Search found 31 matches

by lateregistration
Sun Nov 18, 2018 9:38 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New job concerns
Replies: 52
Views: 6641

Re: New job concerns

Just a quick point:

I have every intention of working well over 40 hours. The flexibility is simply around departure time and where I do the remainder of my work. I agree that expecting to “do your job” only from 8-4 is a fantasy. That’s not at all what I’m saying. I’ve already said I’m able to work on the train, after I get home, and during weekends. My issue is that I’m not being given an opportunity to do that. I’m concerned about the lack of transparency with respect to why there’s suddenly lots of backtracking on working remotely outside of core business hours. In my mind, simply following through with getting me a laptop solves most of the problem. We conduct all of our business via email, conference call, etc.
by lateregistration
Fri Nov 16, 2018 4:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New job concerns
Replies: 52
Views: 6641

Re: New job concerns

My gut feel is that you are not handling this well. You should have already talked to your manager and either come to agreement of if you could not agree then you should have voluntarily left right away if that is an option for you or you should be working the extra hours they want while you look for another job. Leaving a job voluntarily after a short time can usually be explained OK, getting fired after a short time in a new job could put you in a bad position. I don’t disagree. I’m not incredibly pleased with how I’m handling it either. However, I’m trying to cut myself some slack: it’s a brand new situation, I left a comfort zone of 5+ years, I’ve been thrown into a tough job with a lot of responsibilities, and I had no up front eviden...
by lateregistration
Fri Nov 16, 2018 4:05 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New job concerns
Replies: 52
Views: 6641

Re: New job concerns

Here’s the update: my gut told me the best way to handle it was to say nothing this week and arrive/leave at the same times and wait to see what the response was. By Wednesday, my manager brought it up. She relayed a story about something that occurred the prior evening after I left and said something to the effect of, “I know you were gone. I do think you’ll want to think about staying later so that you don’t miss these things.” I offered a non-response, neither committing to doing so nor saying I couldn’t. Today, she was more direct and asked if I would commit to staying later next week. We had already planned to meet on Monday, so she mentioned that she wanted to “discuss in more detail” then. I have still not been given a laptop. If I h...
by lateregistration
Sun Nov 11, 2018 11:18 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Another 401(k) selection check
Replies: 2
Views: 306

Another 401(k) selection check

I'll be enrolling in my new company's 401(k) this week and wanted to get some ideas for fund selection/allocation. Here are the choices and expense ratios (sorry for the formatting). I'm thinking I might select Vanguard Total Stock Market IP (VSMPX), Vanguard Explorer Adm (VEXRX), and Vanguard Bal Index Inst (VBAIX). I'm in my mid 30's and am behind on retirement saving. My goal is to contribute somewhere around 12% per pay period and increase accordingly as my future earnings increase. What would be an appropriate allocation? Name/Inception Date Asset Class Category Gross Expense Ratio** DIVERSIFIED BALANCED FUNDS - TRP RETIRE 2005 F 01/13/2012 Blended Fund Investments* N/A 0.43% TRP RETIRE 2010 F 01/13/2012 Blended Fund Investments* N/A 0...
by lateregistration
Wed Nov 07, 2018 3:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New job concerns
Replies: 52
Views: 6641

Re: New job concerns

Lots of good questions/advice, so I’ll address the questions. It’s a salaried position. The company’s “standard” schedule is 9-5 with a 1 hour lunch. In effect, that makes it a 7 hour “working” day. My department apparently operates differently (9-6), which I wasn’t told during the hiring process. I do get in at 8:30 and leave between 4:15-4:20. I do not take anything close to a “lunch.” It’s usually a quick run for coffee (10-15 minutes) and then I eat my prepared food from home at my desk. I was supposed to get a laptop right after starting, but that hasn’t happened. I can absolutely put an extra hour or two in at home most nights. I’ve alluded to that already, but I get the impression that they physically want me there to supervise the n...
by lateregistration
Wed Nov 07, 2018 6:49 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New job concerns
Replies: 52
Views: 6641

New job concerns

I started a new job two weeks ago and have a few concerns, and I was hoping to get some advice on options for addressing these concerns. Heading in to the job, I was assured by HR, my manager, and the VP of my department that there would be schedule flexibility. I’m commuting via train and have an hour ride each way. Although I had reservations about the commute, the significant increase in salary and better job fit made the decision to accept the job much easier. More importantly, I was told that I could work from home once per week and my departure time on other days would be flexible. Based on the train schedule, I’ve been taking a 7:15 to work each morning and then a 4:30 home. What I learned during my first week was that my department ...
by lateregistration
Thu Oct 11, 2018 5:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Will I lose full student loan interest deduction in 2019?
Replies: 1
Views: 446

Will I lose full student loan interest deduction in 2019?

This question applies to 2019 taxes. I’m currently getting the full student loan deduction of $2,500. In 2019, however, my income is going to increase by a significant amount. My gross salary will be $78,000 (has been ~$50-53,000 for the last three years). I understand that student loan interest is not deductible if your MAGI is above $80,000, but I’m trying to nail down the particulars about partial phaseouts. I expect to contribute about $9,000 to my 401 k pre-tax. The company will also deduct about $3,000 for insurance annually. Finally, I can pay for transit pre-tax up to $255 per month ($3,060 annually). With that in mind, that would make my hypothetical MAGI around $63,000. Do I have to add back in the student loan deduction, though? ...
by lateregistration
Thu Sep 27, 2018 3:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Update and new strategy
Replies: 3
Views: 640

Re: Update and new strategy

Olemiss540 wrote: Thu Sep 27, 2018 1:11 pm I would knock the student loans out ASAP. Consider keeping a 7k EF and then try and get the loans kicked in the next 14-16 mo! Congrats.
Very tempted to do that. I’m sure it would feel nice to have that debt gone as quickly as possible. Knowing that I’m behind in retirement savings, would you cut out the IRA contributions? Part of my reasoning for that was to also get the benefit of the deduction.
by lateregistration
Thu Sep 27, 2018 12:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Update and new strategy
Replies: 3
Views: 640

Update and new strategy

Wanted to post an update on this topic: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=259348 On Monday, I formally accepted the job offer. Currently waiting for the standard background/credit checks to clear. After that, I'll give my notice. It looks like my tentative start date will be late October. As I look forward to that, I want to use the next few weeks to put together a plan that reflects the upcoming change in my financial situation. When I first joined the forum a little over a year ago, I was still in credit card debt, had a tiny emergency fund, wasn't contributing to my 401k or any other retirement vehicles, and had an inconsistent budget. I'm happy to report that I'm in much better shape now. Credit card debt: $0 Emer...
by lateregistration
Fri Sep 21, 2018 9:23 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New job offer
Replies: 14
Views: 2255

Re: New job offer

The new job will be located in Boston, which is about 45 miles away. To get there, I'd use the commuter rail. I am going to offer the dissenting opinion. I live 30 miles from Boston, and there is no way could get there in under 1:45 each way on public transit. Since you currently have a 10 minute commute we are not talking "just an extra hour" here..You are going to be spending 4 hours a day commuting on average... occasionally 5+ in the winter when snow causes a cancellation. And probably spend $5k a year on T passes and train station parking. Be REALLY sure you are prepared to handle that. I actually QUIT my job when my employer announced they where moving their office from the 128 belt to downtown. Having said all that, if you...
by lateregistration
Thu Sep 20, 2018 2:30 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New job offer
Replies: 14
Views: 2255

Re: New job offer

Got my formal offer letter today. I have a week to officially accept or decline. Learned a few more details: - Total monthly deductions for health, dental, and vision will be $35-40 increase from my current benefits (plans are almost identical) - There is a commuter benefit that allows up to a $250 allowance for cost of train to be deducted pre-tax - In addition to the standard 401k and profit sharing plan, there is a contribution account that kicks in after 1 year: company will contribute 2% of base salary each pay period into 401k Regarding taxes, I had been managing my 401k contributions and allowances pretty closely to ensure I was on track for +-$100 for 2018 tax liability. If I take the job, I'll have to play around with the W-4 calcu...
by lateregistration
Wed Sep 19, 2018 4:28 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New job offer
Replies: 14
Views: 2255

Re: New job offer

To answer a few questions that were asked: No spouse or kids and no immediate plans to have kids. I live with my girlfriend, who is currently in graduate school. She is on campus teaching 3 days per week. Her days are roughly 8-1 p.m. I currently work 9-6:30 (part of the reason for me looking for a new job is the lack of flexibility with hours/extra time spent at the office), so I'm actually going to be home earlier with the new job even factoring in the train commute! I'll really only be losing an hour in the morning. Currently, I'm using that hour to go to the gym. With the new job, I'd just switch my gym time to after work. If my current employer offered me $70K, it'd make this a much tougher call. If I go through with giving notice, I'l...
by lateregistration
Wed Sep 19, 2018 2:08 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New job offer
Replies: 14
Views: 2255

New job offer

After several months of dipping my feet in the water and half-heartedly looking for a new position, I committed to a job search. The effort has paid off: I received a verbal offer today that represents a $25K jump in base salary from my current position. I'm obviously very excited, but am quickly transitioning into planning and number crunching. Overall, it would seem to be a no brainer to accept the offer, but there are a few considerations. I'm hoping to use this thread to make sure I consider as many implications as possible and give myself peace of mind over the final decision I make to accept or decline. As I see it, I need to consider: commute and related expenses, benefits comparison, 401K comparison, and tax impact for this year/nex...
by lateregistration
Sat Jul 28, 2018 12:09 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Financial/Regulatory compliance career pathing
Replies: 0
Views: 446

Financial/Regulatory compliance career pathing

For the last five years, I've managed an operations team in a mutual fund client support center. My parent company is a megacorp, but I'm stuck in a low-growth position. To advance my career and earning potential, I've been looking at ways to use my experience and skillset to transition into another role. While I'm open to different career paths and industries, it's finally started to hit me that there's a related area that I find interesting, challenging, and happens to pay well and have tons of opportunities. That would be some type of compliance role, be it AML, CDD (customer due diligence), etc. My employer hires for these positions several times per year, the only problem being that the roles are based in other geographic locations (we...
by lateregistration
Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:32 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: SoFi refinancing
Replies: 7
Views: 1157

SoFi refinancing

For background, this is where I started: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=221806&p=3420177#p3420177 About 9 months later, I'm happy to report that I'm free of credit card debt, have $4000 in my emergency fund, and have been contributing 5% to my 401K to get the full employer match. I also started contributing $100 a month to a Roth IRA, which allows me the opportunity to get some growth and use the contributions as a second layer EF. That's the good news. The bad news is that I still have my ~$40,000 student loan to deal with. As I mentioned in the first thread, my interest rate with Fed Loan Servicing is 7.25%. I'm currently paying $300 a month. The recommendation was to eventually refinance through a lender lik...
by lateregistration
Thu Mar 01, 2018 5:11 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 2018 Updated IRS Withholding Calculator Released
Replies: 32
Views: 4714

Re: 2018 Updated IRS Withholding Calculator Released

Do these numbers look accurate or should I be reflecting the bonus differently? Is $55,000 the correct figure to use or should I subtract the pre-tax benefits? I'm concerned that I should drop withholding to "3" or potentially face an underpayment. I don't know if it makes any difference in the end "expected tax" number, but I put the bonus amounts under the "Total earned income other than salary" heading (along with stock grants). Also, you put in the gross salary amount under "total salary" (along with life insurance costs that are shown on your paystub), but then you put the pre-tax expenses (health insurance, etc) under the "Total plans and cafeteria" heading. So I think that you did th...
by lateregistration
Thu Mar 01, 2018 12:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 2018 Updated IRS Withholding Calculator Released
Replies: 32
Views: 4714

Re: 2018 Updated IRS Withholding Calculator Released

I had a question regarding how to handle bonuses, as well. I tried to plug my numbers into the calculator and came up with this: Based on the information you previously entered, your anticipated income tax for 2018 is $4,265. If you do not change your current withholding arrangement, you will have $4,029 withheld for 2018 leaving $236 due when you file your return. You should adjust your withholding on a new Form W-4 as follows: • For the only job you entered (which has a projected salary of $55,000): 4 allowances. •Check the “Single” box on your Form W-4 Filing Status: single Someone else can claim you as a dependent: no Number of jobs: 1 Number of dependents: 0 Will you be 65 or older 1/1/2019: no Are you blind: no Child & dependent c...
by lateregistration
Fri Nov 03, 2017 12:18 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help with career direction
Replies: 13
Views: 2372

Re: Help with career direction

OP, https://www.betterworldbooks.com/Please-Understand-Me--Character-and-Temperament-Types-id-9780960695409.aspx I would recommend that you read this book and take a Myer-Briggs Type Indicator test. I believe you have a fundamental problem. You do not know what you are and what you are good at. And, where you can succeed. 1) No, it is not necessary for you to be technical to make a lot of money. 2) You dislike certain kind of stress. But, some other kinds of the environment of might be stressful to others could be not stressful to you. 3) How old are you? There are employers where their business culture call for pure business/people and non-technical manager to manage their technical SME. Do not look for what you do not have. Look at what ...
by lateregistration
Fri Nov 03, 2017 8:52 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help with career direction
Replies: 13
Views: 2372

Re: Help with career direction

Hi all, It's been a little over 90 days since I posted this and I wanted to share a few updates. I've been conducting an active job search, which has yielded some results but not landed me anything yet. The good news is that I've been a finalist for three positions, all of which paid in the $65-75K range. Unfortunately, I was not selected for any of them. I did get a moral boost of getting positive feedback about my interview skills and personal qualities, for what it's worth, but moral victories aren't what I'm looking for. I remain in my current role at my company, but my business unit has seen a lot of changes in rapid fire fashion. Based on a recent conversation with my boss, it's absolutely clear to me that I'm stuck in my role and a p...
by lateregistration
Fri Sep 01, 2017 11:51 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Facing a setback
Replies: 19
Views: 2889

Re: Facing a setback

Don't feel bad about using the money you have saved for this purpose. Where would you be if you did not have the savings ? I have owned a couple of Volvo's. They are just expensive cars to repair in comparison to US cars. Just about every time I put "it" into the shop it's $1000. I would definitely try and find a reliable independent repair shop that works on Volvo's. They will be cheaper than a dealership. I would be caustious using a repair shop that does not know Volvo's. The foreign cars are just different. I would be cautious having it towed again. (wasted $). Your 2nd opinion is costing you $80 (towing fee). Have the tire fixed, put oil in it and drive it over to the shop. (unless the oil pan has a major leak and it would h...
by lateregistration
Fri Sep 01, 2017 11:35 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Facing a setback
Replies: 19
Views: 2889

Re: Facing a setback

barnaclebob wrote: Fri Sep 01, 2017 11:28 am What kind of car is it? Some oil pans can be easy to change yourself and can be done with minimal tools in a couple hours time. If you just cant do DIY ask if the pan can be welded instead of replaced and if he can show you the leak or take pictures to show you if you aren't allowed in the shop.
It's a Volvo V50. The first shop said it was "split." There's been a lot of road work/construction in my area, and I am forced to drive over potholes, manhole covers, grooved pavement, etc. on a daily basis. There's actually not a way out of my street that isn't littered with one or all of these things.
by lateregistration
Fri Sep 01, 2017 11:11 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Facing a setback
Replies: 19
Views: 2889

Re: Facing a setback

Update: I walked away from the first shop with a $30 invoice. I had the car towed to another shop for $80. The owner of the second shop was recommended by a family member. After talking to him briefly on the phone, he let me know that he'd do a diagnostic free of charge and would give me a "good discount" on any work he does. We'll see what happens. I hope the engine is still in good shape. As long as it is, I'll use my EF to pay the bill. If there are any other significant problems, I'll have to consider other options.
by lateregistration
Thu Aug 31, 2017 9:27 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Facing a setback
Replies: 19
Views: 2889

Re: Facing a setback

randomizer wrote: Thu Aug 31, 2017 9:21 pm
lateregistration wrote: Thu Aug 31, 2017 9:19 pm A. Have the shop do the work and pay for it with either my emergency fund (this would totally deplete it)
I don't know which option I would go for, but you should not feel bad about using your emergency fund to cover emergencies. That is what it is for, after all.
You're right. My fear is that then it's gone in an instant and I could be faced with another car emergency in 6 months. I think the dilemma is that the car is heading into territory where I might reasonably have to sink significant sums of money into it once in a while. Not having built a big enough EF has obviously really handicapped me.
by lateregistration
Thu Aug 31, 2017 9:19 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Facing a setback
Replies: 19
Views: 2889

Facing a setback

Hoping to get some advice and opinions about how to approach a time sensitive situation I find myself in. My background is here: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=221806&p=3420177#p3420177 As of today, I've paid off the first credit card, increased my 401K contribution to 5%, added a few hundred dollars to my emergency fund, and will be able to pay off the balance of credit card #2 within the next week. I've also cut my spending on food/entertainment and car insurance. Overall, good progress. But now I'm faced with a problem. On Wednesday, I noticed that my car was leaking oil AND my passenger side tire was punctured. I used roadside assistance to get the car towed to a repair shop. Today, I got an update: tire is...
by lateregistration
Sat Aug 12, 2017 1:30 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can a salaried employee be docked pay...
Replies: 33
Views: 5031

Re: Can a salaried employee be docked pay...

Well, I have my own frustrations with being a salaried employee and PTO. I work for a subsidiary of a megacorp in a call center/operations management role. The megacorp's attendance and PTO policy covers me, but my business unit has "discretion" to interpret the policy. Megacorp's written policy on exempt employees discharging time says, "in general, any exempt employee that takes between a half and full day off must discharge sick or PTO." Meaning, if I want to work 8-2 once in a while and leave for the day, I shouldn't need to discharge PTO. Now, I wouldn't take advantage of this in an excessisve way, but there are 1-2 times per month when I ask to work through lunches to cover the 2-3 hours I'd miss. My leader consist...
by lateregistration
Mon Jul 31, 2017 10:41 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Non-emergency recurring expenses
Replies: 9
Views: 1472

Non-emergency recurring expenses

In thinking more about budgeting and the need to establish a bigger emergency fund, a question I'm facing is how to approach recurring expenses that I know I'll have but aren't true emergencies. In my case, they are as follows: contact lenses: 3 times per year ($130/$390) oil changes: 2 times per year ($45/$90) car tax: quarterly ($44/$175) parking permit: annually ($100) Those four are pretty locked in. Then there's always the occasional co-pay/medical bill, other car expenses (this could be tires, inspection sticker, registration fee, etc), and birthday/Christmas gifts for my girlfriend. Realistically, I'm probably looking at about $1500 of annual expenses that fall outside of my "normal" budget items. With that in mind, does it...
by lateregistration
Fri Jul 21, 2017 1:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help with career direction
Replies: 13
Views: 2372

Help with career direction

I posted this topic about a month ago: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=221806 Since then, I've been working my plan and gradually building confidence (first credit card balance is down to $350 - it'll be paid off in two more weeks before I move on to the final one). The area that I haven't paid enough attention to, however, is my career. As my thread indicated, I earn about $56,000 per year (salary + small bonus). A couple of people correctly pointed out that increasing my salary would clearly pay a lot of dividends for me. I know I can earn more and honestly haven't had the kind of accelerated income growth I'd hoped for, which is mainly my own fault. Slightly abbreviated backstory: I graduated with a BS in Managem...
by lateregistration
Tue Jul 04, 2017 8:30 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: I need a strategy to address debt and savings
Replies: 38
Views: 6471

Re: I need a strategy to address debt and savings

Just wanted to give a quick update on some progress/action steps. - I adjusted W4 from 1 to 2 exemptions. This should give me an extra $80 per month. Change is in effect beginning 7/7 paycheck. - I restarted my 401K contributions at 5% (also takes effect 7/7). With the change in my W4, this will basically net out to my income being approximately $60 less per month. Not bad compared to $400 in contributions between mine and the employer match. - I'll be paying down $650 in CC debt each pay period on 7/7, 7/21 and 8/4. The remaining debt will be paid in September (I have an extra pay period). - I opened the Capital One 360 checking account with the $400 bonus offer (funneled $250 from my DD the next two paychecks). Assuming it works, I'll put...
by lateregistration
Sat Jun 24, 2017 10:31 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: I need a strategy to address debt and savings
Replies: 38
Views: 6471

Re: I need a strategy to address debt and savings

Oh, also, forgot to ask: would it make sense to try to refinance my student loans to a private lender like Sofi? My federal loan is a consolidation. I work in private industry, so there's no concern with missing out on the loan forgiveness public service benefit. Not going to happen for me.
by lateregistration
Sat Jun 24, 2017 9:57 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: I need a strategy to address debt and savings
Replies: 38
Views: 6471

Re: I need a strategy to address debt and savings

Thanks for all of the replies. While there seem to be a few variations, the common theme seems to be knocking out the credit card debt immediately. That will be my first step, and I can do that within the next 60-90 days, for sure. Aside from that, I do think it's a good idea to adjust my exemptions from 1 to 2. That should give me an extra $100 or so per month, I think. I'll still probably get a small tax refund in Febrruary because I've overpaid the first 6 months and I'll be able to deduct my student loan interest. So, with that in mind, what would be the order of operations on prioritizing my emergency fund and student loans? Would you try to use as much as possible to get the emergency fund up to say $4-5K or make extra payments on the...
by lateregistration
Fri Jun 23, 2017 11:19 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: I need a strategy to address debt and savings
Replies: 38
Views: 6471

I need a strategy to address debt and savings

New to the forum and hoping to bounce some ideas off the group and get some sound advice. Basic facts: - 34 years old, no kids, renting (rent is split with my girlfriend) - Salary is $53,000 USD (generally receive a 4-5% annual bonus in February) - Monthly net pay is $2850 - Only savings are $~6000 in a vested employer retirement plan (about $1000 of that is contributions I've made) and $700 in a savings account - Company will match up to 5% of 401K contributions, but I'm currently not contributing anything - Filed chapter 7 in 2014 primarily due to medical debt and personal loan debt I accrued Debt: - $43,000 Federal student loan at 7.25% - $1450 credit card at 26% - $1150 credit card at 21% - $2100 left on a car loan I took out in 2015 (m...