Search found 230 matches

by crazygrow
Wed Sep 20, 2023 7:14 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone using SOFI for their banking?
Replies: 15
Views: 2503

Re: Anyone using SOFI for their banking?

They honored the bonus but never raised my interest rate when they announced they would. I complained and they said they would get back to me. They never did and my rate stayed at 2.5% so I moved the money back out.
by crazygrow
Thu Aug 24, 2023 9:19 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Crazy real estate market - appraisal
Replies: 40
Views: 4908

Re: Crazy real estate market - appraisal

Agreed - real estate agents are WAY overpriced. When I sold my home three years ago, it sold for $700,000. So the normal commissions would have been $42,000 at 6% (and most agents don't negotiate) - and we were lucky to find someone that also didn't have an agent. We did two showings where we had to clean the house really well in advance so we paid for the cleanings (~$800 total), paid a RE attorney a $1,000, and maybe spent MAX six hours on what an agent would have done. That was our third house. We learned after the first two just how worthless agents can be even if you get the most highly recommended ones for your area. I can't imagine in my current house (worth about $1.5M) EVER giving six figures to two people who maybe learned a few l...
by crazygrow
Wed Jul 26, 2023 4:28 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Where to put HOA funds at a higher yield?
Replies: 1
Views: 322

Where to put HOA funds at a higher yield?

I'm our HOA treasurer. Our reserve fund needs a better place. It has been in a cd that expires next month yielding 2%. Is there a way to get this into a 5% or higher money market or CD but keep it under the HOA legal entity? I know getting those rates right now are easy for individuals, but i'm not finding them for a small business entity. Thanks!
by crazygrow
Fri Jun 30, 2023 2:06 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: State Farm auto vs. everybody else
Replies: 60
Views: 7311

Re: State Farm auto vs. everybody else

I'm shopping auto insurance for the first time in 40 years. Farmers has been going up, up, up..... State Farm is quoting much better rates. It had me scratching my head until I learned that, unlike most other carriers (including Farmers), State Farm does NOT offer accident forgiveness. Is this why their rates are so much more attractive? I have never had an accident claim (or any other non-glass claim) in over 40 years of driving, so I'm not really concerned about needing "forgiveness" anytime soon. Yeah, I know, famous last words..... We're both retired and drive combined less than 5000 miles a year, mostly around our safe town. Thanks for any inputs. Our Farmer's Auto went completely out of control when we tried to add our 16 y...
by crazygrow
Sun May 14, 2023 7:39 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Best place at fidelity to park money for six months?
Replies: 9
Views: 1861

Re: Best place at fidelity to park money for six months?

Thanks all. Went ahead and built a 3/6/9 month cd ladder as all the rates were the same. I was struggling to find how to buy the cds in the app but google solved tbat.
by crazygrow
Sat May 13, 2023 11:16 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Best place at fidelity to park money for six months?
Replies: 9
Views: 1861

Best place at fidelity to park money for six months?

Want a low risk high interest option. What are the best options at Fidelity at the moment? Thanks!
by crazygrow
Wed Mar 22, 2023 5:15 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Bad Work Situation Pushing me into retirement.
Replies: 182
Views: 22276

Re: Bad Work Situation Pushing me into retirement.


I already told them no but I would like to get my severance instead of getting fired. I have been working at this place for 10 years and I would like to walk away with what I think I deserve. South Carolina is right to work state so yeah they can fired at any moment.
If you’ve received every paycheck you got what you deserve! Severance is not an earned or deserved thing. That way of thinking will quickly poison you against any employer. Maybe be self employed.
by crazygrow
Fri Mar 17, 2023 6:40 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I move to a state with no income tax to save on taxes?
Replies: 220
Views: 21491

Re: Should I move to a state with no income tax to save on taxes?

They’ll get their money somehow. Similar situation for us in income and flexibility. We moved to TN from Utah (5% flat income tax). Great! We will save $20k+ a year in income taxes!

Hasnt happened. Sales tax is double here. Gas tax is higher. And other things are WAY more here. Our home insurance went from $1k to $7k. Auto insurance also more than doubled.

I don’t think we’ve saved any money at the end of the day… we moved to be close to family so still a win for us but not financially.
by crazygrow
Wed Mar 15, 2023 5:46 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: I'm a FSBO seller, how to deal with low appraisal?
Replies: 28
Views: 3670

Re: I'm a FSBO seller, how to deal with low appraisal?

We just took out a HELOC. Our appraisal came in super low ($1m vs smaller, less custom homes selling for $1.5m in the last couple of months). It didn’t impact us because we didn’t need the higher valuation, but the bank said that appraisers have been dropping homes by 25-30% in our area because so few homes are on the market and thus selling and they are basically scared to get it wrong.
Appraisals are just an antiquated step in the process. Just split the difference and close.
by crazygrow
Sat Feb 25, 2023 12:43 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What methods do you use to make sure you are fair when gifting to an adult child?
Replies: 130
Views: 10841

Re: What methods do you use to make sure you are fair when gifting to an adult child?

My mom keeps a detailed log of any major loan or gift to any of the six children and from what I understand, the spreadsheet is taken into account when disbursing inherited assets.
by crazygrow
Mon Jan 16, 2023 5:28 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: To the Posters w/ Children That Spend Less Than $800/Month on Groceries -- HOW?!?!
Replies: 192
Views: 17296

Re: To the Posters w/ Children That Spend Less Than $800/Month on Groceries -- HOW?!?!

Jealous of you with only four mouths to feed. We are 8 including five teens, two adults and a 10 year old. We are lucky including touletries, etc. to be below $2k/month (no alcohol, minimal eating out like pizza once a month.
by crazygrow
Thu Dec 29, 2022 11:00 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: New Widow Portfolio Readjustment
Replies: 10
Views: 1071

Re: New Widow Portfolio Readjustment

I’m curious as to why you want to make her portfolio more risky?

Are there instead ways of increasing her monthly needs to make her more comfortable? Get her out of the house more often? Improve her quality of life?

It seems the moves you are making are more for you the man for her.
by crazygrow
Tue Dec 13, 2022 9:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Large Auto Insurance Increases Coming
Replies: 152
Views: 25844

Re: Large Auto Insurance Increases Coming

Farmers here, previous was 1K/6 months, 2 vehicles. Now $ 1700 :( I just left Farmers. I know insurance is local, but my agent said that Farmers has become completely uncompetitive with auto and sent a letter out that it is going to release new rates by February. I chose to leave both because they massively increased just for my wife and I but when we brought our 16 year old son on (and he is a triplet so two more are close to follow), they wanted $3k just for him for the year where State Farm only went up $1000 for the year. My agent said triplet #2 and #3 were each going to be at least another $1k/year and State Farm was only going to be like a few hundred maximum (I had them run quotes as if they had a license as of their birthday a few...
by crazygrow
Fri Sep 16, 2022 1:02 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to Stop Obsessing w/ FIRE (Specifically the "RE" Part) and Spend Money
Replies: 114
Views: 13688

Re: How to Stop Obsessing w/ FIRE (Specifically the "RE" Part) and Spend Money

Honestly, from my perspective, you've got all your priorities mixed up.

Going to work two jobs while your kids are young and fun? You'll regret the time you missed.

Going to retire and let you wife go to work (after she's been already working hard to raise the kids)? Seems weird.

How did we make the decision? When our kids were young (oldest were 7/8ish, we just decided to slow down life and relish every moment we could with each other and with them. We pulled way back on our savings rate with the hope that when they are gone my wife and I will still be in good enough shape to put money away then. \

You can do anything, you just can't have everything. Decide what are the priorities and follow those.
by crazygrow
Wed Sep 14, 2022 8:33 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help with Social Security Projections...
Replies: 16
Views: 1357

Re: Help with Social Security Projections...

For the past three years, only my wife has paid into the system based on what it told me. I assume you are manipulating your reported incomes, in order to reduce taxes paid? But for the last two years when I receive my official record from the government, it has shown my to-be-received future amount decreasing substantially. I'm guessing you saw an older estimate that assumed you would continue working at your current rate until you started receiving benefits. And now you are comparing it to a new estimate which assumes you will continue to earn $0 (or close to it) until you start receiving benefits. That happens when you have $0 income for two year. Thus, the new estimate would be less than the older estimate. Remember, these are estimate...
by crazygrow
Wed Sep 14, 2022 8:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help with Social Security Projections...
Replies: 16
Views: 1357

Re: Help with Social Security Projections...

smitcat wrote: Wed Sep 14, 2022 8:09 am
crazygrow wrote: Wed Sep 14, 2022 7:55 am Thanks. We have and some years I have taken enough to fill up a pre-tax account. The business was young when I left my job and we weren't sure what it would support. Thankfully it has prospered.
"fill up " interesting.
What is unusual about a business owner taking profits to put money in a pre-tax account?
by crazygrow
Wed Sep 14, 2022 8:01 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help with Social Security Projections...
Replies: 16
Views: 1357

Re: Help with Social Security Projections...

Social security is based on your highest 35 years of earnings, adjusted for wage increases / inflation. When projecting a benefit, social security will assume you continue making what you made in the most recent year to calculate your future benefit. When that stops and you post a zero in the most recent year, social security calculations will change and recalculate a lower benefit based on that. I don’t know what calculator you used, but it may have also assumed you would continue to accrue earnings at your previous rate as well. In the calculator, it had you put in future earnings and I had put zeros for all future years and it showed a very minor decrease (I should be well past the second bend point). Just found it - I used this one: ht...
by crazygrow
Wed Sep 14, 2022 7:55 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help with Social Security Projections...
Replies: 16
Views: 1357

Re: Help with Social Security Projections...

Thanks. We have and some years I have taken enough to fill up a pre-tax account. The business was young when I left my job and we weren't sure what it would support. Thankfully it has prospered.
by crazygrow
Wed Sep 14, 2022 7:36 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Help with Social Security Projections...
Replies: 16
Views: 1357

Help with Social Security Projections...

Hi! I'm hoping someone can help me sort through this. Quick history: I had about 15 years of high earnings (ages 25-39) where I maxxed out SS most years. My wife had very little during that time period paid in to SS. About four years ago, I left my corporate exec job and joined my wife in her business. About 2.5 years ago, I paid for the online social security calculator recommended here and did some projections. For the past three years, only my wife has paid into the system based on what it told me. What I modeled out was how we would get the most: 1. Only her paying in and maxxing out all years (I would contribute zero) 2. Only me paying in and maxing out each year (she would contribute zero) 3. Both of us maxing out Based on that calcul...
by crazygrow
Sun Aug 21, 2022 7:11 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: The worst financial, best life decision you have ever made?
Replies: 114
Views: 15697

Re: The worst financial, best life decision you have ever made?

Maybe not the worst but an important one. We’ve decided to spend more during the time we have with our kids. Trips we would have taken solo we all go (all eight of us!). We go out and do fun stuff and work less in our business.
by crazygrow
Sat Aug 20, 2022 3:59 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How safe is email when "they" can insert ads into it?
Replies: 17
Views: 1780

Re: How safe is email when "they" can insert ads into it?

In todays world you are the product. It isn’t free advertising - they are paying Microsoft for it.

If you aren’t willing to also pay Microsoft to use their product, then they have to make money somehow.

My recommendation is to pay up. However, having run a large adtech company, your data is pretty secure. You are just a large amount of data points without any PII attached to it usually. (Personally identifiable information)
by crazygrow
Fri Jul 22, 2022 7:08 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Who Has Low-Hour Workweeks?
Replies: 64
Views: 9189

Re: Who Has Low-Hour Workweeks?

My wife and I run a business together. She works about five hours per week. I work 10-15 per week. We profit about $20k/month.

It’s an online membership and online courses. Mostly automated.
by crazygrow
Wed May 25, 2022 8:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone a Realtor? Would you recommend it?
Replies: 32
Views: 4552

Re: Anyone a Realtor? Would you recommend it?

I have a lot of extended family in RE. Mostly brokers but a few agents as well. They recently said that they are, for the first time, actually worried about the next five years and the changes that could come to their jobs - specifically their pay.
I don’t know enough to opine, but they have all become very wealthy this way and always have had faith in the industry until now.
by crazygrow
Mon May 09, 2022 6:47 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Current Home Value is 50% More Than Insured Limit, Any Action Required?
Replies: 39
Views: 4932

Re: Current Home Value is 50% More Then Insured Limit, Any Action Required?

In many cases your insurance company may be happy to send out an appraiser to estimate the current actual rebuilding cost. This is surprising to me because the appraisal for my last refi cost a little more than half my insurance premium. Have you had an insurer send out an appraiser before? My insurer does provide an online tool to estimate the cost to rebuild based on quality, amenities, etc. I'll take a spin through that when my policy comes up for renewal. Travelers required me to have a high value house appraisal by one of their appraisers. They didn’t charge me for the appraisal other than adjusting the premium to the appropriate level. I insisted on more coverage than the agents of various insurers were quoting because my house is co...
by crazygrow
Sat May 07, 2022 11:37 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Current Home Value is 50% More Than Insured Limit, Any Action Required?
Replies: 39
Views: 4932

Re: Current Home Value is 50% More Then Insured Limit, Any Action Required?

In many cases your insurance company may be happy to send out an appraiser to estimate the current actual rebuilding cost. This is surprising to me because the appraisal for my last refi cost a little more than half my insurance premium. Have you had an insurer send out an appraiser before? My insurer does provide an online tool to estimate the cost to rebuild based on quality, amenities, etc. I'll take a spin through that when my policy comes up for renewal. Travelers required me to have a high value house appraisal by one of their appraisers. They didn’t charge me for the appraisal other than adjusting the premium to the appropriate level. I insisted on more coverage than the agents of various insurers were quoting because my house is co...
by crazygrow
Thu May 05, 2022 5:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dog Poop & Pee Sign for Yard
Replies: 84
Views: 6408

Re: Dog Poop & Pee Sign for Yard

It’s unfriendly and un neighborly that they aren’t picking up the poop. Not much to worry about or do about the pee.
by crazygrow
Tue May 03, 2022 10:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Ford Lightning EV
Replies: 308
Views: 30709

Re: Ford Lightning EV

People keep throwing around this $40k number and how it will be a great deal. Having owned a few ford trucks, the lower levels have minimal creature comforts and most people who buy these will want creature comforts. My guess is before potential government rebates the average selling price of these will be in the 70k+ range.
by crazygrow
Sun May 01, 2022 6:13 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Cost Tripwire for you to file a Homeowners Claim
Replies: 54
Views: 4332

Re: Cost Tripwire for you to file a Homeowners Claim

We were told by our agent as soon as they do anything it is a claim whether they pay or not (we have farmers). The agent is a friend so he and I chatted a few times over the first week or so but didn’t have the agency do anything until we saw it was going to be a much larger claim. So my guess is you’ve already filed. If that is the case, why did you not do anything until you saw it was going to be a much larger claim? If calling it in was tantamount to filing the claim and getting paid, then why would anyone not submit a claim for costs in excess of their deductible? I am not disputing what your friend told you. I was told the opposite by the "person who answered the phone at NJM". So how reliable is that versus knowing someone ...
by crazygrow
Sat Apr 30, 2022 9:15 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Cost Tripwire for you to file a Homeowners Claim
Replies: 54
Views: 4332

Re: Cost Tripwire for you to file a Homeowners Claim

We’ve filed one claim. It was 50k on a 2.5k deductible: however early on it looked like it might be under 5k and we weren’t going to file.

We were told by our agent as soon as they do anything it is a claim whether they pay or not (we have farmers). The agent is a friend so he and I chatted a few times over the first week or so but didn’t have the agency do anything until we saw it was going to be a much larger claim.

So my guess is you’ve already filed.

Our annual insurance went up about $500 so far but is already nearly 6k a year here in TN on a 2m house. On our 1m house in Utah it was $1200.

Good luck!
by crazygrow
Mon Apr 25, 2022 5:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tankless on-demand water heaters
Replies: 58
Views: 6091

Re: Tankless on-demand water heaters

We run two Navien tankless in our home. Two due to size of house and how it was originally plumbed. We love them and at times have six showers running simultaneously with no loss of really hot water. More expensive to install but house seller knew the two tank units were well past their prime and provided a credit that we used to cover a good portion of the cost.
by crazygrow
Mon Apr 25, 2022 4:54 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home Safe
Replies: 20
Views: 2219

Re: Home Safe

Obviously. The one I was messing with had just been returned and was in the back storage.
by crazygrow
Sun Apr 24, 2022 10:20 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home Safe
Replies: 20
Views: 2219

Re: Home Safe

Was in the store today and tried this. I lift weights a good amount and weigh 200lbs and there is no way the safe I’m looking at could “easily” be pulled over - door open or not. Couldn’t find any videos either. Maybe if it was a thin and tall safe?
by crazygrow
Sun Apr 24, 2022 12:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home Safe
Replies: 20
Views: 2219

Re: Home Safe

SimonJester wrote: Sun Apr 24, 2022 11:50 am
dak wrote: Sun Apr 24, 2022 11:46 am Select a location, maneuver it into place and (optionally) bolt it to the floor.
This should NOT be considered optional either from a security or safety standpoint!
I’d love to hear more about this. We are looking at a safe that weighs about 700lbs. It will be in a basement and I honestly don’t see anyone trying to actually take it with them (security). I also don’t see how it could ever fall over even in a strong earthquake. Are there other safety concerns?
by crazygrow
Sun Apr 24, 2022 11:40 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Milestone hit-Seeking advice!
Replies: 26
Views: 4263

Re: Milestone hit-Seeking advice!

makingmistakes wrote: Sun Apr 24, 2022 11:20 am
SedentaryActivist wrote: Sun Apr 24, 2022 11:11 am Am I nuts or is 4.5 million and a paid off house NOT a lot of money?

I'm not implying this post is unusual here but if someone wants to retire on that income would it be that difficult to adjust it to $100,000 per year if things got crazy economically?

Or is this really a question about not having to budget at all?
Yeah, I often realize I don’t fit in around here. $4.5 million and a paid off house and the conclusion from most is you’ll “probably” be okay.
Ha. Agreed. Seems like people are getting delusional these days. Considering most of the world lives on almost nothing and that the average family income in the states is like $50k a year.
by crazygrow
Sat Apr 23, 2022 6:49 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: CA CFD payments as “home improvements” for cost basis calculation
Replies: 2
Views: 388

Re: CA CFD payments as “home improvements” for cost basis calculation

I’ll just say this: the likelihood of winning this argument against the IRS seems crazy low.

I could see a better argument for including them in property taxes as a federal deduction each year. My guess is someone has already fought that battle.

Do businesses get assigned CFD payments? How do they account for them?
by crazygrow
Thu Apr 14, 2022 1:29 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: No action by solar company after signing contract
Replies: 9
Views: 1397

Re: No action by solar company after signing contract

Many of these solar companies are fly by night enterprises. Be careful that you only pay when you receive stuff!
by crazygrow
Sat Feb 19, 2022 7:13 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Solo 401k and spouse joining the business
Replies: 25
Views: 1715

Re: Solo 401k and spouse joining the business

Haven’t read all the comments. My wife and I work in the same LLC. She is the sole owner. We have a solo 401k that we were contributing to but found out (at least with fidelity) you have to both have separate accounts with them not a single joint account for contributions.
by crazygrow
Fri Feb 18, 2022 6:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Are we freaks? Anyone else take photos of prices on grocery shelves?
Replies: 95
Views: 9994

Re: Are we freaks? Anyone else take photos of prices on grocery shelves?

I once knew someone who tried to count every step in his mind everyday so you may not be the biggest freaks ;)

I pretty much know the price of our normal goods and the watch on the register to ensure sale items go through. Life is too short to devote more time to it. I also mostly order online and when I pick up I make sure the receipt total is within a few dollars of expected (due to items they weigh it varies a bit). Always has.
by crazygrow
Fri Feb 18, 2022 1:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Ally to Limit Number of Open Accounts
Replies: 47
Views: 7720

Re: Ally to Limit Number of Open Accounts

JoeRetire wrote: Sun Jan 30, 2022 7:24 am
crazygrow wrote: Sun Jan 30, 2022 7:16 am May seem lax to you but I have seven checking accounts with, our main family one and then one for each of our children for their expenses (they are minors but we allow them to keep some money for personal spending to help them learn).
Your six minor children write checks?
Not really checks, but they do use debit cards more often than six times per month. They work for our business and pay a good amount of their monthly expenses (activities, clothes, etc.) out of their own accounts and budgets.
by crazygrow
Sun Jan 30, 2022 7:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Ally to Limit Number of Open Accounts
Replies: 47
Views: 7720

Re: Ally to Limit Number of Open Accounts

xenial wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 6:17 pm I found Ally's open account limits, and they're pretty lax.
Ally website wrote: How many Ally Bank accounts can I have at once?

You can have up to 3 Ally Bank Interest Checking accounts, 10 Savings or Money Market accounts, and 40 CDs at once. This includes all open accounts of which you're an owner or a signer–as a trustee on a revocable trust or as a custodian on a custodial account, for example. Account limits don't apply to IRA plans.
May seem lax to you but I have seven checking accounts with, our main family one and then one for each of our children for their expenses (they are minors but we allow them to keep some money for personal spending to help them learn).
by crazygrow
Wed Nov 10, 2021 3:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bearding for the boglehead
Replies: 36
Views: 3915

Re: Bearding for the boglehead

I keep mine pretty short - like 1/4 - 1/2inch or so. So it’s prickly. I recently started using a beard oil snd it does make it a lot softer. Which makes the wife happy. The bottle was like $50 but I bet lasts me two years.
by crazygrow
Tue Jul 13, 2021 10:03 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buying into a private practice as a physician - still smart?
Replies: 37
Views: 7076

Re: Buying into a private practice as a physician - still smart?

How does the group manage vacation time? Ability to switch or decline shifts? My brother is an ER doc and if I remember right there were huge partner benefits in those areas (quality of life areas).
by crazygrow
Mon Jul 12, 2021 8:36 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Peloton purchase inquiry
Replies: 36
Views: 5208

Re: Peloton purchase inquiry

FYI, there's a (fairly) "new kid on the block" competing with Peloton and similar higher-end exercise bikes... the MYX Fitness Bike . I'm an avid road bike rider, but my DW wanted an indoor exercise bike. After lots of research, we decided to order a MYX bike, as they are currently on sale for $400 off. Like Peloton, it has a ~22" screen, and requires a monthly subscription ($29/mo) for interactive training, which includes other weight based and stretching exercises (but no live classes). Unlike Peloton, the program is heart rate (vs. competition) based, so less daunting for those just seeking a good workout. The MYX uses manual friction resistance (vs. magnetic), but the reviews say it's quite smooth, and the bike is also w...
by crazygrow
Wed Jan 13, 2021 8:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Our experience with a healthcare sharing ministry
Replies: 104
Views: 8440

Re: Our experience with a healthcare sharing ministry

Of course a majority of enrollees will prefer these "not insurance" plans, because the primary benefit is trading enormous tail risk in the future for an immediate cash benefit. That's a gamble that will always statistically work out for the majority that don't experience the less likely catastrophes. It's like not buying smoke alarms for your house because you've never needed them in the past and you can save some money. It's going to "work" until it catastrophically doesn't. Health care economists know that you can't just shift tail risk around for free. Someone *always* ends up paying, whether it's depleting the savings of the sick, bankruptcy, provider writeoffs, charity, government subsidy, or the sick just forgo c...
by crazygrow
Wed Jan 13, 2021 8:04 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Our experience with a healthcare sharing ministry
Replies: 104
Views: 8440

Re: Our experience with a healthcare sharing ministry

For you on here who think this is somehow putting the cost on the rest of society, it doesn't. The plans are self-contained and since the OOP is reasonable, dr. offices have said they much prefer working with people like us on self-pay with a catastrophic backstop than most other people. This is really not true. These plans were granted special status when the ACA was passed. One of the reasons they can keep their prices low is because they are allowed to reject people with preexisting conditions, or to exclude coverage for the same. They are also allowed to discriminate against people for high-risk lifestyle choices. No other plans were granted such exemptions. Where do you suppose those people rejected by these plans end up? On other pla...
by crazygrow
Wed Jan 13, 2021 6:45 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Our experience with a healthcare sharing ministry
Replies: 104
Views: 8440

Re: Our experience with a healthcare sharing ministry

Happy to share our experience as well. We are a family of 8 (six kids 14 and under), in general good health and now fully self-employed. We went to one of these organizations about 1.5 years ago when my Cobra ran out from my previous CEO position. While we could afford ACA, why would we even look at paying $18k-30k in premiums for almost no coverage? And almost no ACA plans in TN are HDHP, they are straight EPO plans that generally have limited dr coverage and limited benefits and massive deductibles (the $18k premium plan had a $13k deductible). The math doesn't make sense unless you are massive users of well-care. We pay $6k/year in "premiums." We pay all of our prescriptions and well-care OOP (and we do have one expensive presc...
by crazygrow
Thu Dec 31, 2020 9:35 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Homeowners Ins - Hurricane deductible buyback policies
Replies: 6
Views: 514

Re: Homeowners Ins - Hurricane deductible buyback policies

So basically the bet you are making is that your house will be destroyed at least once in the next 10-13 years ($1.5k X years plus some investment returns if you kept it). If you are on a beach in an area with a lot of these storms, I’d probably do it, but definitely remember the insurance company has way more research into this and they think what they are offering is a safe bet.
by crazygrow
Thu Dec 31, 2020 9:22 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Homeowners Ins - Hurricane deductible buyback policies
Replies: 6
Views: 514

Re: Homeowners Ins - Hurricane deductible buyback policies

Does anyone use a hurricane buyback policy to cover loss due to deductible in the event of a claim resulting from a named storm? I have the lowest possible deductible percent right now. Its $20k (and yes I can cover it). I am doing my annual renewal right now and my broker told me there are buyback policies that cover the deductible - which was new to me. The deductible buyback policy in question covers the $20k deductible for $1.5k in the event of a claim on a named storm. It seems like a conservative way to cover what can be a significant loss due to uncontrollable circumstances. It has to be underwritten at the same time as the homeowners policy and I have a couple of days to think it over. If anyone does this or has thoughts they can s...
by crazygrow
Sun Dec 13, 2020 2:28 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Social Security Questions - How much each spouse should pay in?
Replies: 16
Views: 2104

Re: Social Security Questions - How much each spouse should pay in?

Long term, I would think you would want one of the two SS benefits to reflect 35 years of full-time work. Best for the survivor. I'm not a social security expert... But as I understand it, you have two different considerations. The first, and maybe easiest to figure, is the "best" option for after one of you passes away. If I understand correctly, the "surviver" will get the higher of either of your SS payments. So to "max out" this stage, you'd wave to figure out how to max one of your individual SS benefits (the other arguably doesn't matter for this stage). Presumably, since you've had a longer history of higher earnings, that would mean continuing to max yours out if possible, and delaying benefits for the...