Search found 585 matches

by sesq
Tue May 23, 2017 12:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Net worth is overrated
Replies: 76
Views: 12811

Re: Net worth is overrated

A lot of items in the OP's post can be estimated pretty reasonably and I think there are a number of posters who fear the estimate. For example if you have a pension that can be either quantified as a NPV or used to reduce future income needs when trying to determine when you hit enough. Similar, it isn't hard to compute deferred taxes on tax preference accounts and I track a liability in my net worth and asset allocation computations. Where I agree with the OP is on the ones that are harder to estimate because of increased uncertainty. Most notably health care and age. I have a decent net worth as a 45 year old, but I feel compelled to save more because I have a lot of responsibilities to my wife and children and we have a lot of living le...
by sesq
Thu Apr 27, 2017 12:34 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: TV show recommendations?
Replies: 606
Views: 248076

Re: TV show recommendations?

I had read that Bloodlines was not renewed for a 4th season. So when the third is out, that is it. I really enjoyed the first two.

I have gotten spoiled and prefer the binge watch option so I have The Americans, Saul and Fargo building up on my Tivo. Some shows I can't resist and watch "current" - GoT, Walking Dead, Doctor Who, etc.
by sesq
Sat Apr 15, 2017 8:19 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What questions do you ask and what information do you gather to discuss finances with your spouse?
Replies: 10
Views: 1645

Re: What questions do you ask and what information do you gather to discuss finances with your spouse?

I generally give periodic updates. I like to talk finance so I have probably educated her enough to take over in my absence. She ran her life and checkbook well before I came along. She didn't have the future planned as much as I do for us now, but our current net worth and my life insurance would cover that part easily. I do have a "DEATH PAGE" in my spreadsheet that keeps a list of how all the bills are paid, the location of insurance policies and basic instructions. She can look in mint for the latest in all the financial accounts. Early in our marriage we had a $250 spend limit to trigger discussions. We don't really enforce that any more and/or its probably $1k or so informally. She generally tells me about any checks she wri...
by sesq
Fri Apr 14, 2017 10:49 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Basic Homestead Exemption Question (Texas)
Replies: 2
Views: 642

Re: Basic Homestead Exemption Question (Texas)

Don't know the answer to your question, but the deadline is coming up. April 30. I just moved to the Houston area and need to get my paperwork in.
by sesq
Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:11 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Secretly entered two comma club
Replies: 44
Views: 9569

Re: Secretly entered two comma club

Congrats.

Some one teach him the secret handshake.
by sesq
Sat Mar 25, 2017 5:48 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Utah 529 Fees
Replies: 15
Views: 3103

Re: Utah 529 Fees

The extra fee was higher in the past so the trend is good. But it does annoy me a bit that my kids accounts have ER's in the 20 basis point range and the rest of my portfolio averages 6 basis points. I am hoping they can get the surcharge down to 10 or so at some point.
by sesq
Sat Mar 25, 2017 5:39 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Best HSA (2017)
Replies: 190
Views: 51220

Re: Best HSA (2017)

My old employer seems to have had a bad deal with HSA bank as when I left I got a letter saying it would be something like $4.50 a month to stay. I was going to leave it, but since I have to pay $3 a month to use the broker at my new employers HSA I decided to close and move it. The new employer uses UMB bank and has access to vanguard funds without any fees near as I can tell. I have to keep $1k in the checking account and can invest the rest.

When I sent the close letter to HSA Bank they apparently sent an e-mail to my old employers email address to confirm the transaction. After a few weeks I called in (yesterday) and discovered this fact and was able to get the ball rolling.
by sesq
Sat Mar 18, 2017 6:36 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How do Bogleheads handle allowance?
Replies: 38
Views: 5189

Re: How do Bogleheads handle allowance?

We pay an allowance not linked to chores. Its 50 cents per year (or $4 for the 8 year old). We then chop it up into available cash, long term savings and charity. The charity piece is absorbed in my wife's church contributions and is modest. The cash and long term savings are automatically transferred weekly to capital one 360 accounts. They can't touch long term until they go off to college. It is meant to be spending money there (not tuition) and I hope it will teach them about long term build ups of savings. Larger gifts from family generally goes in this account too. My 11 year old has $500 in her LT account, about half came from gifts at her first communion. In their "cash" account I hope they are learning about saving up for...
by sesq
Sun Mar 05, 2017 9:00 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can I avoid HSA Bank closure fee?
Replies: 4
Views: 2571

Re: Can I avoid HSA Bank closure fee?

I was quoted the same monthly fee. I am in the process of moving the money out of TD and getting ready to roll it over. I didn't notice the closure fee.
by sesq
Tue Feb 21, 2017 10:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Do companies match after-tax 401k contributions?
Replies: 32
Views: 5746

Re: Do companies match after-tax 401k contributions?

My employer does not match after tax. It does for traditional or roth.
by sesq
Fri Jan 27, 2017 11:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Any Backyard Chefs out there? Do you have any specialties?
Replies: 54
Views: 5847

Re: Any Backyard Chefs out there? Do you have any specialties?

A family stable for us is beer can chicken. Whenever I make the rub I make enough for 6 chickens and store it for future birds.

http://www.weber.com/recipes/poultry/beer-can-chicken

This is a go to when we have guests in from out of town:

http://www.weber.com/recipes/red-meat/s ... sandwiches

And I like Alton Brown's pulled pork, although the 12 hour slow and low is kind of a production.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/membe ... k-50127796
by sesq
Fri Jan 27, 2017 10:46 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone moved to another state for lower cost of living?
Replies: 72
Views: 15155

Re: Anyone moved to another state for lower cost of living?

I have moved a lot for jobs. Just recently came to Houston, so far so good but the test will come in the summer. I found I liked the mid-sized metro best, except the job opportunities. I have been in Dallas, Portland Maine, DC, Boston, Harrisburg PA, now Houston. I am hoping to stay put here to get my youngest through high school (10 years). If Houston doesn't take I think I will need to decide within a few years before my eldest starts high school. I feel like I wound up with a lot more house here because I could afford it and trying to find a place for everything where there are no basements here. This concerns me when I drop out of the rat race and have to pay the property taxes without a salary. I am heavily tilted towards roth investin...
by sesq
Wed Jan 18, 2017 8:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Do you recommend using credit karma's tax product?
Replies: 52
Views: 15115

Re: Do you recommend using credit karma's tax product?

Price is right. I signed up to use it this year. Won't find out how well it works until April as I owe money this year. I was a loyal turbo tax person for years until their bait & switch on Schedule D a few years ago. Then went over to Tax Act for a while but their prices went up. I can do it myself on paper. I just like the software for making things easier.
by sesq
Sun Jan 15, 2017 11:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Safe cutoff of after tax contributions
Replies: 7
Views: 1234

Re: Safe cutoff of after tax contributions

I have two bonuses per year and a 5% match. My after-tax contributions are not subject to match. I am trying to figure out how I get every dollar put into the 401(k) without giving up the match. I can only put 10% into after tax so I can't ratchet that up for the last few checks to close a year out. I suppose I can use the "normal" contributions to serve as my ratchet.
by sesq
Wed Oct 05, 2016 5:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Concurrently buy/sell house
Replies: 21
Views: 3404

Re: Concurrently buy/sell house

I am about to relocate across the country. My current paid off home has an unused HELOC of $150k available (its on a 2% teaser rate till January that came as a promo, I have had the line for two years) and I have about $75K sitting in my emergency fund. My plan is to use these as my down payment on a new house in the $5-600k range. Within 60 days of leaving my current employer I am due a decent chunk in severance. And after my Q3 earnings are released I will be allowed to liquidate my company stock. I will use these to re-establish my emergency fund and/or pay down the HELOC. When my current house sells I should be able to pay off the mortgage in the new house. My house is pretty decent so it should sell in a reasonable period, especially s...
by sesq
Tue Oct 04, 2016 4:39 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: My "Corolla Investment" has ended...410,000 [miles]
Replies: 56
Views: 13606

Re: My "Corolla Investment" has ended...410,000 [miles]

My best friend has a 1993 Corolla with over 350K on it. Might be at 400K now. The 1993 or 1994 Corolla may be the relative highwater mark for toyota's reliability after that they bought some 1995 Dodge Neons and reverse engineered them to strip cost out of the product. I read a WSJ about it (or a case study) and it was called "de-contenting" and it was triggered by a high yen. This article is consistent with my recollection: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/01/too-good-to-be-true-how-toyotas-success-caused-killer-decontenting/ If you are anywhere near Rhode Island my friend might be interested in your car as a parts car. He is shooting for the 500K. His grandfather had a car that he ran up to 490k and eventually let it go. He...
by sesq
Fri Sep 30, 2016 4:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What you guys do with the bonus
Replies: 59
Views: 8288

Re: What you guys do with the bonus

A lot of my pay comes as incentive comp. My paycheck doesn't always cover everything so I have dipped into incentive comp from time to time. Over the past 8 years I have divided my equity and bonus payments as follows: Pay off mortgage - 31.6% (done, well until I move, should still be done) Cover tax liabilities - 6.6% (one year was a roth conversion, other years was mismatch of my equity pay and withholding) Backdoor Roth IRA contributions - 7.1% (some years I missed contributing - ce la vie) 529 plan contributions - 16.1% (still working on it) House Projects - 19.5% Cars - 6.5% Unusually big trips - 2% (I became a credit card mileage guy for a while which prevented this from being higher). Living expenses 10.7% So, 38.7% consumption, the ...
by sesq
Wed Sep 14, 2016 3:55 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I pay off my mortgage?
Replies: 45
Views: 6699

Re: Should I pay off my mortgage?

Around me I see billboards for low rate HELOC's (like below 2% for 12 months). If you plan to substantially pay it off within the teaser period you might be able to arbitrage 5.65% to 2% or so and be at most out the appraisal cost ($3-400). After the teaser period the loan goes to prime +/- 25-50 basis points. Most HELOCs have a 10 year draw period so having the open line of credit may be handy if you want to move in 6 years and might want to get to the equity in the current house to buy the next place before the old one is sold (assuming the finances can handle the bridge period).
by sesq
Tue Sep 13, 2016 2:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: First Child - Financial Decisions / Impacts?
Replies: 14
Views: 2273

Re: First Child - Financial Decisions / Impacts?

The advice I always give to new parents is the importance of securing appropriate levels of term life insurance on both mother and father. The insurance should not be tied to an employer to avoid the obvious risk of one's health declining to the point of being uninsurable around the time of losing/changing employment. On your Virginia 529 carryforward question - do you think you could move to another state? If so, it suggests not front loading. If I still lived in VA I might give some thought to the VA prepaid tuition program as VA has a range of quality state schools and the certainty of having college "paid for" would be appealing. Downside is you need to be a resident when the kid enrolls. My career has moved me several times a...
by sesq
Tue Sep 13, 2016 9:53 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Christmas gift expectations
Replies: 61
Views: 7626

Re: Christmas gift expectations

Both sides of our families do secret santa.

My side - ~$25 price target, everyone buys stuff for the kids who aren't done with college, everyone exchanges gifts with my parents (they don't do secret santa and want to get people gifts, so we reciprocate).

My wife's side - $100 price target siblings and parents participate, everyone buys gifts for the kids (9 so far).

Left to my own devices I would bag the whole secret santa thing and just buy for the kids. We have to travel to see either family and participate every year even if we don't see them. The $100 price point is easier to buy for than the $25 price point in that you can find something that might be useful.
by sesq
Thu Sep 08, 2016 4:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Stopped at the Crossroads
Replies: 21
Views: 4169

Re: Stopped at the Crossroads

Are you also paying into social security or is the state pension in place of SS? If you have a pension and SS I would suggest that you may want to allocate your $300/mo towards building up a down payment. If you stay in state government you may not see astronomic income gains. Perhaps when you are ready to buy something you might find a duplex or a fourplex or house that would work well with roommates.

I am impressed with your past actions taking control of your life (weight loss, willingness to move to find opportunities).
by sesq
Mon Aug 29, 2016 12:25 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Car leases: not that expensive, after all, if you can't do maintenance yourself?
Replies: 32
Views: 7620

Re: Car leases: not that expensive, after all, if you can't do maintenance yourself?

S&L1940 wrote: OTH, I am an older guy and may start leasing as I may not want to be driving 10+ years from now.
My neighbor's mother died a year ago and had very negative things to say about dealing with a leased vehicle as the executor. Very difficult and expensive to terminate the lease early.

On the main topic - some of the prices are surprisingly low from what I have seen of the ads, even with the down payment. I doubt its something I'd want to do but the if they pump up the residual value high enough the economics aren't that bad. I would just worry about wear/tear and mileage caps.
by sesq
Fri Aug 19, 2016 10:50 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: new chapter of life started - want to save and grow money
Replies: 84
Views: 11810

Re: new chapter of life started - want to save and grow money

It may be worth checking the terms of those furniture loans. I listen to Clark Howard (podcast) and he has mentioned that some of the "no-no-no" loans (no interest, no downpayment, no payments til) have dirty tricks in them like stating that your payments aren't due til say October 2018, but the terms have the no interest period lapses in September 2018, and if the 0% loan isn't paid off by September 2018 that the entire loan has 30% interest retroactively applied.

Good luck getting your life plans together. Delayed gratification has gotten you this far. You have earned the right to slacken the reigns a bit, just don't drop them. Read WCI and watch out for those annuity / insurance salesmen.
by sesq
Fri Aug 19, 2016 10:23 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Self-made Millionaires: how did hitting 7 figures change you?
Replies: 304
Views: 63030

Re: Self-made Millionaires: how did hitting 7 figures change you?

I know several people who have "enough" to retire (high 7 figures, some with low 8), and I asked them why they keep working. They were not spending their savings nor living extravagantly. They were honest in saying that legacy was their motivation. Their children were not on a trajectory to earn nearly what they were earning, so they wanted to pass it on to their estate. I wonder if that is a bit of what my father is thinking as he and my mother are both still working at 80. He is probably more of a low 7 figs person though. The other part is that he does mostly enjoy it although he needs my mother's help and she is ready to be done with it. I am mostly doing well but my siblings are more in the paycheck-to-paycheck situation. He...
by sesq
Tue Aug 16, 2016 2:18 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Someone wants to pay me to manage their finances
Replies: 46
Views: 7097

Re: Someone wants to pay me to manage their finances

From time to time I suggest or even help people get their assets into a target date retirement fund.
by sesq
Mon Aug 15, 2016 10:15 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 529 & Multiple Children
Replies: 26
Views: 3647

Re: 529 & Multiple Children

I have a 5th grader and a 2nd grader. I have a bit more money in the 5th graders account but project the 2nd grader will have more when he matriculates. I am planning to overfund the amount needed for 4 years at a public university, but probably only fund 75% of a private school. A part of me wants to put it to my children to choose their school with cost as a factor another part of me thinks I may wind up truing up the balance with taxable to cover private too. If I let them choose they could in effect choose public and have some funds left over. I would probably then make them wait a few years in case they went to grad school and then cash them out net of tax. Or if they choose to go private they will need to get merit aid or loans to cov...
by sesq
Fri Aug 12, 2016 2:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Undergrad business UMass Amherst Isenberg or Bentley
Replies: 15
Views: 4377

Re: Undergrad business Isenberg or Bentley

I have never heard of Isenberg, but I can see its UMass. I have two degrees from Bentley and have worked outside of New England most of my 20 year career. Until fairly recently outside of the accounting industry no one really had heard of Bentley in the rest of the country. They would have heard of UMass. Although I don't think it would have had any special aura about it. Private schools in general need to have an "ivy" like reputation to warrant paying list these days (e.g Stanford or MIT). If Bentley offers aid that makes it comparable to UMass then the kid should choose based on what they want out of a school experience (location alone is pretty different, Western MA or a suburb of Boston). Or if the resources are sufficiently ...
by sesq
Sun Aug 07, 2016 11:39 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Points/Miles Schemes - Waste of time or worth it?
Replies: 76
Views: 21593

Re: Points/Miles Schemes - Waste of time or worth it?

stm wrote:
flyingaway wrote:Considering it as a hobby is fine. Otherwise I would spend the time and efforts to get a better-paying job or to study for a better-paying degree.
I don't know... MS was better than our regular job. Very sad that it's ended :|
+1. I still have about 2.1M points and miles in the kitty to burn off. Just as well, life got busy on me anyways.

As a family man we never did the exotic redemptions (location or luxury) but I appreciated not having to pay air or hotel. I am now mostly using the 2.625% BoA card with strategic sign up bonuses (e.g. Citi Prestige this year).
by sesq
Sun Aug 07, 2016 9:53 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New Job: Take Paycut by leaving Big 4?
Replies: 32
Views: 7058

Re: New Job: Take Paycut by leaving Big 4?

I am in tax and did 8 years in public and now 13 years in industry. When I was ready to leave public it was due to the fact that you don't control your schedule - yes, you work hard but the unpredictability stunk. If the client calls on Thursday your weekend was shot to pieces. In industry you can see the storms coming more easily and while overtime happens its more known (e.g. quarter closes). The big shift from public to industry is your peer group. In public you are surrounded by peers who are all generally smart, hardworking, etc. In industry you are the expert and your team has a lot more variability in terms of their skills and attitude. Now if you are focused on tech companies perhaps you will retain this level of pedigree but in a c...
by sesq
Fri Jul 29, 2016 3:25 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Theory only... when to stop 401k contribution
Replies: 46
Views: 7865

Re: Theory only... when to stop 401k contribution

... Doesn't help with RMD's (may complicate them a bit since there will be multiple accounts which may require separate withdrawals if he hasn't married them up by age 70.5). ... He has another option. He has to compute RMDs for all accounts, but can withdraw RMD total from a single account. As the RMD form math is the same for all IRA accounts, he can do it just once with the total of all IRAs. See: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Required_Minimum_Distribution_vs_annuitization An IRA owner must calculate the RMD separately for each IRA that he or she owns, but can withdraw the total amount from one or more of the IRAs.[3] See: https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/required-minimum-distribution-worksheets Yes, but ...
by sesq
Fri Jul 29, 2016 12:31 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: External auditors: Vanguard & Fidelity
Replies: 9
Views: 3506

Re: External auditors: Vanguard & Fidelity

I am almost positive that Coopers & Lybrand audited Fidelity when I worked in their Portland Maine Office in 1997. C&L merged with PW in 1998 to become PwC (famously spending $1M to a brand company that came up with PricewaterhouseCoopers as a name). I think Coopers was their auditor in 1990 when my father worked for Fidelity too. C&L was the largest firm in Boston back then and had just about everyone. There may be instances where individual funds are audited by other firms. In the US there is no requirement to rotate auditors. Its not unusual for the relationships to span decades. Sometimes the audit will be shopped for fee leverage or due to conflicts between management and the auditors (though technically the audit committee...
by sesq
Fri Jul 29, 2016 10:03 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Anyone ever "churn" investment/retirement accounts for deposit bonuses?
Replies: 11
Views: 2586

Re: Anyone ever "churn" investment/retirement accounts for deposit bonuses?

I moved $$ from Fidelity to Merrill Edge to get a bonus, but the preferred reward program has stopped me from moving it again. If I can get my wife's IRA over $100K then that will be an option to move around. When I exit my employer after my mega-merger I plan to shop for bonuses.

There is a decent thread on FW Finance that tracks the offers, with a cadre of people who actively hop.

https://www.fatwallet.com/forums/finance/1252069/
by sesq
Fri Jul 29, 2016 9:37 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Theory only... when to stop 401k contribution
Replies: 46
Views: 7865

Re: Theory only... when to stop 401k contribution

I'm just not sure if converting taxable accounts to Roth is useful, if the traditional balance remains the same (future RMDs). Doesn't help with RMD's (may complicate them a bit since there will be multiple accounts which may require separate withdrawals if he hasn't married them up by age 70.5). Just takes a part of his taxable account which is currently 0% because he is in the 15% bracket and converts into a Roth balance which will be 0% in the future by way of the Roth mechanisms. Given that he expects to be in the 25% bracket in the future he will lose the 0% benefit on his taxable account. By building up a bit in the Roth balances it may diversify his mix of taxable, tax deferred and "roth" balances which may lead to some fl...
by sesq
Thu Jul 28, 2016 1:04 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Theory only... when to stop 401k contribution
Replies: 46
Views: 7865

Re: Theory only... when to stop 401k contribution

Has already happened: Due to downsizing from very lucrative (hit the second SS bend point in 2007) tech positions (and changing technology - I'm now like a IT paleontologist), I'm at a job at a Charitable organization, single, in the 15% tax bracket, taking home just enough to pay the bills. If I were to max-out my 403(b), I'd have to use savings and post-tax investments (currently taxable at 0%) to pay bills in order to gain a 15% tax savings. I fully expect to be in the 25% bracket or higher once SS and RMD's kick-in, so essentially I'd be saving 15% on the 403(b) contributions now only to pay 25% on them when they are withdrawn. Not worth it! Could you make Roth 403(b) contributions instead of Traditional ones? Nope - I asked our provid...
by sesq
Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:53 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How many folks choose to give inheritance to their children in unequal portions?
Replies: 202
Views: 30949

Re: How many folks choose to give inheritance to their children in unequal portions?

Don't you have to have your wife's consent to put your assets into a trust? (BTW, I was almost broke when I married my wife 12 years ago. So all the money we have saved, we have saved together and my kids have no legitimate complaint about her marrying me for my money). Its a state law thing (not a lawyer, disclosure) but my understanding is that assets in your name would pass through your will or beneficiary elections however you structure it. If you disinherit your spouse she can challenge the election and I believe state law would presume she has a right to a portion of the estate (30%, 50%?) if there is a will in place. Absent a will she would get 100%. The classic screw up is the person who doesn't change their IRA/Retirement election...
by sesq
Wed Jul 27, 2016 2:44 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How many folks choose to give inheritance to their children in unequal portions?
Replies: 202
Views: 30949

Re: How many folks choose to give inheritance to their children in unequal portions?

Might be a moot point because my wife is a lot younger than I am (17 years) and unless something unexpected happens she should outlive me by quite a few years, in which case she legally gets it all any way and will be the one to divide it up. You may want to consider a specific bequest to your children or a remainder interest in trust where your spouse has an income interest. While you may have a moral duty to provide for your spouse and there is no question that it is your money to dispose of how you wish I have observed some children who feel a bit abandoned by the passing of a remarried parent who provides for the spouse only. Difficult to balance if the resources are constrained or if the assets are concentrated (e.g. spouse having a l...
by sesq
Mon Jul 25, 2016 1:40 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: After death, is an HSA still an HSA?
Replies: 22
Views: 8373

Re: After death, is an HSA still an HSA?

I am using the HSA as a "stealth" IRA. However, due to the short circuit caused by a non-spousal inheritance I am planning to use it as the first account to draw against. I am an amputee and incur substantial out of pocket expenses. I log/save receipts and expect even with growth I should have a substantial percentage of my funds saved available as tax free reimbursements of prior expenses. My log does not differentiate whose medical expense is being reimbursed (all people are covered in family HDHP), so I guess the question about whether reimbursement would be available for past expenses is available if my wife was to inherit the HSA is a good one. Once I exhaust my reimbursement amounts I plan to use the HSA funds on the current...
by sesq
Mon Jun 20, 2016 1:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Changing life path (giving up the dream) to FIRE
Replies: 26
Views: 5472

Re: Changing life path (giving up the dream) to FIRE

I am wearing the opposite shoe. I am losing my gig in a LCOL (maybe MCOL) area and most of my prospects are in HCOL areas. My kids are in elementary school and I need the next location to be stable for ten years to get them through high school. At that point, assuming full employment I should be FI regardless of where we wind up. I must say I rather loathe the prices I am seeing in the HCOL areas (and I ruled out the ICOL [insane] areas in my search).
by sesq
Tue Jun 14, 2016 2:14 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: HSA- how much do you actually invest?
Replies: 42
Views: 7079

Re: HSA- how much do you actually invest?

My HSA requires something like $5k in savings to avoid fees. I let it build up for a bit more than two years (my employer drops $1,500 in January), then this past February I moved everything in excess of $5K into VTI. I am letting all of this year's contributions build up in savings and I expect to move money annually now in February. Well, that was my plan. I am changing jobs this year (I think), so I will have to see what the next employer requires.

I scan invoices and keep a spreadsheet of my expenses to let the account build up (while paying out of pocket).
by sesq
Wed Jun 01, 2016 1:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: "starter" vs "regular" home
Replies: 47
Views: 6404

Re: "starter" vs "regular" home

If your "starter" home has land and is well located (commute/schools/life) then you may have the option of making an addition. Then again in some areas zoning or historic restrictions may be a limitation.

I move for my job. We buy the house that matches where we are right now. I hope I can talk my wife into down sizing when we are empty nesters.
by sesq
Tue May 31, 2016 2:04 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: HSA for early retirement income?
Replies: 11
Views: 1816

Re: HSA for early retirement income?

I keep a spreadsheet and scan copies of my bills into my google drive. For the last 3 years my expenses have nearly matched my contributions (we have had a few procedures). There is a counter argument (bird in the hand?) which says if you put say $6K and had $500 of expenses you may as well reimburse yourself the $500 and avoid the record keeping headache. Where my expenses have been closer to the out of pocket max that wouldn't leave me much to grow. If google nukes my spreadsheet and scanned images over the next 15-20 years or so, that would be bad. Then again, my expenses are high now, who knows what they will be then. I plan to use the HSA as one of my first accounts to draw on in retirement because the non-spouse inheritance rules are ...
by sesq
Mon May 23, 2016 4:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bikes
Replies: 70
Views: 8005

Re: Bikes

Funny, when I was bike commuting I used my cheap, hand me down, beat up ugly hybrid, never the expensive (to me) road bike. But I had to lock my bike in a semi-public place and I didn't want it to look interesting at all.

I would go used if $200 was my budget.
by sesq
Thu May 19, 2016 10:44 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best moving option
Replies: 15
Views: 4316

Re: Best moving option

You may want to look at the Pod's competitor ABF U-Pack. Perhaps they would be more flexible in reaching a solution.

http://www.upack.com/about/compare-portable-storage.asp
by sesq
Thu May 19, 2016 10:22 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Making an Outdoor Grill Last
Replies: 39
Views: 7087

Re: Making an Outdoor Grill Last

2004 Weber, mid level propane grill. Had a vented cover - got rid of it when I read about condensation. I replaced the bars and grates a few years ago. Its due for that again. Maybe a burner since the third one is out. Its kind of long in the tooth, there are bits of rust here and there. We may dump it when we move this year. I also have a big green egg that is 3 years old. Charcoal tastes better but I generally do that more for special occasions and when we have guests. I like having both.
by sesq
Mon May 09, 2016 4:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Cities good for living abroad?
Replies: 113
Views: 20451

Re: Cities good for living abroad?

euroman wrote:An idea: since you want to skip the European high season, set up base camp at a holiday destination, for example the Spanish island of Mallorca.
Cheaper long term rentals should be relatively easy to find off season. Additional benefit: sun and moderate temperatures during winter season
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majorca#Climate
Next, travel from Mallorca to the major cities in Europe for short trips with the low cost carriers like vueling, easyjet and ryanair, as they will cover all major European cities. All within 2 hours distance.

This is a great idea. I want to do this now although I am about 10 years out from retiring.
by sesq
Thu May 05, 2016 12:51 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Newbie...request critique of early retirement thoughts...
Replies: 9
Views: 1779

Re: Newbie...request critique of early retirement thoughts...

If you are working in a job that qualifies for social security and you can keep your cost of living at $25K, your investments aren't really for retirement since you likely will qualify for a benefit in that ballpark. In fact, $25k x 27 years (67, full retirement age less 40) says you'd need a bridge of $675K to get there. Now, inflation, market fluctuations, health insurance, housing costs these are all things to hedge against. But if you can live cheaply the world is your oyster. Start making choices about what you want to do now.
by sesq
Thu May 05, 2016 12:40 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Sci-Fi ... your favorite movies and episodes??
Replies: 145
Views: 21576

Re: Sci-Fi ... your favorite movies and episodes??

Valuethinker wrote: Let's not forget Star Blazers aka Space Cruiser Yamato. That was as good a space opera as anything by EE Doc Smith etc.
I am planning to watch it with my kids this summer. Can't wait. This show was everything to me when I was a kid around their ages. Hope it stands up to the test of time.
by sesq
Tue May 03, 2016 4:47 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What kind of relocation packages have you gotten?
Replies: 15
Views: 9504

Re: What kind of relocation packages have you gotten?

I relo'd twice as a Manager/Director at my current employer. They paid for, and grossed me up, for the movers to come, box everything, move it and unbox at the new house. They also arranged to purchase the house from me directly UPON my assignment of an valid P&S from a qualified buyer. This meant that they would pay the commisions and transfer taxes/fees. They then ate those costs upon the sale to the ultimate buyer but didn't have to include it in my taxable income (or the gross up calc). On the purchase side I believe they paid (and grossed up) the closing costs, and paid up to 1 point to originate my mortgage. There was also time available for temporary housing - that we didn't use much of. There was an offer to buy out my house but...
by sesq
Tue May 03, 2016 4:18 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Sci-Fi ... your favorite movies and episodes??
Replies: 145
Views: 21576

Re: Sci-Fi ... your favorite movies and episodes??

Seasons 3&4 of Babylon 5. Farscape.

I like "I, Robot" more than most.
by sesq
Thu Apr 21, 2016 10:26 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Spouse's new job. Should we do Roth 401(k)?
Replies: 4
Views: 860

Re: Spouse's new job. Should we do Roth 401(k)?

Only a limited number of deductions reduce AGI. Itemized deductions, personal exemptions, standard deductions all reduce AGI to arrive at "Taxable Income". Look at your most recent 1040, you'll see the difference.

Of course the measure for roth eligibility is not AGI, but MAGI or Modified Adjusted Gross Income.