Search found 1012 matches

by Rajsx
Mon Mar 11, 2024 3:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fidelity as a one stop shop
Replies: 5973
Views: 1008687

Re: Fidelity as a one stop shop

I moved all our retirement accounts from Schwab to Fidelity last year & now come to find out that - Fidelity does not have the sum of IRA distributions (for Roth Conversions in my case) for the current year, which I found very convenient at Schwab & miss at Fidelity, At Fidelity, I have to dive down into the transactions & search (& search) for the IRA distributions - Roth Conversions to find each such transaction & then add them up. Not a big deal but something Fidelity can learn from the other major Brokerage Schwab. Has any one found a easier way to keep a tag on the total dollars of Roth Conversions done in the current year at Fidelity ? On another front, Fidelity does not allow the Aggregator NewRetirement Software ...
by Rajsx
Sat Mar 09, 2024 1:32 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Retirees apparently tend to maintain assets - lessons for BH investors?
Replies: 129
Views: 16931

Re: Retirees apparently tend to maintain assets - lessons for BH investors?

I am glad we are not in the minority as we too are guilty of spending less than 3% in retirement.

We spend generally along the same lines as when we were working, minus what we used to spend on children, who have left home.

We have not invented new ways to spend, except we travel more now in retirement. At times I think inflation should be making us spend more but again our spend in general has not grown that much.

We would not know what else to spend on, except to go to a casino to gamble or do other things to spend money on, get stressed, without getting any more happiness.

We are comfortable the way we are, if we end up with money when we pass, so be it.
by Rajsx
Tue Mar 05, 2024 8:44 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Giving (unequal) money to adult children
Replies: 90
Views: 8263

Re: Giving (unequal) money to adult children

We believe in giving money equally to our 2 kids, one is better off than the other.

We think giving with a warm hand is better than a cold one, the amounts are non consequential when compared to our estate.

Both are married & are doing well on their own.
by Rajsx
Mon Mar 04, 2024 6:56 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: To buy BND or not now ??
Replies: 63
Views: 8507

Re: To buy BND or not now ??

Have you looked at Fidelity’s FBND, returns generally do look some better
by Rajsx
Mon Mar 04, 2024 8:09 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Spouse Beneficary Step Up in Basis ??
Replies: 10
Views: 1384

Re: Spouse Beneficary Step Up in Basis ??

If the surviving spouse gets an automatic step up in basis in case of my passing away for example,
will Fidelity not send the 1099 to my DW for example or she will have to decide by herself or call Fidelity ?
We use Turbo Tax to do our taxes
by Rajsx
Sun Mar 03, 2024 7:23 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Spouse Beneficary Step Up in Basis ??
Replies: 10
Views: 1384

Re: Spouse Beneficary Step Up in Basis ??

That is how the attorney set it up about 15 yrs back, I wish I knew
by Rajsx
Sun Mar 03, 2024 1:58 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Let go from Megacorp at 42....can I retire?
Replies: 90
Views: 22214

Re: Let go from Megacorp at 42....can I retire?

Net Worth of $ 10 million is not common over here, yes if I were you I would(CAN)) retire, but I would do the following,

I will move to a lower cost of living area & less stressful, less taxes, a family oriented & a good schools area, think of Texas (0% state tax)

There is more than money I would think of, get a less stressful, maybe a part time job, but DO NOT stay at home, it will get very stressful.

You got the money part down, but there are more areas in life other than money, like family & friends, spending time with DW, kids & on yourself - Gym & Faith etc, this a major change in life, so keep communication open with DW.

You can do this, think yourself as lucky few, good luck !
by Rajsx
Sun Mar 03, 2024 1:34 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Spouse Beneficary Step Up in Basis ??
Replies: 10
Views: 1384

Spouse Beneficary Step Up in Basis ??

I & DW each have Revocable Trusts for our Brokerage Taxable accounts, & we both are Trustees on each other's trusts as well as first Beneficiaries.

When one of us passes away does the survivor get the step up in basis as the beneficiary ? OR does being a Trustee also on the account prevents that ?

Thanks for your thoughts & opinions .
by Rajsx
Sun Mar 03, 2024 12:06 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: To buy BND or not now ??
Replies: 63
Views: 8507

Re: To buy BND or not now ??

A good discussion is on, I continue with mostly in CDs & some in BND in our IRAs.
by Rajsx
Mon Feb 26, 2024 6:18 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What got you out of poverty?
Replies: 111
Views: 12862

Re: What got you out of poverty?

Came to USA as a Legal Immigrant on a Green Card with a MD Degree in the native country, we were very very poor on arrival, our daughter was soon born on Medicaid, we had less than $100 with us total on arrival. Then the uphill battle started, with clerkships, observer ship, Licensing exams while working, DW became a phlebotomist, we could not afford the baby sitter expense, so sent the 1 year daughter back to native country with a stranger on the plane, she stayed there for 2 1/2 years. Then the living expenses came when joined Residency & then Fellowship, started solo practice with a negative Net worth but not many loans. Having tasted stark poverty, the lesson was clear, need to have money to live, started saving & investing in I...
by Rajsx
Thu Feb 22, 2024 3:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: IRMAA ?
Replies: 3
Views: 610

IRMAA ?

DW is turning 63 in April 2024, when does the 2 yr look back period start for IRMAA ? .....

She will turn 65 in April 2026 & go on Medicare, the MAGI of which yr will be looked at ... 2023 or 2024 for calculating the IRMAA

Thanks
by Rajsx
Sat Feb 10, 2024 1:27 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Taking Advantage Of Current Estate Tax Exemption
Replies: 22
Views: 1685

Re: Taking Advantage Of Current Estate Tax Exemption

I have a question about our Revocable Trusts & IF we need to do anything more ? We got 2 trusts made one for me & DW, several years back in Florida, we are trustees on each other's Trusts, our 2 kids are the beneficiaries Our Taxable investments & our house are in the Trusts, our IRAs & Roths are on our individual names. All in our combined net worth is around 8 million. You may want to provide for your children in trust rather than outright, to keep their inheritances out of their estates for estate tax purposes, and to protect their inheritances from their creditors and spouses. Always wanted to ask this question. If you use trusts to keep beneficiaries inheritance out of their estates for inheritance tax purposes, don't ...
by Rajsx
Fri Feb 09, 2024 6:16 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Taking Advantage Of Current Estate Tax Exemption
Replies: 22
Views: 1685

Re: Taking Advantage Of Current Estate Tax Exemption

I have a question about our Revocable Trusts & IF we need to do anything more ?

We got 2 trusts made one for me & DW, several years back in Florida, we are trustees on each other's Trusts, our 2 kids are the beneficiaries

Our Taxable investments & our house are in the Trusts, our IRAs & Roths are on our individual names.

All in our combined net worth is around 8 million.
by Rajsx
Fri Feb 09, 2024 5:40 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Tax inefficiency of holding International Index fund in taxable account?
Replies: 16
Views: 1463

Re: Tax inefficiency of holding International Index fund in taxable account?

I wonder what percentage of VXUS dividends are qualified ? I hold VXUS in Taxable
Thanks
by Rajsx
Thu Feb 01, 2024 8:28 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Income vs Return in Retirement
Replies: 57
Views: 7173

Re: Income vs Return in Retirement

We have VTI + VXUS in our taxable accounts & also FZDXX for emergency fund, VXUS does throw lot of dividends but we keep the VXUS in taxable for the Foreign Tax Credit.
The dividends take care of a major portion of our living expenses in retirement.

I removed $ from the I Bonds in Treasury Direct which we used to use for emergency fund as DW did not want to deal with the TD website & also the IBonds did not move the needle much due to its $10k limitations. Now the Emergency Money (4 yrs spend) is easily seen in our Fidelity account.
by Rajsx
Tue Jan 23, 2024 4:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Most popular boglehead withdrawal strategy
Replies: 117
Views: 12896

Re: Most popular boglehead withdrawal strategy

Following this informative thrread
by Rajsx
Tue Jan 16, 2024 8:39 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What Retirement Planning/Budgeting Software Are You Using
Replies: 132
Views: 23928

Re: What Retirement Planning/Budgeting Software Are You Using

FiveK wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2024 10:00 pm
Rajsx wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2024 9:48 pm Which Planner will help in keeping below the IRMAA thresholds when doing Roth Conversions
See Roth Conversion with Social Security and Medicare IRMAA for one approach.
Thankyou !
by Rajsx
Mon Jan 15, 2024 9:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What Retirement Planning/Budgeting Software Are You Using
Replies: 132
Views: 23928

Re: What Retirement Planning/Budgeting Software Are You Using

Which Planner will help in keeping below the IRMAA thresholds when doing Roth Conversions
by Rajsx
Mon Jan 15, 2024 5:46 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Keeping income below IRMAA Cut Offs
Replies: 14
Views: 2081

Keeping income below IRMAA Cut Offs

I am searching for a DIY Software/Calculator to keep the Roth Conversions for 2024 below the IRMAA thresholds, it is easy to cross the line by a paltry sum & pay a lot in IRMAA penalties. We use Turbo Tax to do our Taxes & do use the What If in the Forms to get an idea.
Please suggest any particular way/Calculator/Software you have found useful to keep away from IRMAA thresholds, thank you in advance .
by Rajsx
Sat Jan 13, 2024 8:37 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: BND in Taxable ??
Replies: 25
Views: 2567

Re: BND in Taxable ??

or let the AA go up to 80/20 & start getting comfortable with it, control the behavior, in the long run may work out better, who knows. The difference between 75/25 and 80/20 is so small it’s not worth worrying about. It sounds like you have plenty of money and are investing primarily for your heirs. I’d just let it drift up a bit rather than do things that are sub optimal to achieve a particular number. Thank you, I agree we are in a similar position, let me make some points: - many of us have an asset allocation with rebalancing bands. So your IPS might state 75/25 with a 5% rebalance band. - The vast majority of investors, lack the discipline to rebalance and end up buying high and selling low; rebalancing forces us to buy low and s...
by Rajsx
Sat Jan 13, 2024 5:51 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: BND in Taxable ??
Replies: 25
Views: 2567

Re: BND in Taxable ??

Outer Marker wrote: Sat Jan 13, 2024 3:54 pm
Rajsx wrote: Sat Jan 13, 2024 2:50 pm or let the AA go up to 80/20 & start getting comfortable with it, control the behavior, in the long run may work out better, who knows.
The difference between 75/25 and 80/20 is so small it’s not worth worrying about. It sounds like you have plenty of money and are investing primarily for your heirs. I’d just let it drift up a bit rather than do things that are sub optimal to achieve a particular number.
Thank you, I agree
by Rajsx
Sat Jan 13, 2024 3:57 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: BND in Taxable ??
Replies: 25
Views: 2567

Re: BND in Taxable ??

If you pay state income tax, could hold SCHR or VGIT in the taxable account. They are exempt from state taxes. Bond yields are currently high enough (and stock index funds tax-efficient enough) that given the choices of Roth space and taxable space, I would put BND in Roth and stock in taxable. Or, particularly if you pay state income tax, but even if not, I would put stock and SCHR/VGIT in taxable and VCIT in Roth to get the state tax exemption on SCHR/VGIT if applicable and to have the higher yielding corporate bonds in Roth. We live in Florida, so no State Tax Trying to keep it to 3 ETF(Fund) Portfolio if I can, I know it is a toss up, BND needs to go either in Roth or Taxable ? BND will replace VTI in Roth so in that way may decrease p...
by Rajsx
Sat Jan 13, 2024 3:12 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: BND in Taxable ??
Replies: 25
Views: 2567

Re: BND in Taxable ??

If you pay state income tax, could hold SCHR or VGIT in the taxable account. They are exempt from state taxes. Bond yields are currently high enough (and stock index funds tax-efficient enough) that given the choices of Roth space and taxable space, I would put BND in Roth and stock in taxable. Or, particularly if you pay state income tax, but even if not, I would put stock and SCHR/VGIT in taxable and VCIT in Roth to get the state tax exemption on SCHR/VGIT if applicable and to have the higher yielding corporate bonds in Roth. We live in Florida, so no State Tax Trying to keep it to 3 ETF(Fund) Portfolio if I can, I know it is a toss up, BND needs to go either in Roth or Taxable ? BND will replace VTI in Roth so in that way may decrease p...
by Rajsx
Sat Jan 13, 2024 2:50 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: BND in Taxable ??
Replies: 25
Views: 2567

Re: BND in Taxable ??

If you pay state income tax, could hold SCHR or VGIT in the taxable account. They are exempt from state taxes. Bond yields are currently high enough (and stock index funds tax-efficient enough) that given the choices of Roth space and taxable space, I would put BND in Roth and stock in taxable. Or, particularly if you pay state income tax, but even if not, I would put stock and SCHR/VGIT in taxable and VCIT in Roth to get the state tax exemption on SCHR/VGIT if applicable and to have the higher yielding corporate bonds in Roth. We live in Florida, so no State Tax Trying to keep it to 3 ETF(Fund) Portfolio if I can, I know it is a toss up, BND needs to go either in Roth or Taxable ? BND will replace VTI in Roth so in that way may decrease p...
by Rajsx
Sat Jan 13, 2024 12:08 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: BND in Taxable ??
Replies: 25
Views: 2567

Re: BND in Taxable ??

I have run out of space in our IRAs for Vanguard Total Bond Index ETF BND to maintain my AA at 75/25, but do need Bonds. We are retired & self manage our investments, and are trying to keep it simple with the 3 Fund Portfolio, Our Taxable Accounts presently have VTI Total Stock Index & VXUS Total International Stock Index Our Tax Deferred IRAs have BND & some Short Term CDS which will be invested in BND at maturity, will be a all a BOND IRA soon Our Tax Free Roth IRAs have VTI Question is do the BNDS go in Taxable, with its dividends of Ordinary Income or do they go in Tax Free Roths ?? We are in 24% marginal Tax Bracket as we do Roth Conversions. I thought most aggressive investments go in Roth due to its tax free growth. One ...
by Rajsx
Sat Jan 13, 2024 11:34 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: BND in Taxable ??
Replies: 25
Views: 2567

Re: BND in Taxable ??

We spent around $160 k last year, about $110 k from the dividends & we sold VTI for the rest.
We gifted $34k to each of our 2 kids last yr, some VTI + Cash + 529 funds (Grandkids), & plan to continue gifting
by Rajsx
Sat Jan 13, 2024 11:30 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: BND in Taxable ??
Replies: 25
Views: 2567

Re: BND in Taxable ??

HipCoyote wrote: Sat Jan 13, 2024 11:24 am I have an idea or two and will also follow up with some questions for our more knowledgeable BH colleagues. Can you advise if you will selling stocks as well to live on and also is there any intention of passing on assets to heirs?
Yes a good portion of our savings will go to our kids, that is reason our AA is so high for retirees
by Rajsx
Sat Jan 13, 2024 11:16 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: BND in Taxable ??
Replies: 25
Views: 2567

BND in Taxable ??

I have run out of space in our IRAs for Vanguard Total Bond Index ETF BND to maintain my AA at 75/25, but do need Bonds. We are retired & self manage our investments, and are trying to keep it simple with the 3 Fund Portfolio, Our Taxable Accounts presently have VTI Total Stock Index & VXUS Total International Stock Index Our Tax Deferred IRAs have BND & some Short Term CDS which will be invested in BND at maturity, will be a all a BOND IRA soon Our Tax Free Roth IRAs have VTI Question is do the BNDS go in Taxable, with its dividends of Ordinary Income or do they go in Tax Free Roths ?? We are in 24% marginal Tax Bracket as we do Roth Conversions. I thought most aggressive investments go in Roth due to its tax free growth. One o...
by Rajsx
Wed Jan 10, 2024 1:14 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: If You Are Retiring/Retired: How are you estimating your real annual returns going forward?
Replies: 141
Views: 21249

Re: If You Are Retiring/Retired: How are you estimating your real annual returns going forward?

I do not estimate real return,
I let Retirement Calculators like Fidelity's calculator among others takes inflation & also sequence of returns risks in its calculations. If it says I am ok then probably I am.
by Rajsx
Tue Jan 09, 2024 9:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Can VGSH equal buying individual Treasuries ?
Replies: 8
Views: 1316

Re: Can VGSH equal buying individual Treasuries ?

If you are OK with a duration of 2 years, meaning prices go down 2% when rates rise 1%, and vice versa, then yes. Another example: rates go up 4%, your fund temporarily goes down 8%, and then higher coupon payments start rolling in. If you absolutely cannot have any fluctuation of principal at all, for some reason, then this may not be a good choice. I certainly do not want to go through year 2020, have wounds to show what BND did, So is there any way other than a Money Market, with its insidious inflation risk, at least it does not show when one looks at one's portfolio. I can foresee ending up with zillion individual bonds in our IRAs, right now majority of the IRA money is in short term CDs of 1-2 yr duration. The problem is that I have...
by Rajsx
Tue Jan 09, 2024 7:26 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Best Vanguard alternatives [when in withdrawal mode]
Replies: 13
Views: 2199

Re: Best Vanguard alternatives [when in withdrawal mode]

Squirrel208 wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2024 6:36 pm I take it you're referring to Vanguard's web UI when you say they're "struggling to keep up with technology"?

Vanguard's underlying funds are great when it comes to cost and efficiency. They're the largest provider of mutual funds and the second-largest provider of ETFs in the world, with around $8 trillion is assets under management.

Personally I use Fidelity as my sole custodian, but the vast majority of my assets there are invested in Vanguard's VTI ETF fund.
+ 1, I do the same
by Rajsx
Tue Jan 09, 2024 7:23 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Can VGSH equal buying individual Treasuries ?
Replies: 8
Views: 1316

Can VGSH equal buying individual Treasuries ?

I am trying to minimize doing transactions in my portfolio & want to simplify managing the investments if possible .....

I want to buy Short Term Treasuries, & wonder (& ask) if buying VGSH the Vanguard Short Term Treasury ETF with average duration of 1-3 yrs substitute for manually buying & rebuying short term treasuries. I look at VGSH for safety & with not much interest rate risk.

Am I correct in my understanding ? Thanks for your opinion.
by Rajsx
Tue Jan 09, 2024 5:26 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Empower portfolio analysis
Replies: 11
Views: 2483

Re: Empower portfolio analysis

I am looking for another Retirement Calculator + Asset Allocation tool, I use Fidelity Retirement Planning Projections & its Full View feature, and have also used fire calc.

I have read good things about empower, and I am wanting to try it, but I am apprehensive if they may sell my financial data.

I wonder how other empower users on the forum get around these possibilities ?

Thankyou in advance
by Rajsx
Tue Jan 09, 2024 3:15 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fidelity Advisor
Replies: 14
Views: 2387

Re: Fidelity Advisor

Vanguard was after us to sign up for PAS which we were not interested in, the customer service was going down fast, they took away our Rep.....so on.
by Rajsx
Mon Jan 08, 2024 5:55 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fidelity Rewards Visa card + Empower Issues
Replies: 14
Views: 3372

Re: Fidelity Rewards Visa card + Empower Issues

My Fidelity Rewards Card syncs fine with my Empower account,
but it does not sync with the NewRetirement which is a retirement calculator & a aggregator
by Rajsx
Mon Jan 08, 2024 5:44 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fidelity as a one stop shop
Replies: 5973
Views: 1008687

Re: Fidelity as a one stop shop

lstone19 wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2024 5:36 pm You’re conflating a type of account with a form of ownership. A CMA can be owned by a trust just as a brokerage account can be owned by a trust.
Thanks much, will call Fidelity to get CMA into the Taxable Trust Account, trying to simplify
by Rajsx
Mon Jan 08, 2024 5:41 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Alternative to VTI
Replies: 18
Views: 3263

Re: Alternative to VTI

Deleted
by Rajsx
Mon Jan 08, 2024 5:41 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Alternative to VTI
Replies: 18
Views: 3263

Re: Alternative to VTI

deleted
by Rajsx
Mon Jan 08, 2024 5:35 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fidelity as a one stop shop
Replies: 5973
Views: 1008687

Re: Fidelity as a one stop shop

GeraniumLover wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2024 5:25 pm
Rajsx wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2024 5:14 pm Can the Cash Management Account be transferred into our Taxable Revocable Trust Account ?
Just to reduce the number of accounts.
I am not sure what you are asking. You could have your Taxable Revocable Trust be the owner of your CMA (assumiong Fidelity allows for Trust ownership), or you can transfer the assets in the CMA to your Taxable Revocable Trust Account (but you would love the CMA features unless your Taxable Revocable Trust Account is also a CMA.
Can a Revocable Trust Account be the Cash Management Account CMA ?

Yes the Refunds from our Fidelity Rewards VISA Card trickle in to the CMA, into a FDIC low interest bearing bank account
ATM processing fee also gets reimbursed there, I hardly ever use cash these days

Thanks
by Rajsx
Mon Jan 08, 2024 5:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fidelity as a one stop shop
Replies: 5973
Views: 1008687

Re: Fidelity as a one stop shop

Can the Cash Management Account be transferred into our Taxable Revocable Trust Account ?
Just to reduce the number of accounts.
by Rajsx
Mon Jan 08, 2024 3:09 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: For those retired or FI, how much do you spend annually?
Replies: 499
Views: 79474

Re: For those retired or FI, how much do you spend annually?

I think the retired mindset comes in the way of spending in retirement. There is no more income coming.

Although yearly spending is less than 3%, but still expenses are guarded, I don't know why.
It has something to do with one's spending all these years in the past, even if the total savings have grown to a large sum the habits die hard.
by Rajsx
Fri Jan 05, 2024 7:56 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Advise needed by a retiree
Replies: 16
Views: 2507

Re: Portfolio Advise needed by a retiree

How difficult & steep is the learning curve to start with & manage INDIVIDUAL TREASURY BONDS ? Does it really make much difference in the end, the pros & cons This other forum topic HERE indicates that Vanguard has a bond-ladder tool. The Fidelity Website clearly shows a bond-ladder tool. This topic HERE suggests Schwab also has a tool but that you can't build a TIPS ladder with it. Perhaps others here with experience using some/all of these tools will reply on the ease of use. In theory it's pretty simple even without a tool to aid in construction. As to whether it really makes much difference in the end, see the this Vanguard Institutional article (just click accept to view the article). Will a 2022 come again making individu...
by Rajsx
Fri Jan 05, 2024 7:35 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Empower (formerly Personal Capital) Investment Advice
Replies: 43
Views: 6015

Re: Empower (formerly Personal Capital) Investment Advice

I just bought Quicken Simplifi at 50% discount the 1st year, seems good so far
by Rajsx
Fri Jan 05, 2024 5:59 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Advise needed by a retiree
Replies: 16
Views: 2507

Re: Portfolio Advise needed by a retiree

I have had a low maintenance, index ETF portfolio & let the markets do their thing, I always have had a Bond Index Fund/ETF.

How difficult & steep is the learning curve to start with & manage INDIVIDUAL TREASURY BONDS ?
Does it really make much difference in the end, the pros & cons

Will a 2022 come again making individual bonds be superior to a losing Bond Fund ?
No one can foresee the future, I am unable to decide which route to go, need advice.
by Rajsx
Fri Jan 05, 2024 2:16 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Advise needed by a retiree
Replies: 16
Views: 2507

Re: Portfolio Advise needed by a retiree

… I call Roth money as our Nursing Home expenses / inheritance (in addition to the step up of our taxable accounts) I am planning Roth conversions for 2024 & 2025, as taxes are 'expected' to go up in 2026 when our 24% marginal will go up to 28% or higher. Yes am aware of the deduction for health care expenses beyond 7.5% & QCDs in a few years. … When my parents began to incur large at-home and in-facility care costs, I used pretax Traditional IRA funds to pay as the care expenses (>$200k/yr) were deductible >7.5% AGI which resulted in very little tax being owed on the IRA distributions. In their case, using Roth funds for care expenses would have meant they paid taxes unnecessarily on Roth conversions in prior years. Thanks, that i...
by Rajsx
Fri Jan 05, 2024 1:18 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Advise needed by a retiree
Replies: 16
Views: 2507

Re: Portfolio Advise needed by a retiree

HomeStretch wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2024 5:54 am With $1.1 million remaining in IRAs, do you plan to do more Roth conversions at 24%?

It would be good to keep some pretax $ in your IRAs for the charitable contributions you are making and for possible future care expenses.

At age 70-1/2 consider QCDs from IRA distributions/RMDs when they start.
https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Qualifi ... tributions
I call Roth money as our Nursing Home expenses / inheritance (in addition to the step up of our taxable accounts)
I am planning Roth conversions for 2024 & 2025, as taxes are 'expected' to go up in 2026 when our 24% marginal will go up to 28% or higher.
Yes am aware of the deduction for health care expenses beyond 7.5% & QCDs in a few years,
Thanks
by Rajsx
Fri Jan 05, 2024 1:10 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Advise needed by a retiree
Replies: 16
Views: 2507

Re: Portfolio Advise needed by a retiree

BUMP...... BUMP ... REQUEST A PORTFOLIO REVIEW , Thankyou in advance..... You didn't post any specific questions, but your portfolio looks fine. The placement of bonds in the tax-deferred space and holding the international stock in taxable for the foreign tax credit all adheres to Tax-Efficient Fund Placement . There's probably some simplifications if you wanted to get down to a 3-Fund Portfolio , but the only thing that sticks out to me is a miniscule tilt to tech in Her Roth (VGT); probably not worth bothering over. I would guess that at this asset level you are actively tax-loss harvesting to try and minimize your tax bill; if not that's something to consider. As others have said, congratulations... you've arrived at the winner's circl...
by Rajsx
Fri Jan 05, 2024 12:47 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Portfolio Advise needed by a retiree
Replies: 16
Views: 2507

Re: Portfolio Advise needed by a retiree

OP, Congrats on creating your large retirement pot. As others have indicated, you could simplify a little which would make management a little easier, however you have done extremely well and are well set for your golden years. One question I have is on the "Fidelity Rep helping" comment you made. What does this service cost? If it is chargeable and is % based on assets under management I would look to remove them as you simplify your portfolio. All the best, WienerG Service of The Fidelity Rep is free of cost, & the money is managed by me. Drive down 20 mins to Fidelity Office for help in transactions prn like I am new to Fidelity Website as we have recently transferred from Vanguard. DW likes to see a person rather than a w...