Search found 1226 matches

by whaleknives
Fri May 12, 2017 7:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How specific/specialized is your Living Will?
Replies: 22
Views: 2337

Re: How specific/specialized is your Living Will?

. . . And actually, to be honest, even DNR/DNI is gray area. The cardiologists at my institution get upset when a patient is allowed to be made DNR/DNI by residents after having a heart attack (a STEMI) and getting stents placed. That patient is at high risk for arrhythmias in the next day or so (which is why they are watched in the CCU after), but most of those events can be reversed by shocking or a short amount of CPR. The outcomes are better and it doesn't really make sense to be DNR (at least for the first 12 hours or so) unless you've really taken the time to understand the risks, even if you had wanted to be DNR before having the STEMI. . . Decide if you want to be DNR/DNI. Revisit when the situation changes. Find a health care prox...
by whaleknives
Thu May 11, 2017 11:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How specific/specialized is your Living Will?
Replies: 22
Views: 2337

Re: How specific/specialized is your Living Will?

. . . a static document can't adequately cover every possible scenario. My preference is a broad Power of Attorney for Health Care . . . +1. DW and I (doc/lawyer) have aggressive Living Wills, but the important thing is strong, reciprocal POAs . . . To cover all eventualities, you need to do it all: A knowledgeable and proactive health care power of attorney is your most effective advocate, if available. A living will can inform the HCPOA and prepare them to act, as well as recording your wishes with your primary care physician, specialists, ER, and hospital. Don't forget to take a copy when you travel. You need to think about and specify what treatments you want and for how long, and those you don't want: resuscitation (CPR and defibrilla...
by whaleknives
Thu May 11, 2017 10:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Deleted
Replies: 2
Views: 608

Re: in laws social security options

Yes, since your mother-in-law was older than 62 on January 2, 2016 (born before January 2, 1954), she is still able to file a restricted application at her full retirement age of 66 to receive the spouse benefit only, then collect delayed retirement credits and file on her earnings at 70. (Retirement Planner: Recent Social Security Claiming Changes and Bogleheads Changes to Social Security by Mike Piper, ObliviousInvestor.

Delayed retirement credits for 4 years should increase the $2200 benefit by 8% x 4 = 32% to $2904 (Retirement Planner: Delayed Retirement Credits).
by whaleknives
Thu May 11, 2017 7:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Are bank test deposits taxable?
Replies: 22
Views: 3828

Re: Are bank test deposits taxable?

Vanguard has always withdrawn my (their) test deposits. :D
by whaleknives
Thu May 11, 2017 7:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to maximize SS
Replies: 6
Views: 1278

Re: How to maximize SS

. . . I am eligible to get my own SS which is $946 at age 67 and $666 at age 62. Now my husband will get his own $2655 at age 66-1/2. Since his half ($1327) is more than my full SS at my age at 67, should I start getting my own SS at age 62? I do not see any reason to wait until age 67. He is 3 yrs older than me. And probably wait until 70 to get his SS . If you begin receiving benefits between age 62 and your full retirement age (67), the amount will be permanently reduced by a percentage based on the number of months up to your full retirement age. This applies to both the benefit on your earnings and your spouse benefit ( Retirement Planner: Can You Take Your Benefits Before Full Retirement Age? and Retirement Planner: Benefits For You ...
by whaleknives
Thu May 11, 2017 12:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How I use I-ORP, and who shouldn't
Replies: 294
Views: 47632

Re: How I use I-ORP, and who shouldn't

LeeMKE wrote:. . . Another thing I like about I-ORP is that help is available. My first attempt gave me odd results, and I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. By following the instructions, you can get the inventor? (what exactly do you call a model owner?) to look at your work and give you feedback. Once I got that help, the results have been great for me. . . I make a donation every year because this model is valuable to me. (I also didn't hesitate to buy a copy of Living Off Your Money when some Bogleheads fixated on the insult of paying for the book.) :wink:
:thumbsup Yes, James S. Welch, Jr. responds to emails!
by whaleknives
Thu May 11, 2017 11:54 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Best Social Security claim strategy after 2015 law changes
Replies: 4
Views: 1434

Re: Best Social Security claim strategy after 2015 law changes

As I reread Mike Piper's Changes to Social Security, the exception for those born before January 2, 1954 may not apply at all, because "suspension of benefit requests that are submitted more than 180 days after enactment of the bill (i.e., as of 4/27/2016 or later . . . " prevents anyone else from receiving a benefit based on your work record. This might be independent of the age limit, which Mike seems to suggest applies only to deemed filing issues.
by whaleknives
Thu May 11, 2017 11:27 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How I use I-ORP, and who shouldn't
Replies: 294
Views: 47632

Re: How I use I-ORP, and who shouldn't

. . . One thing that struck me was how aggressive it was recommending tIRA to Roth IRA conversions. . . The challenge I found on i-orp Roth conversions is that the recommendations were heavily based on the assumed rates of return, in addition to tax efficiency. If you guessed a higher rate of return for your Roth, perhaps because of a longer-term investment horizon, i-orp will suggest high rates of conversion. While this may be logical from a linear programming perspective, it probably doesn't reflect the reality of real world asset allocations. The solution is to make sure you use the same expected return for all your account types when investigating Roth conversions. My issue with ORP was the opposite: it would only recommend one year of...
by whaleknives
Thu May 11, 2017 9:02 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Best Social Security claim strategy after 2015 law changes
Replies: 4
Views: 1434

Re: Best Social Security claim strategy after 2015 law changes

. . . What is the best claim strategy to maximize SS benefits for a married couple if wife's SS benefits are less than 50% of husband's benefits? . . . I understand that husband cannot receive 50% of wife's benefits while waiting for his own benefits to grow and wife cannot get 50% of husband's benefits while husband is waiting for his benefit to grow. Is that correct? . . . Can wife get her own benefits while husband waits for his benefit to grow and once husband claims his benefits at age 70, can wife switch to 50% of husbands benefits? Suppose wife is 1 year younger than the husband. Which one of the following strategies is the best? 1. Wife claims her benefits at age 62, husband claims claims his benefits at age 70 and wife switches to...
by whaleknives
Wed May 10, 2017 10:15 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Social Security - Spousal Benefits
Replies: 7
Views: 1434

Re: Social Security - Spousal Benefits

. . . My parent's memory is not great these days but I'll try and find out when they applied. Is it true that the SSA will pick the best amount for you in terms of spousal benefits? i.e., they do the "greater of own benefits vs. 50% of spouse"? Or do you have to specify? Social Security promises to check for the larger: "If your spouse is already receiving benefits when you apply [for Social Security], or if you and your spouse apply at the same time, we will also check your eligibility for benefits as a spouse. If you qualify, your application will automatically serve as a request for spousal benefits." Retirement Planner: Benefits For You As A Spouse But I would second the suggestion to talk to Social Security, at the...
by whaleknives
Tue May 09, 2017 10:52 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Social Security - Spousal Benefits
Replies: 7
Views: 1434

Re: Social Security - Spousal Benefits

. . . dad age 80, mother age 76 - only marriage - married for decades . . . My father receives $2000/month and my mother receives $800/month. Both my parents worked for many years, with my mother having breaks in her employment . . . 1) In what I have read I believe my mother should be getting the greater of her benefit or 50% of my fathers. Is that true in general? 2) I think this is assuming a few things in terms of when she/him started receiving benefits. Can someone please explain the differences between my mother and/or my father starting to receive benefits when they were 62 or 65 or 70? (I don't know if those are exactly the key years, but they were born before 1942 so I believe 65 is the "magic" mid-number. 3) My father d...
by whaleknives
Mon May 08, 2017 3:28 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Financial Literacy
Replies: 27
Views: 3464

Re: Financial Literacy

Just ran across the quiz on Google News at Forbes: Americans Fail Retirement Planning Literacy Quiz, Low Literacy Linked to Poor Planning. 92%, missing 3 on annuities and whole life insurance. I'm not a customer. :D

Here's a link to the answers and rationales: THE AMERICAN COLLEGE/NEW YORK LIFE CENTER FOR RETIREMENT INCOME RETIREMENT INCOME LITERACY QUIZ.
by whaleknives
Sat May 06, 2017 8:32 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: CDOs or Sub prime MBS in Vanguard funds?
Replies: 9
Views: 1463

Re: CDOs or Sub prime MBS in Vanguard funds?

nisiprius wrote:Total Bond doesn't have any (I don't think, too lazy to check the report, but it shouldn't) because the Bloomberg Barclay's U.S. Aggregate Index doesn't have any. (I don't think). . .
You mean, subprime MBS? Total Bond's behavior during the subprime mortgage crisis seems to bear that out, but it does have Mortgage Backed Securities:

Image
by whaleknives
Sat May 06, 2017 5:17 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: CDOs or Sub prime MBS in Vanguard funds?
Replies: 9
Views: 1463

Re: CDOs or Sub prime MBS in Vanguard funds?

Vanguard Total Bond (VBMFX, blue) currently has 24% MBS of some type or another. Vanguard Intermediate Term Bond (VBIIX, orange) currently has 0.5% MBS. I don't know what they held during the great recession, but here's the growth chart for those stocks, May 2007-2009:

Image

And here's the same chart with VG Total Stock added (VTSMX, green):

Image

Dramatic scale change. Whatever MBS portfolio VG held in Total Bond, something else caused greater losses in Intermediate-Term Bond and Total Stock. I'm comfortable holding Total Bond currently as my only bond fund.

Here's a link to The Big Short script, if you're interested.
by whaleknives
Sat May 06, 2017 12:50 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Acceptable Success Rate to Retire using Firecalc
Replies: 41
Views: 6512

Re: Acceptable Success Rate to Retire using Firecalc

I used 100%, and so far so good (black is actual):

Image
by whaleknives
Fri May 05, 2017 4:19 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Which to Fund First? Roth IRA vs 401k
Replies: 10
Views: 1546

Re: Which to Fund First? Roth IRA vs 401k

Yikes; not an index fund in sight. The Wiki has some good information for you:
1. Prioritizing investments, based on maximizing tax efficiency.
2. Expensive or mediocre [401(k)] choices. There's always the possibility of a future IRA rollover.
3. How to campaign for a better 401(k) plan.
by whaleknives
Wed May 03, 2017 9:51 pm
Forum: Forum Issues and Administration
Topic: My notifications are -1
Replies: 11
Views: 4347

Re: My notifications are -1

You obviously owed someone a notification, but they accepted this new topic to zero your balance.
by whaleknives
Wed May 03, 2017 9:40 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Treating Water with Chlorine or Iodine
Replies: 10
Views: 1481

Re: Treating Water with Chlorine or Iodine

We've used the Portable Aqua tablets in the Boundary Waters with no problems, but only in 1 liter quantities as needed, and not long term storage of larger quantities. Portable Aqua is available at most outfitters, such as REI. Outdoor Action Guide to Water Purification, http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/manual/water.shtml " Iodine Treatment Iodine is light sensitive and must always be stored in a dark bottle. It works best if the water is over 68F (21C). Iodine has been shown to be more effect than chlorine-based treatments in inactivating Giardia cysts. Be aware that some people are allergic to iodine and cannot use it as a form of water purification. Persons with thyroid problems or on lithum, women over fifty, and pregnant women should ...
by whaleknives
Tue May 02, 2017 10:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Video TDR Failure - Microsoft - Arghhh!!!
Replies: 9
Views: 1405

Re: Video TDR Failure - Microsoft - Arghhh!!!

Grt2bOutdoors wrote:Another Microsoft Windows update issue - my PC experiences "blue screen hell" where the video freezes up as the PC is in the process of booting up. . . followed by this message: Video TDR Failure, file atikmpng.sys . . .
The technical term is Blue Screen of Death, or BSOD. :D

Could the filename really be "atikmpag.sys"? If so, Method One in this link could help you with an even newer display driver:
https://www.drivereasy.com/knowledge/fi ... indows-10/

I think 3rd party vendors are always playing catch-up. (The link is not an endorsement of the driver easy software, which I haven't used.)
by whaleknives
Tue May 02, 2017 7:40 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Calculating Future Social Security Benefits
Replies: 6
Views: 1388

Re: Calculating Future Social Security Benefits

Take a look at the Social Security Retirement Estimator and Detailed Calculator (AnyPIA) in the Wiki. The Retirement Estimator uses your actual past SS earnings record, and allows you to enter multiple ages to stop work with the "Add a New Estimate" button; future earnings will stop and benefits will start at the stop-work age. Benefit filing and stop-work ages cannot be entered separately, but future earnings can be entered as zero. If you enter a stop-work age of less than 62, benefits will be estimated starting at 62, the first year of eligibility. Examples of the new estimate input and output forms are shown in the Wiki. If you're up for climbing a learning curve, AnyPIA is the most flexible and best choice. You just have to d...
by whaleknives
Mon May 01, 2017 5:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Withdrawing Funds early from a state retirement system
Replies: 7
Views: 4114

Re: Withdrawing Funds early from a state retirement system

1. If you want to close the account, the ASRS website says this is an option: "Take a refund of your account, with applicable interest. You may withdraw your funds in cash and pay all taxes and penalties, or you may rollover your funds to another qualified retirement program . . . . . While any member who has separated from employment with an ASRS employer has the right to refund their contributions, the amount of interest and eligible employer matching that is refunded along with those contributions varies by membership date and fiscal year. (emphasis added) Refunding Your Account and Terminating ASRS Membership "The ASRS retirement plan is classified as a 401(a) defined benefit plan by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)." A...
by whaleknives
Sun Apr 30, 2017 8:33 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: VG Mutual Fund Mix. How would you classify this mix?
Replies: 3
Views: 570

Re: VG Mutual Fund Mix. How would you classify this mix?

. . . Bogleheads how would you describe or classify this current mix of funds in my wife's Roth IRA . . . Just looking for your classification with the limited information provided. Have you used any tools like Morningstar's Instant X-Ray? They can provide the quantitative details, and then you can add as much qualitative description as you like. 59% stocks/41% fixed income, 10% of stocks international, stock cap weighting similar to VG Total Stock, small Value tilt in large cap, bonds the same moderate sensitivity but lower quality than VG Total Bond, stock sectors similar to S&P 500, low expense ratios (Thank you, Vanguard). The uninvested cash seems contrary to the riskier bonds; if she's looking for higher returns 10 years before r...
by whaleknives
Sat Apr 29, 2017 4:44 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Insurance for trip to Seoul Korea
Replies: 16
Views: 2265

Re: Insurance for trip to Seoul Korea

Ask about war risk insurance.
  • "War risk insurance is a type of insurance which covers damage due to acts of war, including invasion, insurrection, rebellion and hijacking. Some policies also cover damage due to weapons of mass destruction." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_risk_insurance
Here is a very good International Travel Insurance company: http://www.tripmate.com/main/
by whaleknives
Sat Apr 22, 2017 9:25 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What is the difference between downloaded and online tax software?
Replies: 16
Views: 3377

Re: What is the difference between downloaded and online tax software?

*3!4!/5! wrote:. . . My question would still be, does the online version necessarily have these deficiencies, or did my brief look just fail to uncover the access to the forms and the full functionality of the downloaded version? Do they open up forms/functionality for a paid online version? What about the "Free File" version?
I think the online version, across all brands, has to hide the forms to prevent printing and filing without paying. You can't pay for the online TaxAct until you file, so you can't save/print the actual forms until then. I don't know, but I doubt the commercial software design or function changes just because it's available on Free File.
by whaleknives
Sat Apr 22, 2017 8:52 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What is the difference between downloaded and online tax software?
Replies: 16
Views: 3377

Re: What is the difference between downloaded and online tax software?

*3!4!/5! wrote:. . . I've been using downloaded TaxACT for several years (though this discussion is for all brands), but think I will switch to the "Free File" version which I understand(?) is online. Will I be disappointed in this version, (e.g. is it more restricted in capabilities), or is it basically the same as the downloaded one?
You can still create an online account for TaxAct and complete a 2016 return without filing, at no cost. That should tell you what you want.
by whaleknives
Sat Apr 22, 2017 8:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What is the difference between downloaded and online tax software?
Replies: 16
Views: 3377

Re: What is the difference between downloaded and online tax software?

I have used online TaxAct and TurboTax, download TurboTax and H&R Block, and trials of the online Free File Fillable Forms, since I haven't yet qualified for Free File Software. With online commercial software, you typically don't pay until you file. This means you can't see your actual tax forms until you pay and file, which sometimes makes checking your results difficult. This is not an issue with download software, since you pay upfront. After questioning my 2016 results online in TaxAct, I ended up filing with a download H&R Block, and felt more confident about the process and results. I think the download versions are well worth the extra cost. I've looked at the Free File Fillable Forms, where you save forms online, but can se...
by whaleknives
Thu Apr 20, 2017 5:49 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Please help me understand my Xray morningstar box
Replies: 8
Views: 1027

Re: Please help me understand my Xray morningstar box

Take a look at these portfolios for Approximating total stock market. If you used VINIX 69%, VMCIX 3%, and VSGIX 13% for the 85% stock in your portfolio, you would come closer to Total Stock, if that's what you want.
by whaleknives
Thu Apr 20, 2017 5:21 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Please help me understand my Xray morningstar box
Replies: 8
Views: 1027

Re: Please help me understand my Xray morningstar box

So I've done some reading about utilizing this xray Morningstar box, and I recall seeing the "preferred box" somewhere online, but now I can't find it. I think my numbers now mostly reflect what I was trying to copy. I'm wondering if these are "good" numbers to have and if I should look into any changes. . . What do you guys think? I'm not really sure how to interpret this. Thanks! I don't think there's a "preferred" stock style box, because the style box is a way of summarizing the diversification of your stock portfolio. It's an easy way to compare your actual portfolio to some standard; for example, if you wanted to approximate the Vanguard Total Stock Market fund, you could compare your stock portfolio sty...
by whaleknives
Tue Apr 18, 2017 8:30 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Exchanging the S&P 500 for the TSM
Replies: 16
Views: 3964

Re: Exchanging the S&P 500 for the TSM

nisiprius wrote:
whaleknives wrote:Total Stock is 2.9% higher than the S&P 500 fund over the last 10 years. . .
. . . I don't see how you get 2.9%. I calculate it at (20,147.30/19,583.46)^(1/10) - 1 = 0.28%/year. . .
My calculation was simple also: $10,000 growth over 10 years, or (20,147.30-19,583.46)/19,583.46= .0288, or 2.9%. Literally, "Total Stock is 2.9% higher than the S&P 500 fund over the last 10 years."
by whaleknives
Tue Apr 18, 2017 1:50 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Exchanging the S&P 500 for the TSM
Replies: 16
Views: 3964

Re: Exchanging the S&P 500 for the TSM

Total Stock is 2.9% higher than the S&P 500 fund over the last 10 years.

Image
by whaleknives
Fri Apr 14, 2017 10:54 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Is Bogle's investment style too aggressive?
Replies: 13
Views: 3466

Re: Is Bogle's investment style too aggressive?

If I'm thinking about my bonds and the crash of 2008-2009, I'm much happier thinking of this comparison (blue: total bond, orange: total stock) :)

Image
by whaleknives
Tue Apr 11, 2017 6:15 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: SS question
Replies: 9
Views: 1219

Re: SS question

There are detailed instructions and some screenshots for the SSA Retirement Estimator in the Wiki; it's the next best thing to AnyPIA. Read footnote 3 for instruction on running new estimates with a different average (or zero) future income. Remember, "the age you plan to stop working" is the age you claim SS, and not the age your income changes.
by whaleknives
Tue Apr 11, 2017 5:40 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 36yo looking for feedback
Replies: 25
Views: 4362

Re: 36yo looking for feedback

. . . Treating all accounts as a single portfolio actually increases flexibility. You can choose the best funds in each account, and increase tax efficiency by avoiding bonds in taxable accounts. You can rebalance between stocks-bonds, and domestic-international stocks, without holding all funds in all accounts. I'm afraid I don't understand how you can make that claim. Cast as a simple scenario, we can imagine a 401k with only total stock and an IRA with only Total Bond. When it comes time to rebalance across your entire portfolio, what do you do? Sell total bond and buy total stock in the IRA (assuming bear market for equities)? I do understand the point about keeping taxable bonds out of taxable, but I would still manage the taxable por...
by whaleknives
Tue Apr 11, 2017 9:21 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 36yo looking for feedback
Replies: 25
Views: 4362

Re: 36yo looking for feedback

Always look at your whole portfolio rather than what you happen to hold in each account. G fund and Total Bond serve similar purposes and both are suitable holdings in tax advantaged accounts. Use the best funds available to achieve your target AA across the whole portfolio. This is something I've never really understood well. I have 4-5 separate accounts, and I maintain the same asset allocation in each (maybe I'm just fortunate to have full flexiblity given the BrokerageLink option in my 401k). I don't understand how you can properly rebalance when each bucket doesn't reflect your asset allocation choices. Treating all accounts as a single portfolio actually increases flexibility. You can choose the best funds in each account, and increa...
by whaleknives
Mon Apr 10, 2017 10:51 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Requesting Help with 401(k) Selections.
Replies: 7
Views: 1240

Re: Requesting Help with 401(k) Selections.

EquityForAll wrote:
whale knives wrote:Without a ticker, I can't easily compare the Vanguard 2055 and State Street 2050 fund performance on Morningstar.
Not sure if this helps but I saw that the benchmark for the State Street 2050 fund is listed as: Morningstar Lifetime Moderate 2050.
That's a Morningstar index, but it won't plot against VFFVX on a Growth Chart. Sorry.

Image
by whaleknives
Mon Apr 10, 2017 9:16 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Requesting Help with 401(k) Selections.
Replies: 7
Views: 1240

Re: Requesting Help with 401(k) Selections.

Since she is comfortable with the Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 for her Roth, I thought maybe she would prefer the State Street Target Retirement Fund 2050 for her 401(k), rather than building up a total stock market portfolio. Unusual for target funds, its ER is similar to the S&P 500/Mid/Small Cap funds you chose.

But then I ran into the lack of ticker symbols. Are there any available for her 401(k) funds, or are they all what Mike Piper (ObliviousInvestor on this forum) calls “collective investment trusts”, which "have a lesser degree of transparency than plain-old mutual funds". Without a ticker, I can't easily compare the Vanguard 2055 and State Street 2050 fund performance on Morningstar.
by whaleknives
Mon Apr 10, 2017 6:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Long-term budgeting for health insurance premiums: Percentage increase?
Replies: 3
Views: 604

Re: Long-term budgeting for health insurance premiums: Percentage increase?

I guess the next few years will give us a better idea.

In the meantime, did you see this recent nugget on medical spending:
  • "In 2017 it was reported that “Average spending among people who are 64 years old is about 4.8 times as high as average spending among people who are 21 years old,” according to the Congressional Budget Office last year, citing research by actuaries."
    Wiki Medical spending in retirement
by whaleknives
Sun Apr 09, 2017 10:21 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Death of retail/malls to affect REITs?
Replies: 69
Views: 9752

Re: Death of retail/malls to affect REITs?

Or maybe REIT gains will increase, as malls convert to trendy strip shopping hubs.

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by whaleknives
Sun Apr 09, 2017 8:42 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: 3 legs
Replies: 10
Views: 2101

Re: 3 legs

dharrythomas wrote:If you're considering #2, why not just go with Balanced Index? Same assets, one fund.
Lower ER's and adjustable stock/bond ratios.
by whaleknives
Sun Apr 09, 2017 12:17 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Roth IRA Rules Question
Replies: 11
Views: 1067

Re: Roth IRA Rules Question

The IRS says "IF you have taxable compensation and your filing status is married filing jointly AND your modified AGI is $194,000 or more THEN you cannot contribute to a Roth IRA. (IRS Pub 590-A)

Since Fidelity does not do your taxes, I expect the issue would be raised by the IRS when they saw your Form 5498. "A 6% excise tax applies to any excess contribution to a Roth IRA."
by whaleknives
Sun Apr 09, 2017 8:43 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Lies, Damn Lies and Financial Statistics by Coy
Replies: 11
Views: 2640

Re: Lies, Damn Lies and Financial Statistics by Coy

A nice reminder of the limits of backtesting in general, and the perniciousness of overfitting in particular. I wonder, though, if this problem with ETF's wasn't more behavioral: the ease of trading and the failure to buy and hold:
  • "Vanguard, the big investment manager, calculated in 2012 that ETFs did great on their backtests, outperforming the market by 10 percentage points a year on average in the five years before they went live, but then underperformed the market by 1 percentage point a year in the five years afterward."
by whaleknives
Sun Apr 09, 2017 8:10 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Understanding "Balances and Holdings"
Replies: 6
Views: 1028

Re: Understanding "Balances and Holdings"

I though of another question: what do your totals show? Do you have twice as much as you think you should?
by whaleknives
Sat Apr 08, 2017 7:20 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Understanding "Balances and Holdings"
Replies: 6
Views: 1028

Re: Understanding "Balances and Holdings"

tnvu wrote: . . . I am trying to understand my Balances and holdings page. In my nonretirement brokerage account I have my funds, but some funds show up twice. For example:
Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund (Cash)
Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund
What's the difference between the two?
Are the entries for both identical, as far as you see? Since one is labeled "Cash", could it be your sweep account? The duplicate display for no good reason could be an example of Vanguard's brokerage growing pains.
by whaleknives
Sat Apr 08, 2017 7:05 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Social Security MFB for Couple w High/Low Earnings
Replies: 4
Views: 1027

Re: Social Security MFB for Couple w High/Low Earnings

I believe the spousal benefit is based on your FRA amount. It does not increase if you delay claiming. So in your example, the spousal amount stays $1,350 regardless of when you claim. Yes, here's some info on that: Retirement Planner: Benefits For You As A Spouse Note: Your benefits as a spouse do not include any delayed retirement credits your spouse may receive. If you begin receiving benefits: between age 62 and your full retirement age, the amount will be permanently reduced by a percentage based on the number of months up to your full retirement age. if you are under full retirement age and you continue to work while receiving benefits, your benefits may be affected by the retirement earnings test. at your full retirement age, your b...
by whaleknives
Sat Apr 08, 2017 6:53 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Social Security MFB for Couple w High/Low Earnings
Replies: 4
Views: 1027

Re: Social Security MFB for Couple w High/Low Earnings

I remember looking into the Maximum Family Benefit (MFB) when first running the SSA Detailed Calculator (AnyPIA) , since it is one of the outputs. I don't think it will apply at all to a couple with two earnings records, or to a couple with one person taking a higher benefit on a spouse's record. The MFB is intended to limit payments to families with dependents, other than a spouse, who qualify for a SS benefit under a single earnings record: Social Security Handbook 730. Maximum Monthly Benefits Payable on One Earnings Record 730.1 Is There A Maximum Family Benefit On A Social Security Record? Yes. A maximum family benefit is payable on a Social Security record. Generally, no more than the established maximum can be paid to a family, regar...
by whaleknives
Sat Apr 08, 2017 5:06 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 36yo looking for feedback
Replies: 25
Views: 4362

Re: 36yo looking for feedback

Kristen wrote:. . . Whaleknives,
Thanks for pointing that out, have updated with my current asset allocation. I have played with firecalc and I either run out of money in 15 minutes or die with 41 million dollars. Kidding aside, that is part of the reason I have started tracking spending, so that I can get better estimates of how much I need in retirement, and therefore when that could occur. I guess that's all the ocean animals. . .
:thumbsup
by whaleknives
Sat Apr 08, 2017 4:59 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard account - total capital gain in %
Replies: 21
Views: 2400

Re: Vanguard account - total capital gain in %

This is my personal return for all Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTSAX) since inception. The date range shows 08/01/2009 - 04/07/2017, but the return asterisk tells you "*Rate of return as of 03/31/2017". http://i.imgur.com/bjqtBk9.png Here's what's flaky. I did very well last year percentage-wise, but my rate of return is half of yours. I had a good chunk of money invested 10 years ago but "went negative" during 2008-2009 and a little in 2011. So my posted 6.4 % over the last 10 years isn't very informative. I could put everything in MM now and when 10 years is over from going back into positive territory, it will likely say I averaged 12%. Is that very useful? Here's my Vanguard "standard...
by whaleknives
Sat Apr 08, 2017 4:28 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard account - total capital gain in %
Replies: 21
Views: 2400

Re: Vanguard account - total capital gain in %

Vanguard has records of all their customers' transactions, and they do calculate a personal rate of return. Why do you think they can't? Probably because I'm on the old platform because my situation doesn't allow me to upgrade (and I don't want to upgrade). What I see under Account Overview > Personal Performance (in the links at the bottom of the page) is a page with 2 tabs: Personal performance (which shows a graph of all assets for only the last 6 years) and Investment prices and returns (which lists each of my funds' performance (not mine) for YTD, 1-year, 3-year, 5-year and 10-year, even for funds I've only held for a few months). I'm in an old (non-brokerage) account also, and this is what my personal performance tab shows: This is m...
by whaleknives
Sat Apr 08, 2017 3:51 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard account - total capital gain in %
Replies: 21
Views: 2400

Re: Vanguard account - total capital gain in %

celia wrote:How do you expect Vanguard to calculate percentage gains when you add or withdraw money at various times? What if you re-invest dividends vs do something else with them?Unless you put in a lump sum on one day and never touch it, can YOU calculate your percentage gain? I can't.
Vanguard has records of all their customers' transactions, and they do calculate a personal rate of return. Why do you think they can't?

Vanguard says their
  • "Personal performance uses a formula called internal rate of return (IRR), which is a dollar-weighted return. IRR takes into account new money coming into your investment, as well as how long that money has been held."
by whaleknives
Sat Apr 08, 2017 3:19 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard account - total capital gain in %
Replies: 21
Views: 2400

Re: Vanguard account - total capital gain in %

zuma wrote:
whaleknives wrote:
zuma wrote:You should be able to see "Rate of return" on the Personal Performance page. This may or may not be what you want. It's not available for individual holdings, as far as I can tell.
You can see personal rate of return for individual funds on the Personal performance page using View: Holdings, selecting only one fund, and clicking Update chart.
Not for me. When I select only one fund and update the chart, the rate of return number disappears.
How long have you held the fund? See BobbyJoe and whaleknives above.