Bogleheads.org

somebody care to explain why it's so horrible to put whatever her grievances in writing. I though documenting these types of things was a good idea, documentation can't be ignored. 10% of the time clarifies something where two people didn't see eye to eye, now have perspective. 89% of the time care...

I've been at USAA for 38 years. I've never seen their building(s), and I don't imagine that I ever will. Winner. I think I am at about 15 years of various online banks including USAA. The mobile apps really make it a no brainer. I used to pile up random little checks (rebates, refunds, birthdays) a...

You could get another capital one card or a discover card for no annual fee cash back cards w/o forex fees. Or you could get any one of a number of travel cards that have annual fees w/no forex. The hotel cards where your annual fee buys you a free night are decent deals. Chase: Sapphire Pref. or In...

Its 18 to 24 months from when you last *applied* for an AA card. Other banks are different.

Also, there are links on flyertalk that will guide you to a 50K sign on bonus.

That is what I would do.

I tried to talk my wife out of a diamond (debeers, etc), but its what she wanted. Fine. We did a little window shopping to see styles and then it was left to me. I read up and saw that I saved a lot going just below the carat (.93) or any benchmark size. Even in the stores they had to weigh them to ...

Here is a pretty map of the applicable states.

http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/ar ... lialpiety/

Dreadful concept.

My kids are 4 & 7. We got a highlander because my wife (minivan refused) wanted the feature where you can take the center seat out of the second row and access the back without moving car seats. She is a honda fan, but that feature was must have to her. I think volvo (too much) and one american ...

I think there is a thread on fatwallet about tipping the check in person at hotels to try to get an upgraded room. Worth a shot. If don't have points, comps or find a deal you should compare rates with Amex FHR (I think you need the plat card) or Virtuoso (travel agent) who will book close to rack r...

This thread is really interesting. Thanks for posting it OP. My kids are 7.5 and 4.5, they are just starting to get their legs under them for travel. We caught disney at the right moment when my daughter was 6 and the dinner with the princesses were really exciting. We have San Diego (Seaworld, lego...

I think there is a benefit to paying off debt, but unless you have some cashflow concerns I'd send any extra to the mortgage.

I prefer Flyertalk as some of the bloggers (not accusing TPG) will pitch an affiliate link to a card when a better version of the same card is out there. They make pretty good bank on their offers (no harm in earning a living). The threads on FT are usually quite comprehensive on what is the best de...

I got 14 out of 15. I misssed the SIPC question as I thought they were asking about insuring against the failure of a company holding your investments. I guess I misread the question. I shouldn't have gone so fast. :oops: BearWolf That was the one I missed also, for the same reasons. I also thought...

I am not in a floodzone, and my house is substantially higher than a creek that is semi-nearby. The first few years I had the house I bought the flood insurance at around $300/yr figuring I was insurring against rain runoff since the creek would need almost biblical events to reach me. I just got my...

A thought occurred to me about Mr. Zweig's (sp?) comment about the fund managers holding index funds. Seems like that would be the easiest way to stay in compliance with insider trading reviews that must occur in big banks. When I was in public accounting that was the conclusion I drew. I re-watched...

I have cut back the clutter of discs, except kid movies for the car. Even those get scratched up, so I'd rather be digital. I use most all of the services. FIOS/Comcast - on demand, just gets added to the bill, works well but usually the most expensive. Amazon Prime - we like the shipping, mostly us...

From what I have read about FASFA is that you can shift your assets into non counted assets (retirement, annuities, etc), but if you are earning a serious income you will be disqualified from getting aid based on you income. So mucking about with your assets would be pointless.

I answered 1, since we do a week a year "someplace" with the kids. I guess it qualifies as elaborate since I do some goofy things to capture the miles/points needed to keep it cheap. We also drive 350 miles twice a year to see one side of the family, and 100 miles about 3-5 times a year to...

You get the bump for having a mix of credit types while the mortgage is on your credit report including the 10 years its listed as paid off. But IMHO if your score is 740 or greater it isn't worth a moment's thought. And the trick to being 740 or greater (once your credit is established) is basicall...

I answered it "may". I said likely first but then I saw the bit about individual accounts only. In my case the question is whether I'd retire early before hitting that # individually. I am 41 now, my current retirement assets are 1/2 mil, and my annual contributions and match are about 35K...

I answered somewhat below expectations because I have pulled some 12 or 13 year old spreadsheets that put me about 20% behind schedule, which is pretty much the result of 2008's markets (real estate and stock) and paying off my wife's student loans when we got married. Around 2008 I cut my forecasts...

Some of this would depend on which state you plan on living in and in which state you plan on retiring, correct? For instance, retiring in Pennsylvania means no taxes on 401k distributions. It wouldn't make much sense to use a ROTH there. If you planned on moving from a low tax state to a high tax ...

We pay 50 cents x age in years, starting at 5. Basically 25 cents goes to church, and the rest is 50/50 between an account they will get when they go to college (not for tuition, just cash to them) and money they can just spend or save. Default is save. ING Direct, now Cap One has a nice kids accoun...

Was this money to house and feed you while your wife worked in the remote location? The classic issue that comes up on this kind of issue is the CEO is off to Hawaii for board meetings (or more likely, Bermuda) and the spouse and kids ride the corp jet and come along and stay in the lush suite. The ...

Under the card act of 2009, a regulation that took effect in 2011 (confused yet) requires that issuers can no longer look to household income, and must now use an individual's income (& assets) in making credit decisions. This rule was specifically drafted to address the pattern of companies mar...

Its generally 10-15% too low in my stable area w/few foreclosures. I answered 10% off in the poll. I don't think about it too much and would laugh at a buyer who tried to use it as a negotiating tool. I like using it to be nosy and to check sales transaction, but its coverage is spotty (half the sal...

One thing I do is I project my current retirement assets with a range of real returns, ranging from 1% to 8% (in 1% increments) over 10, 15, 20, 25 year increments. I then compare the resulting number against various withdrawal rates to see different probabilities that my holdings will cover my expe...

Should a grandparent put the 529 in his name, the parents (his son/daughter) or the grandkids. Why? How much money does the parent of the gkids make? If low enough to qualify for aid the grandparent money should only kick in to cover the senior year of college (its "income" to the student...

Monetarily I imagine we are similar as I am in the same profession as his first career, a whisper ahead in title and role, and we are both savers by nature. By way of accomplishments - far behind. By the time my dad was 40 he had been married twenty years (nine for me), had four children (two), and ...

I like Mark, but he isn't very boglehead-ish.

Mark Cuban on asset allocation:

http://blogmaverick.com/2011/01/24/wall ... llocation/

Are these assets judgement proof for everyone--or is it something you did to arrange it that way? The bulk of my net worth is in 401(k), IRA's and 529 plans. The rest is home equity and personal vehicles. I filed a homestead for the house, but that protection varies by state (TX and FL unlimited, a...

My father retired at 58, got bored and opened up an estate planning practice. He is in his late 70s now and swears he will never retire and he wants to live forever. I wish him luck. Personally, I am shooting for 55 and out.

I pay $200 and change for $2M in umbrella. Most of my assets are judgement proof (homestead, retirement accounts), but I wanted to protect against wage garnishment during my prime earning years.

I had never heard about him suggesting an 8% withdrawal rate. I am just thinking of all the heat a 3% vs 4% SWR generates. Wow. I like Dave. He doesn't broadcast near me these days, but I like to pick him up when I am on the road. Its entertaining but flawed, like Suze. Clark Howard is less flawed, ...

1. 23%
2. No

From a tax perspective, cross the river into VA.

I think the payback matters, but its hubris to think you can catch the bottom.

I have taken the higher rate, and no (or very low, e.g. appraisal only) cash out of pocket in my last 3 refi's including the one currently underway (Pen Fed 5/5, 2.625%).

I reduced my net worth for the poll by taking into account the reduction of my Traditional IRAs by projected taxes. Not doing so is counting imaginary money. Hazzah! I do this too. People are too afraid of estimates (future taxes, home value, etc). There is nothing wrong with changing them in the f...

I've seen the Citi Forward card mentioned quite a few times. My understanding is that you get "Thank You Points" instead of actual cash back. For those of you that use the card, do you redeem the points for gift cards (it looks like you could get a $25 gift card for 2,500 points) or this ...

LH wrote:If one loses a lawsuit, 1 million dollars or whatever, with zero assets as OP, one would declare bankruptcy, as they are in fact, bankrupt. then they could not go after future wages right?

My understanding is bankruptcy isn't as easy as it used to be if you have a substantial income.

I have $2M, comparable premium.

Most of my assets are judgement-proof (home equity with homestead, retirement assets), but my income (fluctuates a bit higher than OP) is not. In my state they can garnish 25% of gross. Worth insuring against.

T Seems like if the builder (I most likely will have to build) would be willing to bring down the price if he was giving a large amount up-front. Does anyone have a view on this? Do not give a builder a "large amount" up front. A reputable builder can finance the land acquisition, materia...

Do you have TiRA's besides the non-deductible ones? You have to allocate the basis. So if you have IRA 1 - FMV, 6000, basis 5000 and IRA 2 FMV - 14,000, basis 0 - you would allocate the basis over the total IRA's, 5,000/20,000. So if you converted IRA 1 the calc would be 6,000 - 6000*5/20 = 4,500 ga...

I have a TIRA for myself and a Roth IRA from conversions. My wife has a Roth IRA. I'm confused by your statement that you have a "Roth IRA myself for me and my wife." Can a married couple have an IRA for both of them jointly? My wife and I have always maintained separate IRA's. No. They a...

I am one of four, and I am my parent's best disciple when it comes to money matters. My mother taught my frugality and open a passbook savings account when I was about 10. I loved going into the bank with a deposit and then seeing the type machine update the interest in the account. Very tangible, v...

I had recently commented to my wife that Lego's seemed to have lost their sole with these kits (my childhood was scenario 2). Then I remembered that when I was a kid I did occasionally build scale models, which is essentially the same thing as scenario 1. Right now for me personally, my 4 year old s...

Yes, it will stay in the calc. And will for ten years. But don't worry, a year from now it will be a credit line that is 13 months old (still closed), and in two years it will be 25 months old, and so on until ten years from now when it will fall off the report. The folks who tell you to keep your o...

Thanks Ep Del.

My father retired at 58, traveled for six months, decided retirement was boring and went into business for himself as an estate attorney. He is now 77 years old and swears he never wants to retire again (and he wants to live forever). I'd say he has slowed down his hours lately, and I can't imagine ...

I can probably look this up myself, but is there any advantage to using "fresh" Roth accounts to hold the conversion? I have two old Roth IRA's - one from when they first came out (circa 2000?), and one converted in 2010. I thought there was a 5 year clock on converted IRAs where if you to...