Search found 1749 matches

by gips
Sun Mar 17, 2024 7:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: NYC This Year or Wait? Has it sufficiently recovered from Covid?
Replies: 54
Views: 3913

Re: NYC This Year or Wait? Has it sufficiently recovered from Covid?

Why don’t you tell us what you’d like to do while in nyc. Certainly the museums, restaurants and theater are back to full swing.
by gips
Thu Mar 14, 2024 8:29 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: should I include portfolio income when calculating portfolio spend down?
Replies: 3
Views: 405

should I include portfolio income when calculating portfolio spend down?

hi,

- we are retired
- last year our classic three-fund portfolio threw off $80k in interest and dividends
- In 2.5 years we'll start collecting $70k of ss income
- our spend is $180k/year

do people use interest and dividend income when calculating residual living expenses?
$180k-($70k+$80k) = $30k/year needed from portfolio once ss starts
and to calculate years of expenses:
portfolio amount/$30k

or are dividends usually excluded from the formula:
$180k-$70k = $110k/year needed from portfolio once ss starts
and to calculate years of expenses:
portfolio amount/$110k

thanks,
by gips
Thu Mar 14, 2024 2:34 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!
Replies: 377
Views: 84443

Re: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!

I would say Yes. Here are the official ratings: Definitions of Player Skill Ratings - USA Pickleball It's not just physical ability, but understanding strategy and tactics. You need to play for a while to get accustomed to what those descriptions mean. Interesting... Those descriptions are way off compared to the skill level at my club. All the 3.0s at my place appear to be 3.5s or even 4.0s based on that (we all can mostly control depth of return, and have a drop shot, and are decent at dinking, and you definitely don't want to pop it up too high and give any of us an overhand slam opportunity) Very weird that those descriptions act like it's hard to return a serve. Like 3.0s aren't even consistent at hitting the very first return. (???) ...
by gips
Mon Mar 11, 2024 11:26 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: William Bernstein On the Financial Industry
Replies: 81
Views: 9779

Re: William Bernstein On the Financial Industry

"People do not seek employment in investment banks, brokerage houses, and mutual fund companies with the same motivations as those who choose to work in fire departments or elementary schools. Whether investors know it or not, they are engaged in an ongoing zero-sum, life-and-death struggle with piranhas, and if rigorous precautions are not taken, the financial services industry will strip investors of their wealth faster than they can say 'Bernie Madoff'". -- William Bernstein Actionable information: Use index funds only and keep costs low. Avoid the piranhas. I'm guessing Dr Bernstein never worked at an investment bank, brokerage house, or mutual fund. The reality is that the majority of people working in these institutions wor...
by gips
Sun Mar 10, 2024 8:45 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: William Bernstein On the Financial Industry
Replies: 81
Views: 9779

Re: William Bernstein On the Financial Industry

"People do not seek employment in investment banks, brokerage houses, and mutual fund companies with the same motivations as those who choose to work in fire departments or elementary schools. Whether investors know it or not, they are engaged in an ongoing zero-sum, life-and-death struggle with piranhas, and if rigorous precautions are not taken, the financial services industry will strip investors of their wealth faster than they can say 'Bernie Madoff'". -- William Bernstein Actionable information: Use index funds only and keep costs low. Avoid the piranhas. I'm guessing Dr Bernstein never worked at an investment bank, brokerage house, or mutual fund. The reality is that the majority of people working in these institutions wor...
by gips
Fri Mar 08, 2024 6:15 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Checkup: I'm way behind. Hope for late bloomers?
Replies: 42
Views: 5387

Re: Checkup: I'm way behind. Hope for late bloomers?

here's a link to the wiki on traditional vs roth:
https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Traditional_versus_Roth

as for being a late bloomer, you're doing well, no credit card debt, a low-interest rate mortgage, high savings rate. Just keep at it and you'll be fine! do you have term life insurance?
by gips
Fri Mar 08, 2024 5:55 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: "When" do you sell equities during Retirement?
Replies: 29
Views: 4403

Re: "When" do you sell equities during Retirement?

our fellow forum members may be assuming you have a certain level of knowledge. Here's a practical example: - our target asset allocation (this is what people mean when they write AA) is 40% equities and 60% fixed income. I've chosen this allocation based on our age and my ability to sleep at night if markets should recede. So generally, you need to choose your target asset allocation. A decent starting point for asset allocation is your age in bonds but really, it depends on your age, income, expenses, portfolio size, and risk appetite. Most people fall into the 40-60 to 60-40 range though early career earners should probably be closer to 100% equties. - we have 10% rebalance bands, so if our actual asset allocation moves outside these ban...
by gips
Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:14 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Career ending, getting fired. Can we FIRE ?
Replies: 149
Views: 21779

Re: Career ending, getting fired. Can we FIRE ?

>>his social security : have not run the numbers, but not likely to be much as he has worked fewer years than I have at low wages. He should be able to claim on your record. Give opensocialsecurity.com a try to understand amount. Thanks. I will look at it. It seems like qualifying for ssdi will help quite a bit, I’d try to prioritize understanding and getting through this process. My sil’s work disability insurance helped her through it, not sure if that’s a possibility for you. Yes, SSDI would help a fair bit. I have done a lot of reading about it. As far as my group disability insurance company, once I apply for LTD I believe they will ask me to also apply for SSDI, because the benefits are offset by government benefits. From what I have...
by gips
Thu Mar 07, 2024 4:20 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Career ending, getting fired. Can we FIRE ?
Replies: 149
Views: 21779

Re: Career ending, getting fired. Can we FIRE ?

>>his social security : have not run the numbers, but not likely to be much as he has worked fewer years than I have at low wages.

He should be able to claim on your record. Give opensocialsecurity.com a try to understand amount.

It seems like qualifying for ssdi will help quite a bit, I’d try to prioritize understanding and getting through this process. My sil’s work disability insurance helped her through it, not sure if that’s a possibility for you.

Best,
by gips
Wed Mar 06, 2024 11:12 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: AARP/UHC Medigap policies
Replies: 40
Views: 3175

Re: AARP/UHC Medigap policies

We are in ny and plan g hi has been a no-lose proposition because after meeting the deductible, our costs are still lower than plan g. Might be worth checking the math out for your situation.

Additionally, last year I didn’t come close to meeting my deductible so saved quite a bit of money over plan g. I use the lowest cost plan g hi deductible provider which for us is emblem, they’ve been great and my costs haven’t risen much (maybe $10) in 2 years.
by gips
Wed Mar 06, 2024 10:23 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Are factors dead?
Replies: 84
Views: 10771

Re: Are factors dead?

ScubaHogg wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2024 10:04 am
TimeIsYourFriend wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 5:59 pm Market risk is a factor so if factors are dead, then stocks don’t have a premium over risk-free assets like t-bills.
This is a bit of a tautology. “Market risk is a factor” only under the definitions created by factor folks
yeah, I laughed when I read that.
by gips
Wed Mar 06, 2024 10:19 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Are factors dead?
Replies: 84
Views: 10771

Re: Are factors dead?

Stock factors are intended to be like duration and credit risk of bonds. The market applies a discount rate to bonds just like is does to stocks. Otherwise, why would anyone buy corporates if they did not have a pricing discount relative to treasuries? Rating agencies rate both sovereign and corporate bonds. Investopedia puts it as: "Rating agencies examine financial variables to determine the creditworthiness of a company. Financial statements, cash flow analysis, debt ratios, profitability measurements, and liquidity measures are a few examples of these indicators." I can tilt my portfolio towards less risky bonds (treasuries, investment grade bonds) or if I want to take on more risk for potentially more reward I can tilt to ju...
by gips
Sun Mar 03, 2024 2:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: security issues in providing docs to tax preparer
Replies: 9
Views: 1115

security issues in providing docs to tax preparer

I've been sharing a google drive folder with my tax preparer and she downloads my tax docs to her pc, I revoke her access to the google drive folder and I leave the files on google drive for retention purposes. The files include an excel spreadsheet that contains an inventory of my tax docs with links to each doc. She deletes the docs on her computer once the return is prepared (at least that's what she tells me!) this year I purchased a new computer and no longer have or want excel (or openoffice) so I'm using a google sheet instead of excel. The link in my inventory google sheet refers to a file in my google drive folder rather than a local file so I'll need to provide access to my google folder while she works on my return, probably 2-3 ...
by gips
Sat Mar 02, 2024 8:13 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Pinot Noir on the lower end?
Replies: 96
Views: 10215

Re: Pinot Noir on the lower end?

We used to run a wine web site and know a fair bit about wine, suggest you give Jean Paul Brun’s gamays a try.
by gips
Sat Mar 02, 2024 11:06 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Are We in a Stock Market Bubble? (Ray Dalio)
Replies: 132
Views: 15398

Re: Are We in a Stock Market Bubble? (Ray Dalio)

Please apply a heavy dose of critical thinking to anything Ray Dalio says before you incorporate into your knowledge base. He is a shameless self promoter and he is one of the best in the world at it. Bridgewater has a cultish culture. His economic model is made up by him and is not credible. Ray Dalio is a complete fraud. Read “The Fund,” it’s worse than you could possibly imagine. You should think critically about anything anyone says pertaining to markets. However, ad hominem is not critical thinking. He could run a UFO cult for all it matters – your job is still to work out whether his position makes sense. Sorry, but no, my job is not to work out whether his position makes sense, my job is to ignore his position because it’s been prov...
by gips
Sat Mar 02, 2024 2:22 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Are We in a Stock Market Bubble? (Ray Dalio)
Replies: 132
Views: 15398

Re: Are We in a Stock Market Bubble? (Ray Dalio)

Please apply a heavy dose of critical thinking to anything Ray Dalio says before you incorporate into your knowledge base. He is a shameless self promoter and he is one of the best in the world at it. Bridgewater has a cultish culture. His economic model is made up by him and is not credible. Ray Dalio is a complete fraud. Read “The Fund,” it’s worse than you could possibly imagine. You should think critically about anything anyone says pertaining to markets. However, ad hominem is not critical thinking. He could run a UFO cult for all it matters – your job is still to work out whether his position makes sense. Sorry, but no, my job is not to work out whether his position makes sense, my job is to ignore his position because it’s been prov...
by gips
Fri Mar 01, 2024 2:23 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: PlanVision vs Maxifii/NewRetirement/ProjectionLab
Replies: 30
Views: 2406

Re: PlanVision vs Maxifii/NewRetirement/ProjectionLab

As a planvision customer, so far, they’ve done all the Roth conversion modeling using emoney, not sure I have access to the modeling platform.
by gips
Thu Feb 29, 2024 2:48 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How Can I Fix This Mess? - Investment Advice
Replies: 15
Views: 2420

Re: How Can I Fix This Mess? - Investment Advice

I’m guessing you’re in good shape but not entirely sure how my fellow posters determined that without understanding your expenses. Do you have a sense of your expenses including healthcare during retirement?

Best,
by gips
Wed Feb 28, 2024 4:55 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medicare: 64 Year Old Eyeing 2025 Medicare
Replies: 168
Views: 11454

Re: Medicare: 64 Year Old Eyeing 2025 Medicare

Traditional Medicare with supplemental plan g hi deductible. In our county, it’s impossible to pay more using the hi deductible plan. As others have said, by law, all providers of plan g hi deductible must provide the same base set of services, so just choose the least expensive provider for plan g hi deductible in your area. It is possible plan g is better for you but I think most people who are not sensitive to price choose traditional with plan g or plan g hi. I shared this recommendation with a friend who is a well educated, well-known doctor and he chose Medicare advantage. His wife recently learned she has cancer and told us he regretted his choice as they can’t choose the facility he’d like for the procedure. Oddly, in the past they ...
by gips
Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:55 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Feel like I won the "game" at 41---Thoughts on Future Asset Allocation
Replies: 21
Views: 3928

Re: Feel like I won the "game" at 41---Thoughts on Future Asset Allocation

I was in fintech and duitfully followed age appropriate asset allocations until mid-40s when I co-founded a startup and started making a lot more money. When I hit around 25x I decided to change new contributions to cds/treasuries and tips until we were 25x in safe/liquid investments with the idea that come what may in markets or our business, we were set. Once I hit 25x in those instruments, every subsequent contribution went to vanguards total market etf. I will say college for 3 kids was expensive, maybe $750k, probably around that for your two kids when they are ready. We told our kids they were going to state schools unless they were admitted to demonstrably better schools, but we live in ny, so the bar was lower than if we lived in sa...
by gips
Mon Feb 26, 2024 8:41 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma
Replies: 12
Views: 1539

Re: interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma

The only way I can understand what you are telling us is to conclude that your portfolio is quite large and that you actually spend very little. That makes me wonder how you decided on the 40% stock and 60% bond portfolio - later amended to 50:50 - in the first place. If that is your comfort level or spouse's comfort level, you should probably incur both taxes and IRMAA to maintain it. And frankly, you should be able afford it. If that AA decision was somewhat arbitrary instead of based on your true comfort level, I wonder if you would be better satisfied with a "liability matching" portfolio structure - where you would decide how much you need in cash and bonds to last the rest of your lives, and put the rest of the portfolio in...
by gips
Mon Feb 26, 2024 3:26 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma
Replies: 12
Views: 1539

Re: interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma

My AA is based on my comfort level. Other factors are not really part of the equation. So for me, maintaining my desired AA would take priority over taxes and IRMAA and I would not want to change my AA by much. The same may not be true for you, especially if you have a very large portfolio (sounds like it) and if you are investing for your heirs instead of yourselves. One small thing you could do is stop converting bonds in tax-deferred to stocks in Roth IRA. Yeah, I know Roth IRA is "supposed to be" stocks, but that is making your situation worse, not better. There is something you said that does not make sense though. You apparently are trying to stay in the 12% tax bracket....which is nowhere near the income that triggers IRMA...
by gips
Sun Feb 25, 2024 10:17 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma
Replies: 12
Views: 1539

Re: interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma

I feel like we're a little off track, the reason I asked this question in investing theory rather than personal finance is I'd like to know generally how people prioritize asset allocation vs. tax/iirma costs. For example, I'd guess a fund manager for a target date fund would rebalance despite accordant tax consequences for its shareholders, so perhaps asset allocation should be my priority over tax/iirma (which aligns with your going in proposition). Here's what I have in my Investment Policy Statement: I will pay capital gains tax to rebalance in a taxable account only if a major asset class or subclass would otherwise be off by more than 5% of my total allocation, or a major asset class would be off by more than 25% of its own target al...
by gips
Sun Feb 25, 2024 10:08 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma
Replies: 12
Views: 1539

Re: interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma

stan1 wrote: Sun Feb 25, 2024 6:03 pm I'd generally say these are year to year decisions based on current tax laws (including Roth conversions, tax brackets and thresholds for NIIT and IRMAA).

If you hold cash in taxable with yields going up from 0.01-0.5% in 2020 to over 5% for 2023 that's been a huge impact. If dividends and interest on cash in taxable are part of the cause then you have some ideas on what to do.
I guess I'm headed in the same direction, thanks!
by gips
Sun Feb 25, 2024 10:05 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma
Replies: 12
Views: 1539

Re: interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma

There is not enough information to know what your choices are, but a few things come to mind... If you have a tax-deferred account or even a Roth account, rebalance there. If you are reinvesting dividends in the taxable account, stop reinvesting dividends and every few months, buy the asset you have too little of with the dividends. If you are still adding money, rebalance with the new money. If you are taking money out, rebalance with the withdrawals. When you do rebalance, rebalance back into the band instead of all the way back to target. If none of those work, maybe we could look at your portfolio and come up with some other ideas. You may be too tightly married to some portfolio guidelines and preferences that are no longer serving yo...
by gips
Sun Feb 25, 2024 9:58 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma
Replies: 12
Views: 1539

Re: interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma

If you are planning to sell the stock eventually, capital-gains taxes should not be a significant concern, since you are selling stock now that you are intended to sell soon and the tax will be due anyway. If you expect to leave it to your heirs, selling now is a significant tax cost. However, if you have a significant amount of stock that you intend to leave to your heirs, you may want to re-evaluate your asset allocation. The money you are investing for your retirement should be invested according to your risk tolerance. The money you are investing for your children's retirement or your not-yet-born great-granchildren's college can be all in stock. (Similarly, if your grandchildren are already born, your portfolio already does not count ...
by gips
Sun Feb 25, 2024 9:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!
Replies: 377
Views: 84443

Re: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!

I played the other day, it was interesting and humbling, I was the strongest person on the court but couldn't figure out how to play with a partner who , despite everyone on the court trying to help her, took three steps onto the court after serving and got jammed up on the return, couldn't run for a short ball but did have a decent forehand. First I went too big and made mistakes, then I went too small and they redirected every ball to her. No way am I going to take balls off her paddle, eventually, I found my sweet spot but we still lost at around 6. after two games, my partner took a bad fall, shaken up she sat for a bit and I played with someone steady, we pickled the same team. One of my friends is probably 4.5 and he'd have controlle...
by gips
Sun Feb 25, 2024 4:25 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How do people go bankrupt?
Replies: 39
Views: 3162

Re: How do people go bankrupt?

my brother declared bankruptcy. His wife was a cpa and handled all their finances. One day he came home early, picked up the mail, and saw a letter from their bank. He opened it up to find he was in foreclosure. Over the next week or so he learned his wife was addicted to prescription drugs and had been using their combined six-figure income, mid-six figures retirement savings, and their college fund to finance her drug habit.

yes, seems like he should have picked up on it earlier and yes, he should have been more involved with family finances. Luckily it happened when he was young and he had time to recover mentally and financially. He's happily married to someone else and is enjoying a great retirement.

best,
by gips
Sun Feb 25, 2024 11:41 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma
Replies: 12
Views: 1539

interplay of desired asset allocation and taxes/iirma

our desired asset allocation is 40-60 eq to fi with a 10 percent rebalance band, our allocation drifted to 53% so we decided to adjust our asset allocation. Moving back to 40-60 costs $2400 in iirma premiums and puts us in the highest tax bracket, so after some consideration, we moved to 50-50 which allows us to remain in the same iirma bracket but we'll have to skip a roth conversion this year since I don't think there's much of a point beyond the 12% bracket. with the recent market run, we're back at 53%, another 3% sale of equities will cost $1200 in iirma premium and increase our tax bracket. So how do people make decisions on following their ips asset allocation, which allows one to buy low and sell high vs the accordant cost of taxes/...
by gips
Sun Feb 25, 2024 11:19 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!
Replies: 377
Views: 84443

Re: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!

I played the other day, it was interesting and humbling, I was the strongest person on the court but couldn't figure out how to play with a partner who , despite everyone on the court trying to help her, took three steps onto the court after serving and got jammed up on the return, couldn't run for a short ball but did have a decent forehand. First I went too big and made mistakes, then I went too small and they redirected every ball to her. No way am I going to take balls off her paddle, eventually, I found my sweet spot but we still lost at around 6. after two games, my partner took a bad fall, shaken up she sat for a bit and I played with someone steady, we pickled the same team. One of my friends is probably 4.5 and he'd have controlled...
by gips
Thu Feb 22, 2024 3:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!
Replies: 377
Views: 84443

Re: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!

One area which limits my ability to improve is that I constantly return shots that are going out of bounds. If I can reach for it, I'll return the shot. Every time. The more experienced players tell me not to do that. They're right, because the play continues and we'll lose the point. So, exercise control and don't hit the ball when you know it's going out. Part of your teammates job is to help with that! If you are tracking a fast moving ball, then it's hard to track the line at times. The partner should yell "bounce it" if there is a question. That's telling you the ball might not stay in .. then again it might .. so don't give up on the play but let it bounce. This is true of serves as well. A really fast topspin serve landing...
by gips
Thu Feb 22, 2024 3:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!
Replies: 377
Views: 84443

Re: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!

One area which limits my ability to improve is that I constantly return shots that are going out of bounds. If I can reach for it, I'll return the shot. Every time. The more experienced players tell me not to do that. They're right, because the play continues and we'll lose the point. So, exercise control and don't hit the ball when you know it's going out. This is just a function of time on the court. Typically a ball that is struck hard and above my chest is going out, though one does have to account for topspin. If you can get a friend to drill with you and have them hit balls going in and out, you’ll probably fix this in a session or two. When you drill, it might help to say in or out after they strike the ball. Anyhow, that’s how I us...
by gips
Thu Feb 22, 2024 2:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: High Salary (>$500,000) careers
Replies: 244
Views: 28593

Re: High Salary (>$500,000) careers

- I had an offer to work at 10-person hedge fund as their cio, I messed up the opportunity (as my wife is fond of reminding me), total comp $600k.
- various roles in fintech (cto of equities for of an investment bank, chief architect for a large asset mgr)

more generally, if one understands buy/sell side business processes, the technology value chain that supports those business processes and are a strong technologist > $500k is achievable.
by gips
Thu Feb 22, 2024 1:49 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!
Replies: 377
Views: 84443

Re: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!

I’m convinced there’s a phenomenon in pickleball where some people have this idea you’re supposed to play a certain way and when you don’t they get irritated. This seems especially true when PB players who have never played tennis encounter former tennis players. I suspect that what you refer to as a "certain way" is a strategy that thousands of coaches teach. Winning in pickleball means getting your team to the net as quickly as possible. Here's what in my experience irritates experienced players and why they don't want to play in open recreational play: 1. For the receiving team, not getting to the NVZ line quickly after the second shot (return of serve). You want your opponents to be looking at two people right at the net when...
by gips
Wed Feb 21, 2024 8:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!
Replies: 377
Views: 84443

Re: Who's up for pickleball? Zero-zero-two. Game On!

Played for 1st time indoors yesterday with 5 women and one other guy. It was supposed to be a 3.5-4.0 game but 4 of the women were around 3.25, the other two people were 3.5 and I’m around a 4.0 Typically when I play I’m not thinking about who’s a man and who’s a woman, I’m going to take the best shot available. In the first two games, recognizing my opponents weren’t that strong, I lobbed my serves and returns but hit a bunch of balls at people’s feet. In the 3rd game other guy said “stop hitting popups at the women’s feet, hit to me, I can handle it”. It was such a strange request I asked him to repeat it, said ok, hit the next ball at his feet and sure enough he half-volleyed the ball over our heads for a winner. But that was the last ba...
by gips
Tue Feb 20, 2024 2:37 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Sanity Check After 6 Years Away
Replies: 59
Views: 5153

Re: Sanity Check After 6 Years Away

529s - compound $100k while adding $200/month with a 5% return and it works out to $255k in 15 years which seems to be about your target. pas - yes, you've done an awesome job at accumulating wealth for your age. Honestly, my suggestion of pas/fee-only advisor had as much to do with the close-ended fund investment as your asset allocation, which most people would find too aggressive. I'm going to assume from your reply that you're probably not going to PAS, we signed on with mark zoril, search the forum for his name, inexpensive and geared for someone who likes to diy. life insurance - if you were hit by a bus today your wife's spend > after tax comp by $50-$100k, no additional savings for retirement/college, etc. I'd want to get her to re...
by gips
Tue Feb 20, 2024 11:51 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Sanity Check After 6 Years Away
Replies: 59
Views: 5153

Re: Sanity Check After 6 Years Away

Here are some thoughts: - I was running about 80-20 equity to fixed income but as my total comp approached 7 figures, I decided to allocate every new dollar of savings towards cds (treasuries and tips were paying nothing at the time) until I hit $4mm in cds. At that point, I started to fund my equity position again. The thinking was with $4mm in cds and about 75% of college funded for 3 kids, come what may in the market, we’d be fine. - given your 529s should at least double by the time your kids go to college, going forward I’d suggest just contributing enough to capture the state tax deduction. - I have a smart friend, not just valedictorian smart but mit/top 10 finance mba/fortune 50 cxo smart. Additionally a family member of his is an ...
by gips
Tue Feb 20, 2024 1:06 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Sanity Check After 6 Years Away
Replies: 59
Views: 5153

Re: Sanity Check After 6 Years Away

Here are some thoughts: - I was running about 80-20 equity to fixed income but as my total comp approached 7 figures, I decided to allocate every new dollar of savings towards cds (treasuries and tips were paying nothing at the time) until I hit $4mm in cds. At that point, I started to fund my equity position again. The thinking was with $4mm in cds and about 75% of college funded for 3 kids, come what may in the market, we’d be fine. - given your 529s should at least double by the time your kids go to college, going forward I’d suggest just contributing enough to capture the state tax deduction. - I have a smart friend, not just valedictorian smart but mit/top 10 finance mba/fortune 50 cxo smart. Additionally a family member of his is an E...
by gips
Mon Feb 19, 2024 11:05 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Roth Conversion in NY
Replies: 22
Views: 1786

Re: Roth Conversion in NY

Worth reading this thread on mcq’s Roth study:
viewtopic.php?t=351540

We live in ny and use a fee only advisor, he used modeling software to look at the interplay of aca, Medicare irma, ss and taxes, it was very helpful.

Best,
by gips
Sat Feb 17, 2024 9:14 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard Wellesley
Replies: 125
Views: 18361

Re: Vanguard Wellesley

How does everyone feel about this fund now? It has been slow to rebound from disastrous 2022. Has a great track record but wondering if this is a good hold fund for a 62 year old. People are being tough on you because this forum tries to turn typical investor behavior on its head. Most investors see a security with a sharp price price increase and say "Ooh, I have to buy that!" and conversely, when the security suffers a sharp price decrease, they say "Oh no, have to sell that!". So most people end up buying high and selling low. here on Bogleheads, we think in terms of asset allocation: how much of our portfolio do we want to allocate to equities and how much to fixed income? For someone who is 62, a common asset alloc...
by gips
Sat Feb 17, 2024 2:27 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Job title advice
Replies: 31
Views: 3120

Re: Job title advice

I've held these titles, perhaps one may work for you:
- technical director
- senior technical director
- chief architect
- cto

best,
by gips
Sat Feb 17, 2024 2:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Job title for PhD Economist Daughter
Replies: 36
Views: 3979

Re: Job title for PhD Economist Daughter

I co-founded a company where people could pick their own titles and title picking was fascinating. I suggest she facilitates a promotion for everyone and chooses the title of senior director. Hopefully, they’ll soon hire someone who chooses the executive director title, a nice win for your daughter as she’ll be able to change her title. This nonsense went on and on at our company until someone chose the title of global, senior executive director. I chose not to have title. I wish I'd been at your company; I've coveted the title "First Sea Lord" since hearing it (effectively the UK Secretary of the Navy), though neither my work nor my hobbies have involved naval affairs. :D it would have been yours as long as you could explain it ...
by gips
Sat Feb 17, 2024 12:37 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Supertrend Indicator - Should I use an upper band or lower band to identify the buy/sell signal
Replies: 7
Views: 788

Re: Supertrend Indicator - Should I use an upper band or lower band to identify the buy/sell signal

:D
tparvaiz wrote: Fri Feb 16, 2024 11:58 pm Hi,

I am trying to calculate supertrend indicator via Excel on a per-minute basis...
  • I downloaded stock CP.TO per minute data

    calculated ATR per minute = (High-low)

    Calculated ATR (Avg for 21)

    Identified upper and lower bands for supertrend(21, 1)

    supertrend(21, 1) upper band = [ (High+Low)/2 ]+ (ATR_21 x 1)

    supertrend(21, 1) lower band = [ (High+Low)/2 ]- (ATR_21 x 1)
Question...

for stock trading, which band should I use to identify the buy / Sell trigger?
  • Buy = current price > SuperTrend

    Sell = current price < SuperTrend
Here is the snapshot of my work in excel (seems like I can't attach the Excel file with this posting)

Image
Why not both?
by gips
Fri Feb 16, 2024 2:00 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Job title for PhD Economist Daughter
Replies: 36
Views: 3979

Re: Job title for PhD Economist Daughter

I co-founded a company where people could pick their own titles and title picking was fascinating. I suggest she facilitates a promotion for everyone and chooses the title of senior director. Hopefully, they’ll soon hire someone who chooses the executive director title, a nice win for your daughter as she’ll be able to change her title. This nonsense went on and on at our company until someone chose the title of global, senior executive director.

I chose not to have title.
by gips
Fri Feb 16, 2024 1:06 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: The Surprising Return of Interest
Replies: 68
Views: 8878

Re: The Surprising Return of Interest

Cah wrote: Fri Feb 16, 2024 12:58 am I have been saying that my interest payments have doubled and it's the best time to buy bond funds in decades on this board since I joined. I have been told it's not true over and over lol
You know something we don’t?
by gips
Thu Feb 15, 2024 10:35 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard's Personal Rate Of Return Calculation Is Embarassing
Replies: 73
Views: 8056

Re: Vanguard's Personal Rate Of Return Calculation Is Embarassing

I suspect one issue with displaying a rate of return daily is the question of whether you would accrue interest or dividends on funds that declare them monthly, quarterly, etc. Nope. Nor if you choose to reinvest the dividends or not. What you needs is the dates and amounts of all cash flows into and out of the portfolio. You treat the starting value as a inflow, the ending date as a outflow. I am not sure what you are saying here. To calculate an internal rate of return, you need to know the cash inflows and outflows from the portfolio for each day. If dividends are reinvested it would be an outflow and inflow of the same amount on the same day -- that is zero change. If you do not reinvest dividends, then it is recorded as an outflow (un...
by gips
Wed Feb 14, 2024 10:06 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How does a married couple try to lower potential taxes in retirement?
Replies: 20
Views: 2054

Re: How does a married couple try to lower potential taxes in retirement?

In my last thread, https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=423936 , I asked about whether to Roth or not. I came to find out that there are limits in how much you can contribute to a Roth - $8,000 each person/$16,000 per couple; I was thinking that I could put quite a bit more, somewhere about $30,000 total for us. We can spend down some of our savings by not taking any SS until 70 or have my wife take hers and spend down the difference. We are talking about $83,000 or $62,000 per year withdrawing to live on and also take the extra money and put it into our Roths and our investment account. My concern, which I never thought about until very recently is the taxes we may have to pay when RMDs start getting relatively high withdrawal...
by gips
Wed Feb 14, 2024 8:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How does a married couple try to lower potential taxes in retirement?
Replies: 20
Views: 2054

Re: How does a married couple try to lower potential taxes in retirement?

In my last thread, https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=423936 , I asked about whether to Roth or not. I came to find out that there are limits in how much you can contribute to a Roth - $8,000 each person/$16,000 per couple; I was thinking that I could put quite a bit more, somewhere about $30,000 total for us. We can spend down some of our savings by not taking any SS until 70 or have my wife take hers and spend down the difference. We are talking about $83,000 or $62,000 per year withdrawing to live on and also take the extra money and put it into our Roths and our investment account. My concern, which I never thought about until very recently is the taxes we may have to pay when RMDs start getting relatively high withdrawal...
by gips
Mon Feb 12, 2024 9:28 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Purchase my Mortgage Note
Replies: 18
Views: 1753

Re: Purchase my Mortgage Note

Let’s imagine you hold a $1k face value bond that pays 10 per cent and the bond issuer approaches you and says “todays bond rates are 4% and this is costing me a lot of money, how about if I give you $1k for the bond? No? How about if we adjust the bond price for 4%?”

What do you think you would say?