Search found 1567 matches

by Ice-9
Thu Jun 04, 2020 4:26 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard vs. Fidelity
Replies: 158
Views: 23420

Re: Vanguard vs. Fidelity

I have a Roth IRA at Vanguard and my workplace retirement accounts at Fidelity. Funds tracking the broad market indices recommended on this forum will be similar at Fidelity and Vanguard and anywhere else... S&P 500 Index Total Stock Market Index Total International Index Total Bond Market Index etc. At the moment, Fidelity does have slightly lower expense ratios for most index fund classes, but that's just noise. Vanguard does offer some index funds that Fidelity doesn't, such as a small cap international index fund. So if that interests you, Vanguard may be advantageous. If this interests you, Fidelity does offer the Zero funds, often discussed here, that track Fidelity-maintained indices that are "knock-offs" of more popula...
by Ice-9
Tue Jun 02, 2020 4:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Did you see a drop in your expenses in May?
Replies: 29
Views: 2198

Re: Did you see a drop in your expenses in May?

For more than a decade, I've mostly lived by Boglehead principles. We don't buy luxury items, we invest all we can, we avoid high expenses. The biggest thing I've always pictured most folks on this forum disapproving of from our usual spending is restaurants. We live in a great area to dine out and usually take full advantage. The second biggest area I think we might get Boglehead disapproval would be grocery shopping. For three months, I'm pretty sure our spending would meet even the most frugal Boglehead's standards. :) On Personal Capital, some quick transaction searches reveal restaurant expenses + grocery expenses each of the last three months have been (much) less than either category individually before the pandemic. Purchases at the...
by Ice-9
Fri May 01, 2020 8:40 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is it safe to store financial statements in the cloud?
Replies: 48
Views: 5810

Re: Is it safe to store financial statements in the cloud?

Check out this free service by Fidelity Labs (?)... fidsafe.com Otherwise, if using Dropbox, etc, I would first encrypt the files/folder using something like TrueCrypt.. just make sure that you keep the keys safe on several places (office, home, other relative's PCs). My 2cents. Pax beat me to it, but if using a cloud service like Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or Box Sync, simply keep all sensitive files in an encrypted container and put the encrypted container in your cloud folder. Pax mentioned TrueCrypt, which for years was the go-to, free, strong encryption software. Several years ago, the creator stopped maintaining the project, and another open source developer continued the project as VeraCrypt. So, if you go this route, I'd down...
by Ice-9
Thu Apr 30, 2020 1:00 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: IRS Get My Payment up and running
Replies: 369
Views: 32730

Re: IRS Get My Payment up and running

Here's how my payment went, in case anyone find this helpful:

April 15 - submitted my bank info on the Get My Payment website. They likely didn't have it because I owed in 2019 (which the IRS stated they wouldn't use for direct deposit purposes) and had a refund direct deposited in 2018 to an account that no longer exists.

April 16-25 - checked the site once daily. Always got the same message that they had my deposit information but had not yet scheduled the date of payment.

Sun April 26 - When I logged into the site, it announced that my payment date was scheduled for Thu Apr 30.

Thu April 30 - The payment was indeed direct deposited into my account.
by Ice-9
Tue Apr 28, 2020 3:20 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New 2020 Form W-4
Replies: 7
Views: 1032

Re: New 2020 Form W-4

Have you tried the IRS' calculator?
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-wit ... -estimator

I used it with success in previous years.
by Ice-9
Mon Apr 27, 2020 12:47 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Capital One Bank bonus $450
Replies: 51
Views: 10745

Re: Capital One Bank bonus $450

Are we sure this is for existing customers only? This page appears geared towards at least including new customers (if not aimed at them altogether):
https://www.capitalone.com/score500/
When you open a 360 Performance Savings account, you’ll earn 1.50% APY (Annual Percentage Yield) on any balance—and feel confident your money is secure with FDIC insurance up to the allowable limits.

Plus, now you could earn a $100 cash bonus for every $10,000 you deposit and maintain (up to $500) by May 31, 2020. Here’s what this could look like for you and your money:
by Ice-9
Tue Apr 14, 2020 12:30 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What does it mean to stick to your allocation? - Part 1
Replies: 34
Views: 1226

Re: What does it mean to stick to your allocation? - Part 1

A is maintaining his/her target allocation.

B is accepting an allocation that changes with the market. Or, as others have stated above, possibly B is waiting for a calendar trigger to rebalance.

As long as both are following their IPS, they are both fine. (I personally follow A.)
by Ice-9
Tue Mar 10, 2020 4:06 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: I Bonds are a screaming buy - Tipswatch
Replies: 163
Views: 36774

Re: I Bonds are a screaming buy - Tipswatch

The monthly value of a $25 I Bond is rounded to the nearest penny and larger I Bonds are scalings of this. E.g., each monthly value of a $10,000 I Bond with be 400 times the value of a $25 bond. This is off the topic of the original post, but thank you #Cruncher for solving one of my biggest mysteries about I-Bonds with this tidbit. In the mid-2000s, I converted several paper I-bonds to Treasury Direct. Then I began making small purchases online towards an upper-tier of an emergency fund all the way to today. Treasury Direct separates the two types of I-Bonds into two accounts under the same login, with the former being called "Converted Bonds" on the website. I noticed early on that all of my converted bonds were always full dol...
by Ice-9
Mon Mar 09, 2020 5:17 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Rebalancing early in fearful times
Replies: 17
Views: 1477

Re: Rebalancing early in fearful times

Around 3 pm today I made a copy of my asset allocation spreadsheet and quickly adjusted numbers for the daily moves on ETF versions of my funds.

My rebalancing thresholds are set by Larry Swedroe's 5/25 Rule. My overall stock/bond allocation was almost but not quite there - target 70/30 and I think at something close to 74.6/25.4. But my smaller sub-allocation to Extended Market Index was projecting to be down more than 9% on the day and barely squeaked into rebalance territory.

So I did a small rebalance on just that fund from a bond fund, and the rest of my portfolio will just have to wait until further havoc hits my other various asset classes.
by Ice-9
Fri Mar 06, 2020 10:51 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.
Replies: 129
Views: 11541

Re: Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.

I don't have a large amount of unallocated cash handy, but what little I have I'm throwing in the market.

I haven't yet hit my rebalancing bands (per Swedroe 5/25 rule), so I'm not selling bonds to buy stocks at this point.
by Ice-9
Thu Mar 05, 2020 8:31 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Early sources of 'Bogle's Folly'
Replies: 3
Views: 852

Re: Early sources of 'Bogle's Folly'

If I were on a quest to find an early use of the term, I might start by looking for the June 1975 issue of Fortune Magazine just to see if someone happened to be quoted using it there.
Bogle founded The Vanguard Group in 1974 and started the Vanguard 500 Index Fund (VFINX) (then called the First Index Investment Trust) soon after. The following June, a very prescient story appeared in Fortune: "Index Funds: An Idea Whose Time is Coming."
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-john-b ... ing-world/
by Ice-9
Mon Feb 24, 2020 8:27 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Net worth approaching lifetime earnings. How many years did it take?
Replies: 50
Views: 7085

Re: Net worth approaching lifetime earnings. How many years did it take?

Mid-40's and my net worth is about 65% of lifetime earnings on the Social Security statement. As I added the totals up, it was looking like I might make it to "approaching lifetime earnings" until I added in the last five years, during which I had bigger salary increases. So, I guess I can't complain.
by Ice-9
Sun Feb 23, 2020 8:07 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Early Retirement Now: Do Bonds Really Belong in Retirement Accounts?
Replies: 93
Views: 7616

Re: Early Retirement Now: Do Bonds Really Belong in Retirement Accounts?

In my portfolio, I Bonds serve as an inflation-protected tax-advantaged emergency fund. Should I find myself facing both high unexpected inflation *and* a job market that no longer sustains my income *and* market conditions that batter my portfolio, I Bonds could be just enough to see me through. I'm the same way for my 2008-present I-Bonds. Those are the upper tier of my emergency fund. My 2003 I-Bonds however are earning 1.6% above inflation. They were originally purchased as part of my emergency fund, but once bond rates went so low and old I-bonds became superior fixed income investments, I re-purposed them as part of the fixed income part of my portfolio and let more pedestrian things be my emergency fund. (And every time I mention my...
by Ice-9
Sun Feb 23, 2020 10:48 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Early Retirement Now: Do Bonds Really Belong in Retirement Accounts?
Replies: 93
Views: 7616

Re: Early Retirement Now: Do Bonds Really Belong in Retirement Accounts?

I am unable to fill my available tax-advantaged space each year. Other than Series I savings bonds purchased in the early 2000s (with yields that beat my fixed income options today) which are tax-deferred vehicles until 2033 as long as I don't redeem them early, my retirement savings is entirely tax-advantaged.

So for people like me, I assume the original post of this thread is a moot question.
by Ice-9
Sun Feb 23, 2020 9:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Microsoft OneDrive questions
Replies: 48
Views: 3529

Re: Microsoft OneDrive questions

I keep sensitive documents (anything with account numbers or SS numbers) in a Veracrypt encrypted container on my OneDrive. I try to only work with sensitive info on actual computers anyway rather than a phone or tablet, so this isn't really inconvenient for me. When needed, I can open the container directly on my own computer or on another computer I would download the encrypted container, open it up in Veracrypt, and work with the documents.

The default setting of Veracrypt is to hide the last edited date. I change this in the preferences to allow it to update so OneDrive will know to update the cloud copy of the container.
by Ice-9
Sat Feb 22, 2020 9:38 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How Many Accounts for Cash?
Replies: 52
Views: 5550

Re: How Many Accounts for Cash?

I admire the simplicity of one account, but I admit I am way on the other end of the spectrum. More than a decade ago, I rate-chased for about a year as rates were climbing and banks were competing, and I ended up with a bunch of accounts. Rather than letting all of the non-winning accounts of my rate-chasing contest die, I used some of the ones that remained competitive rate-wise and feature-wise for different purposes. So, three plusses that the OP didn't note for having multiple accounts: 1) More easily visualize your buckets of money for different purposes in the different accounts 2) Less likely to run into the 6-withdrawal monthly limit for savings accounts if the money is split among a few 3) If one account ends up offering a higher ...
by Ice-9
Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:54 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Credit Karma Tax - free and recommended (issues from prior years resolved)
Replies: 15
Views: 1772

Re: Credit Karma Tax - free and recommended (issues from prior years resolved)

mhc wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:43 am I would try it, but it appears to still not support foreign tax credit.
When I used it this year I didn't have a FTC to report myself. But Google tells me it can support it unless Form 1116 is needed (over $600 for MFJ):
Credit Karma Tax supports the Foreign Tax Credit up to $300 for single-person filings, or $600 for married filing jointly, as long as you qualify to claim the Foreign Tax credit without filing Form 1116.

Credit Karma Tax does not currently support Form 1116 or Form 2555. If you need to file either of these forms with your federal return you will not be able to file with Credit Karma Tax.
https://support.creditkarma.com/s/artic ... 099-INT-US
by Ice-9
Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Credit Karma Tax - free and recommended (issues from prior years resolved)
Replies: 15
Views: 1772

Re: Credit Karma Tax - free and recommended (issues from prior years resolved)

I tried Credit Karma Tax for the first time this year after several years of using TaxAct and Turbo Tax. I would describe the user experience as clunkier with more clicking than the other two products and less hand-holding, but I was happy to trade that for free software. I actually did TaxAct in another browser tab, and when the numbers turned out the same (except for rounding), I efiled the free Credit Karma version and quit TaxAct. I posted similar to my above statement on Facebook, along with a link to this blog review: https://www.mymoneyblog.com/credit-karma-tax-review.html For what it's worth, a friend contacted me that he tried it on my recommendation, but it didn't handle his wife's side business income correctly, so he had to go e...
by Ice-9
Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:29 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Microsoft Office free online version
Replies: 14
Views: 1993

Re: Microsoft Office free online version

I believe the OP is speaking of the free online versions of Office products that come with a free outlook.com or Skype or OneDrive account. I use these extensively. I used to use Google Spreadsheets and Google Docs, but have found I prefer the online Microsoft products slightly. The biggest advantage is the file that lives on your synced computer's hard drive is an actual .xlsx or .docx file that can be easily opened offline in any real word processor or spreadsheet program, whereas you'd have the extra step of exporting such a file from the Google software. My use is pretty basic, with some use of formulas in Excel. I wouldn't say I'm the type of user that would test the limits of Word or Excel, but for my use it's fine. I've also been hap...
by Ice-9
Sun Feb 09, 2020 11:10 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: 2020 I Bonds: what's your plan?
Replies: 55
Views: 9780

Re: 2020 I Bonds: what's your plan?

I buy I-Bonds, but not as part of my portfolio. Rather, I slowly over time put the "upper tier" of my emergency fund there. I acknowledge what I put in I-Bonds can't be accessed for 11 months and a couple days (if I buy at the end of the month) and in exchange get for that part of my emergency fund: (1) tax-deferral up to 30 yrs (2) indexed to inflation (3) state-tax free when redeemed (4) a rate that usually remains competitive with other emergency fund options like online savings accounts and CDs (for example, even one's 0% fixed rate I-Bonds are earning 2.02% currently, beating Ally savings account's 1.6% even before taking state-tax-free status into consideration) (5) easy ability to redeem and repurchase at a higher rate if o...
by Ice-9
Sat Feb 08, 2020 10:32 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you buy plastic bags for your home trash bins?
Replies: 99
Views: 9190

Re: Do you buy plastic bags for your home trash bins?

quantAndHold wrote: Fri Feb 07, 2020 9:39 am
black jack wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 10:17 pm Compostable bags sound like a good idea, but if you're tossing them into the regular waste stream where they end up in a landfill, you're wasting your money.
The compostable bags are meant for locations that do food composting. They’re not really useful for anything else. Small and very flimsy. And they won’t break down in a landfill anyway. But they will break down in your home compost pile.
Every time I've seen composting mentioned in a gardening book or website, they specificly warn against including pet waste in compost. So I guess the compostable pet waste bags make little sense then.
by Ice-9
Sat Feb 08, 2020 10:25 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you buy plastic bags for your home trash bins?
Replies: 99
Views: 9190

Re: Do you buy plastic bags for your home trash bins?

Compostable bags sound like a good idea, but if you're tossing them into the regular waste stream where they end up in a landfill, you're wasting your money. The composting process requires oxygen and, for the most part, landfills are sealed, airtight — and therefore oxygen-free — containers within the ground. "Since landfill conditions are generally anaerobic [i.e., without oxygen], these materials do not 'compost'; instead they either persist or break down anaerobically," Peter Canepa, a life cycle assessment specialist with the Department of Environmental Quality in Oregon, told Live Science in an email. [The Science Behind Composting] However, what exactly happens to compostable materials in landfills is up for debate. For th...
by Ice-9
Sat Feb 08, 2020 10:16 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Funny Money [How do you invest your "play money"?]
Replies: 28
Views: 2551

Re: Funny Money [How do you invest your "play money"?]

In the mid-2000s, I had some play money:
* small amounts in a few individual stocks, some of which coordinated with a day-trader friend more for social purposes than investing
* I participated pretty heavily in Prosper P2P loans for a few years

Somewhere around 2008-9 I liquidated my individual stocks and Prosper stopped accepting investors from my State. Ever since, my money has been serious as other Bogleheads above have already described. I also bought a house around that time, and I think that ate up any remaining money that I wasn't previously taking seriously. :happy
by Ice-9
Thu Feb 06, 2020 5:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What is the best concert you ever witnessed?
Replies: 434
Views: 39795

Re: What is the best concert you ever witnessed?

Early 90s, can't remember exact years:
(1) Pink Floyd
(2) Guns N Roses / Metallica
(3) Clash of the Titans (Alice in Chains opening for Anthrax, Megadeth, and Slayer)
by Ice-9
Thu Feb 06, 2020 4:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you buy plastic bags for your home trash bins?
Replies: 99
Views: 9190

Re: Do you buy plastic bags for your home trash bins?

Like many above, we use tall kitchen bags for the main trash can and grocery bags for the bathroom/other small cans. However, I'm considering a change. I used to use most of the grocery bags for picking up our dog's waste on walks. A few months ago, I realized I've likely created thousands of impenetrable plastic bubbles of dog poop in the County's landfill. I discovered compostable pet waste bags on Amazon that weren't too expensive and have been happily using them ever since. We're trying to use up our existing stash of plastic grocery bags up on the bathroom trash can, but every so often I forget to bring reusable bags to the grocery store and end up bringing more home more than enough to replace what we use. But, whenever the day comes ...
by Ice-9
Fri Jan 10, 2020 4:59 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Net Worth ??
Replies: 129
Views: 14341

Re: Net Worth ??

I have used net worth calculations for two purposes so far in life:
(1) track financial progress
(2) provide financial information on adoption applications

Neither of the above uses of net worth seemed to demand tax liability be figured into the number.

Now, when I run Firecalc (which uses my portfolio balance which is only a subset of my net worth), I use the portfolio balance without tax liability. But I factor into my annual spending expected taxes, which I rightly or wrongly assume at this point to be similar to my taxes today. I'm not expecting to retire for two decades, so such assumptions are fine for me nowadays.
by Ice-9
Tue Jan 07, 2020 1:10 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Business credit card rules?
Replies: 27
Views: 7854

Re: Business credit card rules?

In the mid-2000s, I was getting all sorts of credit card offers in the mail and decided to play the "try-to-optimize-cashback" game. I seemed to have every significant spending category covered by one card or another except for restaurants. I had avoided the only mail solicitation I was getting for restaurant cashback because it was for a Business Card. After getting several advertisements, I finally decided to give them a call. Went something like: "Hi, you keep sending me ads for a Business Card. I like the 3% cashback at restaurants, but I don't own a business. Can I still get the card?" "Sure, let me set that up for you right now. We'll call the name of your business your first and last name." Still have th...
by Ice-9
Sun Dec 29, 2019 2:08 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Tipranks
Replies: 11
Views: 1118

Re: Tipranks

Tipranks looks like a site for individual stock recommendations. This forum is geared towards passive investors who mostly prefer broad market index funds rather than picking individual stocks. Most readers of this forum probably wouldn't read a site like tipranks.
by Ice-9
Sat Dec 14, 2019 2:40 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Do TIPS work? How do we know?
Replies: 168
Views: 11396

Re: Do TIPS work? How do we know?

That being said, TIPS only 'hedge' the funds used to buy the TIPS, not the rest of your portfolio. This is a critical point lost on many people. This fact makes TIPS a poor hedge against inflation for the overall portfolio unless most of the portfolio is invested in TIPS. Right. That's why I have always wondered why many folks say they have 15% (or whatever) position in TIPS just in case there is unexpected inflation. I haven't read through the entire thread and am not sure who else may have responded to this. But, as I have exactly a 15% allocation to TIPS, I wanted to chime in. My 30% fixed income allocation is split 50/50 between nominal bonds and inflation-linked bonds. I aim for the least risky treasury bonds on both sides, with the n...
by Ice-9
Fri Dec 06, 2019 10:20 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Downsizing CDs, Tapes Etc.
Replies: 50
Views: 4811

Re: Downsizing CDs, Tapes Etc.

I've found most radio stations I try to listen to on my Echo are there if I ask, "Alexa play WKRP" (insert actual call letters.)

If I try by common name of the radio station, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. If I ask for Bloomberg radio, for example, for some reason it wants to play the San Francisco station instead of the DC station. So, try using call letters. (If you want me to test on my Alexa, please post the call letters here.)
by Ice-9
Tue Dec 03, 2019 2:53 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Chase Freedom Q4 category - how to use? [2019]
Replies: 55
Views: 38861

Re: Chase Freedom Q4 category - how to use? [2019]

Also, as today is Giving Tuesday, thought I'd mention that many, many charities accept PayPal, and I can confirm that Chase gives you the 5% cashback on such donations.

If a charity doesn't accept PayPal on their website, if they are acknowledged as a charity on Facebook you can donate via a Facebook Fundraiser and use PayPal as your payment option. I can confirm that Chase also gives you the 5% cashback in this scenario. And Facebook was matching donations today, if I remember correctly.
by Ice-9
Thu Nov 21, 2019 12:44 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: First Foundation Bank 2.4% Savings
Replies: 12
Views: 2051

Re: First Foundation Bank 2.4% Savings

I made five attempts to open a First Foundation Bank savings account online on November 13, but my applications were rejected each time with the following message: "We were unable to identify you. Thank you for inquiring about an account with First Foundation Bank. Unfortunately, we are unable to approve and process your application due to the following reasons: Unable to Verify Identity" I called First Foundation and was told to try a different web browser, try applying with and without my middle name, check all entries carefully, etc. I also tried applying by including an uploaded copy of my driver's license. Five attempts, five rejections. Each time I received an email from First Foundation telling me to contact either of the ...
by Ice-9
Thu Nov 14, 2019 3:33 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Are complicated credit card cash back strategies worth it?
Replies: 131
Views: 30632

Re: Are complicated credit card cash back strategies worth it?

I will admit my own cashback strategy has gotten a bit complicated. I think the worst part is keeping track of two cards that have seasonal 5% cashback categories that change. If someone starting their own strategy from scratch asked me what I recommend, I'd probably say avoid the quarterly category cards. The following 3-card cashback strategy would be simple to implement and, to answer the OP's question, would be worth it for a large segment of the population: (1) Chase Amazon Prime 5% - assuming one uses Amazon regularly, just set it up once on Amazon's website and all your Amazon purchases earn 5% thereafter (2) AMEX Bluecash Preferred - 6% on streaming services (similarly set up just once on the services' respective websites), 6% at gr...
by Ice-9
Tue Nov 12, 2019 11:19 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is LastPass still top in security, any reason to switch?
Replies: 47
Views: 7229

Re: Is LastPass still top in security, any reason to switch?

My recommendation is to write down financial services (e.g. banks and brokerage firms --- not so much CC companies) passwords in a safe place at home, and use LastPass for everything else. A paper with written passwords presents new vulnerabilities. I recommend a digital record of the passwords separate from the password manager that is kept in an encrypted file or container. Such a spreadsheet can actually be exported directly from LastPass or most other password managers and then placed in an encrypted volume. Not sure why would anyone need to back up his passwords. If I lost a password (that is saved in my password manager), I would simply click "forgot password" at the website I want to access and follow the prompts. In addit...
by Ice-9
Tue Nov 12, 2019 10:00 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is LastPass still top in security, any reason to switch?
Replies: 47
Views: 7229

Re: Is LastPass still top in security, any reason to switch?

Helo80 wrote: Mon Nov 11, 2019 4:45 pm My recommendation is to write down financial services (e.g. banks and brokerage firms --- not so much CC companies) passwords in a safe place at home, and use LastPass for everything else.
A paper with written passwords presents new vulnerabilities. I recommend a digital record of the passwords separate from the password manager that is kept in an encrypted file or container. Such a spreadsheet can actually be exported directly from LastPass or most other password managers and then placed in an encrypted volume.
by Ice-9
Thu Nov 07, 2019 3:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: "Beer Money" Methods
Replies: 54
Views: 8880

Re: "Beer Money" Methods

Here's mine: (1) Cashback credit cards optimized - 6% on a few things with AMEX, 3%-5% on some other things with other cards, and 2% on everything else with Citi Doublecash - totals close to $2000 per year (2) My work implements the Virgin Pulse app for health. For counting steps, reading health tips, monthly weigh-in and blood pressure check, etc, I get $85 each quarter, and they usually throw in an extra $10 somewhere throughout the year, so I get $350/yr (3) GetUpside app - originally was just in our Washington DC market, but has expanded to several metro areas. Cashback for taking a pic of receipt and uploading when shopping at their partner gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants. Mostly, I use this for grocery stores. This is th...
by Ice-9
Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:10 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Wallets [Do you carry a wallet?]
Replies: 109
Views: 18496

Re: Wallets [Do you carry a wallet?]

I'm a veteran of playing the credit card cashback optimization game, which means a number of cards to cover various categories of purchases, and I've been enjoying using Apple Pay to be able to easily switch between software versions of my cards to free myself of carrying all of them. However, like several posters above, I don't like the idea of putting important physical cards including driver's license in a sleeve attached to my phone. Instead, for a couple years, I've been using a slim "minimalist" wallet similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06ZYF34V9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 The smaller wallet is great for license, insurance card, a couple credit cards that I want to use at places that...
by Ice-9
Sun Oct 20, 2019 8:38 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Capital One 360 shaking up savings accounts
Replies: 61
Views: 26800

Re: Capital One 360 shaking up savings accounts

I have a savings account at 360 with basically nothing in it and another for my son. It's a joint account, but he is the owner. I'm wondering how complicated it would be to open similar accounts at the higher rate? Anyone who opened an account know if the application had information for creating a joint account like that? I just opened one of these but was not able to add my wife because although she is joint owner on our capital one checking and savings accounts, she does not have a capital one 360 account. Seems strange to me and haven’t quite figured a way around this yet. OP here. The first Performance account I opened a month ago was to replace our main savings account where money went before being used to pay bills. It had been a joi...
by Ice-9
Tue Oct 15, 2019 4:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: coin collection - sell or keep?
Replies: 17
Views: 3309

Re: coin collection - sell or keep?

JM Bullion and APMEX are two reputable online dealers. Wouldn't hurt to look up on their websites what they might pay you for them.

https://www.jmbullion.com/sell-to-us/

https://www.apmex.com/sell-gold-sell-silver-overview
by Ice-9
Tue Oct 15, 2019 1:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Safe Harbor through Withholding
Replies: 22
Views: 1487

Re: Safe Harbor through Withholding

Regarding your questions (a) and (c):

(1) If you happen to have an inherited IRA at Vanguard or other brokerage with similar features, you could make a withdrawal and withhold 100%, effectively making a payment to the IRS.

(2) While I've never personally used it, this IRS page discusses an online payment method called Direct Pay: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/taxpayers- ... f-the-year. On the link, for "estimated tax" it says:
Make estimated tax payments in advance of the timely filing of your return.
You don't have to indicate the month or quarter associated with each payment.
Depending on your income, your payment may be due quarterly, or as calculated on Form 1040-ES.
by Ice-9
Mon Oct 14, 2019 11:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: I-Bonds for emergency fund, now or wait?
Replies: 22
Views: 3726

Re: I-Bonds for emergency fund, now or wait?

I like optimization as much as the rest of them, but I find it kind of amusing how much hemming and hawing there is about when to buy iBonds theoughout the year. On each individual’s 10K, even the 0.5% fixed rate is about $50 per year. If iBonds are to truly matter for a portfolio one must buy every year over an extended period of time. You will win some, you will lose some from a timing perspective. The value is really liquid inflation protection, at such small levels of fixed above inflation it hardly matters given purchase limits. I don't really consider my I-Bonds purchaed in the last decade as part of my portfolio. They're the cash I don't need for a least a year after I buy them, the top tier of my emergency fund, that after five yea...
by Ice-9
Mon Oct 14, 2019 5:08 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is class action settlement taxable income?
Replies: 8
Views: 983

Re: Is class action settlement taxable income?

I've always included class action settlements in miscellaneous income. Quick Google Search seems to agree it's usually taxable. The major exception is damages for physical injury or physical sickness.

However, I tried Googling the major tax software names and "report class action settlement" and can't seem to come up with definitive instructions from any of them if no 1099 was issued. For what it's worth, here's what TaxAct said: https://www.taxact.com/support/802/2017 ... nd-damages
by Ice-9
Mon Oct 14, 2019 4:46 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: I-Bonds for emergency fund, now or wait?
Replies: 22
Views: 3726

Re: I-Bonds for emergency fund, now or wait?

I'm buying the I-bonds with fixed rate 0.5% which is between current real yield on 20-yr and 30-yr TIPS before the end of October.
https://www.treasury.gov/resource-cente ... =realyield

If by some crazy miracle I-Bond yields don't drop Nov 1, just buy more on Jan 1.
by Ice-9
Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:19 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Fidelity to $0 Commissions
Replies: 87
Views: 12875

Re: Fidelity to $0 Commissions

I always preferred Vanguard and have my Roth there, but my larger workplace accounts are at Fidelity. Ten years ago, I addressed this by: * setting up BrokerageLink self-directed brokerage window at Fidelity * directing bi-weekly contributions to Fidelity (then "Spartan") index funds, which did not have as favorable ER as Vanguard's * for asset classes where I really preferred Vanguard's offering, once a year I'd take everything over Fidelity's minimum fund balance and send it to the equivalent Vanguard ETF, eating the $7 commission just once per asset class per year Since then: * Fidelity offered iShares ETFs commission-free, so I replaced many ETFs with those * Fidelity started offering some more competitive index funds, so I ma...
by Ice-9
Wed Oct 02, 2019 5:53 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Video Doorbell without monthly Subscription
Replies: 9
Views: 2251

Re: Video Doorbell without monthly Subscription

Ring charges $3 per device per month. The $10 per month would cover any number of devices including alarm monitoring. If all you had was a video doorbell, then the $3/month would be the way to go to get the videos accessible for 60 days. You can still have the video doorbell to answer via intercom, etc, without subscription but wouldn't have the vids saved to the server for 60 days like with the $3 subscription.
by Ice-9
Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:52 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Chase Freedom Q4 category - how to use? [2019]
Replies: 55
Views: 38861

Re: Chase Freedom Q4 category - how to use? [2019]

When drugstores are included for the category, I grab gift cards for other retailers. Home Depot, Amazon, restaurants. Amazon was/is useful for holiday times, I ship items right to the recipient. CVS, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, I've never had a problem. That's a good idea. I'll keep an eye out for that. Some gas stations also have convenience stores attached, and will sell Amazon and other gift cards (for current quarter). Mind blown. I've done the gift card thing late in the quarter when groceries or drug stores were the category, but with the tiny gas stations near me I never thought of that. Will be trucking it a few extra miles in the next couple of days to one with a nice convenience store attached now. Already have 5% at Amazon on another ...
by Ice-9
Tue Sep 24, 2019 5:28 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Chase Freedom Q4 category - how to use? [2019]
Replies: 55
Views: 38861

Re: Chase Freedom Q4 category - how to use? [2019]

arf30 wrote: Tue Sep 24, 2019 4:08 pm The fact that only the first $1500 earns the 5% cashback is why I never bothered with these cards, I'm surprised they're so popular.
Well that works out to $500 per month on just one category of spending.

Everyone's spending is different, but the only times I've surpassed the quarterly limit with these cards is when the seasonal category is either restaurants or groceries, and if that happens we just use my wife's Chase Freedom or Discover It card the rest of the quarter as we both have them. We've never come close to going over the full $3k per quarter as a couple.
by Ice-9
Tue Sep 24, 2019 6:41 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Letter from Amex - scam?
Replies: 34
Views: 10946

Re: Letter from Amex - scam?

Each state has a website where you can search for unclaimed money that may eventually go to the state: https://www.unclaimed.org/ On that page they also link to the https://missingmoney.com website which attempts to search one name across multiple states. Every couple years this topic comes up on some message board or blog, and I enter my name at the above link and no soup for me. But then I type in a few friends' names and there's always one or two I get to inform, "Hey, go to your State's Unclaimed Property website and search on your name and follow the directions." One friend got $200 from the District of Columbia for what I believe was some sort of unusual retirement account at a job she worked at for only a short period more ...
by Ice-9
Mon Sep 23, 2019 3:10 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Chase Freedom Q4 category - how to use? [2019]
Replies: 55
Views: 38861

Re: Chase Freedom Q4 category - how to use?

For many years, I distrusted PayPal for experiences in the previous decade. In early 2019, I got over it, as a number of friends prefer to send money that way, and I also participate in a cashback program for which PayPal is the most convenient way to receive my cash. I learned it's actually a neat way to make online credit card purchases without giving up your credit card number - similar to the motivation to use virtual online account numbers that some cards offer, but with any card connected to PayPal. In Q3 of 2019, Discover It card offered a similar PayPal option for 5% cashback along with restaurants. I let my wife use her Discover card for our restaurants all quarter, and I connected mine to PayPal. She wanted a few items from Macy's...