Search found 2810 matches

by RudyS
Mon Mar 18, 2024 9:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Moving companies
Replies: 22
Views: 2486

Re: Moving companies

Mr. Rumples wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 9:42 am
Sell as much as you can before the move. Take the confidential stuff with tax ID#'s with you in your vehicle.
Two great ideas! And if you take the confidential stuff in your car, take it into the motel at night with other valuables.
by RudyS
Mon Mar 11, 2024 9:26 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Confused--Part D (Drug Plan) Much More for Certain Prescriptions than Originally Quoted
Replies: 15
Views: 1145

Re: Confused--Part D (Drug Plan) Much More for Certain Prescriptions than Originally Quoted

Rex66 wrote: Mon Mar 11, 2024 8:53 pm Why would you assume the prices can’t change?
It is clear that prices can, and do change. But it is surprising how much these specific drugs did change. I too am interested to hear back from OP whether they have re-run the query on the Medicare site and what came out.
by RudyS
Sun Mar 10, 2024 8:33 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Realizing Capital Gains in a Trust
Replies: 22
Views: 1802

Re: Realizing Capital Gains in a Trust

toddthebod wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2024 2:14 pm To defend OP's confusion, the term "income" has two meanings in the context of trusts. There is trust accounting income, and there is taxable income, and they have different definitions.
A very good point. And using the "appropriate" definition is important in many other cases.
by RudyS
Sun Mar 10, 2024 4:16 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When to move to a continuing care retirement community (CCRC)
Replies: 101
Views: 16529

Re: When to move to a continuing care retirement community (CCRC)

At the Continuing Care Community I am familiar with known as ACTS (adult communities total service), residents were put under tight exit and re-entry restrictions during the Covid pandemic. That really irritated some residents because they felt they were being detained and treated like children unable to make decisions for themselves. Whether you agree with the restrictions or not, the point is that there may be restrictions or rules put in place after you get there and even though they may be for the greater good, you may chafe). At the CCRC we live in, we had severe restrictions during covid. But we were very glad that as a result, no one in the independent living area got infected! Unfortunately, the skilled nursing unit did get a numbe...
by RudyS
Mon Mar 04, 2024 2:52 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: At what point in a car’s life do you try miracle elixir fixes?
Replies: 36
Views: 3321

Re: At what point in a car’s life do you try miracle elixir fixes?

bob60014 wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2024 8:16 am ......excuse me while I go out to change my points, plugs, condenser and adjust the distributor and timing. So it was back in the early 70s that was the last time I used STP or other rubbish.
I go back that far! I did find that carburetor cleaners (Gum-Out) did have some benefit. Most other fixes-in-a-can never really worked.
by RudyS
Mon Mar 04, 2024 2:45 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: MS Office Subscription and Activation - seeking advice
Replies: 19
Views: 1665

Re: MS Office Subscriptin and Activation - seeking advice

illumination wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2024 1:24 pm Buy him a non-subscription version of Office.
I bought one from StackSocial for like $30, totally legit. downloaded from MicroSoft. It was a 2019 version. It might be worth it to just solve it once and for all for this person that can't juggle subscription services. I personally HATE software subscription services.


I do think though for 90% of people, download Libre Office and and you could do everything that Microsoft Office does and its free. Not at all hard to use, open and edit Excel and Word docs,etc.
Another good free program is Open Office. Works fine for me for documents and spreadsheets (although mine are simple).
by RudyS
Mon Mar 04, 2024 12:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Gifting Info by Bruce Steiner
Replies: 5
Views: 903

Re: Gifting Info by Bruce Steiner

cleosdad wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2024 10:27 am
jaMichael wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2024 10:11 am Nice to see. I have been so impressed with Bruce’s generous contributions to this forum.
Me too. thanks Bruce.
+1
by RudyS
Wed Feb 28, 2024 4:06 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Contract shall survive the closing, Home purchase FL
Replies: 17
Views: 1652

Re: Contract shall survive the closing, Home purchase FL

Bcdkgf wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2024 2:17 pm Well, our attorney said we can add it to the contract and initial it. So we called our agent told her, so now she will come back to our home today for the signing. I've already added that sentence and we initialed it. This attorney we called will represent us at closing. So we shall see what we shall see.

The attorney said if she won't move forward with this to find another agent, with a different agency group.

Glad your attorney is involved. I was interested in seeing a bit more detailed explanation, and Google found this summary:

https://www.thompsoncoburn.com/insights ... val-clause
by RudyS
Tue Feb 27, 2024 12:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Pinot Noir on the lower end?
Replies: 96
Views: 10219

Re: Pinot Noir on the lower end?

Apothic Pinot Noir. From California. Around $11 per bottle. Actually has decent reviews. Worth trying once. I actually like it. A bit "softer" than Apothic Red (blend).
by RudyS
Mon Feb 26, 2024 8:48 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Front License Plate Mount
Replies: 29
Views: 2742

Re: Front License Plate Mount

Massachusetts does require a front plate. Needed that when we moved. Just went to dealer, they drilled two holes using existing dimples. Didn't get an actual mount. Also got State Inspection at same time. No cost for the holes. "If you've got a red, white and blue Massachusetts plate, you need to have both the front and back plates displayed on the vehicle," Oh that's interest, had you bought the vehicle at that specific dealership? Or did you just go to a random dealership and they still installed it for free? I hadn't thought of asking a dealership to do this. We moved 800 miles. This was a Subaru dealer near my new address. My old state didn't require front plates, so the car was delivered to me (4 years ago) with no front pla...
by RudyS
Mon Feb 26, 2024 4:09 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Closing a Sole Proprietorship
Replies: 15
Views: 1740

Re: Closing a Sole Proprietorship

INAL, but if you used a business name other than your own name, and filed a DBA with your state, then you could (should?) cancel it. Check with whatever Clerk it was filed with initially.
by RudyS
Sun Feb 25, 2024 8:58 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: tipping shuttle driver ?
Replies: 34
Views: 3965

Re: tipping shuttle driver ?

I normally carry some $1 and $5 for various tips when travelling.
As already described, shuttle bus drivers get $1 or $2 or $5 depending on details.
Hotel housekeepers get typically $ but I tip every day because staff changes, so need appropriate bills.
At many airports, DW uses a wheelchair, so bills for that too.
by RudyS
Sun Feb 25, 2024 6:16 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What are some of the things that improved YOUR quality of life?
Replies: 254
Views: 41960

Re: What are some of the things that improved YOUR quality of life?

livesoft wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2024 7:37 amChildren
Wife, then the kids.
by RudyS
Sun Feb 25, 2024 6:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Spray paint for plastic shutters?
Replies: 15
Views: 1951

Re: Spray paint for plastic shutters?

The plastic decorative shutters on the front of my house are sunfaded and I'd like to renew them. They appear to be held on with screws going through the vinyl siding, haven't removed one yet so not sure if they just go into the thin siding or if they go into plywood behind the siding? Regardless, they are hard to reach and I figure painting them with a brush could lead to getting black paint onto my white siding. I'm thinking it might be best to remove them and use spray paint? They have never been painted previously. Thoughts on doing it this way? When I got my last house painted previously, I went through this mental exercise until someone asked me why I didn't just get new ones. Back then, they were about $15 each for a brand new shutt...
by RudyS
Sun Feb 25, 2024 6:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Front License Plate Mount
Replies: 29
Views: 2742

Re: Front License Plate Mount

Massachusetts does require a front plate. Needed that when we moved. Just went to dealer, they drilled two holes using existing dimples. Didn't get an actual mount. Also got State Inspection at same time. No cost for the holes.

"If you've got a red, white and blue Massachusetts plate, you need to have both the front and back plates displayed on the vehicle,"
by RudyS
Thu Feb 22, 2024 12:43 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How are you self-insuring for long-term care?
Replies: 167
Views: 21746

Re: How are you self-insuring for long-term care?

If you have sufficient assets, then a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) may be the answer. The Type A communities typically provide 3 levels of service. Independent Living is just that. If/when you need more care, then you move to Assisted Living. After that, to a SNF. Generally these are in the same location (or even same building). But the high buy-in price, and the monthly payments, will provide for the transition to higher levels of care at nominal added cost. There are threads with details of CCRCs. I will answer the question in the title of this thread, by saying that we moved to a CCRC at ages 78/82. Five years ago. Still in Independent Living, and like the community a lot. The catch is, you need a sufficient nest egg.
by RudyS
Mon Feb 19, 2024 9:18 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Interested in seeing the best of Redwood country
Replies: 23
Views: 2057

Re: Interested in seeing the best of Redwood country

CascadiaSoonish wrote: Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:28 pm Others have mentioned Jedediah Smith Redwoods state park, I'll also give that a huge thumbs-up. All of the 'name' groves we've been to have been amazing including Lady Bird Johnson and the Stout off 199. And I think the kids will have fun too. When our kids were little we told them that squirrels grew in proportion to the size of the trees they lived in, so they should keep an sharp lookout for squirrels the size of our car. Hours of fun ensued.
This was our favorite part of a several day trip to that region. About 10 years ago so our motel experiences are maybe no longer valid. Try TripAdvisor.
by RudyS
Sun Feb 18, 2024 2:49 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Starting my parents' tax return--fill out AGI for both parents twice?
Replies: 4
Views: 733

Re: Starting my parents' tax return--fill out AGI for both parents twice?

The above replies seem right to me, but from the horse's mouth, what seems to be (via Google) the same answer:

https://support.taxslayer.com/hc/en-us/ ... ast%20year.
by RudyS
Sat Feb 17, 2024 2:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medical Expense Reimbursement in Different Tax Year
Replies: 13
Views: 1103

Re: Medical Expense Reimbursement in Different Tax Year

What is often seen on BH is that Google is a tremendous resource. But one has to figure out, or learn, how to phrase the query!
by RudyS
Sat Feb 17, 2024 8:41 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medical Expense Reimbursement in Different Tax Year
Replies: 13
Views: 1103

Re: Medical Expense Reimbursement in Different Tax Year

snic wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2024 7:16 am Here's a related question: do you deduct medical expenses in the tax year they were incurred, or the year in which they were paid? Logically it should be the latter. For example, if you have a hospital stay in December 2023, then, with insurance billing delays etc, you might not pay the bill until well after April 15, 2024, so you would have no idea how much to deduct when you do your 2023 taxes.

The problem is that "logic" doesn't always apply to the IRS...
Quite clear: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p538.pdf

Most taxpayers are cash basis, not accrual, so deduct in year PAID.
by RudyS
Fri Feb 16, 2024 3:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medical Expense Reimbursement in Different Tax Year
Replies: 13
Views: 1103

Re: Medical Expense Reimbursement in Different Tax Year

Seems exactly analogous to paying and deducting a state tax in one year, and getting a refund the next year. As stated in the OP, this will just generate a calculation of how much of the refund is taxable in the next year, not an amended return.
by RudyS
Fri Feb 16, 2024 10:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: The cost for setting up living trust
Replies: 22
Views: 1745

Re: The cost for setting up living trust

An issue with solo practitioners is what happens when he/she retires or shuts down the practice. Are they younger than you? Will they make/have a plan that maintains some continuity? Although I would think another firm could deal with a well-written ntrust in any case.
by RudyS
Sun Feb 11, 2024 3:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Can I take Capital loss
Replies: 7
Views: 1327

Re: Verify a Dead Investment

Google turned up a detailed explanation of what to do with worthless securities, but I didn't find a useful answer. If you want to pursue it, here's the link: https://fairmark.com/investment-taxatio ... ecurities/
by RudyS
Sun Feb 11, 2024 11:07 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: WARNING: I just found a fraudulent Medicare claim in my account. Appears others did too
Replies: 13
Views: 3329

Re: WARNING: I just found a fraudulent Medicare claim in my account. Appears others did too

nisiprius wrote: Sat Feb 10, 2024 8:44 pm Thanks for the heads-up. I checked, and it didn't affect me.

I assume you would also catch this if you skim the periodically mailed Medicare Summary Notices, without the need to scroll back to catch newly submitted claims with old dates of service... right?
I would think the same thing. I review each summary notice as they come in. BTW mine are online, I get an email when a new one is available. No more paper for me.
by RudyS
Thu Feb 08, 2024 11:42 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Evaluating a CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community)
Replies: 22
Views: 3803

Re: Evaluating a CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community)

One more consideration: It's better to make the move 5 years too soon rather than 5 minutes too late. If you wait too long, you might not be able to make the move when you finally feel ready. thanks, that's interesting. can you elaborate? is that because if you have a medical condition they may not let you in? Yes. Several years ago, spouse and I had a couple free trial nights at a local CCRC to check out for my then early 80s inlaws. They were accepted, despite both showing a little memory loss, and FIL used walker. They ended up deciding to stay at home. Lived about 4 years. Spouse and one sibling became part time care givers for latter years. No way would they have been accepted at that point. Fortunately FIL became covered under a spec...
by RudyS
Wed Feb 07, 2024 9:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What are some of the things that improved YOUR quality of life?
Replies: 254
Views: 41960

Re: What are some of the things that improved YOUR quality of life?

four7s wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2024 9:50 am Faster horses, younger women, older whiskey and more money😎
(From an all time favorite Country Western song)
Great song - but..... my quality of life improved the most when, after college, met my future wife and got married. Been 62 great years!
by RudyS
Wed Feb 07, 2024 8:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Decaf K Cups
Replies: 31
Views: 2527

Re: Decaf K Cups

DW and I currently drink a brand called "community" which we get from Keurig. You might consider going to the Keurig web site, and check out some reviews. Maybe get a few different ones in the smallest box size.
by RudyS
Sun Feb 04, 2024 2:50 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Stipulation in a will
Replies: 8
Views: 1499

Re: Stipulation in a will

I'd love to know, too, but this thread is a relationship issue and is bound to be locked soon.
by RudyS
Sat Feb 03, 2024 11:09 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Funeral gift (card with money, flower, plant, etc.)?
Replies: 9
Views: 1116

Re: Funeral gift (card with money, flower, plant, etc.)?

Depends on details. Flowers are typically not sent to Jewish funerals. (By the way, around here, a delivery from a florist to a funeral, hospital, etc., is going to be close to $100 also.)

In my circle, the usual thing is to send a card. Usually not brought to the funeral.

Then, a donation to a charity in the decedent's name is common. Many funeral announcements will include something about "donations in his/her memory may be made to XYC organization" if the person had a favorite charity. One would specify to the charity where to send an acknowledgement.
by RudyS
Tue Jan 30, 2024 1:38 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Tax Form 1099-Q
Replies: 12
Views: 1075

Re: Tax Form 1099-Q

One year we had the 529 payment sent to me. We then got the 1099Q. DD got the 1098T from the school. Nothing was filed by us with IRS, but a year or so later I got the CP2000, asking for taxes on the 1099Q amount. I wrote and explained that this was all spent on qualified educational expenses and sent along a copy of the 1098T. It was accepted. Lesson learned, all future withdrawals went to the school directly, or to DD.
by RudyS
Sun Jan 28, 2024 9:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Yosemite vs Smokies vs ...
Replies: 58
Views: 5438

Re: Yosemite vs Smokies vs ...

I've been to Yosemite NP probably at least 25 times, been there every month of the year, and have been down nearly every trail (100s of miles) with the exception of the areas in and around Hetch Hetchy. I have a few recommendations if you are only going to do it as a one-off. The first is to go there in a year with a good snow pack and visit when the water is at its highest. This is typically end of May beginning of June. Yes, there will be crowds but there is a reason and the reason is the waterfalls are spectacular (and I've seen some good ones: Victoria Falls, Dettifoss, etc). The second recommendation is to get a permit and do the Half Dome hike. A night on top of Half Dome is also spectacular and I'd recommend that as well but that is...
by RudyS
Fri Jan 26, 2024 11:56 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Selling house after 33 year; realtor distrust
Replies: 86
Views: 9849

Re: Selling house after 33 year; realtor distrust

I'm sensing some paranoia here. I don't find it credible that buyer's agents would be willing to walk away from a $100,000+ commission just to "blackball" you for negotiating the commission, nor that a seller's agent would do the same. You might have an issue with a very low priced property where it stops being worth agents' time to show your house, but for a $4-6m property, it's worth everyone's time. Interviewing multiple agents is standard practice and I also find it absurd that it would somehow result in you being blackballed or the first agent you spoke with being offended. Worst case, the most successful agents in your area may not be willing to accept a lower commission (probably more because word will get out and then eve...
by RudyS
Tue Jan 23, 2024 4:12 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Struggling with appropriate level of financial help for an aging parent
Replies: 41
Views: 5257

Re: Struggling with appropriate level of financial help for an aging parent

Good idea for her to move closer to where you are. I see that as a separate issue from how much financial support to provide. We are 83/87, and moved from midwest to New England 4 years ago to be closer to our kids. We are doing well financially, but you never know about health issues. We are however fine. Living in a Continuing Care Retirement Community less than an hour from our kids.
by RudyS
Mon Jan 22, 2024 8:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Does Medicare pay for Hospice care?
Replies: 23
Views: 2757

Re: Does Medicare pay for Hospice care?

To start with, look at the Medicare publication with lots of information. https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/02154 ... nefits.pdf

I have no personal knowledge about this, but hope the link will help you get started.

I have never heard of Medicare having the ability to go after houses. Maybe confusion with Medicaid.
by RudyS
Sat Jan 20, 2024 9:57 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Any reasons to give a for-profit CCRC a 2nd look?
Replies: 7
Views: 788

Re: Any reasons to give a for-profit CCRC a 2nd look?

For-profits are more likely to undergo changes driven by budget as well as be subject to sales, mergers, takeovers, which will (may?) change the character of the operation.
by RudyS
Thu Jan 18, 2024 11:07 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Medicare - Medigap Plan Question
Replies: 7
Views: 612

Re: Medicare - Medigap Plan Question

jebmke wrote: Thu Jan 18, 2024 9:49 am
Lalamimi wrote: Thu Jan 18, 2024 9:46 am The Welcome to Medicare and annual wellness visits include blood work, and are covered. As long as doctor orders it for a reason ( I had 6 month retest for cholesterol issues), its covered.
that is the key - for a reason - often it will be rejected if only a screening blood test. Docs will often submit it with a code that indicates an issue to be checked (eg, high chol, anemia ...)
You've nailed it. The doctor has to have a reason and then be sure that the orders to the lab include it. I haven't had a claim denied for lab work for years, and have been on Medicare for 20+ years.
by RudyS
Wed Jan 17, 2024 9:26 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Trust or not?
Replies: 55
Views: 5781

Re: Trust or not?

swak wrote: Wed Jan 17, 2024 1:48 am It was my understanding that revocable living trusts do not save you on estate taxes. But it does save you on probate fees, especially if you live in California. I’m not 100% certain though.
This is state-specific. RLT may provide an opportunity to save on State estate taxes, for example, in Massachusetts.
by RudyS
Sun Jan 14, 2024 4:10 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help - simple tax issue - IRS says I owe $14k from 2021 (sold stock)
Replies: 27
Views: 3727

Re: Help - simple tax issue - IRS says I owe $14k from 2021 (sold stock)

It's been some years now, but I once had a CP2000 issue when the IRS did not use the Capital Gains and Qualified Distribution worksheet, but made calculations directly off Schedule D. Once I figured that out, IRS accepted my reply as well as the original filing. Not sure how relevant this is or might be, but it hash';t been mentioned in previous posts so I thought it might be helpful. Sorry if a waste of time.
by RudyS
Thu Jan 11, 2024 8:55 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Parents condo purchase
Replies: 4
Views: 856

Re: Parents condo purchase

Depending on age, a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) may be in the cards. There have been recent threads on this topic. This was a great move for DW (83) and me (87) about 5 years ago.
by RudyS
Thu Jan 04, 2024 8:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: CCRC return of % of entrance fee tax treatment
Replies: 11
Views: 1330

Re: CCRC return of % of entrance fee tax treatment

Currently a resident of a CCRC. In my case, a portion of the entrance fee is deductible as a prepaid medical expense. The CCRC issues a letter each year with the allowable percentage. Separately, there is a deduction for the ongoing life care plan cost.
When we "leave" the refund comprising the deductible part of the entrance fee is subject to the same tax treatment as a tax refund. The portion that provided a tax benefit will then be taxable.
by RudyS
Tue Jan 02, 2024 11:12 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: your system for reviewing credit card transactions
Replies: 86
Views: 9316

Re: your system for reviewing credit card transactions

We have about 5 cards. We're retired. When email informs me of a statement ready for review, I look at it and look for issues, by memory, no attempt to match receipts. The cards are on autopay, so I have a couple of weeks before payment is made, to deal with any issues. Haven't had any issues for at least a couple of years except for auto renewal of subscriptions I have forgotten to cancel.
by RudyS
Sun Dec 31, 2023 4:21 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Failure to take RMD question
Replies: 29
Views: 3182

Re: Failure to take RMD question

I had this happen a few years ago. According to my record, TurboTax let me do this all on 5329 and then efile. It let you attach a letter? No, It was all handled on lines 52-55 of form 5329. Line 54 reads zero, to the left TT has typed in RC $XXX Line 55 was zero. This from my PDF of the efiled return. So you got the waiver without submitting a letter of any kind? This was 2017. I looked in my file and see the accepted efile return (PDF copy) and nothing else. To the best of my recollection there was no added documentation involved. If there were it would have been in the file. I never got any kind of acknowledgement other than that the return was accepted and that there was no further IRS action. I can't add anything else.
by RudyS
Sun Dec 31, 2023 1:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Failure to take RMD question
Replies: 29
Views: 3182

Re: Failure to take RMD question

lkjhj wrote: Sat Dec 30, 2023 10:11 pm
RudyS wrote: Sat Dec 30, 2023 8:48 pm I had this happen a few years ago. According to my record, TurboTax let me do this all on 5329 and then efile.
It let you attach a letter?
No, It was all handled on lines 52-55 of form 5329.
Line 54 reads zero, to the left TT has typed in RC $XXX
Line 55 was zero.
This from my PDF of the efiled return.
by RudyS
Sat Dec 30, 2023 9:30 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 2023 was a retired investor's dream
Replies: 41
Views: 6363

Re: 2023 was a retired investor's dream

idc wrote: Sat Dec 30, 2023 12:29 pm 2023 was a good year for all bogleheads style investors.

I was looking at analyst predictions for 2023 at the end of 2022. Most were forecasting SP500 to drop and a few to barely grow, much less than it actually did. Most people had a dim view of 2023, with high inflation, raising rates and recession all but a sure thing.

http://www.financialsamurai.com/2023-wa ... he-sp-500/

Two take aways for me:
1. Analysts are useless, but we all knew that already :)
2. Don't make any assumptions about the future, no matter how short term. No use to even think about it, will just un-necessarily cloud your judgement.
Heck, I don't even buy green bananas. [Thanks, Sen. Claude Pepper]
by RudyS
Sat Dec 30, 2023 8:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Easy to mess up QCD on return?
Replies: 5
Views: 670

Re: Easy to mess up QCD on return?

MarkNYC wrote: Sat Dec 30, 2023 8:47 pm The potential problem is most likely to occur when the taxpayer hires someone to prepare their tax return. The taxpayer is often unaware that the 1099-R provides no information showing that a QCD was executed. So the taxpayer hands over all tax documents and assumes the preparer can figure things out. If the preparer is not specifically informed of the QCD then the preparer will understandably report the IRA distribution as fully taxable because the 1099-R does not show otherwise.
This nails the situation.
by RudyS
Sat Dec 30, 2023 8:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Failure to take RMD question
Replies: 29
Views: 3182

Re: Failure to take RMD question

Google led me to this detailed discussion by TurboTax: https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/irs-tax-forms/what-is-form-5329-additional-taxes-on-qualified-retirement-plans/L0h3GNqRy Thanks. That reaffirms what I've read from other sources. I just have a hard time the Turbo Tax software will actually allow me to do this: You'll calculate that penalty in Part 9 of Form 5329. To request a waiver, enter “RC” (for reasonable cause) and the amount of shortfall you want waived on the dotted line next to Line 54. Attach a letter to your tax return explaining the situation. It sounds like the instructions are to write something on a part of the form that is normally not written on. I guess I will give it a try, but if I can't figure it out, does any...
by RudyS
Sat Dec 30, 2023 4:27 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Failure to take RMD question
Replies: 29
Views: 3182

Re: Failure to take RMD question

Google led me to this detailed discussion by TurboTax:
https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/ir ... /L0h3GNqRy
by RudyS
Fri Dec 29, 2023 6:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: RMD and LTC taxation
Replies: 8
Views: 1112

Re: RMD and LTC taxation

hoops777 wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 5:04 pm Thanks for the replies and I hope it is a deduction we never get to take but at least I have this information.
Not so clear-cut whether you hope to ever take this deduction. We are in a very nice CCRC (continuing care retirement community) in the independent living area. Because it has the life care plan (Type A) some, but not very much, of the fees are a prepaid medical expense and hence deductible.
by RudyS
Thu Dec 28, 2023 2:30 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Need NAIC Home Inventory software for DESKTOP.
Replies: 2
Views: 333

Re: Need NAIC Home Inventory software for DESKTOP.

IS this it? https://napkforpc.com/apk/org.naic/ oops, my bad, looks like it is just the android app that you can put on your pc using bluestacks or other android emulators. Might work, with your files, maybe worth a try. Hmm. How about converting the pdf to an excel file and using this or another excel program? https://uphelp.org/buying-tips/how-to-create-a-home-inventory/ Thanks, but I have seen the emulator via Google, and am not thrilled about downloading that software to my machine. Since l originally started using the NAIC program, we have downsized to a CCRC; I was able to do a major update after our move. But now there are a few other things I should update. I am thinking it's probably best/easiest to just do these changes in the PD...
by RudyS
Thu Dec 28, 2023 12:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Need NAIC Home Inventory software for DESKTOP.
Replies: 2
Views: 333

Need NAIC Home Inventory software for DESKTOP.

I have used the NAIC (National association of Insurance Commissioners) free Home Inventory program for over 15 years. Found it very useful. But I just went to do an inventory update, and find that the program cannot be opened on my PC. I apparently lost the exe file a while back. Upon checking with NAIC I see that this program is not available for desktop any more, just for smartphone.

Any suggestions on how/where I could find a (older?) copy of the desktop program? Neither Google nor eBay is of any help. I don't want to work with this on a phone rather than a desktop.

I do have a PDF version of the data, so the info isn't lost, but I am hoping to use the database program version rather than updating the PDF.