Search found 10443 matches

by 02nz
Sun Mar 17, 2024 3:48 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Using up large accumulated capital loss with treasury ETFs - am I overlooking something?
Replies: 10
Views: 2216

Re: Using up large accumulated capital loss with treasury ETFs - am I overlooking something?

billrider321 wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 2:05 am Hi
I have the same problem, but in my case i am little concerned how much are u losing by buying sgov instead of TBIL, if i buy july tbill i can get 5.4 oct tbil around 5.1 also Tbils are way more secured then sgov or BIL
The average yield to maturity of the 0- to 3-month bonds held by SGOV is currently 5.38%. Your only cost is a 0.07% net expense ratio.

What is your basis for saying T bills are "way more secured" than SGOV or BIL? Those funds hold T bills, they are no more or less secure than holding T bills directly.
by 02nz
Sat Mar 16, 2024 9:57 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Help my kid out - International Relations Masters
Replies: 38
Views: 3403

Re: Help my kid out - International Relations Masters

I don't have in-depth knowledge of the individual programs, but from my experience working in this area, my impression is that Tufts is the best-regarded of the programs to which she was accepted.

But: If her main interest is in the think-tank world, she may want to think about a Ph.D. My impression is a master's won't get you far in that area, unless you are already well-known in the field for other reasons.
by 02nz
Sat Mar 16, 2024 9:41 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Advice re London Neighborhoods, Hotels?
Replies: 21
Views: 1643

Re: Advice re London Neighborhoods, Hotels?

Stayed last summer at the Autograph Collection Bankside Hotel, which I enjoyed very much. I thought the area (South Bank) was fine and see no reason to avoid it, contrary to your friend's advice.
by 02nz
Sat Mar 16, 2024 9:24 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Buying an Expensive Car
Replies: 80
Views: 6364

Re: Buying an Expensive Car

blahpoopy wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 10:03 pm An xDrive M3! Looking for something I can daily and take to the mountains in the winter (plus heard good things about reliability for the S58).
You can get a regular 3 Series with xDrive (or a Tesla Model 3 AWD) for half that much. What makes the 3 Series great is the balance of the chassis, which you get even in the base version. The M3 doesn't have all that much more usable performance on the road.
by 02nz
Fri Mar 15, 2024 3:32 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Microsoft Office 2021 for Home
Replies: 47
Views: 3286

Re: Microsoft Office 2021 for Home

NewishBog wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:29 am Keep in mind that "lifetime" appears to refer to the particular computer's lifetime, not the user's lifetime.
IMPORTANT: This licensing type will be connected with your actual device, NOT your Microsoft account.
If you replace the computer on which Office is installed, you can de-activate and re-activate on the new device. You don't have to get a new license.
by 02nz
Thu Mar 14, 2024 8:49 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Robinhood 3% IRA Match
Replies: 1459
Views: 110184

Re: Robinhood 3% IRA Match

Leesbro63 wrote: Thu Mar 14, 2024 8:45 am One word: SIPC. If you stay under the $500,000 SIPC coverage limit, we might be getting into some sort of temporary hiccup, but any sort of big permanent loss would not be a significant risk. Some even feel comfortable with more than the SIPC limit. I am not one of those, but I'm not unfounded paranoid enough to pass up the juicy bonus on up to $500,000. There may be moral hazard here, but that doesn't change the equation for the individual investor staying below the SIPC coverage limit.
Reminder that the $500K SIPC limit applies separately to traditional IRA and Roth IRA, so you can get the bonus on up to $1M without going over the SIPC limit.

https://www.sipc.org/for-investors/inve ... e-accounts
by 02nz
Thu Mar 14, 2024 11:17 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What's your primary credit card?
Replies: 117
Views: 10239

Re: What's your primary credit card?

Bilt Rewards card. It's the only card I know of that lets you get points on rent (without using a service that charges extra).

No annual fee, no foreign transaction fees. Points transfer to many hotel and airline partners, including 1:1 to Hyatt (whose points are really valuable) and American (only bank points that transfer to AA I think - even Citi points don't transfer to AA even though they issue AA-branded cards).
by 02nz
Thu Mar 14, 2024 10:57 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Realtor representing two firms?
Replies: 7
Views: 854

Re: Realtor representing two firms?

Pretty sure it's common for realtors to be part of one firm (could be their own) but also affiliated with one of the nationally known ones.
by 02nz
Wed Mar 13, 2024 10:21 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Microsoft Office 2021 for Home
Replies: 47
Views: 3286

Re: Microsoft Office 2021 for Home

hoofaman wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 10:15 am Have you tried using Google Docs/Sheets? I find those to be better and easier to use, especially if you ever need to share documents with others. And the price is right (free)

Last time I used MS Office products was 20 years ago I think
And Microsoft has a competitor, Office.com. It's a free, web-based version of Office. Functionality is more limited than regular Office, but the interface is basically identical and it probably does everything a home user would need.
by 02nz
Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:14 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: CD and callability
Replies: 14
Views: 1223

Re: CD and callability

evelynmanley wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:00 am I've never purchased a brokered CD before. How do you know it's not callable? Is that what "conditional puts" means? What does "death of holder" and "restricted states" mean? Thank you for answering these newbie questions!
Every brokerage I've used has a filter to search for only non-callable CD. No, it's not any of the terms you named, it's something like "non-callable only."
by 02nz
Mon Mar 11, 2024 9:35 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How do you decide air travel priorities? Flight to CDG
Replies: 38
Views: 2602

Re: How do you decide air travel priorities? Flight to CDG

cashheavy18 wrote: Mon Mar 11, 2024 6:06 am If you are planning for July 2024 - please be aware of the Olympics in Paris. If you can be flexible, look at June or August (unless you’re going for the Olympics).

Paris is likely to be even more expensive and chaotic.
The dates for the Olympics are July 26 to August 11.
by 02nz
Mon Mar 11, 2024 5:02 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: choosing CDs
Replies: 9
Views: 962

Re: choosing CDs

Bank failures are exceedingly rare, in the scheme of things. I actually had a brokered CD from First Republic, which matured a month or two after the bank failed. Nothing happened, it was paid exactly on time and as expected, it didn't even say that it was now held by Chase. I wouldn't worry about this at all, as long as you stay under the FDIC limit at each bank.

I second the advice about avoiding callable CDs - actually I'd avoid them, PERIOD. Basically "heads you lose, tails the bank wins."
by 02nz
Mon Mar 11, 2024 1:42 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Want to leave the California bay area. Where to live?
Replies: 63
Views: 5615

Re: Is Calif Really That Expensive - Or Am I Missing Something?

Not to take things off-topic but - if you were mid 30's with 200k income and wanted to leave the bay area - where would you live? The climate in the SF bay area is almost incomparable to any where in the world. Thoughts? The Köppen climate classification for the SF Bay are is Csb: Warm-summer Mediterranean climate. There are many areas of the world with this climate. Hint: Mediterranean. One problem is though the weather varies so so so much even within the Bay Area. In the summer Daly City is miserable and foggy. Ten miles away it might be 30 degrees warmer and sunny Exactly, the Bay Area doesn't have a single climate, more like many microclimates. For "sunny and warm but not too hot" it's hard to beat coastal Southern Californi...
by 02nz
Mon Mar 11, 2024 9:37 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: California housing prices vs net people moving out.
Replies: 17
Views: 1146

Re: California housing prices vs net people moving out.

You're assuming that the net out-migration of high earners means there's decreasing demand for housing, at least at the high end.

But it could easily be the case (and probably is) that there is an overall increase in income within the state, which drives up demand for pricier housing - e.g., if every high earner who leaves is replaced by 1.1 new high earners from within the state.

Also, net out-migration doesn't mean a net DECREASE in the population, or in the population of those who need housing.

Finally, the places in CA where housing is most expensive - basically the coastal areas - have always been and probably always will be considered highly desirable. Housing prices there aren't going to fall just because a few high earners leave.
by 02nz
Sun Mar 10, 2024 2:12 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bank of America Outbound ACH Fee now zero!
Replies: 22
Views: 2006

Re: Bank of America Outbound ACH Fee now zero!

gotoparks wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2024 10:37 am I've only been a credit union member for my entire life. I am surprised people would stick around with a bank that charges a fee for ACH.
People also stick around with banks that offers them 0.01% APY on their savings accounts when other banks offer 500 times that! Some people like having branches (or are even convinced brick and mortar banks are "safer"), for some it's just inertia.
by 02nz
Sun Mar 10, 2024 10:20 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Robinhood 3% IRA Match
Replies: 1459
Views: 110184

Re: Robinhood 3% IRA Match

traderjoe55 wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2024 8:29 am Can you transfer Roth ira with option positions?
No
by 02nz
Sat Mar 09, 2024 7:40 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Holding 100% stocks after FI best option for longer time horizons?
Replies: 74
Views: 8107

Re: Holding 100% stocks after FI best option for longer time horizons?

Interesting how these "Why not 100% stocks" threads seem to always pop up when the market has just had a great several weeks/months. Not finding any such threads from March 2020, for some reason.
by 02nz
Sat Mar 09, 2024 12:50 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How do you decide air travel priorities? Flight to CDG
Replies: 38
Views: 2602

Re: How do you decide air travel priorities? Flight to CDG

familythriftmd wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 12:21 pm Air France and Delta both do direct from MSP to CDG.
If we book regular economy, what sounds better to you guys?
I looked on a random date and Delta operates using A330-900neo, while Air France uses a 777.

If the same on your date of travel, I would definitely go with Delta. The aircraft is very new, and in coach it's a comfortable 2-4-2 layout. Air France uses 3-4-3 on its 777s, which is MUCH tighter. (The 777 has a wider fuselage, but by about the width of one seat; to squeeze in that tenth seat per row, they make the seats and aisles really narrow.)
by 02nz
Sat Mar 09, 2024 9:10 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Apple "Fine Woven" cases?
Replies: 4
Views: 517

Re: Apple "Fine Woven" cases?

I haven't bought one, they don't seem to hold up well according to reports, and they're expensive.

The Spigen Liquid Armor case is my favorite of the many third-party cases I've used. It's slim, protective, textured enough for grip, doesn't attract lint, about $15 on Amazon.
by 02nz
Thu Mar 07, 2024 5:53 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Longtime iPhone user looking at Pixel - what to know?
Replies: 60
Views: 4772

Re: Longtime iPhone user looking at Pixel - what to know?

Afty wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 5:47 pm
NYCaviator wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 7:44 am I've had an iPhone since they came out. It's time for a new phone, and I'm interested in a Pixel 8. I don't like big phones, and apparently Apple is going to make their new 2024 phones even bigger.
I'm confused, the Pixel 8 is larger than an iPhone 15: https://www.gsmarena.com/size-compare-3 ... one2=12546
Also, the 2024 size increase is only expected to affect the Pro and Pro Max. The regular iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are expected to remain the same size as predecessors.
by 02nz
Thu Mar 07, 2024 5:35 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Longtime iPhone user looking at Pixel - what to know?
Replies: 60
Views: 4772

Re: Longtime iPhone user looking at Pixel - what to know?

market_mate wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 5:17 pm My guess is that AirPods and Apple Watches are difficult to use with an Android phone
AirPods do at least work with Android phones, with a lot of limitations in functionality, but the Apple Watch does not work with Android, period.
by 02nz
Thu Mar 07, 2024 5:24 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Robinhood 3% IRA Match
Replies: 1459
Views: 110184

Re: Robinhood 3% IRA Match

sycamore wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 5:10 pm
grtwallchina75 wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 3:04 pm Do I need to be worried that I may loose my funds ? Maybe I am worrying unnecessarily ?
No you don't need to be worried.

Yes you are worrying unnecessarily.

ACATS is not instant. It wasn't designed to be.

It will all work out well.
+1, I've done several ACATS transfers, incl. from Merrill Edge to Robinhood. It all worked fine, just relax.
by 02nz
Thu Mar 07, 2024 7:48 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Lower networth meetings with Fidelity/Schwab/Vanguard
Replies: 8
Views: 1352

Re: Lower networth meetings with Fidelity/Schwab/Vanguard

They should just contribute as much as they can into a target date fund (watch out with Fidelity though - choose their Freedom Index funds, not the higher-ER Freedom funds). What would there really be to discuss in a meeting with an "advisor"?
by 02nz
Wed Mar 06, 2024 8:33 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Should I Reduce $258k Capital Loss Carryforward?
Replies: 18
Views: 2181

Re: Should I Reduce $258k Capital Loss Carryforward?

If you have a significant amount of fixed income in taxable accounts, consider the strategy I outline here to use up large accumulated capital losses: viewtopic.php?t=410602
by 02nz
Tue Mar 05, 2024 5:40 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways
Replies: 58
Views: 5432

Re: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways

oxothuk wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 3:19 pm
wingman4uz wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 1:20 pm I would make sure your BA price includes all taxes and fees though. UK operators tend to have egregious fees for some reason.
UK has a departure tax which applies to all airlines, not just BA; the tax is much higher for upper service tiers (premium economy or business). IIRC, however, the tax does not apply if you are only connecting through the UK.
Yes, the APD. I'm almost certain OP is flying coach though, where it's fairly minimal. Anyway, it's all shown in the cash fare.
by 02nz
Tue Mar 05, 2024 3:06 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Late 30s checkup- Roth VS Trad
Replies: 14
Views: 1389

Re: Late 30s checkup- Roth VS Trad

Have you considered I-bonds as a taxable holding? If your income goes up, you could hold them and defer taxes on the gains. If your income drops, you could redeem them in a lower tax year (job loss EF and/or bridge account to social security). If your income stays where it is, you could redeem them tax free to pay for college. I would also suggest keeping an eye on the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC). If your income stays the same and the laws don’t change, you would likely want to cash flow $4k/year for college when the time comes. If I were in your position (assuming no pension or other income) I’d still be funding some traditional to fill the lower brackets once retired. I’m troubled by a couple of details that you did not seem t...
by 02nz
Tue Mar 05, 2024 2:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways
Replies: 58
Views: 5432

Re: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways

BA has some unique seat selection fees, if you expect all five people to sit together you should investigate how any seat selection fees would impact your total cost. Also make sure you are looking at the full fare with taxes (e.g. from the airline websites). BA also has a larger than typical tax applied to their fares. Between both of those the fare you are seeing for BA in Goggle Flights could actually end up being closer to the DL fare. I'm assuming your quotes are for the family of five (in coach) not per person (in business). BA has massive surcharges if you are on an award ticket (even if booked through American), but those are irrelevant for paid fares. Airlines / Google Flights always make the all-in cost very clear; they're requir...
by 02nz
Tue Mar 05, 2024 2:06 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike
Replies: 17
Views: 1624

Re: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike

lthenderson wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:39 pm I called United airlines and was told that my flight is still considered on time. All their other flights that meet their free change waiver policy, would connect through Frankfurt, Munich or Hamburg. Their suggestion is to just wait and see so I guess that is what I'll do for now.
United's app is excellent, you can "subscribe" to a particular flight's status and it will give you notifications. I would stay on that like a hawk between now and departure.
by 02nz
Tue Mar 05, 2024 11:11 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike
Replies: 17
Views: 1624

Re: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike

When I use United's website to try and reschedule flight per their notice, I am offered eight options, 7 of which involve a leg with Lufthansa, just through a different airport. I don't know if Lufthansa ground crews at non-German airports are affected or not but it feels like jumping from a pan into a fire. The one alternative flight schedule offered has both United and Aegean airlines, which I already am using, but adds another leg in the mix with two very short layovers. I'm traveling with family and two kids so it doesn't sound like a good alternative either. Assuming my flight from the U.S. still takes off and lands in Munich, and the strike is forecasted to end 13 hours later, it seems like the best route is to proceed, carrying on m...
by 02nz
Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:35 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike
Replies: 17
Views: 1624

Re: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike

Our flight leaves this Thursday night on an America based airline and connects in Munich Friday morning with Aegean airlines. According to the news, all Lufthansa ground crews will be on strike Wednesday through Saturday morning. The US airline is waiving rebooking fees but all other flights they offer involve a leg with Lufthansa. So I'm left flying into Munich where the Lufthansa ground crew will be on strike and no idea of if or how it will impact my non-Lufthansa flights. A cursory search online shows this has happened quite a bit in the past. Has anyone else flown through a German airport with the groundcrew of Lufthansa on strike? I don't fly very often so can more traveled people share their experiences on what is likely to happen? ...
by 02nz
Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:32 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike
Replies: 17
Views: 1624

Re: Flying Through Munich While Lufthansa Ground Workers Are On Strike

If you can re-route - e.g., via London, Amsterdam, Zurich, Vienna, or Brussels - I would do that.

Also: why so secretive about the identity of the U.S. airline? I'm assuming it's United, which issued this alert. But even that aside, assuming you don't have a basic economy ticket, you can just change your ticket for no fee. If there's a fare difference, you can try asking United to waive it.
by 02nz
Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:13 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways
Replies: 58
Views: 5432

Re: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways

EU regulations provide a set penalty if flight is significantly delayed or canceled. Applies to all carrier departures to USA from EU. Only applies to EU carriers from USA to EU. We picked up 1200£ for a delay out of JFK because we were on BA. Uncertain if the law still applies after UK's EU exit. Ps - just checked and the UK version of this law no longer applies to flights from US, https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers/resolving-travel-problems/delays-and-cancellations/delays/ That page states the following re: UK261 (the post-Brexit equivalent of EU261) - a BA flight from the U.S. to London would be covered, but an AA flight would not be. To be covered, your flight must be either: departing from an airport in the UK on any airline, or arrivin...
by 02nz
Tue Mar 05, 2024 9:31 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways
Replies: 58
Views: 5432

Re: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways

adamthesmythe wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 9:25 am Direct means same flight number the entire way, with a stop. I suspect OP means nonstop.
Direct flights don't have to have a stop. All nonstop flights are direct flights, while not all direct flights are nonstop; but on the routes in question (Detroit/Chicago to London) they are the same.
by 02nz
Tue Mar 05, 2024 8:35 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways
Replies: 58
Views: 5432

Re: Flying to London - Delta or British Airways

An hour to save $2000 (or 2 if you meant that was the one-way time)? How is this even a question?

Did you check Google Flights to see all your options? But what you're seeing isn't really surprising - Delta is the only operator to fly Detroit-London nonstop, whereas out of Chicago there's United, American, and British.
by 02nz
Tue Mar 05, 2024 8:33 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: A simplified personal finance program for a PC – Build it, I will come!
Replies: 6
Views: 526

Re: A simplified personal finance program for a PC – Build it, I will come!

HuckFinn wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 8:26 am
02nz wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 8:24 am
HuckFinn wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 8:15 am It seems like there is a very large demand for a product similar to what I have in Microsoft Money’s free Sunset version.
So why do you think Microsoft sunset it?

Also, "Young people don't want it, but I know a bunch of people in retirement communities who do!" isn't a good pitch for developing a new product. :happy
The key is the words: "Very large demand."
Based on what, other than your hunch?
by 02nz
Tue Mar 05, 2024 8:24 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: A simplified personal finance program for a PC – Build it, I will come!
Replies: 6
Views: 526

Re: A simplified personal finance program for a PC – Build it, I will come!

HuckFinn wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 8:15 am It seems like there is a very large demand for a product similar to what I have in Microsoft Money’s free Sunset version.
So why do you think Microsoft sunset it?

Also, "Young people don't want it, but I know a bunch of people in retirement communities who do!" isn't a good pitch for developing a new product. :happy
by 02nz
Mon Mar 04, 2024 4:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Portugal trip
Replies: 19
Views: 1452

Re: Portugal trip

A couple of other things - we are renting a car for about half the trip. We'll take the train from Lisbon to Porto and possibly rent a car for the Duro Valley and points north. Train back to Lisbon to rent a car for 10 days to go south and loop back up to Lisbon. If transponders are automatically included in all rental cars that would be great. I recall seeing some rental agencies charging a daily fee to use the transponder. I was thinking if the toll was just a matter of pulling up, giving them money, all while remaining in the car, it wouldn't be too much of a hassle. I rented with Sixt last summer in Portugal, and the toll charges were billed to my credit card a few weeks after I returned the car. The charge for use of the transponder i...
by 02nz
Mon Mar 04, 2024 2:24 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Germany/Austria Travelers
Replies: 19
Views: 1619

Re: Germany/Austria Travelers

While I've done a lot of "hectic" trips, especially on my first one when I had a bucket list and wasn't sure I'd ever return where I did 8 cities in 11 nights across Germany and Switzerland, I'm at the age and point where I'd prefer to stay at least 2 nights in a city and probably 3. I'm leaning more towards: Vienna (arrival city): day trip to Bratislava Salzburg: pondering whether a day trip or spend a night at Berchtesgarden. I know Eagles Nest is closed now but the mountains and scenery looks great and I think about 60-75 minute train ride Munich: Use as a base to visit friends and do day trips such as Augsburg or Garmisch-Partenkirchen Freidburg (black forest area): Side trips to various small towns we can get to Strasbourg: ...
by 02nz
Mon Mar 04, 2024 2:21 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Germany/Austria Travelers
Replies: 19
Views: 1619

Re: Germany/Austria Travelers

Regensburg is about 4 hours by train from Prague, there are also buses it looks like. It has some of Germany's best architecture, a great setting on the Danube. The nearby Danube Gorge is absolutely stunning - take the ferry from Kelheim to Weltenburg. Regensburg is well-connected to Munich by train.
by 02nz
Mon Mar 04, 2024 2:16 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Portugal trip
Replies: 19
Views: 1452

Re: Portugal trip

Play around with the app, I was definitely able to set up a Bolt account with just a US number last year. Bolt is SUPER cheap in Portugal.
by 02nz
Mon Mar 04, 2024 11:41 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Determining the "contributions" part of Roth IRA
Replies: 47
Views: 3909

Re: Determining the "contributions" part of Roth IRA

Geologist wrote: Sun Jan 14, 2024 5:41 pm I'm not sure how how the money was "invested, sold, reinvested over the years" or "fluctuations in the price of the stocks" has anything to do with how much you contributed. You made a series of contributions each year. That is what determines the total that can be withdrawn free of tax. These are recorded on your financial institution's Form 5498.
It can be easy to lose track of the 5498, because unlike say 1099s it's only produced by your brokerage after the end of each tax season, since you have until April 15 for contributions. So I now make it a practice at the beginning of each tax season to download the 5498 for two years ago (e.g., I just did so for 2022).
by 02nz
Mon Mar 04, 2024 11:37 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Need better sound for music enjoyment
Replies: 20
Views: 2893

Re: Need better sound for music enjoyment

Audioarc wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2024 11:25 am Sonos is great. Especially if you switch between music and TV. The operation is seamless. No checking inputs and trying to figure out how to get sound. No juggling remotes. No having to power an amp on. The sound is really good too.
Are you using a Sonos soundbar? That does have seamless switching between music and TV, but unfortunately the cheaper bars (like the Beam) just don't sound great for music. Then you have the Eras, which are much better for music, but switching to TV sound isn't automatic and the Bluetooth connection to your TV may be YMMV.
by 02nz
Mon Mar 04, 2024 11:18 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: MS Office Subscription and Activation - seeking advice
Replies: 19
Views: 1664

Re: MS Office Subscriptin and Activation - seeking advice

I think the issues he's having are too complicated to troubleshoot remotely, unless you use something like Windows' Remote Assistance.

Have him try the free, online version of Office, just go to office.com. It will almost certainly do everything he needs, no need to figure out the subscription or the standalone version. It runs in the browser but (aside from the browser bar on top) looks identical to Office that runs on your computer.
by 02nz
Mon Mar 04, 2024 11:07 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Robinhood 3% IRA Match
Replies: 1459
Views: 110184

Re: Robinhood 3% IRA Match

placeholder wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 9:23 pm
02nz wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 8:26 pm Everybody can decide what they're comfortable with. I'm staying under the SIPC limits myself.
I don't even understand the concern because it's a public company in business since 2015 so if there were problems the share price would drop until it became a takeover target so where this concern that they abscond with the accounts came from I don't fathom.
The idea that public companies are immune from malfeasance is not supported by facts.

As I said, everybody should decide what they're comfortable with.
by 02nz
Mon Mar 04, 2024 9:52 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Need better sound for music enjoyment
Replies: 20
Views: 2893

Re: Need better sound for music enjoyment

Audio engineers! I have a need for upgrading TV speakers for music . I believe that translates into 2.0 or maybe 2.1? I do like my bass! I am not too interested in ultra-high fidelity (hearing at what it used to be) or playing music loud (do not need my hearing to worsen, 80db more than enough). I stream on Smart TV Pandora, though I do also play classical CDs (need at least a little bit fidelity) and some very decent quality mp3 and ogg files as well. What should I be looking for? 3.1 Sound bar (Is there a point for 5.1 as I do not have enough space?), tower speakers, bluetooth bookshelf? And what would a preamp/amp aid with? I would like to budget under $750. In that price range, you should be able to get a very good soundbar with subwoo...
by 02nz
Sun Mar 03, 2024 8:26 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Robinhood 3% IRA Match
Replies: 1459
Views: 110184

Re: Robinhood 3% IRA Match

Aggregate of $1 billion. Meaning across all customers' accounts. You can Google how much they have right now across all customer accounts. That's not the way to analyze it because it's only the amount per account that exceeds regular sipc so the total or the average is meaningless. Do you have a source that states that the aggregate of their accounts over the $500K limit is below the $1 billion total of the supplemental insurance? No but they have one of the smallest average account sizes of any brokerage which from the most recent data I found was about 100 billion in assets spread across 25 million accounts so what is the likelihood that there are many very large accounts? Everybody can decide what they're comfortable with. I'm staying u...
by 02nz
Sun Mar 03, 2024 7:22 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Robinhood 3% IRA Match
Replies: 1459
Views: 110184

Re: Robinhood 3% IRA Match

placeholder wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 6:33 pm
02nz wrote: Sat Mar 02, 2024 9:40 am Aggregate of $1 billion. Meaning across all customers' accounts. You can Google how much they have right now across all customer accounts.
That's not the way to analyze it because it's only the amount per account that exceeds regular sipc so the total or the average is meaningless.
Do you have a source that states that the aggregate of their accounts over the $500K limit is below the $1 billion total of the supplemental insurance?
by 02nz
Sun Mar 03, 2024 9:11 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Airline Miles and Hotel Points
Replies: 37
Views: 4412

Re: Airline Miles and Hotel Points

Providers with no CC: Southwest, United, Alaska Air. Would you know if having a “provider” credit card affects the redemption rates or redemption options? I understand that CC provides more avenues to earn miles/points but does it give advantages for using miles/points? Yes. With the United card you get extra miles based on category of spend. The card also allows you to get access to certain reward fares that may not otherwise be available. That being said, I think miles/points are just about worthless these days and I would not open a credit card to get one. The number of points you need to redeem flights is insane. You either need to find a unicorn fare (that usually involves a horrible flight time or inconvenient connection), play the s...
by 02nz
Sun Mar 03, 2024 9:03 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Avge or VT?
Replies: 23
Views: 2109

Re: Avge or VT?

I’ve considered target date funds, but I am young enough that I’d like my position to be 100% stocks. I also would prefer 50/50 stocks and bonds at the time of my retirement as opposed to the ~90% bond position a TDF would leave me with. All that aside, a TDF doesn’t provide any additional exposure to value or small cap positions, which I have been told generate premiums over the long term albeit with additional risk. Vanguard target date funds don't go anywhere near 90% bonds, ever. They get to about 50/50 at the time of retirement (e.g., the 2025 fund is actually a bit higher than that, but I think past retirement the lowest they go is as 30% stocks; in tax-advantaged funds, it would be easy enough to switch to say a LifeStrategy fund wi...
by 02nz
Sat Mar 02, 2024 10:36 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Are people's interest payment exceeding their X?
Replies: 17
Views: 1687

Re: Are people's interest payment exceeding their X?

"With rising rates"

They're definitely no longer rising, and it seems they're about to come down again. But nobody knows for sure.