covered even if I'm driving someone else's car who doesn't have great insurance.
by JamesSF
Thu Sep 18, 2014 10:16 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: External backup drives - Seagate vs Western Digital
Replies: 43
Views: 10497

Re: External backup drives - Seagate vs Western Digital

Drobo Mini: http://www.drobo.com/storage-products/mini/

It uses four laptop hard drives so that the failure of one does not result in the loss of data. When one fails, you pop it out and put a new one in, and your data is fine.

Single hard drives always fail.
by JamesSF
Thu Sep 18, 2014 1:55 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How do you store your electronic account statements?
Replies: 24
Views: 6134

Re: How do you store your electronic account statements?

Please share how you do this, if there is a cost, if it is automatic or you manually do it, and if it really is safe. Would love to set up a system like this, but am paranoid about getting hacked. I don't even have a home network, because I'm afraid to get hacked. The nice thing about cloud storage is that even if you don't trust the cloud, you can still use it for what it's good at. While putting your files directly on Dropbox, Google Drive, etc. may be kind of safe, it's still possible to encrypt your files before you store them, which makes the situation very safe. Storing electronic files unencrypted on your computer or an external hard drive is not a great solution; hard drives often fail, and demagnetize over time, so a hard drive in...
by JamesSF
Wed Sep 17, 2014 9:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Rental property with in-laws: please help!
Replies: 128
Views: 12314

Re: Rental property with in-laws: please help!

Your situation is a ticking time bomb. 10-year interest-only ARMs don't just adjust the rate at year 10 - they also start requiring principle payments, amortizing over the remaining 20-year time period. This allows the loan to be paid off after 30 years, so it still can be called a 30-year mortgage. This means that the mortgage amount will rise _significantly_ at year 10, irrespective of interest rates, as you start paying 30 years' worth of principle in the remaining 20 years of the loan. This type of loan was designed to be refinanced before 10 years, or have the house sold by then. I once had one of these types of loans, and it was always scary to think of what would happen if I didn't move or refinance by year 10. We refinanced at year ...
by JamesSF
Wed Sep 17, 2014 12:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How do you store your electronic account statements?
Replies: 24
Views: 6134

Re: How do you store your electronic account statements?

I've gone completely paperless, shredding all paper, so I've had to be careful about security and backup. For the few statements or documents I still receive in the mail, I use a ScanSnap scanner to quickly turn them into searchable PDF files, then immediately shred them. For the rest, I download them all from the respective financial institutions' web site. Then I store them all in the cloud so they're backed up and safe from a computer / home catastrophe. I don't trust the security of the cloud providers, so I create an encrypted volume on my Mac (basically like a virtual disk drive that's strongly encrypted) - you can do this using the Disk Utility - then copy changes to that volume to the cloud every night. I use JungleDisk, which store...
by JamesSF
Wed Sep 17, 2014 12:54 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: The Roosevelts, PBS special
Replies: 104
Views: 13585

Re: The Roosevelts, PBS special

Just saw the first 2-hour episode via the PBS app on Apple TV. Fantastic! Historical, and funny.
by JamesSF
Fri Sep 05, 2014 5:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Where can I go to get a signature guarantee or Medallion sig
Replies: 40
Views: 146630

Re: Where can I go to get a signature guarantee or Medallion

I just had to do this last week when I re-registered for the new TreasuryDirect. Maybe they now force everyone to get a signature guarantee when signing up or adding a new bank?

I went to a Wells Fargo main (large) branch, and the manager was able to do it. I showed them the TreasuryDirect form and asked them for a signature guarantee. They were a bit confused, but the manager did stamp it with a medallion guarantee and her signature, which worked fine with TD. They did say I had to be an accountholder at Wells Fargo to be able to do this.