Bogleheads.org

I don't know why you'd necessarily take it to a dealer. I'd take it to a trusted independent and tell them the whole story. If it really is a problem that needs to be fixed, and it costs $860, the only real thing you can do is repair it. Selling the car over a minor repair doesn't make any sense. JT

Well, I gather from the article that the director of Covered California thinks Covered California is giving away a great deal to Californians. At least that's what he and the employee of Covered California wrote on its website. Maybe it is, but the article is little more than one of those "paid...

Yeah, sounds way too pricey.

Have you thought about an annuity and Vanguard's Retirement Income Fund or some combination thereof?

JT

Yes, he needs a new advisor, because the current one stinks. I can't an advisor okaying a 100% move to stable value. I guess he's paid by a percentage of assets under management.

JT

Yes, can him. You need to educate yourself (welcome to the best place on earth to do that) and, if you still need one, seek a financial advisor. A broker is little more than a salesman. His strategy is a fool's errand. No one knows when the market will correct, but in the meantime, you need a plan, ...

OP, your question is unanswerable. It is like asking what letters you should use to build a sentence. Before we could answer that, we would need to know what you were trying to say - what your purpose is. Most, if not all, Vanguard funds are good funds, but they serve a purpose that fits into an ove...

Yup. Yup. Yup.

I think it would be unwise. A substantial portion of "charitable" giving and volunteering are associated with religious and political organizations, which should make them inappropriate for discussion here. Not only that, but to discuss the effectiveness of charities is to say than some a...

If you are worried you should hire a lawyer. That is what they are for.

JT

nisiprius wrote:If the Book of Revaluations is right, it might be the bestial get.

Nice.

OP, you're not the first to ask this, no matter where the market is. The answer is who knows(?), so invest now, according to your plan.

Perhaps there should be a sticky regarding this question since it's asked so much?

JT

That was a refreshing article, thanks. Echoing the above, the only way to control costs is to make people pay themselves, or get private entities who bear the risk of loss to loan they money based on a demonstrated ability to repay. It sounds "unfair," but that's life in the real world. Yo...

JT, I wondered when CR ran the report you refer to ... looks like it was in 1996: Unless you seldom shut your engine off, and contaminants are never allowed to build up, and moisture is constantly boiled off, you can ignore the taxi cab oil study--apples and oranges. Our daily drivers put different...

Keep track of your mpg every time you fill up. I notice that mine drops if I am overdue, and once I get it changed it goes back up. You might have another issue - I'm not an expert, but I've never heard that an oil change would effect mpg. To the extent that it might (if the oil was really dirty?),...

Typically, you ought to follow the owners manual. Oil changes, however, are one spot where the manufacturers seem to be slow on keeping up with the times. A lot depends on the type of driving you do, but if it's normal driving, you could technically wait 7,500 or even 10,000 miles without any differ...

I think it looks great if you have thought it out and are comfortable with it.

JT

What is to be gained by talking to a guy like this? What's to be lost? Maybe, just maybe, the guy will have some thoughts worth listening to. Otherwise, put you hands over your ears and refuse to listen to ANY new thoughts. That would be stupid but obviously lots of people think otherwise. Time is ...

Not if you know how to invest yourself.

JT

Why not post it here? You'll get many opinions.

JT

I think your concerns are way overblown. I don't even think it will hurt resale or refinance. By the time the county gets to reassessing, the damge has already been long done. If the prices in your area have gone down, you wouldn"t be able to convince any buyer or bank that it should go by a da...

You can swing it, if that's all you need. The only thing I'd worry about is the effect it might have on your young children. You might have a harder time instilling a work ethic if they can't learn by example. Can you switch gears to a less demanding career for a time? Just something I worry about w...

retiredjg wrote:Fear mongering. It sells papers, magazines, etc. And it works particularly well on a conservative audience.

Actually, this strategy works pretty well on members of any party that doesn't control the White House.

JT

leod wrote:never gave one initially as I convinced her that it was a waste of money, but i bought one years later for $500 to justify my 5K watch purchase.

Very funny.

I prefer Jack of Diamonds.

JT

It depends on your state laws.

JT

joannabev wrote:My advisor is recommending 6 allocation classes. He says Vanguard cannot provide the same diversification and number of allocation classes as Envestnet.

You need a new advisor. He's giving you a sales pitch. Luckily, you can educate yourself on this site.

Good luck,

JT

What if the government increases the tax on non-Roth IRAs? Or institutes a consumption tax? Why just worry about Roths? What is so special about them?

JT

Dont you make one of these posts every month or two?

JT

Very interesting. Thanks.

JT

I think net is reasonable. However, the questions you raise also call into the necessity of the 10% figure. Not to make your decision any harder than it already is...

JT

Problem is, I have to weigh whether having the convenience of River Valley Bank branches exactly between my work and home and my home and the YMCA (where I work out at) outweighs me giving them $300 for them to use for free to keep my checking account balance permanently above that level when I cou...

I'm glad that it works for him and he's happy, but he lives like a bit of a weirdo. I'm pretty darn frugal, but I don't want to live like that, nor do I want my kids to grow up and be like that, unless that's what appeals to them. I've visited his blog before, but ther's nothing of huge value for me...

GDP is essentially a measure of spending, whether it be on consumption, investment or government spending. Plug in different numbers, get different results. Even with a number as simple as that, there are no "smartys".

JT

You need more help that I know to give. But a Google search turned up something that seems to confirm your overview:

http://employeebenefitplanaudit.belfint ... -of-money/

Good luck,

JT

Everyone keeps saying how a training class is important. I don't disagree, but I'm unaware of any states that will issue such a permit without a mandatory, typically 8 hour, class. Are there any? That's not to say that an NRA class wouldn't help - it would probably be far better than the mandatory c...

You make your own opportunities in this world. It's not something that's taught in a classroom or on the job. Luck plays a part, but you have to be smart enough to understand when luck comes banging on you door. When you see something that could be done better, just do it. Do what most people would...

All of this depends on the state, but verbal statements which contradict the written terms of a lease are *usually* not admissible to change the written terms. Check local law to see if this is the case. Your friend might also check the date or postmark on the letter, as the lease usually requires t...

Sorry to seem a bit dense here, but isn't $4800/year on a $100,000 investment almost 5%? And then if they add 2% per year, isn't that almost 7% the next year? If it is an annuity, isn't that a guaranteed income? Are you sure they will keep adding 2% every year, no matter what? It sounds good to me,...

A quick look into the managed MF industry this AM shows them all lit up with vitriolic shouts of 'fix' and 'hatchet-job' and shouts for 'equal time'. Its tough being told you offer no value and make no difference....except in a negative way. To be fair, it was a hatchet job in the sense that invest...

It's picky, especially for a first home. If you find this "perfect" home, why would you move? None of those things are unreasonable in and of themselves, but with an non-negotiable list like that, you will be looking for your first home for at least 4 years. The problem is that almost none...

Nothing generates 5% income per year without a very real risk of loss of principal. Assuming zero risk tolerance, she has a few choices: 1. Postpone retirement; 2. Part-time job in retirement; 3. Reduce spending; 4. Spend down the $170K in principal to make up shortfall; or 5. Use $170,000 to buy an...

Some of those interviews - especially the JP Morgan guy, but Prudential lady as well - reminded me of Stewart and Colbert interviews. They actually made me laugh... It's funny, the interviews reminded me of (very real) John Stossel interviews. The one dude was absolutely horrible. I have friends th...

Am I the only one having a hard time feeling sorry for some of the people interviewed for this? You're making $70,000 a year but only have $20,000 in retirement savings? I make about a third of that, am 22, and have about the same amount in retirement savings. And no, I don't have rich parents. Div...

What about property taxes, income taxes, insurance, and maintenance? Those will shave at least a few percentage points off of the expected return. You may be right that it is a great investment. If so, however, the implication is that housing in NYC way undervalued and you're one of the first people...

Overall, I thought it was well produced. Jack and Steve (and Dan!) did a great job as far as the Bogleheads go. I was disappointed in that they essentially set up a straw man opponent. Surely someone could have better represented the active fund companies! Not that I care, but it would have been mor...

Dave Ramsey's no holds barred get out of debt advice = fantastic. Dave Ramsey's investing advice = simplistic (even for a Boglehead), unrealistic and risky. People might have some minor quibbles with some of his get out of debt advice, but this about sums up the way most people on this board view hi...

You're not obligated, but, as with an caring person, it does put you in a spot. Obviously you want to help out a family member, especially a parent, but rewarding someone who manipulates you isn't healthy, either. If you have no problem being treated like a doormat, it might work. But you're already...

I have a Kahr P9 (I think it's a P9) that has become "go to" when I carry. It is small, but still fits my larg-ish hand, is light and has a slim profile. It's not expensive, but at the range it is reliable and sufficiently accurate. It's not my favorite to shoot at the range by any means, ...

If it really takes $5k to repair a $3k car, it's time to junk it.

JT

I cant imagine your lawyer is wrong on something as simple as this. It is impossible to know for sure, however, as we don't have the policy or know the law in your state.

JT