Search found 903 matches
- Mon Apr 02, 2018 9:51 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Applying some of refund to next year
- Replies: 13
- Views: 850
Re: Applying some of refund to next year
If you use the same tax software this year and next year the software should automatically carry over the prepaid amount (at least turbotax does). I don't pay estimated tax so sometimes if I have a refund coming this year and extra income coming next year I will throw $500-1000 at next year's taxes....
- Sun Mar 18, 2018 12:05 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Tax Question - NJ vs PA + DC vs NY vs PA
- Replies: 7
- Views: 429
Re: Tax Question - NJ vs PA + DC vs NY vs PA
You haven't provided many facts so I would just caution you to be careful about assuming you can decide where you and your wife are resident. You may have researched it thoroughly and reached that conclusion but IME the state laws can be tricky here and one usually has less flexibility than one migh...
- Sat Mar 17, 2018 11:05 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: DAF tax reporting
- Replies: 7
- Views: 318
Re: DAF tax reporting
I think if they were purchased at various dates but all the dates are over a year ago, TT will let you use "various" as the date. (Even if they don't, you could override the form to use that and file a paper return).
- Thu Mar 15, 2018 6:34 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: If you were to fully fund 2 Roths 22k tommorow.
- Replies: 20
- Views: 1407
Re: If you were to fully fund 2 Roths 22k tommorow.
Personally I would put it in a target retirement fund but others will chime in to say you should indicate what the rest of your savings are, where they are invested, and what your preferred asset allocation is.
- Mon Mar 12, 2018 11:42 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Stay in federal employment vs leave for private practice
- Replies: 30
- Views: 2504
Re: Stay in federal employment vs leave for private practice
With 4 kids no way would I do that. Realistically how much time could you spend with/being responsible for your kids?
- Sat Mar 10, 2018 11:01 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Stay in federal employment vs leave for private practice
- Replies: 30
- Views: 2504
Re: Stay in federal employment vs leave for private practice
I guess you could try to cost it out for a better apples to apples comparison but it does not sound to me as though it is worth it (but admittedly I am a little biased against change because of the uncertainties). You will face increased demands, and a huge commute, which have the potential to add a...
- Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:52 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: How many shares of VT can I buy without affecting the price?
- Replies: 20
- Views: 2521
Re: How many shares of VT can I buy without affecting the price?
If you were concerned about it, couldn't you avoid the problem by purchasing the mutual fund and converting to the ETF?
Seems like if there was an effect on share prices from your purchase that would spread it across the entire mutual fund. Or am I thinking about that wrong?
Seems like if there was an effect on share prices from your purchase that would spread it across the entire mutual fund. Or am I thinking about that wrong?
- Thu Mar 01, 2018 9:25 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Nanny Payroll Services - Who do you use?
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1380
Re: Nanny Payroll Services - Who do you use?
I did it myself. My state allowed UI to be paid online each quarter, and for federal I upped my withholding and filed schedule H on my 1040. SSA also lets you file electronically (and even generated a nice W2 for me to give to the employee). I understand not everyone wants to do it themselves, espec...
- Wed Feb 28, 2018 11:01 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Donor Advised Fund (DAF) - Which Company to Use
- Replies: 41
- Views: 3510
Re: Donor Advised Fund (DAF) - Which Company to Use
I don't have experience with the others but I went with Schwab because that's where the securities we wanted to donate were held and we've been happy. It's very nice to think "I'd like to give some loney money to this group" and then I can open up the Schwab app, type in the charity and amount (and ...
- Thu Feb 22, 2018 8:10 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Help invest an extra $5,000 per month
- Replies: 19
- Views: 2324
Re: Help invest an extra $5,000 per month
I agree with backdoor Roths for 2017 and 2018 (I actually wouldn't bother converting until you've made the 2018 contribution and if bonuses might put you over the income limit there's no reason not to err on the safe side and just do a backdoor Roth). I think you have enough that you could sensibly ...
- Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:28 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Anyone use LS & TDF's together for target AA?
- Replies: 6
- Views: 321
- Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:22 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Seeking Cruise Suggestions
- Replies: 36
- Views: 2321
Re: Seeking Cruise Suggestions
I would second Windstar as a possible cruise line (although Azamara and Ponant I think also tend to have interesting cruises). If you sign up for their emails you will see they sometimes have repositioning cruises, where they need to get the ship from the Mediterranean to Asia or North America which...
- Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:55 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Estate Planning RLT vs. Testamentary (Texas)
- Replies: 13
- Views: 820
Re: Estate Planning RLT vs. Testamentary (Texas)
Do you have a mortgage on your residence (and any possibility of refinancing it)? IIRC having property in trust complicates borrowing on it. In general I think living trusts are overrated but it can be state-specific and it sounds like you are at least doing your homework to make an informed decision.
- Sat Feb 17, 2018 10:19 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Rent or Sell - DC Version
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1162
Re: Rent or Sell - DC Version
True, but you just have to live there for 2 of the last 5 years. You can rent for two years, list in spring/summer 2020, and then sell. Because of DC laws I would be cautious about this approach. Which DC law(s)? The ones discussed already-- primarily TOPA but also landlord-tenant law in general. T...
- Sat Feb 17, 2018 12:47 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Rent or Sell - DC Version
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1162
Re: Rent or Sell - DC Version
Because of DC laws I would be cautious about this approach.DVMResident wrote: ↑Fri Feb 16, 2018 12:27 pm
True, but you just have to live there for 2 of the last 5 years. You can rent for two years, list in spring/summer 2020, and then sell.
- Thu Feb 15, 2018 8:15 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Rent or Sell - DC Version
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1162
Re: Rent or Sell - DC Version
We faced a similar decision and decided to sell which for us was probably a financial loser but still the right decision. The questions I'd ask are whether you have considered all the issues related to being a landlord. This is a very good thread, ICYMI https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php...
- Sun Feb 11, 2018 1:06 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Which 529 to use: Nevada, Utah, or Michigan?
- Replies: 5
- Views: 512
Re: Which 529 to use: Nevada, Utah, or Michigan?
I use Utah because of the ability to design your own target date allocation and the low fees (I don't think their fees are higher than NV, & might be lower). I started with them before DFA became available and consider that a bonus.
- Sat Feb 03, 2018 11:21 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Opening an LLC for investing: tax advantages?
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1441
Re: Opening an LLC for investing: tax advantages?
I would at least wait and see what rules come out about this-- without straying into forbidden areas I think it is accurate to say that this possibility was on the minds of Congress and Treasury and they discussed various ways of addressing it(but I admit I can't say I know how it came out in the en...
- Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:05 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Tax help - DAF contribution
- Replies: 31
- Views: 2160
Re: Tax help - DAF contribution
As far as TurboTax, I've noticed that it (along with other tax software) will occasionally ask for information that is not actually needed. They generally show it on a worksheet somewhere but not always. I find it helpful to look at the forms it is producing and see how/if it is used on anything go...
- Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:14 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Tax help - DAF contribution
- Replies: 31
- Views: 2160
Re: Tax help - DAF contribution
This is not tax advice, but IIRC you only need the basis if you owned the shares for less than a year. That said, I would just call VG again and ask.
- Mon Jan 29, 2018 8:20 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: The Value of Your FERS Annuity and Your TSP Investment Strategy
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1196
Re: The Value of Your FERS Annuity and Your TSP Investment Strategy
The TSP's target date funds realize their terminal allocation of 20/80 at the target date, which is much more conservative than even Vanguard's terminal allocation of 30/70, which isn't realized until 7 years after the target date. I've wondered if L funds get so conservative near the target date b...
- Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:53 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: The Value of Your FERS Annuity and Your TSP Investment Strategy
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1196
Re: The Value of Your FERS Annuity and Your TSP Investment Strategy
I think for feds the TSP annuity offers a better approach for converting between lump sum and annual income. I also think he fails to discuss entirely whether feds need to take additional risk by investing heavily in equities. If (!) you can meet your basic needs from your annuity plus social securi...
- Sat Jan 27, 2018 9:47 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Socially responsible bonds
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1004
Re: Socially responsible bonds
I think someone should be able to get advice about how to engage in socially responsible investing without the thread being taken over with 95% responses on why SRI is a bad idea. I don't jump into threads about how to slice and dice portfolios and say three fund is better (and I certainly wouldn't ...
- Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:59 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Help with Real Estate in Montgomery County MD
- Replies: 6
- Views: 560
Re: Help with Real Estate in Montgomery County MD
I would agree with getting a realtor. I'd caution even against letting the neighbor match the bid of other people-- if they want it they should have the highest offer.
- Sat Jan 20, 2018 6:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Discussing a 529 with your kids
- Replies: 79
- Views: 5509
Re: Discussing a 529 with your kids
My kid is only at the start of high school but knows he has a college fund-- we started it pretty much from birth and have discussed it as an example of long term saving we are doing. I think he knows the fund is enough for state school but may or may not be enough for private, but even if it's not ...
- Wed Jan 17, 2018 9:42 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Car Scratch Removal
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1178
Re: Car Scratch Removal
I think Langka makes a pretty good scratch removal kit (and they'll sell you touch up paint too).
- Sat Jan 06, 2018 2:32 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Should I take this promotion?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 2098
Re: Should I take this promotion?
I don't want to minimize the difference between doing "substantive" work and being a manager-- some people are much happier doing one than the other and if you know you never want to manage and this job would be primarily management you shouldn't go for it just because you think you "should". On the...
- Sat Jan 06, 2018 10:21 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Backdoor Roth: How Long To Wait For Conversion?
- Replies: 58
- Views: 14873
Re: Backdoor Roth: How Long To Wait For Conversion?
Since I contributed "only" $5500 to the Traditional IRA prior to conversion I'm technically still not going over the contribution limit, correct? Correct. I'm assuming the IRS rounds to the nearest dollar based on what I've seen on the tax prep software I've used in the past, so $0.14 shouldn't mak...
- Tue Jan 02, 2018 6:43 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Wills and Trusts...
- Replies: 3
- Views: 561
Re: Wills and Trusts...
Get a copy of Willmaker plus (book and software) and write yourself a will.
- Mon Jan 01, 2018 11:18 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Your travel tips for Vienna and Budapest?
- Replies: 23
- Views: 1304
Re: Your travel tips for Vienna and Budapest?
We liked the tour of Parliament in Budapest but it took some effort/planning (ISTR you had to wait in line in the morning to get English language tour tickets, and then come back later in the afternoon).
- Sun Dec 31, 2017 9:21 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Making Roth Conversion Today - how will it be treated?
- Replies: 30
- Views: 1686
Re: Making Roth Conversion Today - how will it be treated?
It is always an option not to try and exploit every dollar of advantage. You are certainly entitled to try and convert the last dollar of the 0% bracket while holding on to your Obamacare subsidies, but complaining that the fund companies don't make it easier for you to do it seems a bit much IMO.
- Fri Dec 29, 2017 10:33 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How many years of deductions for a new DAF?
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1182
Re: How many years of deductions for a new DAF?
Their website still indicates you can contribute Vanguard securities thru Vanguard.com (or a mailed check) until Dec 31
- Fri Dec 29, 2017 12:48 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Donating shares from Vanguard
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1133
Re: Donating shares from Vanguard
OP may still have time to open a donor advised fund with VG shares, but I think that has a $25k minimum (although once you open the account you wouldn't have to contribute the entire $25k in a single year or to a single organization). This is why many people, including me, opt to open a Fidelity DA...
- Fri Dec 29, 2017 12:46 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: New Tax Bill -- Should we open a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) before the end of the year?
- Replies: 67
- Views: 3155
Re: New Tax Bill -- Should we open a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) before the end of the year?
And at POF and gasdoc, yes it is too late to start the DAFs, at least w/ appreciated holdings. When I browsed the FAQ section of the Vanguard Charitable website, it had a list of cut-off dates, and I think it was 12/21 to start it w/ a transfer of holdings. This was the same for Fidelity's DAF. But...
- Fri Dec 29, 2017 10:32 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Donating shares from Vanguard
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1133
Re: Donating shares from Vanguard
OP may still have time to open a donor advised fund with VG shares, but I think that has a $25k minimum (although once you open the account you wouldn't have to contribute the entire $25k in a single year or to a single organization).
- Fri Dec 29, 2017 10:21 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: New Tax Bill -- Should we open a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) before the end of the year?
- Replies: 67
- Views: 3155
Re: New Tax Bill -- Should we open a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) before the end of the year?
I also appreciate the WCF-POF discussion. I think under the circumstances of itemized deductions going away on Monday a DAF is a no brainer for us, but I guess a question for the future is whether we will work consciously to spend it down quickly or not.
- Fri Dec 29, 2017 10:17 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: How many years of deductions for a new DAF?
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1182
Re: Howq many years of deductions for a new DAF?
We will be doing an amount is probably about 7-10 years of past giving, but I have nothing to back that up as the right amount-- just seems like enough that I won't regret adding more or less (plus it happens to be what we have at Schwab, and those are securities I bought long ago and would be just ...
- Thu Dec 28, 2017 11:26 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: New Tax Bill -- Should we open a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) before the end of the year?
- Replies: 67
- Views: 3155
Re: New Tax Bill -- Should we open a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) before the end of the year?
Adding a bit more info on Schwab-- it seems comparable to Fidelity ($100 minimum admin fee, $5k minimum contribution to open, a few low cost investment options, a $50 minimum grant, and no explicit account balance minimum).
- Thu Dec 28, 2017 10:46 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: New Tax Bill -- Should we open a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) before the end of the year?
- Replies: 67
- Views: 3155
Re: New Tax Bill -- Should we open a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) before the end of the year?
Does anyone know the fine print/timing of Schwab's DAF?
Our last managed fund shares are there, but I haven't wanted to sell them because of cap gains, so this might be a good solution to that "problem."
Our last managed fund shares are there, but I haven't wanted to sell them because of cap gains, so this might be a good solution to that "problem."
- Sat Dec 09, 2017 11:16 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Stocks always in taxable for tax efficient investing?
- Replies: 101
- Views: 7590
Re: Stocks always in taxable for tax efficient investing?
For what it's worth, in my Roth I have mostly stocks, in my 401k I have both stocks and bonds according to my general asset allocation, and for taxable I buy index funds and i-bonds (overweighting the i-bonds, which serve as EF as well). My 401k is the large majority of our investments. Personally t...
- Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:50 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Thrift Savings Plan to Change I Fund Index
- Replies: 14
- Views: 2542
Re: Thrift Savings Plan to Change I Fund Index
That is good news. For a while I tried to complete my TSP investment with an emerging markets fund but quickly decided that was not for me 

- Sun Dec 03, 2017 10:22 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Trust or Will
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1896
Re: Trust or Will
I am not sure I understand why the question is being framed as an "either/or". I think you should always have a will if you have a non-negligible amount of assets. Don't forget, if you have any real property which you fail to properly deed into the trust (this can include property you don't know yo...
- Sun Dec 03, 2017 10:16 pm
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Backdoor Roth question, no 401k right now
- Replies: 4
- Views: 356
Re: Backdoor Roth question, no 401k right now
You don't have to do the whole thing, but you will have to pay tax on roughly 95% of whatever you do put in the Roth. Might be better to leave it in the traditional.
- Sun Dec 03, 2017 10:11 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Priority Pass- not quite totally useful
- Replies: 19
- Views: 2222
Re: Priority Pass- not quite totally useful
I don't disagree with you, but I can also say that there have been times when it has been very useful indeed. So I think I'd call it "occasionally pretty nice to have" (which isn't really very different
)

- Wed Oct 25, 2017 9:29 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: No true pay as you go [cellphone plan]
- Replies: 63
- Views: 5999
Re: No true pay as you go [cellphone plan]
what about straight talk? we used to have it
- Sun Oct 15, 2017 8:22 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: Bonds in Taxable or tax advantaged?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1262
Re: Bonds in Taxable or tax advantaged?
Honestly it's never been clear to clear whether bonds belong in tax-deferred or taxable so I don't worry about it -- I buy i-bonds and then have about 10% on my taxable in bonds.
- Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:13 am
- Forum: Investing - Help with Personal Investments
- Topic: $5.5K to invest - best strategy
- Replies: 22
- Views: 1984
Re: $5.5K to invest - best strategy
If you would feel worse in 1o years not investing in bitcoin and having it go up 5x than investing it bitcoin and having it go to 0 and you don't need the money then I could see investing in bitcoin. Otherwise a Roth.
- Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:33 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Bogota and the Coast of Colombia travel
- Replies: 57
- Views: 9218
Re: Bogota and the Coast of Colombia travel
We visited Cartagena and Santa Marta/Tayrona briefly this year but really enjoyed it. Cartagena was hot though, and they said 2 or 3 cruise ships were due in the day we left, which seems like a lot of cruisers in the old city.
- Tue Oct 03, 2017 7:29 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Visiting Paris - should we buy tickets in advance?
- Replies: 37
- Views: 2157
Re: Visiting Paris - should we buy tickets in advance?
I would get Eiffel Tower tix in advance (there can be significant lines for security even if you have timed tix). For other museums I would look into a Paris Museum pass, but you don't need to buy one in advance. You can get them at CDG airport, or at a less crowded museum like the Cluny or St Chape...
- Fri Sep 15, 2017 9:55 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Contemplating an Electric Car
- Replies: 147
- Views: 10875
Re: Contemplating an Electric Car
I have a Spark EV lease and a 240 Volt charger at home. This is a good combo for charging convenience but the car's range has been a limitation for me. if I had 200 miles (vice 80) I would be a happy camper. For ICE we have a small Mazda van. It is absolutely true with a little planning my Wife and...