Search found 1027 matches
- Sun Feb 21, 2021 6:54 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: I Think I *Can* Buy This Home, *Should* I Buy It?
- Replies: 44
- Views: 3131
Re: I Think I *Can* Buy This Home, *Should* I Buy It?
Very good questions by @denovo. It was not obvious to me if the OP intended to sell their current house and move into this one. I just want to make an addition to Q2. I've got a bunch of questions. May help if you update your post? 1. Why are your in-laws selling? 2. Are you going to rent the proper...
- Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:31 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: What % of your TOTAL portfolio is in TIAA Trad?
- Replies: 45
- Views: 3207
Re: What % of your TOTAL portfolio is in TIAA Trad?
... I do expect that changes may be made at least to the liquid forms of TRAD much like the IRAs. For now my liquid TRAD inside my 403b still give at least 3%. TIAA closed the IRA 3% guaranteed Traditional in August 2013. IRA Traditional contributions since then only have 1% guarantee. Did you have...
- Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:00 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: What % of your TOTAL portfolio is in TIAA Trad?
- Replies: 45
- Views: 3207
Re: What % of your TOTAL portfolio is in TIAA Trad?
Close to 30%. TIAA Trad comprises our entire fixed income/bond allocation. Still working. rr2: You are the only respondent with a higher % than me. Do you have any concerns about credit risk given that you so much at TIAA? I have not thought about this at all. When I get closer to retirement, I wil...
- Wed Feb 17, 2021 6:37 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Saving 50% of salary; what does it really mean?
- Replies: 258
- Views: 31494
Re: Saving 50% of salary; what does it really mean?
Thanks for the link. Very informative.Mike Scott wrote: ↑Wed Feb 17, 2021 5:49 pm For statistics and usage of median, average and percentile income in the US, check out this page...
https://dqydj.com/average-median-top-ho ... 0in%202019.
- Wed Feb 17, 2021 5:04 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: What % of your TOTAL portfolio is in TIAA Trad?
- Replies: 45
- Views: 3207
Re: What % of your TOTAL portfolio is in TIAA Trad?
Close to 30%. TIAA Trad comprises our entire fixed income/bond allocation. Still working.
- Sun Jan 03, 2021 11:23 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Coming up with mortgage down payment
- Replies: 74
- Views: 4403
Re: Coming up with mortgage down payment
Plus add the fact that appreciation is not a guaranteed. Another anecdotal point: we were house envy after living in condos for 5 years so we purchased our 1st house in 2007 for $460k with 5% down in a red-hot market; our house to income ratio was 34% and I was thinking we were doing great! Fast fo...
- Sat Jan 02, 2021 4:12 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Coming up with mortgage down payment
- Replies: 74
- Views: 4403
Re: Coming up with mortgage down payment
Wait it out.
Is the 50-70K downpayment 10% or 20%? What is the house price you are aiming for?
You are making $220K and have around $80K all put together in NW. I assume that this income is very recent. Make a savings plan. Start a savings plan with IRA/401K/Taxable/and a down payment fund.
Is the 50-70K downpayment 10% or 20%? What is the house price you are aiming for?
You are making $220K and have around $80K all put together in NW. I assume that this income is very recent. Make a savings plan. Start a savings plan with IRA/401K/Taxable/and a down payment fund.
- Mon Nov 30, 2020 3:30 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: H&R Block 2020 software offer
- Replies: 413
- Views: 30754
Re: H&R Block 2020 software offer
Fed + State at 22.49 now at amazon and also newegg.
- Wed Nov 18, 2020 1:51 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: I may die poor
- Replies: 160
- Views: 17881
Re: I may die poor
All I had to read was the title “I may die poor” and the first thread “ I am 40yo - making 140k a year”. Seriously? If you read further, my question really is, what am I doing wrong? Was hoping to find something to dig into so I could research and educate myself to be in a better position - Granted...
- Sun Oct 25, 2020 4:27 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Potential job loss at 62
- Replies: 37
- Views: 4275
Re: Potential job loss at 62
If possible, refinance to a thirty year. Rates are really low.
- Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:24 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Going “all in” on paying mortgage
- Replies: 178
- Views: 14684
- Wed Oct 14, 2020 5:53 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: The Wrong Way to Think About Debt - The White Coat Investor
- Replies: 215
- Views: 26791
Re: The Wrong Way to Think About Debt - The White Coat Investor
I refinanced a house with a mortgage in the amount of $280 K almost 9 years ago. I had two choices -- either a 30 year at 3.5% or a 15 year at 2.875%. I took the 30 year at 3.5% and invested the difference every month in VTSAX. After 9 years: Mortgage balance = $225 K Mortgage balance assuming 15 ye...
- Tue Jun 09, 2020 4:23 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Retirement Friendly States
- Replies: 441
- Views: 36134
Re: Retirement Friendly States
We recently retired and moved to the Big Island. Like I said, no place is perfect. We are in our early 50s, and fairly healthy and active. Someday, the need for better healthcare may become an issue, or maybe it will improve here. But, for now we are enjoying everything this place has to offer. Eas...
- Sun Mar 08, 2020 3:38 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Guidance on investing Indian money in India and reducing tax liability in US
- Replies: 4
- Views: 521
Re: Guidance on investing Indian money in India and reducing tax liability in US
If the amount in USD is not much (as you mentioned) in both absolute terms and as a fraction of your assets, make your life simple and just transfer it all to the US after selling it. Less paperwork hassles makes it worth it.
- Thu Jan 03, 2019 3:38 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: REGISTRATION FOR 2019 BOGLEHEAD CONTEST [Entry deadline has passed]
- Replies: 701
- Views: 22906
- Sun Sep 23, 2018 2:11 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Don't trust Tripadvisor reviews
- Replies: 64
- Views: 7754
Re: Don't trust Tripadvisor reviews
I wrote a fake review for Tripadvisor. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60491-d2255314-r554019017-Jackson_Hole_Mountain_Guides_Day_Tours-Jackson_Jackson_Hole_Wyoming.html Clearly creative writing is one of your other hobbies! :beer That was hilarious. I have never skied, but I might now...
- Mon Apr 02, 2018 8:57 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: New Microwave - what to select?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1608
Re: New Microwave - what to select?
We got a powerful Panasonic "inverter technology" one about seven years ago and it still runs like a champ. This looks like the newer model of the same thing: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DEWZUJQ/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza It is very fast, and the knob is a nicer interface than the butt...
- Wed Mar 28, 2018 5:31 pm
- Forum: US Chapters
- Topic: A lot of heavy hitters this morning
- Replies: 244
- Views: 31538
Re: A lot of heavy hitters this morning
Ok. I apologize. I did not intend to demoralize rather illustrate that you don’t need to be a doctor or a google employee to make it FI. Slow and steady savings gets you there. Lots of $100,000 jobs around. As long as husband and spouse makes $100,000 each it should be doable. I respectfully sugges...
- Wed Mar 21, 2018 3:25 am
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Buying vs renting - really tough decision to make
- Replies: 64
- Views: 6453
Re: Buying vs renting - really tough decision to make
@ TheBogleWay -- This is the way I understand how I would apply the NY Times calculator. Your Case 1: 1M house -- Plug in the house price into the calculator. Adjust the other assumptions to match local conditions. It comes up with a rent. If you are able to rent a comparable house for less than the...
- Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:30 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Buying vs renting - really tough decision to make
- Replies: 64
- Views: 6453
Re: Buying vs renting - really tough decision to make
OP -- Almost every single financial argument and fact presented in the OP logically points towards renting being the better option. Yet you claim to be emotionally torn. Why? Looking at at from the affordability viewpoint, it is probably OK given your joint income after marriage. I assume that you h...
- Tue Mar 20, 2018 9:35 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Cash Advance on Credit Card for $3K Car
- Replies: 43
- Views: 3558
Re: Cash Advance on Credit Card for $3K Car
It's hard to tell without knowing what your spending and budget looks like. Assuming that you want to pay down in one year, the payments would be close to $300/month. This does not include gas, insurance, maintenance. I'd suggest you take a real good look at your budget and spending and then decide ...
- Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:30 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Which debt to pay down first?
- Replies: 30
- Views: 2334
Re: Which debt to pay down first?
I vote Option 4. But this depends on your preference. I would aim to get to have accumulated at least 25x Expenses (excluding debt) + Debt. In your case 25x + (325K). So are you saying once I have 25x + $325k I should then start paying down the debt instead of investing more in taxable? This was my...
- Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:59 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Which debt to pay down first?
- Replies: 30
- Views: 2334
Re: Which debt to pay down first?
I vote Option 4.
But this depends on your preference. I would aim to get to have accumulated at least 25x Expenses (excluding debt) + Debt. In your case 25x + (325K).
But this depends on your preference. I would aim to get to have accumulated at least 25x Expenses (excluding debt) + Debt. In your case 25x + (325K).
- Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:20 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: A Week in Barcelona in March
- Replies: 3
- Views: 602
Re: A Week in Barcelona in March
Lots to do in Barcelona. One of my favorite cities to visit. Day trips Figueres (Dali Museum if you like Dali stuff) Rupit (+ hiking) --> I went with a Meet Up group Insideout Barcelona. (https://www.meetup.com/Insideout-Barcelona/) Also, just outside Barcelona Sant Sadurni d Anoia has Cava Freixene...
- Thu Feb 22, 2018 9:22 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Need $100,000 in 20 years. Help!
- Replies: 52
- Views: 6987
Re: Need $100,000 in 20 years. Help!
Isn't the amount revised yearly based on discretionary income and family size? Also if you get married and file jointly, total income is taken into account.
- Thu Nov 23, 2017 5:55 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Chromebooks- What is the lure?
- Replies: 157
- Views: 23310
Re: Chromebooks- What is the lure?
I'm able to use the regular Chrome browser on my Chromebook to fill PDF forms. However, I cannot save it filled. What I do after filling is choose Print and then Save to PDF file. This PDF file preserves the entries that I made but loses the Fillability. No more changes can be made. It's been more t...
- Tue Nov 07, 2017 9:21 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: "I took all my money out of the stock market and it feels amazing"
- Replies: 69
- Views: 11454
Re: "I took all my money out of the stock market and it feels amazing"
You can’t Time the market, but you can evaluate where you are relative to your goals, where the market is, and take rational action. With someone who has made great gains in the last decade, is very close to retirement goals, seeing modest forward looking equity returns with wide dispersion of poss...
- Tue Nov 07, 2017 8:55 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: "I took all my money out of the stock market and it feels amazing"
- Replies: 69
- Views: 11454
Re: "I took all my money out of the stock market and it feels amazing"
Hmmm....I'm skeptical of something and wonder if someone can help me out. She says: Back in the early 1980s, I inherited $50,000. At the time, that was so much more money than I’d ever had before that I decided I’d better educate myself about financial matters. After much research, I put that money...
- Thu Nov 02, 2017 7:04 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: My 401k is almost all cash now. 1/2 Mil
- Replies: 89
- Views: 11676
Re: My 401k is almost all cash now. 1/2 Mil
Please take a look at the following video. No one can be more convincing than Jack Bogle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6ra5POdsYg Thanks for this link. I love listening to him. Very interesting that Bogle admitted to have himself market-timed before the 2000 crash by going down to an asset allo...
- Thu Nov 02, 2017 2:21 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: My 401k is almost all cash now. 1/2 Mil
- Replies: 89
- Views: 11676
Re: My 401k is almost all cash now. 1/2 Mil
My strategy was, once market drops 20% I will start buying again. It worked in 2008. I moved 100% in sp500. Kept on selling till 2016 Feb. Now I am just waiting. I may start DCA into SPY a little bit and hope for a crash in next few years. Can you elaborate a little more? When in 2008 did you sell ...
- Thu Nov 02, 2017 1:55 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: My 401k is almost all cash now. 1/2 Mil
- Replies: 89
- Views: 11676
Re: My 401k is almost all cash now. 1/2 Mil
My strategy was, once market drops 20% I will start buying again. It worked in 2008. I moved 100% in sp500. Kept on selling till 2016 Feb. Now I am just waiting. I may start DCA into SPY a little bit and hope for a crash in next few years. Can you elaborate a little more? When in 2008 did you sell ...
- Tue Oct 10, 2017 7:35 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: What are you up YTD? [Year To Date]
- Replies: 3482
- Views: 578995
Re: What are you up YTD? [Year To Date]
16% YTD (up to 9/30/2017) with roughly an AA of 60/40 Stocks/Fixed Income.
- Tue Oct 10, 2017 5:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: [Boglehead vs Mr Money Mustache philosophies]
- Replies: 203
- Views: 23632
Re: [Boglehead vs Mr Money Mustache philosophies]
In my area we have local meetings of both Bogleheads and MMM followers. I've been to several of each over the last couple years. I feel a bit out of place at the MMM meetings because my high savings rate is due more to a high income than frugal living, and I have a gas guzzling car and a boat, but ...
- Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:44 pm
- Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
- Topic: Pay yourself first.
- Replies: 43
- Views: 5382
Re: Pay yourself first.
This is the strategy we use. -- Payroll deductions to 401ks twice a month from each paycheck (7th and 22nd of each month). -- IRA contributions around the 15th of each month. -- Taxable account contribution the first of each month. All of the above are automated. The rest is in the checking account....
- Mon Apr 17, 2017 12:21 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: I got a FACTA-related form from my home country?
- Replies: 24
- Views: 2398
Re: I got a FACTA-related form from my home country?
If it were me, I'd close the account and have my family member pay my bill. It is very easy to transfer money from the US to foreign bank accounts (in India for example) with very low fees (less than $5). Sorry to hijack the thread. How? Most banks seem to charge a lot to do a wire transfer, and se...
- Sun Apr 16, 2017 11:01 pm
- Forum: US Chapters
- Topic: Hawaii Bogleheads, where are you?
- Replies: 29
- Views: 6769
Re: Hawaii Bogleheads, where are you?
I would join but am on Big Island -- Hilo side 

- Sun Apr 16, 2017 10:39 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: I got a FACTA-related form from my home country?
- Replies: 24
- Views: 2398
Re: I got a FACTA-related form from my home country?
And does it matter than the foreign account is a joint account with a family member who is not a US citizen/resident/person/whatever? In fact, the money is arguably "not mine". I only use it once a year to pay some bills in the home country, and other than that I have told my family the m...
- Sat Apr 15, 2017 11:02 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: I got a FACTA-related form from my home country?
- Replies: 24
- Views: 2398
Re: I got a FACTA-related form from my home country?
Do you need that account to remain open. If not, just close that bank account and be done with it.
- Sat Jan 28, 2017 1:16 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Scott Burns is Signing Off -- He'll be missed
- Replies: 31
- Views: 9609
Re: Scott Burns is Signing Off -- He'll be missed
I owe a particular debt to Miss Ozgood, my 11th grade English teacher. I wanted to be an engineer and an astronaut, but she started the fire. She asked her students to write sentences instead of diagraming them, and I did. School is not so easy and it is not for the most part very fun, but then, if...
- Sat Jan 28, 2017 1:12 am
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Priority Pass airport lounge access - Chase Sapphire Reserve perk (and possibly other cards)
- Replies: 24
- Views: 5300
Re: Priority Pass airport lounge access - Chase Sapphire Reserve perk (and possibly other cards)
traveltoomuch -- thank you. And I like your username :) To add another datapoint, there are two PP lounges in HNL. One is the IASS lounge (contract) in the main terminal which is small, somewhat dingy, and can get crowded. In comparison, the other lounge which is the HA Plumeria lounge in the inter...
- Fri Jan 27, 2017 1:50 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Priority Pass airport lounge access - Chase Sapphire Reserve perk (and possibly other cards)
- Replies: 24
- Views: 5300
Re: Priority Pass airport lounge access - Chase Sapphire Reserve perk (and possibly other cards)
PP does not include UA lounge access, however, there maybe contract lounges that serve both. In the OP's case, NGO (Nagoya) is not a UA lounge, but a StarAlliance lounge which is also a PP contract lounge. Cruise -- Thanks for the explanation. Sorry to have caused the confusion. You are correct -- ...
- Thu Jan 26, 2017 7:41 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: "Don't Overcomplicate Your Portfolio"
- Replies: 27
- Views: 5698
Re: "Don't Overcomplicate Your Portfolio"
Simplicity works. I have a friend who, over many years, has finally whittled his portfolio down to: 96% Target Retirement fund 4% credit union checking/savings He rebalances once a year. His motto is that money doesn't like to be micromanaged. The less you mess with your money, the more of it you'l...
- Thu Jan 26, 2017 6:55 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Stocks/ETFs in Brokerage that would stand strong against a crash
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1227
Re: Stocks/ETFs in Brokerage that would stand strong against a crash
This is just my opinion BUT
Nobody Knows Nothing
And if anyone claims they do, run away. Run far away.
Good luck!
Nobody Knows Nothing
And if anyone claims they do, run away. Run far away.
Good luck!
- Thu Jan 26, 2017 6:28 pm
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: "Don't Overcomplicate Your Portfolio"
- Replies: 27
- Views: 5698
Re: "Don't Overcomplicate Your Portfolio"
Simplicity works. I have a friend who, over many years, has finally whittled his portfolio down to: 96% Target Retirement fund 4% credit union checking/savings He rebalances once a year. His motto is that money doesn't like to be micromanaged. The less you mess with your money, the more of it you'l...
- Thu Jan 26, 2017 6:16 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Priority Pass airport lounge access - Chase Sapphire Reserve perk (and possibly other cards)
- Replies: 24
- Views: 5300
Re: Priority Pass airport lounge access - Chase Sapphire Reserve perk (and possibly other cards)
-- Lounge access can be restricted based on times. Have you actually ever tried to access a lounge during a restricted period? I'm not doubting that they will turn someone away but just wondering if anyone has experienced it firsthand. Based on my experience of having entered during an open period ...
- Thu Jan 26, 2017 4:57 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Priority Pass airport lounge access - Chase Sapphire Reserve perk (and possibly other cards)
- Replies: 24
- Views: 5300
Re: Priority Pass airport lounge access - Chase Sapphire Reserve perk (and possibly other cards)
Here's my experience so far. -- Lounge access can be restricted based on times. -- Lounge can be far from your gate or even in a different terminal/concourse. In some cases, this can be very inconvenient. For example at NRT, lounge access is only available beyond immigration. So if you are transitin...
- Wed Jan 25, 2017 5:34 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: best way to buy TaxAct
- Replies: 39
- Views: 6766
Re: best way to buy TaxAct
Using thebigad's link, I was able to get the online Plus version (federal+state) for $20. Thanks.
- Tue Jan 24, 2017 8:26 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Getting the best current mortage interest rate
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1973
Re: Getting the best current mortage interest rate
This was a while ago (2011/2012) when I did my last couple refi's using an online broker (First Internet Bank). Everything did go mostly well but it did require being on top of the process. Everything was via email/internet and required responding to requests on time. They had the best rates for a g...
- Tue Jan 24, 2017 5:35 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Best Places to Live in US?
- Replies: 123
- Views: 15024
Re: Best Places to Live in US?
I ponder this question a lot. If I had my pick, I'd probably find a good school district somehwere in Hawaii. I'd trade down to a smaller house for the ability to play in the ocean with my kids more instead of 1 or 2 weeks a year on vacation. Also, property taxes are very low. Except for some of th...
- Tue Jan 24, 2017 3:51 pm
- Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
- Topic: Camera Recommendation
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1874
Re: Camera Recommendation
With that budget, I'd be considering the more advanced APS-C mirrorless cameras, such as the Fuji XT2/XT1 or the M43 camera such as Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. The catch is that you will have to get newer lenses and the can get expensive in a hurry. PS: I don't have any of those cameras but frequentl...